Just like PM Goh and PM LHL when they first took over the helm, PM Wong is saying that he believes in a more open, consultative approach.
In both PM Goh and PM LHL’s case, when their PM-ship ended, the government and society was not freer, but more oppressive.
As a student before PM Goh’s term, I was carefree and enjoyed my childhood, didn’t have to endure tuitions and yet became reasonably well educated and coherent. But today, students are so stressed, they need counselors, medication, and sadly, some have taken their own lives.
Even though my father had to work hard to support a big family, he was happy and managed to squeeze time for meals with the family, mahjong, and beer with friends. Today, work-life balance is a pipe dream for many people.
Before anyone says “time has changed”, let me remind him that it is people who create the type of society we live in, and it is even easier for Singapore to choose to be a freer society given that we have long achieved material adequacy, has reasonable reserves and the people sufficiently educated.
Still, it is good that PM Wong wants to give it another shot. But is building a “more open and participatory society” simply a matter of having more conversations with the public and soliciting suggestions and acting on some of them?
I am afraid not. On the contrary, all these suggestions will likely be more trouble than help, even oppressive, because while it looks good from the State’s point of view, it is the person who is affected who knows what is best for himself. While the State’s intention is good, it is often off target. It is best to leave the person to do what he wants to do, so long as it doesn’t encroach on other people, rather than have it done for him or imposed on him, unless PM Wong wants to create a nation of sheeple.
The fact is that successive governments, starting with LKY, has created a system so huge and powerful, that everyone has to look to it for every improvement in their lives. It is a system created for the good of everyone, but is oppressing everyone, including PM Wong himself.
So, PM Wong may well seduce the people with more freedom, since he is still wet behind the ears and since election is around the corner, would he really dare rock the boat?
If he truly wants more diversity and a more participatory society then he should let workers have a real union; scrap the restrictions on free speech, free assembly and free press; rather than waste everyone’s time with choreographed dialogues.
Foong Swee Fong
