Tharman’s comment on freedom

Actually I wanted to use the title Tharman – Once a dissident, but some may misunderstood its meaning. Like Once a Rebel being used on Ho Kwon Ping, both titles are actually badges of honour for someone who had crossed the line as young idealist and survived and became successful in their own right. They had been there, done it and lived to tell their story. When Tharman told the students that he was once a dissident, it was in this context, had been a youthful idealist and went through the baptism of fire.

Why is that important and what has that got to do with his comment on freedom? Let me repost his comment here, ‘Society has to find the right balance and some freedoms have to be curbed for it to evolve in a way that advances other freedoms, he said. “Every society faces this. We haven’t found the perfect balance, and we have to keep evolving.’’

I first misquoted Tharman by saying ‘We have found the perfect balance’ which has a totally different meaning. Now let’s look at his statement once again. His two key phrases, ‘we haven’t found the perfect balance’ and ‘to keep evolving’. The ‘haven’t found it’ is like saying it could be better and the ‘evolving’ can only be evolving for the better. This is what an idealistic dissident mindset and a govt critic, a bit like me, would be like. It is not there yet and can be better. And hopefully it will evolve over time, maybe not in this regime but some time down the road.

It is also important to understand what Tharman is thinking, what are his values and whether they are going to be more pro people, more freedom or otherwise. If it is his destiny, and if Singapore is going to have a non Chinese PM, no other non Chinese minister can stand near to him. Tharman’s view is therefore important as he could possibly be the One. There is some silver lining in his, ‘We haven’t found the perfect balance, and we have to keep evolving.’ Having been in a position when his freedom was curbed, he would have a better appreciation of what freedom is all about and what is the better or perfect balance to be.

What do you think? How would the perfect balance be like under his watch if that day becomes a reality? How much of his youthful idealism as a dissident is still with him and how would this impact the freedom of the day some time in the future?