Insight Down South
By SEAH CHIANG NEE
Singapores Peoples Action Party is confronted with a widening
class divide and a creeping political elitism that could drive it
from power, if they are allowed to fester.
Inter-related, these problems are shaping up into the ruling
partys biggest challenge in the next election in 2011 and
probably beyond.
They are neither new nor unique in the world, having prevailed in
advanced nations like the United States, Britain and even Japan
except in Singapore, the small size and meagre safety net are
exacerbating matters.
The General Household Survey revealed that the top 20% of
Singapores households last year earned 31 times that of the bottom
20%. And the gap is widening.
Two events last week showed up how much disconnect there is between
a segment of the political elite and the citizens it has to
represent.
The problem is serious.
We have a crop of well-off MPs who have little empathy for the
poor or needy, seeing failure is an individuals fault. Political
elitism and arrogance are undoing the PAPs strong record of
achievements, one party grassroots worker said, calling for
political reforms.
Otherwise, the PAP cannot survive a one-man-one-vote democracy for
no more than two or three elections.
The stability of a society depends on how people feel. If there is
a group which is unhappy, such that they rebel against the system,
that can lead to all kinds of trouble, warned Labour chief and a
PMO minister Lim Boon Heng.
For some time, party workers have been giving feedback to the
leadership that public feelings are rising against what they say is
a system that favours the elite and the rich.
The first advice: Change the criteria and selection of PAP Members
of Parliament (from whom Cabinet ministers are selected).
Laid down by Lee Kuan Yew, the system measures political ability by
academic, professional or business achievements, particularly those
who are related to past achievers.
This could be attributed to Lees belief that intelligence or
alternatively mental subnormality is inherited from parents
genes.
Only a few newer MPs are social workers or people with good
community links, but compassion, charity and humility generally
rank low in priority in a candidates qualities.
For decades, the party leaders have tended to come from the ranks
of scholars and technocrats, described by Lee Senior as among the
best in Singapore.
In a different era, the system had worked well in building an
efficient, modern city. That was the good part.
But in the new Singapore, elitism breeds resentment and friction.
Many of these MPs, raised in wealthy homes, are simply too removed
from the plight of poor Singaporeans they are supposed to
represent.
Unlike politicians elsewhere, the MPs in Singapore are co-opted
into politics without party experience or having to campaign hard
to win votes.
During Lees popular past, this posed few problems. PAP candidates
were virtually always automatically elected. A popular joke in
those days was Even if it fields a monkey, it will win.
Today, with the unfettered reach of a critical Internet and an
educated electorate, every comment or behaviour of an MP comes
under intense scrutiny.
Last week provided evidence of this.
It began when Wee Shu Min, 18-year-old scholar-daughter of a PAP
MP, launched a scathing attack on Singaporean Derek Wee for voicing
concerns on job security and age discrimination.
She described Derek as a stupid crackpot, the sadder class,
over-reliant on the government in Singapore where society is far
too survival of the fittest and signed off with: Get out of my
elite uncaring face.
Other condescending terms: Derek is a typical wretched,
under-motivated, over-assuming leeches specimen of Singapore. He
has a middle-class under-educated penchant for complaining and
should get on with life.
It was political dynamite for several reasons.
Firstly, she was a scholar (10 As in O-level, strong bilingual,
French) in elitist Raffles Junior College, the sort that is
earmarked for an easy road to high office.
Secondly, her father Wee Siew Kim is an executive of Singapore
Engineering and MP in PM Lee Hsieng Loongs Ang Mo Kio group
constituency, so whatever he does affects the PMs political
fortune.
Hundreds of angry Singaporeans consider her remarks as elitist and
insensitive against the common people.
To make matters worse, the MP issued a statement that appeared to
support her elitist remarks.
The controversy may have sealed his political career; there
is little prospect of Wee standing again in the next
election.
Unfortunately for the PAP, it occurred at almost the same time as
news broke of a 40-year-old unemployed father of two teenagers
jumping in front of a moving train.
After failing to get a job for four months, he committed suicide
with S$16 in his pocket and a pile of debts.
Shu Min had written, If youre not good enough, life will kick you
in the balls. Thats just how things go.
Critics connect the two with devastating effect for the
system.
Her comments have divided Singaporeans. Some of the more successful
elements back her argument that Singapores capitalist system
supports the survival of the fittest theory. One asked, Whats
wrong with being elitist?
At least one saw the debate positively.
In fact, we are already unintentionally preparing ourselves to
enter the post-Lee Kuan Yew era by creating a bit of chaos here and
there, he wrote.
When Lee finally goes, we would already have got used to the
chaos; we can (then) re-make our beloved Singapore.
