Reclaiming Singapore’s voice amid external influence

by Foong Swee Fong

The voice of the people had always been loud and clear, until now.

In the 1950s and 1960s, the people wanted independence from its colonial master (UK), that is, self-determination of their own destiny. Their voice was loud and clear, probably the loudest, in the history of this island.

The politicians capitalized on it to secure power. Some were idealistic, even naive; some were practical and unscrupulous, but they all derived their motivation from the people.

Indeed, we achieved partial self-determination in 1955, independence in 1963 when we joined Malaysia and full independence in 1965 when we left Malaysia.

The politicians may have been unscrupulous, and did nasty things to one another and hoodwinked the people, but on the whole, they were still guided by the aspirations of the people.

After achieving full independence in 1965, the people naturally aspired to a better standard of living. The People’s Action Party (PAP) government, sensing that, created many jobs, built many flats and improved the infrastructure.

The 60s, 70s, 80s and early 90s were the best period in the short history of our republic in terms of social harmony, national spirit, economic growth and confidence in the future.

In that period, the people, busy with their livelihoods and with no serious misgivings, left the government, more or less unencumbered, to do its job. And the government, in its effort to perfect its governance, introduced many laws to safeguard the harmony of the system.

Gradually, the voice of the people became muted, even irrelevant, because the ruling party could win elections without pursuing what was in the real interest of the people, as the majority, bye-and-bye, having bought into the narrative of the PAP, would vote them regardless; and the minority, who tried to make their voices heard, were drowned out or beaten down.

Here, then, is the question: without the voice of the people, who sets the direction for the government?

Logically, the most powerful and the most relentless voices.

The most relentless voice is that of Big Business, as it is machinery created for the sole purpose of satisfying greed—a relentless human desire. Whether through better products, influencing the government to craft policies, or even changing laws in its favour regardless of public interest, consultation, collaboration, or coercion of the government—all are par for the course.

Look no further than the shenanigans of NTUC Enterprise. It profited immensely from the corporatization of NTUC Income and would have even more, had the sale to German insurer Allianz succeeded, but for the government being seized by cold feet at the last moment when the people started smelling a rat.

The most powerful voice is that of Uncle Sam. It speaks softly, but with a big stick. It has changed the governments of countries it disliked, and sanctioned countries who had dared to challenge it, and made use of naive governments for its interests, at their own peril. Ask the Zelenskyy government and the people of Ukraine.

And despite the bravado and claims of self-determination by the Singapore government, perpetuated via the mainstream media, it is, sadly, but a poodle of Uncle Sam.

Was it in the interest of Singapore or Uncle Sam to sanction Russia in 2022 for its “unprovoked” invasion of Ukraine? Other than the claim that we stand for the rule of law because it is existential for small countries, what good did it do us?

And besides, is it credible? Are people in other countries so blind that they can’t see the double standards when we are not only not sanctioning Israel despite it breaking all laws in its genocide of the Palestinians, but are remaining loyal to it?

Bear in mind, we are the only numbskull in ASEAN which sanctioned Russia.

Now, not only can we not trade with Russia, we cannot diversify into BRICS – a powerful emerging economic and mutual support bloc comprising about half the population of the world and half its economy anchored by Russia, China, India and Brazil, with 26 full member countries or aspiring member countries, including our neighbours Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam – but remain aligned to Uncle Sam.

Whatever happened to staying non-aligned, as advocated by our founding fathers?

Sanctioning Russia was not in our interest but in Uncle Sam’s interest, given that it wants to weaken Russia and China as they can threaten its hegemonic position.

Thus, if the government does not have the voice of the people to guide its policies, it will be swayed by the most persistent and the loudest voices, whose permanent interests do not necessarily reside in the state, unlike the people’s.

I fear for the future of Singapore because it does not have a will of its own, but is naively being led by selfish forces. The worst fate often befalls the naive and gullible.

It is imperative that we re-establish democracy, so that the voice of the people can be heard loud and clear again, thereby determining our own future.