Shanmugam wants PAP to provide greater “political education” for Singaporeans
Written by Our Correspondent
Singapore Law Minister K Shanmugam wants the PAP to provide greater “political education” for Singaporeans, in particular, students in order for the PAP to stay in power continuously for more than 70 years, a feat not achieved by any political party in the world yet.
The longest-dominant party in power in the world was the Partido Revolucionario Institutional of Mexico which governed Mexico from 1927 to 1997 before being booted out unceremoniously by voters in 1997 when it lost its majorities in both chambers of the Mexican federal congress for the first time in history.
The PAP is the second longest-lived political party in the world having ruled Singapore continuously for 50 years since 1959. The longest-lived is the Chinese Communist Party of China, in power since 1949.
Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party, which used to be in second place, was voted out of office during the recent general election in August this year.
In an interview with the PAP’s bi-monthly magazine Petir, Mr Shanmugam felt that though the PAP has stayed in power because it has delivered “progress” to the people, “younger voters can erode its dominant position should the party fail to convince them that Singapore, more than most countries, needs a strong leadership and a political system that allows for effective and speedy decisions to be made.”
He suggested that students “be taught, among other things, how political systems work in different cultures, the impact of geographical and social factors on societies and why city states rise and fall.”
‘This will make people look carefully at the liberal democratic model and help them decide which aspects best suit Singapore….Not every aspect can be transplanted in toto across cultures, without regard to different economic, social and geostrategic situations,” he added.
Mr Shanmugam’s remarks came at a time when the PAP is facing increasing pressure from both at home and abroad to liberalize Singapore’s archaic political system which is designed and manipulated to entrench the PAP in power forever.
All state institutions, including the media, the police, NGOs, grassroots organizations, civil service, religious organizations and trade unions are tightly controlled by the PAP directly or indirectly in one way or another.
The opposition is deliberately kept weak and divided by bankrupting is leaders with ruinous defamation lawsuits so as to prevent the emergence of a credible alternative to challenge the PAP.
Mr Shanmugam said that Singapore, more than most countries, needs a strong leadership and a political system that allows for effective and speedy decisions to be made and this message PAP’s message had resonated with the older generation who experienced the turmoil of Singapore’s early years.
“But the collective memory of this is not as strong among newer generations, whose viewpoints will increasingly influence the political process,……..Younger Singaporeans may therefore believe that the Western model of liberal democracy can be adopted without trade-offs,” he added.
Mr Shanmugam’s message in a PAP mouthpiece for PAP members are strangely given extensive coverage by the Straits Times, which is owned by SPH, whose Chairman is a former PAP minister, Dr Tony Tan.
The process of “educating” Singapore students in the PAP’s brand of “acceptable politics” may have already kicked off.
According to emails from readers, the libraries of some primary schools in Singapore are stocked with copies of the cartoon version of the PAP propaganda masterpiece – “Men in White” and students are “encouraged” to read them.
Copyright © The Temasek Review, 2009
Loading ...
JW on Thu, 17th Dec 2009 9:59 am
Shanmugam himself should get politically educated about the fact that PAP ministers are grossly overpaid and having contributed negatively to Singapore.
He should also be advised not to make seditious staements that Singapore is not a nation. If Singapore is not a nation, why do NS?
Ah Siao on Thu, 17th Dec 2009 10:10 am
PAP is not the 2nd longest-lived ruling party. I can at least name one that is longer.
The UMNO led BN and its predecessor, The Alliance, had ruled the Bolihland since 1957!
shacklem on Thu, 17th Dec 2009 10:12 am
great shackle our young to the past post-colonial times.
that precious mindset is gonna help them to compete with the world in this digital age.
no way on Thu, 17th Dec 2009 10:29 am
I’m a student and PAP can dream on about “buying” my votes.
Great Asia on Thu, 17th Dec 2009 2:59 pm
Chiam See Tong supports hereditary system. He is contemplating to bring in his wife to take over him in Potong Pasir.
Chee Soon Juan too is in favour of a hereditary system; his sister already joint him.
Ha ha ha!
Singapore will be like North Korea, Cambodia, India, and Japan etc.
All is fair on Thu, 17th Dec 2009 3:32 pm
A sampan tossed like a cork in a sea of tumultous waves weighing anchor and expect not to overturned?
A kid goes home will be told by his/her loving mom that your morning pledge is highfalutin hoax and your flag represents no country.
How more ironic of reality?
fair and square on Thu, 17th Dec 2009 3:40 pm
It is truly sad to see people we put our trust and confidence in letting us down time and again wihtout a sense of guilt or remorse even when they could see the injuries they inflicted on us?
Ministers,we vote you in not because you are perfect or faultless or because you are PRESIDENT’S SCHOLARS?!
we vote you in despite knowing your imperfections and faultiness.
but to be presumed as ‘talentless’ inspite of being voted the
world’s best workers before you trigger-happily herdrd in your
influx of “foreign talents” cos’ we ‘LACK TALNETS’ is an unpardonable “SOVEREIGN BETRAYAL” of our own PEOPLE,the true blue singaporeans who supported you loyally all these years.
Countless locals have been displaced and replaced by foreigners
and yet,no one seems accountable for the heartlessness.
is this “one singapore” you urge us to sing at the NDP?
OR ARE THESE MERE HYPOCRISY?..YOU TELL US.
PS: DON’T BE COCKSURE OF THE SUCCESS OF YOUR FT POLICY
IMHO,IT’S GOONA BE ANOTHER SHAMEFUL FAILURE…this i am
sure.
MAJU-LAH! SINGAPOREANS!
citizen on Thu, 17th Dec 2009 3:58 pm
As they resorting to brainwashing of our youths?It scary and its WRONG.
Ravenclaw on Thu, 17th Dec 2009 5:04 pm
DIdn’t the poly students propose something very similar this year? During the Poly Forum 2009 if i remember correctly.
Time for Change on Thu, 17th Dec 2009 5:14 pm
Change is coming whether they like it or not.
The MIW will be history within the next 2 elections.
I am just bracing myself for the shock they is almost certain to happen when those closet doors are opened.
Bruce W on Thu, 17th Dec 2009 5:50 pm
Ok good, let’s begin from the PAP history, starting from Lin Chin Siong, and how old Lee used dirty tricks to become the PM.
Onion on Thu, 17th Dec 2009 6:48 pm
Shanmugam is expecting Singaporeans to be like a dumb and do not question on government wrong policies and mistakes. Please remember that Singaporean today are highly educated and do not have a less thinking mind that he is.
cy on Thu, 17th Dec 2009 8:56 pm
in the age of internet, brainwashing is going to be tough going.
BuiTaHan on Thu, 17th Dec 2009 10:15 pm
Stop talking rubbish! What is political education ? It is nothing but a brain washing exercise. But it will no longer work because you are judged by what you have done and not what you have said. PAP government has disappointed many Singaporean in the past few years!!!
Time for Change on Thu, 17th Dec 2009 10:16 pm
cy on Thu, 17th Dec 2009 8:56 pm
“in the age of internet, brainwashing is going to be tough going.”
You took the words right out of my mouth. Not only is it going to be tough, it will in fact backfire. Youngster are going to become anti-PAP. They are making a big mistake and they don’t know it because they have lost touch with the people.
DavidSeeLeongKit on Thu, 17th Dec 2009 10:25 pm
> Let’s see for how long more Singapore’s Obscenely-Paid Muddle-Headed Million Dollar Ministers* can continue to insult the intelligence of its Taxpayer-Voters and treat them like 6-year old kids. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH !!!
[*mere Politicians and not true Political LEADERS]
> Internet Joke in S’pore:
TCM = Talk Cock Minister (not Traditional Chinese Medicine)
MSG = Money Sucking Government (not Mono-Sodium Glutamate)
walter chan on Thu, 17th Dec 2009 10:42 pm
it’s time we boot the PAP out.
c-p-k on Thu, 17th Dec 2009 11:36 pm
Dear Shan,
So what’s new?
VOTEWISE on Thu, 17th Dec 2009 11:56 pm
MINISTER,save the EFFORT.
LET TR and others DO THIS “SMALL” social awareness work.
ASK THE PAP to CREATE MORE JOBS FOR SINGAPOREANS INSTEAD!
Rainnix on Fri, 18th Dec 2009 12:37 am
Is this minister from India suggesting Hitler’s Youth like the Nazis, or cultural revolution like China?
David on Fri, 18th Dec 2009 12:39 am
Shanmugam making a fool of himself in front of 200 strong international lawyers, is itself quite educational for many young Singaporeans. Besides, many rhetorics played out by PAP who contradicted themselves many times in public arena should also be recorded as important political lessons in school.
Protoss on Fri, 18th Dec 2009 3:00 am
Read. Absorb. Remember years later and see for yourself.
Here is something from 2003 that we might find interesting.
I really, really, don’t think that 9 in 10 jobs go to Singaporeans!
http://www.thinkcentre.org/article.cfm?ArticleID=2141
FPC on Fri, 18th Dec 2009 4:08 am
With a performance in investment return that is negative over the past 10 years, due to non transparency of GIC/TH and the strings of cock up with the MOEnvironment, Mhealth and MHA, this joker is making a fool of our youth to think that with a price tag of 2 million dollars each, these pigs can expected to produce these negative and the system should be continue, is acceptable.
What a joke!
FPC on Fri, 18th Dec 2009 4:28 am
The current system is built on
1. imprisoning people for no real reason through ISD (look at the london records)
2. bankrupting the opposition so that they don’t dare to criticise the govt policies of self enrichment,
3. threatening voters
How can this be a good system to be taught to the young?
small hum on Fri, 18th Dec 2009 9:54 am
I took an intro to political science. It is good to learn politics to know what the deficiencies are in this System of governance.
Some of things i took away is the idea of:
1) The right for citizens to rebel against the government if the ‘Social Contract’ between the ruler and the people is broken
2) The need for a two-party system which is unstable-stable
3) A clear separation-of-powers in the leadership to prevent tyrants from rising. Companies are basically dictatorships/socialist.
4) The constitution(law of the land) is meant to LIMIT the powers of the rulers.
small hum on Fri, 18th Dec 2009 3:37 pm
Earlier i mentioned the lessons i learnt from my uni module.
Then, from Shanmugam’s statement
“This will make people look carefully at the liberal democratic model and help them decide which aspects best suit Singapore….Not every aspect can be transplanted in toto across cultures, without regard to different economic, social and geostrategic situations.”
I think what he wants is a pre-emptive move to indoctrinate the young minds about democratic socialism first before ideas like the “right to rebel” gets introduced.
BTW, Singapore has no provision for that. On the contrary, if the minister should so ‘feel’ (< — actual word) threatened by someone as to impair him/her from carrying out proper duties. That person can be charged. That's a lot of power.