Singapore’s changing political landscape– From ‘boh tak cheh’ to fallen talents

It is quite unbelieveable today for a barber or ‘chee cheong fan’ hawker to stand for election in a GE. That was how we started in those days. But in those days, where many were illiterate, received very low education, the lack of education of the politicians was not a measure of their intellect. Many were highly intelligent individuals though uneducated or educated only up to primary school level. And they were elected as the people’s representatives to Parliament. The people believed and trusted them to be good enough to be in the Govt.
 
As we progressed, more tertiary educated and professionals stepped forward to join political parties. They were the elite of the time when less than 3 per cent of each cohort of students made it to university. Tertiary graduates from the universities and polytechnics were hard to come by.
 
Then we progressed further, scholars were touted as the best talents for govt. Successful professionals were proclaimed as super talents. And we needed super talents to raise the quality of govt. And super talents must also be paid like super talents. And there were very high expectations from the super talents.
 
It did not take long before the super talent myth was deflated. We are all witness to what the super talents could do and how many became mediocre in politics though they were tops in their professions. It came so sudden, the stark reality that super talents are not really super talents when come to serving the people and working for the interests of the people. They looked like fish out of water in politics.
 
The grand slam came in two by elections in Hougang and Punggol East. The rest is history. Super talents are out. The people want leaders with a heart and not just exceptional academic talents. And too clever politicians may be too clever for their own good and not good for the people.
 
From moving away from the ‘boh tak cheh’ politicians, the people are now moving away from the super talent politicians. Just give us some good men and women. No need to be outstandingly clever in academics or making millions in their professions. Good honest and decent men and women that think first of the people are more desirable than super talents that worried more about how many more millions they should be getting for their big sacrifice. These people are too busy with their jobs, making really good money, would they have time to roll up their sleeves, to dirty their hands on minor and mundane little problems of the people?

Kopi Level - Green