5/26/2007

would jbj's new party make a difference?

Would a new party make a difference to the political landscape of Singapore and alter the present political system? In the last election we have seen some life coming into the political tussling for power and the ruling of the country. Everything has quiet down for the moment. JBJ's new quest may be just another yawn. Our political system has reached a mature state in its own way, not that of a western democracy model. It is a different model that has attained a level where it can only stagnate and not getting better. It has been institutionalised as a parallel to the civil service, an employment opportunity for people to build a life long career with all the perks of employment. And it has developed around it a network of systems and controls to ensure its existence for a long time to come, not to be challenged. The system is not just the political party in power. It seeps down to many levels of the govt service, to the industries, GLCs and not GLCs, and an extended linkage of people groomed and associated with the power of the day. Such an extensive network of people working as one, may not be necessarily bad as has been proven over the years. But the possibility of it turning bad is starting to show when over concentration of power leads to a kind inbreeding mindset or mentality. The group think is getting very transparent, that they share the same thinking, the same aspiration, the same value system, the same self gratification as the motivation and reason to protect and perpetuate the existing system. There is no way for new parties to make any inroad into the political fray and challenge the supremacy of the ruling party under the present conditions. At the worst the opposition parties may gain a handful of seats in the next election. We need to have a paradigm shift as they called it, for all Singaporeans to start thinking about what kind of society and political system they want. Not the present kind where serving the group in power is the end all of life. Many just serve the group, defending the group and behave like the group, unthinkingly. Change will only come when everyone, including all those in govt services, start to think for the country and people, that their loyalty is to the country and people and their general good. And when they start to question what they are doing and for whose interests and for whose goods begin to trouble their conscience, of rights and wrongs, and that it is not really right to serve the paymaster at all cost, with no qualms of the longer term good of the country, only then things will change. When the people are free, at all levels, to think freely, act freely, unfettered by power or self interests and self preservation, then only will there be a change in the political framework and a change in the political system. More parties and more new parties will just be laid on the roadside, as another new sideshow.

4 comments:

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

the JBJ buzz is getting louder. the sunday times devoted one full page to his return to politics.

will it be a buzz that drowns the f1 buzz or the other way round?

Anonymous said...

I respect politicians who argues what is good for the people and country without being personal.
At first glance, the man looks credible and formidable and I may even root for him, if he had just remained silent and defiant looking.
I am not sure all these personal anmosity will help anyone becos as a person, I am only interested in what is in for me and nothing else.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

national politics should be a contest of ideas and not killing each other or abusing one another.

if we cannot rise above this, we are just another 3rd world country pretending to be first world but with 3rd world mentality politicians, everyone out to get the other.

Anonymous said...

A 85 year old bloke running for election somewhere 2011, boy is he the oldest person on the guinness book of record or what? I hope he is not running on the basis that he is the oldest politician alive for without anything substantial to offer, one shouldnt stand for election just to make a statement; As a voter, I would like to know what has an 85 year to offer, does he understands the knowledge world we are in, would he make my life better, and how do he intend to do that? Btw if the chap gets in, he will be working till 90 and that is alot of grey hairs isnt it?