But what’s the point?

24th June 2009 marks the start of the 9th year of my partisan activism in WP. Typically on this day, I’ll take time to reflect upon the past year, issues and the way forward. Just two nights ago, I was on duty at the WP Open House. I was entrusting to a supporter the responsibilities of an alternative grassroots capacity-building initiative. At that moment, another member of the public interjected with a fine question. This person asked ‘But what’s the point?’

That night I merely replied this person with a Chinese proverb ‘万事俱备，只欠东风’. This proverb can be loosely translated as ‘Everything that can be prepared has been, and all we need is a tipping point.’ Yet I felt that somehow my reply to this person was inadequately expressed. Perhaps from a mere operational point of view, my reply would have been sufficient, but this being partisan activism, the rallying causes must go beyond that of mere operational preparations.

Therefore ‘But what’s the point?’ is actually a very good question that not merely serves the purpose of providing a platform for effective communication to fellow Singaporeans, but also serves as a reflective question to each WP activist.

In summarized points below, I’ll elaborate the point in doing what I & other WP activists have been faithfully doing all these years.

Serving our country

To serve one’s country is an honour and a national duty. Serving the country can take several forms of expressions, such as vis-à-vis the components of Singapore’s total defence concept. I will cite just two examples. Firstly, as a firm believer of national defence, such that if the need ever arise, I am more than willing to bear arms, shed blood and if necessary to sacrifice my life for the defence of Singapore.

Secondly, as a businessman, I experienced for myself the challenges of facing lower pricing service providers in the region. Running Singapore-based businesses, I need to conscientiously innovate business posturing, to leverage upon competitive labour cost in this region to stay profitably and faithfully declaring my tax returns and pay my dues. As such I believe that via such actions, I am actively contributing my small but vital part towards the economic defence of Singapore.

However I am convinced that the current ‘Total Defence’ concept is inadequate. My chief reason is that a cornerstone of total defence (i.e. political defence) is distinctly missing. Naturally the PAP is certainly not keen to incorporate political defence as a cornerstone in Singapore’s total defence. This is because it will possibly result in an erosion of power away from the PAP.

That’s exactly one of the reasons of my scepticism about the recently proposed expanded NCMP scheme, for it does give an impression of political liberalization. Still Singaporeans must be aware that the function of a NCMP is vastly different from that of a full MP. Increasing opposition representation (via the expanded NCMP scheme) in Parliament contributes little to Singapore’s political defence.

This is because fundamentally, in any politics of balance, it is always crucial to establish an effective check & balance mechanism in any true democracy. An increment of opposition representation via the NCMP scheme brings about only a superficial mechanism of check & balance in Parliament. This is because such members of the house are considered ‘half MPs’ without ‘real’ political mandate, who shall enter Parliament via the ‘grace’ of the PAP.

Defending our democracy

Therefore it is for Singaporeans to play our parts in the defence of Singapore’s democracy by voting in forefront parliamentary defenders of our young democracy. Specifically this can be done via the voting in of ‘full WP MPs’ with ‘real’ political mandate, representing respective electoral constituencies, discharging both municipal and national duties of upholding the real meaning of democracy.

Ravi Philemon, a regular writer, asked an excellent question in a recent penned article ‘The PAP’s fascination with the communists’, which he contributed to The Online Citizen:

Does the ‘one-party’ model of China fire the imagination of the governing party of Singapore? The fear of instability is etched into the PAP’s psyche. The early formative years of Singapore, which were rife with leftist riots and ethnic conflicts, has contributed much towards such fears. The ruling party believes that one-party rule represents stability. But whatever the reasons, the question remains: “Will the fascination of the governing party with the Chinese communists pay dividends for them now as it did more than 50 years ago?

The above question was in relation to the irony that the Young PAP actually sent a delegation to Communist China to build ties and to learn from its Communist Youth league’s experience of running political schools. Contrast this to mere decades ago, where alleged Marxists were inhumanely detained without trial under the Internal Security Act.

Singaporeans must hence reflect whether can there truly be a ‘one-party’ model in a true democracy? I tend to believe that this is but for the time being and a uniquely Singapore situation. In a true democracy, wide ranging views from different partisan representations ought to be the norm. If this norm is not in place, something is simply not right with the democracy model. From my party-centric point of view, Singaporeans must do the ‘right thing’ by defending Singapore’s democracy, specifically by voting in more WP MPs.

Forging our future

A country’s future can’t be forged alone or by merely a few individuals. In an end-2007 four-part blog post, ‘A certain type for Singapore’, I shared my political vision for Singapore and my political resolutions for 2008 & beyond. Below is the concluding extract:

It is my resolution to continue identifying, cultivating and multiplying a certain type of Singaporean, who is for Singapore, pro Singapore and loves Singapore. This certain type must be highly committed to Singapore's national development and is radically committed to serve Singapore via the WP. Such a Singaporean sees the critical need to invest his/ her life in identifying, cultivating and multiplying similar types. A profound sense of destiny, blind loyalty and intense passion for Singapore are the hallmarks of such an individual.

At the start of my 9th year of WP activism, the above political resolutions are still very much in progress and gathering pace. Such that may ‘everything that can be prepared, should indeed be and continually being prepared.

Will you then join me at this very significant point and patriotic journey of working towards this tipping point in forging Singapore’s future together with the WP?

The Workers’ Party welcomes you!