SINGAPORE: Giving Singaporeans a bigger say in both
national and municipal issues is a key way for communicating and
connecting with the electorate, say MPs from the ruling People's
Action Party (PAP).
The need for the PAP to respond to Singaporeans'
desire for greater engagement was highlighted as one of the Party's
shortcomings, following a review of its performance in the last
general election.
Mr Edwin Tong, MP for Moulmein-Kallang GRC, said
that since the general election in May, grassroots leaders at the
Jalan Besar division of Moulmein-Kallang GRC have been busy looking
at different ways to share the constituency's programmes with
residents.
Mr Aldrick Tay, grassroots leader for Moulmein-Kallang GRC, said:
"Five years down the road, it is going to be tough.
"As in Jalan Besar, the younger generation is playing a very
important role as in the latest GE. And, five years down the road,
the competition is much more.
"I don't think we (should) just engage through Facebook, Flicker,
Youtube or Twitter.
"What we need to do is (to) emphasize a lot of rightful information
on the website on new media channels to let the younger generation
know that they have a role to play in Singapore politics."
MPs and Ministers are already taking the lead, by posting issues on
their blogs and seeking the views of Singaporeans in policy
formulation.
Mr Edwin Tong, MP for Moulmein-Kallang GRC, said: "Not more than
half a year ago, the PAP thought that this was noise. It was not
relevant and this was a small proportion of people.
"I think that has changed.
"And, that viewpoint change is very important to me because that
means it's a recognition that you can look into what's on the blogs
and websites to get a sense of what the ground sentiment is.
"And with that, you start taking steps to be more organised.
"There is a lot of misimpression on the Internet. It represents
good views but at the same time when there are misimpressions, you
have to correct them.
"The PAP has to be organised in correcting them, the government
must issue statements and we have seen how some of our senior
ministers have embraced it."
MP for Sembawang GRC Ong Teng Koon added that: "Emails and Facebook
messagings have been useful to me.
"Previously, residents brought their issues to MPs during MPS
(Meet-the-People Sessions), block visits or walkabouts. Now, they
can engage via online tools.
"Residents often have a hectic lifestyle, so they appreciate the
option to bring up issues at their convenience. This might mean
more work for myself and my activists, but it is part and parcel of
the digital age that we live in, and it allows us to engage and
serve residents more effectively.
"Posters, namecards, calendars now come with the MP's email and
Facebook addresses to bring about more awareness."
Views shared by residents can also be useful for MPs during their
debates in Parliament, said Mr Zaqy Mohamad.
Mr Zaqy Mohamad, MP for Chua Chu Kang GRC, said: "The first few
years were about the PAP sensing the platforms and understanding
how to use it.
"Now it's really how to use these platforms for political mileage
and political advantage and as well as not just engaging but to a
certain sense also.
"How you can use crowd sourcing, sharing ideas, residents telling
you how you can do things better or are there gaps in what we are
doing today and these are ways we can solicit feedback and that
helps a lot.
"MPs for example, you could sense people's opinions on certain
things you want to say in Parliament and this gives normal citizens
the ability to try to put their voice, have their voices heard in
parliament as well so you can carry certain views.
"The MPs can also use the new media for political activism,
something they stand for, a cause, and at the same time brand
themselves as politicians.
"Politicians today, at least in Singapore, what they don't really
have is the personal branding - what do you really stand for as
such that you get labelled sometimes either the media or by the
general public.
"The way you brand yourself online gives an impression of your view
on certain things and what you believe in such that when someone
looks at an MP or Minister, they know what you stand and what you
have been doing and also your beliefs."
While the social media and the Internet are the buzzwords of the
day, Members of Parliament also acknowledge the importance of
addressing the needs of the older generation in their respective
constituencies and hence the need to continue the traditional
house-to-house visits and face-to-face meetings with
residents."
Mr Zaqy Mohamad added: "Face-to-face touch points are just as
important, otherwise people are going to say we only see our MPs
once every five years."
As MP for Sembawang GRC, Mr Ong Teng Koon puts it, there is value
in observing first hand the body language and facial expressions,
when an MP comes face to face with a resident.
Mr Ong Teng Koon said:"She might tell us about her concerns when we
shake her hand which she wouldn't have otherwise, and thereby
offering us an opportunity to try to help her and make the human
connection.
"Part of the problem with the modern lifestyle is that residents
are often at work. We are very happy whenever we have more than 40
per cent of residents at home when we visit.
"With the average MP having around 100 blocks in the constituency,
it takes around one to two years to complete one cycle of
visitation. So approximately two to three visitations over an
election cycle.
"Mathematically, that would mean there is a fair chance that we
wouldn't have reached out to every single resident over the course
of five years.
"Good neighbourliness therefore pays an important role here, as we
have had cases whereby the resident was not at home when we
visited, but neighbours then provided her with my email address and
resulted in us being able to assist her."
- CNA/ck