The deplorable situation described
has been the purposeful objective of LKY from Day ONE when his
colleagues allowed him to take the PM's chair and accepted his
Political Philosophy of - ''Fill the stomach, and dull the
mind.... ''
During the 1950s, Singapore was still under Colonial Rule with not
so many Singaporeans being without basic education, and making a
living was not too difficult, with life was more leisurely with
opportunities for anyone with the wit and resourcefulness.
Under those 1950s conditions, LKY would even venture to cry out so
eloquently in the Legislative Assembly Debates April 27, 1955
:
"But we either believe in democracy or we do not. If we do, then,
we must say categorically, without qualification, that no restraint
from the any democratic processes, other than by the ordinary law
of the land, should be allowed... If you believe in democracy, you
must believe in it unconditionally. If you believe that men should
be free, then, they should have the right of free association, of
free speech, of free publication. Then, no law should permit those
democratic processes to be set at nought, and no excuse, whether of
security, should allow a government to be deterred from doing what
it knows to right, and what it must know to be right... "
"If we are to survive as a free democracy, then we must be
prepared, in principle, to concede to our enemies - even those who
do not subscribe to our views - as much(sic)constitutional rights
as you concede yourself."
Even when Singapore was part of
Malaysia, LKY had spoken so convincingly in the Malaysian Federal
Parliament in Kuala Lumpur - especially when ultra-racist elements
from UMNO manouvered to corner him :
"Let us get down to fundamentals. Is this an open, or is this a
closed society? Is it a society where men can preach ideas - novel,
unorthodox, heresies, to established churches and established
governments - where there is a constant contest for men's hearts
and minds on the basis of what is right, of what is just, of what
is in the national interests, or is it a closed society where the
mass media - the newspapaers, the journals, publications, TV, radio
- either bound by sound or by sight, or both sound and sight, men's
minds are fed with a constant drone of sycophantic support for a
particular orthodox political philosophy?
That is the first question we asked ourselves. I would like to see
minds stimulated and debate provoked, and truth refined and
crystallized out of the conflict of different evidence and
views.
I, therefore, welcome every and any opportunity of a chance to
agree, or to dissent, in order that out of thesis comes synthesis -
thesis, anti-major premise, anti-premise, synthesis, so we
progress... I welcome every opportunity to meet members of the
opposition, and so do members of my party, over the radio, over the
television, university forums, public rallies. We never run away
from the open encounter.
If your ideas, your views cannot stand the challenge of criticism
then they are too fragile and not sturdy enough to last. I am
talking of the principle of the open society, the open debate,
ideas, not intimidation, persuasion not coercion...
Sir, the basic fundamentals we asked ourselves...is whether the
duties of the Minister of Information and Broadcasting are to
produce closed minds or open minds, because these instruments - the
mass media, the TV, the radio - can produce either the open minds
receptive to ideas and ideals, a democratic system of life, or
closed and limited. But I know that the open debate is a painful
process for closed minds...
But let me make this point: that 5 million adult minds in Malaysia
cannot be closed - definitely not in the lifetime of the people in
authority. It is not possible because whatever the faults of the
colonial system, and there are many...they generated the open mind,
the inquiring mind."
Why will LKY change his views about
democratic principles and individual freedom after Singapore was
evicted from Malaysia in 1965 ?
It began with the shackling of student activists in the University
of Singapore - Political Science Faculty, and its 'Students' Political Society' and the
NUS Student's Union. Nantah and its alumni were not spared and bore
the brunt of the early suppressive work by ISD aided by the
draconian ISA.
Students hoping to enter NUS had to obtain ''Eligibility Certificates'' to
ascertain one's political backgrounds - and with a tight quota to
limit too many learned minds that the economy cannot support and
end up as political threats.
Were there any foresight of the long term effects of these
policies, which were also exacerbated by the Family Planning
''Stop At TWO''
Program.
Other activities of the Government Thinking of the 1960s that bore
the present day results of a cynical youths included the gearing of
all Singaporeans towards supporting the industrial efforts which
depended on Multi-Nationals Corporation search the globe for cheap
labor, cheap land, cheap tax, and cheap government that do not
demand extra-ordinary fees.
The government decision to play the part of a direct central player
in restructured Singapore's economy resulted in the creation of
Government Linked Companies to compete with private enterprise -
big or small.
Private bus companies were merged and re-merged to form SBS, and
which later allowed another government linked player in CCS to
emerge, and much later TIBS to appear on the scene.
Similarly, taxi operators soon also saw their licences suspended,
allowing only Government Linked Taxi Companies to run the public
roads.
NTUC branched out into Supermarket Operations, then into Insurance,
Taxi Services, Pharmacy, and into the Travel and Leisure
Industries.
All private enterprises from big companies such as Cold Storage and
Hong Leong to small neighborhood provision shops were affected by
the Challenge.
With the Government involved in everything, and making decision on
almost every aspects of Singaporeans' Life and Lifestyle, is there
a need for the Youths of Today to take their Life more seriously
?
How will the Government or the Singapore Police react to the Youths
being more political active ?
Will the Ruling Party aka the Government then use the ISA and the
ISD to force confession out of Singaporeans suspected to be
communist enthusiasts - similar to those Catholic Church activists
accused of being members of an underground Communist's Cell ?
Can we expect the Youths of Today to be less cynical and more
participative towards those in Politics ?
Are we still living under Colonial Rule; or are we in a modern
Singapore of First World Standards ?
Should Singaporean not be MORE entitled to those Rights that LKY
had so eloquently cried out during the Colonial Days
?
