Archive of "Continuity, yes, change aplenty too", The Straits Times, 12 August 2005

12 Aug 2005

The Straits Times

Continuity, yes, change aplenty too

by Chua Mui Hoong

ASK Mr Wong Chen Seong what he thinks of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's first year and the praises flow like water. 'To his credit and our benefit, PM Lee has shown nothing but dedication to tackling what he outlined as the most pressing issues on his domestic policy agenda.'

The changes to education and health care are 'most welcome', declares the 22-year-old undergraduate who's active in Action for Aids as well as in theatre, and is the epitome of the young Singaporeans PM Lee's new Cabinet is so keen to engage.

But talk to social activist Alex Au, and the perspective is different. 'The 'open and inclusive' promise, which is closely related to the 'city-with-buzz' slogan, is beginning to reach a point when it tips into ridicule,' he charges.

He considers actual change, such as not requiring organisers of indoor talks to get a permit, to be piecemeal. The activist from gay group People Like Us would like to see a review of Singapore's rules 'from first principles'. For example, examine them in the light of whether they promote free speech, or equality, he says.

One year is, of course, too short a time to hold any political leader to his promises. Still, it's a good vantage point from which to ponder if policies are heading off in the directions promised. And what does the first year of PM Lee's premiership portend for the future?

Extreme makeover

AS RESEARCH fellow Jeanne Conceicao notes, it was only a year ago that people feared Mr Lee would be 'more hardline and unwavering' than his predecessor Goh Chok Tong. Mr Lee, himself, made a joke about this, citing fears that he would be a 'very fierce' PM who 'may push Singaporeans to run even faster', she recalled.

A hush-hush committee was set up to project Mr Lee's image last year. It found itself with not much of a raison d'etre, after his National Day Rally speech on Aug 22 last year.

That 3 1/2-hour address, telecast live, brought out a different side of the new PM which Singaporeans had not seen. It overturned several long-held but unpopular policies. It did more than any committee could have done, to effect an image makeover.

Mr Lee, who belongs to the 'talk less, act more' school, has been careful to avoid over-exposure in his first months in office, preferring to concentrate on substantive policy changes.

Sociologist Chua Beng Huat remarked: 'One thing I appreciate since his taking over is that there is a lot less noise coming from the Government daily.' He detected less 'government speak' in the newspapers, 'a psychological relief for me'.

Beyond image makeover

IMAGE aside, what does PM Lee stand for?

Political science lecturer Bilveer Singh considers him a 'visionary' with a clear vision of what Singapore has to be: 'A thriving hub that is safe, secure, at peace with itself and others, yet prosperous and highly modern.'

Dr Chua added that given the Government's treatment of opposition constituencies, it is 'obvious that the 'inclusiveness' does not include Hougang'.

'Apart from the rhetoric of inclusiveness, I have not seen any vision. So if he has one, he has kept it close,' he added.

PM Lee himself isn't given to much talk about visions, eschewing large concepts for detailed change.

Still, that pledge to build an 'open, inclusive' society is fast becoming his trademark, the way his predecessor, Mr Goh Chok Tong, made a 'kinder, gentler society' his.

Others are keen to hold PM Lee up to his pledges and want that slogan translated into concrete change.

Some observers interviewed point to several areas where real change lags expectation.

'The challenge is whether there will be more opening of the political corridor - unfortunately there is no push from the electorate, the reason being things are more than OK,' noted Dr Singh.

In the political arena, the People's Action Party's treatment of the opposition is one example cited where change is needed.

Gay groups have also said nothing has changed, pointing to the way licensing authorities deny them a permit for some of their events.

For other groups, the complaint is that change isn't fast enough.

Activists for disabled groups and those helping middle-aged white-collar workers who are at risk of unemployment, say they have heard the promises and would like to see more money and programmes devoted to these areas.

But as they also acknowledge, it's been just months since Mr Lee pledged to pay attention to these groups.

More pertinently, what did Mr Lee mean when he promised an 'open, inclusive' society?

His major speeches have stressed the importance of: accommodating the needs of the disabled, promoting harmony within and among the races, recognising diverse talents, promoting a varied 'elite' that cares about the masses.

He has been much less forthcoming about political reform.

Said Dr Singh: 'He is much warmer and seen to be kinder. But don't underestimate the iron fist behind his silk gloves. In the end, Singapore will always need a strong and tough leader due to the internal dynamics and the regional cockpit we live in.'

Principles, policies, achievements

RHETORIC and talk about vision aside, what have been PM Lee's substantive achievements in his first year?

First, he has presided over a new government that made a successful transition. By choosing to include two very senior members in his Cabinet - former prime ministers Goh Chok Tong and Lee Kuan Yew - he availed himself of their expertise and ensured they would remain committed to the new government.

He has also assembled his own team. Mr Wong Kan Seng is due to take over as Deputy PM when current DPM Tony Tan retires this month from the Cabinet. The other DPM, Professor S. Jayakumar, is 66. Should he retire soon, Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean, 50, is likely to be appointed DPM. Newer ministers such as Messrs Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Raymond Lim and Ng Eng Hen have been entrusted with key responsibilities high on the PM's agenda: education, finance, and getting older workers to work longer.

It is also noteworthy that the economy has continued to hum along, with no perceptible withdrawal of investors' confidence. Maintaining continuity and stability in a time of political transition is something almost taken for granted by Singaporeans, but by no means assured.

The second significant achievement is in the area of foreign policy. First PM Lee Kuan Yew carved space for Singapore to survive and relate as a sovereign nation equal to others.

Second PM Goh Chok Tong enmeshed Singapore in a growing web of bilateral and multilateral ties, especially with astute use of economic diplomacy.

This PM has continued that web of traditional relationships, embarking on visits to at least a dozen countries and attending five multilateral summits.

Within months of taking over, Mr Lee stepped up into a regional role, proposing and initiating a summit of world leaders to discuss relief efforts after last December's tsunami off Indonesia.

It's early days yet, but Singapore is laying the groundwork to expand its relevance and influence in the region.

Thirdly, Mr Lee is leading what will turn out to be a gradual but significant transformation of Singapore society.

If Mr Lee Kuan Yew's era was synonymous with pragmatic economic management, Mr Goh's was defined by a redistributive approach to success.

It is only one year into Mr Lee Hsien Loong's leadership, but there are signs of a pragmatic if gradual attempt to reform the social landscape.

Past governments spoke in ideological terms about social mores and used policy to reinforce those ideological values.

For example, the view that men should be the 'head of household' lay behind the previous policy to give only to male civil servants medical benefits for their dependants.

Mr Lee overturned that policy in his first National Day Rally address.

Last April, as Deputy PM, he announced the change in rule which made it as easy for the children of Singaporean women married to foreigners to become Singapore citizens, as it is for the children of Singaporean men with foreign wives.

His own preference on issues to do with social mores can be inferred in his speech to the Harvard Club in January last year, when he was Deputy PM: 'On questions of public morality and decency, we are increasingly guided by the consensus of views in the community. We will give weight to minority views, but we cannot move only when the last man or the most conservative person is willing to move.

'Otherwise, we would be restricting the options open to many others in our society, and stifling the diversity that we need to be an open, cosmopolitan people. We would eventually atrophy. So we have to open up more choices for citizens, without imposing on the whole of society the choices that some citizens will make for themselves.'

Those words could sum up the Government's eventual approach to the Great Casino Debate: It can't afford to move at the pace of the more conservative. Even as Singaporeans polarised into two camps on the issue, the Government went ahead announcing plans to allow two integrated resorts with casinos.

Another change took place without much fanfare: allowing unrelated singles to team up and use their CPF savings to jointly buy a private home. As analysts were quick to note, this could boost demand for property from homosexual couples, who were previously constrained by having access to just one partner's CPF savings to fund a property purchase.

These are piecemeal changes, to be sure. But the sum may add up to more than its parts.

Leap into big league

SINGAPORE is gearing up to compete in the big league of global cities. Already, much in the physical cityscape is changing. From the rejuvenated waterfront area around the Esplanade and the new Marina Bay, to plans for Orchard Road, Singapore is laying the physical groundwork for change.

Harder to manage is the transformation of the social landscape, from one with a small-city mentality ready to frown on difference, to one more open and cosmopolitan in outlook, confident enough to be tolerant of diversity.

The whole casino debate was an example of that process.

From the signs so far, this Prime Minister does not shirk from leading the underlying social transformation that Singapore so badly needs, whether it's in the area of economic and wages restructuring, or changes in mindsets of the people.

SIDE BAR

ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT

"What PM Lee has done is to reassure Singaporeans and outsiders that Singapore will remain an attractive place to stay, visit and invest." - Dr Bilveer Singh, political scientist.

ABILITY TO RALLY PEOPLE

"The opne and inclusive society he envisions remains a glorious horizon, but one we must never stop aiming for." - Mr Wong Chen Seong, 22, student.

ENGAGING THE YOUNG

"I give him two thunbs up." - Clara Lock, 15.

"It's a very hierarchical approach to engagement. It's more like opening the pertitions-receiving department rather than true interaction." - Mr Alex Au, social activist.

ATTENTION TO OLDER WORKERS

"When concret schemes did not emerge, there was a feeling of being let down." - Mr Harry Choo, senior management associate.

ATTENTION TO THE DISABLED

"It is still too early... It is only a year but at least I do see that he is trying to reach out." - Mr Michael Chua, executive director at the Handicaps Welfare Association.

WILLINGNESS TO CHALLENGE NORMS AND LEAD CHANGE

"PM is fast achieving a flexible and adaptable leadership style." - Ms Jeane Conceicao, research fellow.

=See also=

=References=
 * Chua Mui Hoong, "Continuity, yes, change aplenty too", The Straits Times, 12 August 2004.

=Acknowledgements=

This article first archived by Alex Au on SiGNeL and subsequently by Roy Tan here.