As a member of the Workers’ Party, I often hear the geniune concerns of ordinary Singaporeans during my work on the ground. It can come in various forms but borders along similar lines. They would raise their opinions on the various government policies and feedback the impact of these policies to the Party, with the hope that we can raise it in Parliament or effect a change in the direction of the policies. It sadden me to inform them that while our leaders have raise it in Parliament and will continue to do so in the next Parliamentary term, there is very little that the Workers’ Party can do to alleviate them from their exacting circumstances at this moment in time. Though this speaks volume of the government, their legislative agenda and the implementation of their policies on the ground, it also exposes the inability of the Workers’ Party to bring about change and the change agenda; if any seems to be in the court of the imcumbent PAP. Singaporeans must recognise that the majority of the electorate had given the PAP the mandate to carry out its policies that were set out and promised to them during the hustings. Under current configuraton, the People’s Action Party can easily outvote the Workers’ Party in any bill put before the house.
The idea of constructive obedience continually seeks out the mandate of the people, respects the will of the electorate in free and fair elections and connotes a rational, responsible and respectable mainstream political effort. The implementation of the idea of constructive disobedience lies in subjecting the governing party to political competition, so as to promote higher standards of performance and guard against complaency. At the same time, it is in the national interest to ensure that Singaporeans are not held ranson, by having another political party capable of taking over should the ruling People’s Action Party falter or lose its mandate to govern.
Over the past 2 days, we are beginning to see some hint of constructive disobedience in action played out via the political platform of the Workers’ Party in the form of the Workers’ Party General Election 2011 Manifesto. In the lead-up to the General Elections 2011, the Workers’ Party published a 63-page Manifesto setting out the beliefs, philosophy and proposals of the Party.
It was announced on 11 July 2011 that SBS Transit and SMRT had submitted applications for fare adjustments or in other words fare increase to cope with the significant cost pressures to ensure that the two companies remain profitable.
In Chapter 9 (Transport), Page 41 of the Workers’ Party GE2011 Manifesto, it stated that
“The PAP’s government of outsourcing public transport to the Public Transport Operators, SBS Transit and SMRT, which are profit driven, results in conflicts against the public interest. Given that public transport is a basic necessity of modern life, serving the public interest should be paramount.’
On the following day, the Football Association of Singapore announced that a memorandum of understanding with the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) had been signed and the Republic would be playing in the Malaysia Cup in 2012 after a 17 years hiatus.
Chapter 15 (Sports and Recreation), Page 62 of the Workers’ Party GE2011 Manifesto reads like this.
“Singapore’s previous participation in the Malaysia Cup football championship galvanised and united our nation and drew huge crowds of fans like no other event since. The Football Association of Singapore should explore re-entry of a Singaporean team into the Malaysia Cup on terms that are fair to our players, fans and other local stakeholders.”
In a quirky and a twist of concidence, these two developments demostrated that Constructive disobedience has a place in the national narrative today. It plays a most important and significant role to ensure that Singapore continue to hold the initiative in a globalised world and a challenging environment to further Singapore’s national interest and meet the dreams and aspirations of ordinary Singaporeans.
Constructive disobedience in the form of the Workers’ Party electoral participation did what conformity to the status quo could not, and that was to read the pulse of the ordinary Singaporeans like no other and set the direction for the nation in accordance to the aspirations, hopes and dreams of Singaporeans with a promise to realise them together with the people of Singapore.
Filed under: Constructive Disobedience, PAP, Politics, Singapore, Workers' Party
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