What I am worried is that.....if democracy is implemented
fully.....we dont know what kind of animal will come out from
it.
PAP and LKY are indeed autocratic, but Singapore is lucky, they
have been benevolent autocrats who had delivered results and led
wisely.
I understand autocracy has its excesses, and moreover, there is
no guarentee that the next leaders will be good. There is a
systemic danger in autocracy itself.
However.....PAP has been able to maintain a sterile condition
and in a sense keep a lid on undercurrents in Singapore society. I
am not sure what will happen if this lid is taken off and democracy
is implemented.
That can be quite worrying.
Singapore is a young nation, very young, just about 2
generations.
It is actually quite precarious....
Look at the societies around us, in nearby countries. I will say
afew examples and you can see why I am worried.
Full democracy means letting off the full forces of society's
undercurrents.
In Malaysia, they have a race-based politics, and they have not
been able to come out from it. It is quite nasty and unhealthy,
impacting economics, education, and other fields.
In Indonesia, after they implemented democracy, there is a surge
of sectarian-religious based politics, for instance political
Islam. Islamic parties seeking to implement Sharia and other
agendas.
Im not saying Malaysia and Indonesia have full functioning
democracies, their system also have flaws, but I am giving you
examples of how these undercurrents in society surface itself and
reflect itself, and I am not sure what kind of undercurrents will
surface in Singapore once PAP monopoly and ideological stranglehold
is taken off.
Do you see what I mean?
PAP monopoly and ideological stranglehold is the basis for
Singapore's long stability and tranquility, enabling Singapore to
concentrate on development in all fields, while not needing to
tinker or bother with political-ideological struggles.
That is why PAP monopoly and sanitized political environment is
not entirely to Singapore's detriment, it is in fact proven to be
Singapore's benefit.
Let's say after LKY is gone and younger generation want to
implement more reforms, more democracy....I am telling you honestly
I am not sure it is better for Singapore.
There has been great progress in societal integration....HDB
mixed-race quota.....NS enrollment....etc.....but are you so sure
Singapore people are so united..? And its intstitution and
society so strong? Remember Singapore is 2 generations old.
I am just afraid undercurrents will be released and then
Singapore will waste its energy and its intellectual capital
debating itself and fighting itself.
We dont know what kind of animal will come out.
Meat Pao.
Wtih Singaporeans supposedly being
the best educated amongst all the neighboring countries, with
legislations passed to maintain Law and Order, and with 50 odd
years of constant moulding of inter-ethnic tolerance and respect -
can Singaporeans turned into a mob overnight - or spiral into chaos
- when Full Democracy is adopted ?
It clearly shows a lack of
confidence in our own institutions, and one should why are we still
doubting our own standards of political attitudes and behavior to
govern ourselves, our political conduct towards each other, our
political ability to think for ourselves ?
Have we not been
an independent nation since the ignominous year in 1965
?
After 50 odd years of rule by the PAP, why
will LKY "insist on returning from the grave" if anything
should go wrong ?
Has LKY no confidence
in his past and present works that he will
leave behind ?
Is this not a
wake-up call for Singaporeans to question what we have
achieved for our future after 50 odds years of monopolistic rule by
only one Political Party ?
Surely it speaks volume of the
political instability of the Singapore Political
Institutions that LKY has created and will be leaving
behind when he runs out of time ?
Do the Swiss, or the
Israelis, or the Hongkongers worry of their
respective political future - in the same manner as LKY
and those in the Ruling Political Party ?
In these countries, political
institutions are strengthened with each successive gorvernment,
that perpetuate the security and development of
the nation and its peoples.
Unfortunately for Singapore -
ruled by the sole Political Party that Singaporeans have
known since the 1950s - we see the wilful weakining of all the
institutions needed for the proper administration of Law and
Order - as it allowed the Law Makers to be above the
Law, with the Administators of the Law to be subjugate to the
Law Makers.
The pillars of every public
institutions are no longer independent to stand on its own
strength, and all are designed to lean on the central
structure, which when weakened will result in the public
institutions similarly weakened.
The entire system has been
purposefully designed to be controlled from the Center, and
when the Center should weaken or collapse, it allow the
deposed Center to continue manipulating the strings that it
will continue to hold in control of the various
institutions that support the Government.
If doubts permeate in the minds of
cynics - who believe that Singaporeans cannot conduct ourselves in
real independence - it clearly shows that 50 years of politial
independence is a sham, as Singaporeans have been forced to be
dependent on only one poltical party - for our collective
political, security, and economic security.
Is Singapore's independence
similar to that of the Swiss, or Israelis, or Hongkongers
- as independent Citizens enjoying their democratic political
rights ?
Or is our
present independence a sham - as Singaporeans were
again re-colonised and subjugated by the politics of an
Autocratic Party that is worst then the British Colonialist,
and the imperialism of Malay
politicians ?