Why it is in U.S.’s interests to promote democracy in Singapore
November 8th, 2009 | 
Author: OPINION
When U.S. President Barack Obama visits Singapore next week for the APEC summit, he should not be deceived by the towering skyscrapers of the city state nor the deceptive affluence of its citizens walking down the streets of Orchard Road for what lies beneath the veneer is a draconian dictatorship bent on perpetuating its political hegemony forever at the expense of the people.
In his inauguration speech as the 46th President of the United States of America, Mr Obama promised to help “unclench the fists” of dictatorial regimes worldwide. Singapore should top the list way above Iran, North Korea and Myanmar.
A recent White Paper released by international law firm Amsterdam & Peroff calls upon foreign governments, NGOs, and the media to put pressure on the Government of Singapore to act on the demands of the political opposition as well as for APEC leaders attending the November 12-14 Summit in Singapore to meet with representatives of civil society in Singapore, including Dr. Chee, leader of the SDP; – ASEAN to establish a viable Human Rights Commission.
Mr Obama should take some time off during his brief stay in Singapore to speak to the Singapore opposition as well as civil activists to understand its political system which runs contrary to the United States’ much vaunted values of democracy, human rights and freedom of speech.
Despite its small size, Singapore punches way above its weight in the international arena due to its affluence. It has the second highest GDP per capita in Asia after Japan.
And Singapore is important because its model of governance is closely studied by the communists from the People’s Republic of China, as proclaimed frequently by its octagenarian leader Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew.
China’s economy is expected to exceed the U.S.’s by 2030. The rapid rise of China has seen it exerting its economic clout in regions where U.S.’s influence is relatively weak, such as Africa.
The repressive regimes of Sudan, Guinea and Congo are given a lifeline by an energy-hungry China, which continues to pour billions of dollars worth of investments into them in spite of their dismal human rights records.
To bring China more aligned with U.S. interests and ideals, it is of paramount importance to accelerate the rate of political liberalization in China as its economy continue to grow and expand.
The Chinese Communist Party is not a monolith entity like Singapore’s PAP. It is split into various factions with a liberal faction which is not adverse to reforming its obsolete political system.
Though China is still officially a one-party dictatorship, it has allowed democracy to flourished at the grassroots levels. Township and county officials are now elected directly by the voters.
Even among higher echelons of the Chinese Communist Party, aspiring cadres must garner sufficient votes from their peers before they are allow to advance up in the party hierarchy.
It is untrue that democracy is incompatible with China. In fact, China was the world’s first democracy before the feudal system takes root.
During the reign of the “five legendary emperors” before the Xia dynasty, the ancient kings of China such as the mythical Huang Di, Yao and Shun were all voted by the people to lead them.
Though these figures were not proven to exist on historical records, their prominent places in Chinese history is ample evidence that the Chinese did have some rudimentary understanding of democratic system.
A more democratic China will be more self-assured and less paranoid about its own survival. A more repressive Chinese state will not only be a threat to its own people, but to its neighbors such as India and Taiwan as well.
The Singapore system of government enables one single party to dominate the political scene to perpetuate its rule for a prolonged period of time under the guise of a democracy which appeals to China.
Besides the Chinese Communist Party, there are 8 or 9 other political parties in China whose delegates are given token seats on the National People’s Congress which has no real power.
Allowing “limited” and “controlled” elections in China like in Singapore’s case will help to legitimatize the CCP’s rule in China just like how the PAP used its “overwhelming mandate” in every general election to claim that it has the support of the people.
Deng Xiaoping was fascinated with Singapore’s unique political system during his visit here in 1978 which showed that it is possible for a country to be open economically and yet closed politically.
However, the China in the next twenty years will be drastically different from the China now. As its economic growth creates a new middle class, there will be more pressure exerted on the CCP to open up politically.
The CCP is split on its future direction. While the liberals and reformists within its ranks advocate a competitive system akin to Taiwan’s free-wheeling democracy, the conservatives prefer Singapore’s “managed” political system where elections are “engineered” to always generate a victory for the ruling party.
Mr Obama should send a strong message to the entire world that such “soft” dictatorships like Singapore has no place in the free world. Through clever branding and propaganda, the Singapore government has managed to portray itself as a modern, thriving and prospering first world nation, but it still doesn’t hide the fact that it has a third world “democracy” if it is the correct word to use.
The Singapore system which is based largely on personalities without any checks and balances is doomed to fail with the demise of its strongman because there is no institutionalized system of power transfer and succession during its modern history.
China will only be able to achieve temporary economic success and social stability using the Singapore system and will never be able to compete with the U.S. as an equal without harnessing the potential of its 1-billion people.
As for the United States, it should not forget about its role as a harbinger of democracy and freedom to the world.
When he arrived in Singapore, Mr Obama should take a walk around the old estates of Kreta Ayer, Telok Blangah, Toa Payoh and Geylang where he would not fail to notice many elderly Singaporeans picking used cardboards and cans for a living.
Singapore is not a paradise as marketed by its spin doctors and propagandists. It is a repressive state where the people have no voice or control over their destiny and have to depend on the nanny state to eke out a living.
With the amount of leverage and clout the U.S. has over the Singapore government, it is in a position to influence its leaders to liberalize the political landscape and to return to the people their legitimate political and civil rights.
Posted in Opinion
43 Responses to “Why it is in U.S.’s interests to promote democracy in Singapore”
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botswana is a state like singapore which also achieved tremendous economic growth with one dominant party.
however, their dominance is only about 80% plus of seats and these seats are all single seats.
they just held an election and the son of the dead founder of the ruling party is elected president (no pm in botswana)
“Singapore should top the list way above Iran, North Korea and Myanmar.”
I strongly disagree with this statement. Even more so because it’s not explained at all. There are so many things wrong with it.
Why is Singapore of greater priority compared to nations in which people are actually dying because they spoke out against their leaders? For example, in Iran, many have died in the recent election protests. Check out youtube. There’s a video of a young woman dying from a sniper.
In North Korea, people get sent to Gulags(Punishment camps) for petty things like not wearing a badge of Kim Il Sung on his or her lapel. And if you try anything like speaking out or escaping? Well, it’s to the Gulag for you(if you get caught). Oh, and your family goes along with you too.
I’m not very sure about Myanmar, but I do know they have it worse than us.
All in all, I find the statement very selfish and almost elitist. It comes of as the writer saying:
“Actual Lives > Rights the majority of people in Singapore feel they can live without, and have been living without for decades.”
If the author of this article could shed some light on that statement, it would be greatly appreciated.
Why is multi-party democracy here also in the US interest?
TAX HEAVENS.
With a multi-party democracy, citizens and MPs can ensure transparency, which ultimately benefits them to ensure US tax dollars cannot hide in our banks.
Get the picture???
But then, sg inc invests heavily in us giants.
thus, sg inc is too important for the us of a.
its all very simple really.
last time, 911, sg stick the neck out also.
reciproca?
Kudos to TR and the writers/contributors.
Simply the one and only solid bombastic Political Blog on the island.
Superb! Bravo! Straight to the Point. Mature and Credible.
Bring in multi party democracy and have stupid debates like health care reform supports abortion or that facism is the smae a communism. That is the brand of democracy existing in the US.
If God come to Earth and rule the world, how does democracy work? Who will run against God? Singapore is very close to Heaven on Earth. When someone said that Singapore is worse than Iran, N Korea etc, what is he smoking? Anyone been to Singapore will tell you that:
1. Singapore is as crime free as any country on Earth.
2. Singapore is clean.
3. Almost every one own their own home-97%.
4. Income is high.
5. Unemployment is low.
6. Country and the people are wealthy.
If you are a criminal, you do not want to be in Singapore. So to criminals, Singapore will be a very bad place. Then, if you are a criminal, Heaven will not be a good place for you either.
Danielle Chun on Sun, 8th Nov 2009 7:20 pm
The Alternative?
Iran or Zimbabwe is better? Oh I forgot Myammar!
One more your loving POL POT – he loves you dearly after your skull and backbones have been hacked by an axe over.That is even more efficiently democratic – cheaper, faster and better use of resources in getting rid of more citizens. Migrants needs more free privileges and accomodation as well.
Are you eagerly charitable to be in the front of the Q for POl Pot is whack it down on you, Danielle Chun?
Yeah, get Mr Chee as the leader of Singapore and your sons and sons’ sons will greatly curse you for the days of their birth.
For the near future, we only need 2 party state.
If that works but still not sufficient, then only we need multi-party system.
The YING should be Balanced by the YANG.
Else, the left is smaller than the right.
That can be painful.
obama should just focus on paying his healthcare reform plan. don’t anyhow just print USD or issue bonds.
otherwise, it’s the people like us -whose country keeps reserve in USD- who will eventually pay for his grand idea if US cannot repay the loan.
as for democracy, US has unfinished business in iraq & afghan ..do that first; then focus on releasing innocent-people-with-beard from guantanamo.
I support the current gov
SINGAPORE IS A DICTATORIAL REGIME, OBAMA PLEASE HELP US !!!
@Ben Gee on Sun, 8th Nov 2009 7:27 pm
what about people who act like criminals but enjoy protection because they control the police force???
take your bullshit somewhere else and go to hell, your pappie masters will join you there!!!
@Jack Bauer on Sun, 8th Nov 2009 8:20 pm
my son already curses the day he was born into singapore because he has to serve NS right now … in turn, I curse PAP and LKY!!!
ALL PAPPIES GO TO HELL
time for change, vote opposition
It’s naive to think US would bother to help democratise Singapore when one of its greatest allies, Saudi Arabia is one of the most oppressive government in the world. Women don’t even have basic rights.
USA will ally with anyone who is friendly to its caused, as in the case of Singapore, and does not care if it is a autocracy or democracy.
Singapore served US interest as a petrol and supply station for its naval fleet between pacific and indian ocean. US will only change Singapore if the government is hostile to it. As in the case of Iraq after their invasion of Kuwait.
Note that the Taliban and Saddam Hussein used to be their allies against communists which later backfired on them.
I am so sorry to hear that singaporean hates his country, I hope that is not how most Singaporean feel. I have friends from Canada went to Singapore to work, they love it there. They both now married to Singaporean women.I would have joint them if I am younger. Do not get me wrong, I am in canada and I love canada. As I said, if you are a criminal, Singapore is no place to be. And if you are a criminal, please do not come to Canada.
If you think that the US government will fight for Singaporean, you better have your brain examined. No one can help us except ourselves.
As long as there are basic election in Singaporean, we should consider ourselves lucky. Singaporean may have to embrace for worst things to come, think how in the past the PAP has toyed with the election campaign by changing election boundaries, what if they now allow permanent resident to vote?
There is practically nothing Singaporean can do anything about that except to pray hard.
If you don’t ever want such things to happen to Singapore, you must remember your right as citizen. You are the stake holder of this land. Don’t be quitter, we got to fight what actually belong to us. We got to do what we got to do.
@Ben Gee on Mon, 9th Nov 2009 2:23 am
it is goddamn criminal for you to spew the nonsense that you do, did the pappies pay you to be their spin master? please do us all a favor and shut your goddamn hypocritical “living in canada, loving singapore” bullshit … i live in singapore, and if i say that there is something wrong with this country, there very well is … homeless people sleeping on the streets, elderly collecting used cans and cardboard for a living … please just shut your mouth and go to hell you criminal
my two-cents worth!
i say all MAINSTREET singaporeans has an interest to promote
DEMOCRACY in SINGAPORE!others can only help.
vote wisely,vote for democracy if you want “uncensored”
prosperity for you and your families!!!
Before you insult me let it be reminded my father witness the lacking of democratic states in Africa and Europe which the Amercians so widely impose their idea of democracy on.
You want to insult me take a look a demcoracy in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Philippines, and in the American’s own backyard. People can get scolded if you are gay or support abortion or health reform. Great American democracy–where you can set up torture centres overseas!
SO scre you poster Pol ot. sCrew YOU!!!
Danielle Chun on Mon, 9th Nov 2009 5:02 am
SO scre you poster Pol ot. sCrew YOU!!!
Oh please, Danielle, don’t sCrew me.
Go screw Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin or Idi Amin or all three of them. They will passionately make love to you as much as you are eager of making love.
PEACE AND DEMOCRACY IN THIS WORLD!!!!
@ Danielle Chun on Mon, 9th Nov 2009 5:02 am
Unlike me, A polygamist, Idi Amin married at least six women, three of whom he divorced. I was a monk , so I cannot “do the things” you demanded.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idi_Amin
But like me, Idi Amin is also fond of extrajudicial “killings”,
….”Amin’s rule was characterised by human rights abuses, political repression, ethnic persecution, extrajudicial killings, nepotism, corruption and gross economic mismanagement. The number of people killed as a result of his regime is unknown; estimates from international observers and human rights groups range from 100,000[1] to 500,000….”
He hated freedom of speech and democracy. SO you will make good company with me, Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin.
These advice is NOT an insult but very honest truthful advice.
IT IS IN YOUR HISTORY BOOK.
GO BACK TO SCHOOL AND LEARN A BIT OF DEMOCRATIC VALUES. It will do you a lot of good.
To the editor TR, I fuck U! Why my comment is not posted
Can I take issue with the MicroPoll? The question asks if I’m satisfied with the PAP, but the answers pertain to two other things–whether Singapore is the best place to live, and whether I feel Singaporean.
I am undecided as regards the PAP, I still feel Singaporean, but I don’t think Singapore is the BEST place to live…then how?!
Also want to echo the other posters’ sentiments that it’s a bit of a stretch for to say that Singapore is in more urgent need of…change (!) than Iran, North Korea, and Myanmar.
A request: for many young Singaporeans like myself who may not have had a quality liberal arts education or a basic understanding of political science, it may come down to blogs like TR to give us the relevant information so we can make up our own minds (what it’s all about, I think).
For example, in the opening paragraph the author cautions the observer not to be taken in by Singapore’s skyscrapers and affluent people in Orchard Road, that the PAP are looking to set up an eternal political hegemony in Singapore. I understood the paragraph, but it left me wishing that one of the implicit premises, that political freedom > affluence, was better supported.
All around me I am told that the bottomline in life is money, be it reps from banks who have their 15 minute presentations on how best to make your money grow so you can age comfortably or go on a nice vacation or send your children to an exp. uni (ostensibly so the cycle can repeat). Public discourse is bloated with this. It also seems to me (and I may well be wrong because I am untrained and unlearned in this) that many of the so-called oppressed regimes, after we’ve gotten past the basic infringements of rights (”extrajudicial killings and violent putdowns”), they see political freedom as a gateway to material prosperity. If Singapore has the ends, why are we backing up to bark at the means? I sound like I am taking a position, but I am not.
The overall feeling I get being here is that a person must fend for himself, to the degree that triggers the intuitive judgment of “selfish.” Motorists honking, people turning a blind eye to old folks who need seats on buses and trains (of course there are exceptions), and countless other anecdotes you and I could doubtlessly produce from our personal lives. I have received very indication from my private observations (again prone to error, please correct me) that the larger good, a higher ideal e.g. political freedom? is to be desired above individual well-being. And history seems to say that the few idealists who did indeed believe this had to lose something or shed some blood in order to effect change. We have some opposition party members who fit that bill, but since we Singaporeans are masters of suspicion, well-trained by our environment (you know what I mean), there remains the lack of confidence that they’re really doing it for the people. I’m not saying they aren’t, I’m saying that confidence is not common that these guys are truly altruistic vs pushed into a corner and forced to fight since punches have already been thrown. I am terrified of glossing over details in this because I know I don’t know much, the truth is hard to discern, and I ask for your patience in painting a true picture for me if I am ignorant or my analysis faulty.
So, I don’t know if that was a good example: that even the assertion that political freedom > individual well-being needs to be fleshed out for young Singaporeans like me. It needs to find its ground and authority in a greater truth, because we receive an onslaught of conflicting messages on a daily basis through the media and through the behaviour of our peers and forebears. You have a voice here, please teach us and try to peddle less opinion. Let us make up our minds.
I don’t know how feasible it is, but articles on basic ethics or philosophy, or even links to external sources that would provide a relevant framework for engaging in these specific issues would really help us. Maybe even short explanations within each article that ground each assertion. I am a genuine agnostic (because of ignorance) when it comes to these issues, and I don’t want to just join a PAP-bashing rally or a PAP-praising rally. I don’t want a rally. I trust honest, humble debate, however rare it is.
My two cents as a young Singaporean. Hope that was coherent!
@Daniel Yap
What you said sounded coherent but you need to consider
how you make inferences.
I agree that this has been a beautiful tiny island,a former
British “enclave”-small as it is ,there is no further need for
what SM GOH mentioned about other “enclaves”?
what i like to point out is that i feel that the average singaporeans from the older generations did not and do not act the way you painted so uglily.If you would allow me,
yes our younger singaporeans -sorry but it’s true-do act
more selfishly on the average.This,i don’t blame our young
entirely,they have be ingrained so much recently with the
idea of MERITOCRACY!In my times,we were much more contented
to let RI,SJI and a few others assimilate GLORY(?) but now
even “kampong” schools got to compete and compete like crazy in all this meri-to-CRAZY(aka meritoracy).
We were taught by old sensible kind teachers to be sensible
and kind,besides being clever.Nowadays,it seems to be stupid to be kind;better be “selfish’(read as meritocracy).
So,yes i do share your concerns and we need young chaps like
you to remake this into a more compassionate,gentler,kinder society,besides trynign to make more money!!!
I hope my two cents’s really has it two cents worth?
in what way would it not be in USA interest if sg inc becomes gets a 2 party system that is more like the USA system?
Obama, do the right thing.
Correction – Obama is 44th President of the United States of America not 46th.
@fair and square
I didn’t think I would be able to avoid overgeneralising, esp. as regards the older generation. I’m familiar with a very small sample. I take your word for it and can already see some examples of…man let’s call them mensches! in the sample I know. It seems you’re right in that I really don’t have broad enough experience with the older generation to say too much about them. Sorry if you were indirectly insulted.
Think I should shut up unless I know what I’m talking about!
@Daniel Yap
GUESS YOUR FATHER AND MOM,AUNTS AND UNCLES ARE GOOD SAMPLES.
and,nobody nor i have the right to ask you shut up.
you are entitled to your opinions and its good you voiced out.
we are all trying to see what went wrong and hopefully our people can make amends before it becomes an incurable social
burden.
And,btw, i am not in anyway insulted…that would mean narrow-mindedness!
I’ll vote for the PAP. My family and friends will. Again and again. 44 good years.
Where to find? Look around the world.
This tiny, red dot of 700 sq km is still around.
Foreigners are literally queuing up to come to this “mismanaged” red dot?
Don’t tickle my toes lah.
Dissidents are free to migrate to the US, Europe and Australia where racial discrimination is rife. Nowadays, unemployment over in those places is high.
I love Singapore!
Go back and read Plato and Aristole’s the Politcs. Go and read Ha Joon Chang’s books.
Democracy in US is actually a government cover-up! The US is going to be an evil dictatorship lead by Obama, while the American MSM covers it up, being controlled by their government!
You need to read some alternative media sources because MSM is all biased propaganda and shit, so here are some helpful links:
http://americandictatorobama.com/
http://www.allamericanblogger.com/8745/another-case-of-of-obama-indoctrination/
http://www.audacityofhypocrisy.com/
REMEMBER, DON’T TRUST THE MSM, IT’S ALL LIES
@Pinky
IF YOU ARE LAUGHING,GOOD FOR YOU.
YOU MUST DOING ALRIGHT?MAYBE GOOD EVEN?
well,alot of your fellow poor countrymen are out of jobs
and can’t even put decent “bread” on the table!
not to mention some who merely eke out a third wolrd
standard of living barely subsisting by collecting cardboards
and other discarded items from people like you?
noteworthy though some of the work done by our original
batch of leaders like goh keng swee et al who received meagre
salaries i must say.
GRATITUDE must also be accorded to hardworking older singaporeans who helped build the 44 years of what you see now!!!some of these folks died penniless,others still collecting old cardboards and newspapers but alot have been forced by some nonchalant and greedy people to give up their jobs to “fair” competitors..aka your FTs and others.
Yes,show gratitude if not compassion,will you Pink? for many are not so fortunate like you and are seeing BLUES!
maybe you wanna ask your father to hum to you Neil Diamond’s SONG SUNG BLUE?..we worked hard for our moneymit wasn’t free or gifts from the government.
@fair and square on Tue, 10th Nov 2009 1:47 am
u sounds like u care so much about the underprivileged. i wonder, what have done about it? have u done anything to help them other than blaming the gahmen?
if u dont hv resources to do it, u can help out in ur neighbourhood n use gahmen’s resources; afterall, it’s singaporean money, rite?!
u do NOT have to declare ur political orientation to help-out in welfare org, grassroot, or NGO.
most people like u (read: blame gahmen for everything) whom i’ve met, do nothing! (notice that i still stop short of accusing u being one but still..) ..what have u done to help those people in need? have u done any voluntary works? ..u accuse gahmen of not caring for these people, then what stopping u of doing something if u care so much?
TR has a project of helping homeless, have u sent them any picture?
seriously, what have u done?
@deoxin on Tue, 10th Nov 2009 11:15 am
And you?
@deoxin
it is narrow-minded of you to define acts of charities as you so defined!
folks do not need to have vast resources to do an act of charity,i think you are wise wnough to understand that?
You do NOT need to let others know what charity you are doing or do you?If so,i don’t think you truly understand the meaning of charity…just like some rich chaps who shook hands with
some other big GAHMEN officials witha “blown-up” cheque that is as big as a man-size!I wonder if that is charity or cheap
self-promoting!
Even,a poor old bended lady can do her part for charity without being noticed…just her few censt worth left over from her scavenging is worth more than that million-dollar blown-up cheque in terms of relative quantum of what she have in this whole wide world as compared to that rich person!
So you see,you don’t need to do those things you spelt out in order to be charitable…for a start what is really “CSR”-CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY-when first and foremost,rich bosses need to understand “ESR”-EMPLOYERS’ SOCIAL RESPONSIBILTY-towards their workers first!!!
And,there are a lot more charitable organisations than what you learn from MSM and i do hope that you are also doing your part too.But,unlike you i do not require or want you to boast about what you did or going to do for charities…that is not necessary.
the way you are trying to probe into other people’s activities
smells suspiciously like some jokers from the BIG “PARTY”>
deoxin,you are so unbelievable,you want my picture…go get yours posted by all means!
Do you know what % of the people in Singapore are very poor? And what % of people in the US are poor? What % of people in Singapore are homeless and what % of people in the US are homeless? If you think the grass is greener in the US, go there to find out yourself. I was in Singapore three times. I did not see the crimes, murders, and ugliness I saw in America.
Forgive me for being naive, but I like Singapore and Singapore is better than other places I had been.
@Ben Gee
oh!thanx Ben on behalf of all HUMBLE singaporeans!
you are not far from right..you should have noted the
GRACIOUSNESS of the average singaporean..but al least you
are not so ungrateful as some who shamelessly branded us
as “ungrateful?” after robbing us of our basic livelihood!
However,this place you fall in love so deeply is the toil of many whom you don’t get a glimpse
of on nationsl tv…go to Chinatown instead,for instance and get a better picture.,,then you would appreciate this place and its’ people much better…
fair and square: If all Singaporeans are as “gracious” to foreigners as you have been while posting here, I’m fairly certain that very soon nobody would want to come to Singapore and take up jobs, let alone come here at all! Good work!
Ben Gee on Tue, 10th Nov 2009 1:51 pm
You are comparing apples with oranges. America has got a pervasive “gun culture” – the violence mentality is bred there.
Australia also has a strong gun lobby but only in rural community for necessary farm use only. Urban criminal do sometimes possess gun illegal but violence with gun is NOT as pervasive as US. I am sure Canada is lot better than US in this respect.
Singapore will never had a gun culture even if we have a vibrant democracy though unlikely to eventuate. Or at least I hope NOT.
We are worse off then Iran and Myanmar? This kinda of ‘overkill’ statement are those tat scare away would be opposition supporter..