By Zakir Hussain
FOR 50 years, the PAP has stayed in power because it has
delivered progress to the people, its leaders often point out.
But Law Minister K. Shanmugam feels younger voters can erode its
dominant position should the party fail to convince them that
Singapore, more than most countries, needs a strong leadership and
a political system that allows for effective and speedy decisions
to be made.
He gave this warning to his party members in an editorial in the
latest People's Action Party bi-monthly magazine, Petir.
Mr Shanmugam appears to have his eye on the clock when he issued
his word of caution, saying no political party had stayed in power
continuously for more than 70 years.
The way for the PAP to outlive this record, he feels, is to
provide greater political education for Singaporeans, in
particular, students.
However, he said: 'The education should not trumpet the virtues
of any particular system.'
Instead, students should be taught, among other things, how
political systems work in different cultures, the impact of
geographical and social factors on societies and why city states
rise and fall.
'This will make people look carefully at the liberal democratic
model and help them decide which aspects best suit Singapore,' he
said as he set out how the PAP can communicate better its message
that Singapore needs good governance and that only the PAP can
deliver it.
His concern comes at a time when a younger generation of
better-educated voters feels the political process and system in a
democratic state should be based on the Western model of liberal
democracy.
Mr Shanmugam and government leaders reject the view, arguing
that the best systems are those that fit the society they
govern.
'Not every aspect can be transplanted in toto across cultures,
without regard to different economic, social and geostrategic
situations,' said the Law Minister.
It is a position he has argued vigorously in favour of in the
past three months: first to a group of international lawyers
meeting here in October, then the Harvard alumni in Singapore last
week, and now, PAP members.
Mr Shanmugam, who is also Second Home Affairs Minister, said the
PAP's message had resonated with the older generation who
experienced the turmoil of Singapore's early years.
'But the collective memory of this is not as strong among newer
generations, whose viewpoints will increasingly influence the
political process,' he added.
Younger Singaporeans may therefore believe that the Western
model of liberal democracy can be adopted without trade-offs, he
said.
'Singaporeans are entitled to decide whether they want the
trade-offs.
'And if the majority chooses slower development and a lower
quality of life, and is willing to accept more tensions within our
society in return for changes in the political system, then so be
it,' he said.
'But that choice must be an informed one,' he added.
This article was first published in The
Straits Times. Saturday, 19 December
2009
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What is the genuine motivate of educating students about
politics? Is this part of the propaganda? <!-- CONTENT :
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