KJ: The Reform Party Is About Policies Not Personalities

Yxxxone SG

http://kentridgecommon.com/?p=5275

The Kent Ridge Common, 25 Sep 2009

Upfront with The Reform Party: An exclusive interview with Mr Kenneth Jeyaretnam and Mr Justin Ong

KRC: Name a political leader (either local or foreign) whom you consider to be a role model for yourself. What are your reasons?

KJ: The Reform Party is about policies not personalities. I admire several countries for having moved from being authoritarian regimes or dictatorships to democracies and I could cite South Korea, Taiwan, and Indonesia among these. Also the Japanese people have recently voted overwhelmingly for change despite the tremendous success of the LDP in raising Japanese living standards over the last fifty years which is encouraging for the Reform Party. I admire the US for its capacity for change, the openness and transparency of its system of government, its system of checks and balances and the fact that democracy is present at every level from local to state to federal. Freedom of information and the press mean that it is very difficult to hide mistakes or incompetence.

JO: I hold our founder, the late Mr. J.B. Jeyaretnam as our role model. As the first opposition politician to break the monopoly of the ruling party in 1981, his outspoken criticism was met with apprehension from an equally tenacious government which spared no effort to neuter him. His determination to speak up for the disenfranchised and marginalized made him a peoples’ hero; one who represented the virtues of truth, justice and courage. Even in his later years, he did not give up his ideals but continued the struggle. He alone was unique in bounding back and eventually seeing through the formation of the Reform Party. His beliefs inspire us and his party was his legacy to us.

KRC: Care to share with us the type of political ideology you subscribe to and the reasons behind your subscription?

KJ:The Reform Party is a liberal free-market party which believes that market-based policies are the best but that Keynesian policies (both monetary and fiscal) are necessary to deal with economic crises such as the recent financial crisis. We also believe in a social safety net to help the most vulnerable members of society. We believe that freedom and prosperity go hand in hand and that Singaporeans should wake up to their democratic rights and responsibilities as citizens of this country. Obama used the phrase “We are the ones we have been waiting for” and the Reform Party wants Singaporeans to be given the opportunity to govern themselves and to realise that they pay for education, housing, health, foreign assets, not the government.

JO:One of my key beliefs is that civic participation must be regarded as a meritorious undertaking which is crucial for fostering ownership and a sense of belonging to the nation. I champion the need for political competitiveness to advance Singapore as a first-world nation and affirm that an active and involved participation in the public life is critical for the country to progress as a dynamic and innovative society. In the Youth Wing (as indeed throughout the party) we believe in an inclusive society where there is room for diversity in opinions, and are continually seeking like-minded individuals to pursue this end.

KRC: What led to your political awakening which resulted in your entry into opposition politics?

KJ:I have always been interested in politics and economic policy dating back to my days at Cambridge and my father’s record in breaking the monopoly of the PAP in 1981. Even though I was forced to work abroad, not through choice, I always intended to return to Singapore. After my father set up the Reform Party and his untimely demise last year, I felt the time was ripe to forge a new constellation in Singapore politics that would for the first time bridge the credibility gap and make people think of the Reform Party as a potential alternative government.

KRC:The next elections will be a maiden one for the Reform Party. How is the Reform Party gearing up for its maiden contest thus far?

KJ:In only four months we have come a long way. Most importantly we have credible candidates to stand at the elections and have the required members for a GRC team should we choose to go that route. Strategically, the Reform Party is well-prepared and strong enough to come forth on its own, but also understands the virtues of being part of a unified opposition. For this reason the RP has also started exploratory talks to examine possible avenues of cooperation with other opposition parties such as the SDA. We have already started walkabouts, the most recent being in Geylang Serai where we went down to meet the people on the eve of Hari Raya Puasa. Once MDA (Media Development Authority) approval is received, the Reform party will be publishing a monthly newsletter, ‘New Dawn’, in English and Chinese (with occasional Malay and Tamil articles) which will be sold throughout Singapore and concentrate on the regions where internet penetration is less. Whilst we are waiting for approval we will be distributing a pamphlet setting out our vision and beliefs on our walkabouts.

KRC: Tell us something that is unique about the way the Reform Party is going to engage Singaporeans in the run to the next and future elections.

KJ:The Reform Party has got a unique and attractive message of change and modernisation to take to the people. Also we are unique among Opposition parties in that we want to be taken seriously as a credible, moderate, alternative government that can effect real change while not jeopardising Singapore’s prosperity or stability. As Singaporeans get to know the party and our candidates they will see how credible we are individually and as a team. Singaporeans will engage with us through an assurance that we will use means within the current legislative framework to get elected and a conviction that we will truly speak up, once elected. Currently we are the most accessible of the opposition parties through our twice weekly, “meet the people sessions” at our party offices, our walkabouts and such measures as addressing Singapore on National Day live and in the flesh. We focus on how to go about achieving what is possible rather than the necessity of sticking with the status quo.

JO: The Youth Wing is working towards moulding a movement for young individuals to participate in the constructive debate over national policies. Apart from fostering networks with other civic and political organisations, the Youth Wing hopes to provide, through its open houses and online presence, ample opportunities for youths to explore their political beliefs. We are currently boosting our online presence and have been aggressively working on our branding efforts through such initiatives as a Logo design competition.
In the run-up to our first anniversary dinner on the 25th of September, we are hosting a range of events at our youth wing to commemorate this momentous time ahead. We warmly welcome all Singaporeans to partake in our celebrations.

KRC: What is the Reform Party’s perspectives on the way the PAP government is coping with the current worldwide economic crisis, and what can be done that will put us in a better off position?

KJ:The Reform Party’s view is that we need to seize the opportunity to make fundamental changes as outlined above rather than continue with business as usual in the hope that an upturn in exports to the US will allow Singapore to resume a rapid growth path. We have to get used to the fact that the external contribution to growth will likely be much weaker over the next few years and we have to look to domestic demand to a much greater extent. Present policies such as expanding job training programmes such as SPUR (Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience) have masked the rise in unemployment and the Jobs Credit Scheme has led to the hoarding of labour which has caused a big fall in productivity.

KRC: Now that the Reform Party is into its first anniversary, what future milestones will the Reform Party be setting for itself in its progress as a political party?

KJ:Well obviously our fifth our tenth and then our fiftieth anniversary but only if we continue to be as vibrant, credible and effective as we are on our first anniversary. Ultimately the Reform Party wants Singaporeans to give it the chance to implement its programme of change and reform to take Singapore into the first rank of advanced democracies. Our milestones are therefore to gain a seat in parliament then a GRC and then we would like to establish the Reform Party as the alternative party of government.

We are here for the long term and milestones once reached need to be built upon and used as springboards for future initiatives. Recently achieved milestones that we have achieved and wish to build on are:

* A threefold increase in membership- we have set a milestone for membership of 100 then 500.
* A recognisable public profile. The profile of the party is now well known and we are attracting a lot of new members and supporters. We have created a unified and instantly recognisable brand identity.
* Accessibility. We established Open House – now twice a week
* Walkabouts. Already started and increasing.
* Establishment of a Youth Wing. This plays a key role in attracting young people and they have set themselves their own targets.
* An MDA licence for our website and a new website. The Reform Party has boosted its internet presence substantially. We will shortly be embarking on a major revamp of our website where our manifesto will be published. We have created a unified and instantly recognisable brand identity which will spread out amongst the new media.
* ROS (Registry of Societies) approval of our Newsletter, ‘New Dawn’.
* A team of experts and volunteers to help in the election campaign.

KRC: If there is any message you would like to relay to the NUS community, its alumni and students and staff from other tertiary institutions, what would it be?

KJ: My message is that it is possible to have hope. We can change things for the better but to effect this the Reform Party needs your support. We therefore call upon all Singaporeans not to be afraid, to wake up from their slumbers and come forward and support us. If you share our vision of a free and prosperous Singapore, where your government aims to raise your living standards rather than just to increase the size of the economy by expanding the population, where every citizen is empowered to exercise his or her rights and to express themselves freely without fear, where the years that you gave up to serve the country during NS count for something rather just being a millstone in the race to compete with foreign workers, then vote for the Reform Party.

JO: Young Singaporeans must be confident about the power of their vote and use it to elect the government of their choice. As citizens, we have to take it upon ourselves to put in place an equitable political system for open and competitive elections to emerge in the future. Young Singaporeans, as the younger generation, can free themselves from stale ideas of subservience to political leaders or obsolete state apparatuses inherited from our colonial days. Singaporeans are owed the right to legitimately elect their party of choice into government.

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Stevenson101 SG

Finally, an opposition that could think of more than just the PAP and LKY.

Atobe SG

KJ's visionary statements on RP approach to tackle the political, economic and social woes of Singapore is admirable, considering that he does not have the opportunity of pupilage in real world politics.

This is in contrast to those who get past the PAP Tea Parties but will not have the ability to think independently.

Then again, the same thoughts were also expressed by other Opposition persons and also with educated Singaporeans - except that their voices were suppressed by a controlled print and broadcast media.

It will be interesting to see if the PAP will respond in the robust ways that it did when CSJ first appeared on the political stage in 1992.

It has been 17 years since CSJ appeared, will LKY allow new Singapore talents to challenge the PAP, or will he again vigorously and robustly "fix" any Singapore talents who dare to appear on the platforms of other political parties ?

If RP should one day takeover the Government, Singaporeans will at least have KJ being unfettered by Old Guards preventing him from "replacing the stones on a well trodden path" - which LHL said it was best to leave them in their places.

Singapore continued problems is due to the fact that the present incumbent Political Party in Government had refused to make dramatic changes, but will prefer to tinker the same dogmatic course pursued uselessly for the last 30 years.

For the next Election, RP should aim for more then one seat in Parliament, and if possible grab one GRC.

While the decision to work with SDA maybe a partnership of two political parties sharing resources that do not result in any "conflict of interest" situations, it will be unproductive for RP to work with SDA - until CST decide to be more pro-active and ambitious in his visions for the future of his SDA in serving a larger Singapore beyond his precarious hold on Potong Pasir.