Singapore: Politics

Hey guys,

Just for a change, I thought I'd talk politics. Yes, I know what you are all thinking - "he always talks politics, what has changed?". This post will be solely about politics - so if you find them boring, skip it!

Singapore is officially a multiparty democracy. However, the ruling party, the PAP (People's Action Party), has ruled since independence in 1965, and in the last election only 35% of the seats were contested. This means that no matter what the outcome, the PAP had to win that election. To me this is not how a democratic system should operate, and on multiple occasions the ex-PM of the country, Lee Kwan Yew (often known as the "father of Singapore") has been called a despot.

However, Singapore has relatively low corruption levels (especially compared to its neighbours in the region), an excellent health care, transport and education system (ok, that last one is debateable) - all the services typically associated with a democratic system. So it poses the question: does a country need to be democratic to be successful?? And I guess the answer (which shocked me) is no.

With exceptions.

Singapore does not have a free press (its laughably petty at times, and is definitely pro-PAP), and debate is discouraged. It seems a passive, almost apathetic, culture has emerged through an education system that seeks to "mould" the children of Singapore (Ministry of Education's slogan). The Internal Security Act doesn't help either!

However, when I posed this question to the leader of one of the opposition parties, Sylvia Lim, she believed this wasn't the case. Of the 84 seats in parliament, members of opposition parties hold TWO seats!!! Yet, Miss Lim believes such a result comes from Singapore's stability and that change will only come when Singapore's growth rate declines. Only then will social issues come to the fore, and the lack of a safety net become apparent.

I guess only time will tell. Pls post your thoughts, I'd be interested to see what people have to say about the issue.