Chan Jia Hui
The former Parliament House of Singapore
The verdict is out. Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew and Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong have stepped down from the cabinet.
A joint statement issued by both read:”We have studied the new political situation and thought how it can affect the future. We have made our contributions to the development of Singapore. The time has come for a younger generation to carry Singapore forward in a more difficult and complex situation. But the younger team must always have in mind the interests of the older generation. This generation who has contributed to Singapore must be well-looked after.”
It is interesting that their stepping down came at the back of outgoing foreign minister George Yeo’s remarks that the PAP is in need of a transformation. An article in the Jakarta Globe quoted Yeo as saying that the PAP must transform itself in order to reach out and form a new unity with Singaporeans, especially the young. He further added that he will help in whatever way to bring about transformation in the PAP. Such could point to a possible tacit acknowledgement within the PAP’s ranks that there is indeed a need for transformation.
The 2011 General Elections was the first time in which social media was allowed to play a part without the need to seek approval from the authorities, unlike the 2006 elections where bloggers were told to register with the media authorities. Even Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong jumped onto the social media bandwagon, engaging in an hour long Facebook chat with netizens during the hustings.
Both senior Lee and Goh acknowledged in a joint message on their stepping down that we are into a new era of and the style of governance cannot be done as usual in the past. The statement further asserted that the PAP itself is not adverse to change.
Senior Lee also stated that there is a need to avoid a situation where people vote to have more opposition in parliament for opposition’s sake. Such a circumstance can only result if a party has alienated the voters to the extent that the latter is happy to vote any one contesting against the party. This is voting opposition for opposition’s sake. To avoid such a situation, a transformation is in place that will foster a unity with Singaporeans, in the words of Yeo.
Going by results of the election, besides the loss of the five member seat Aljunied GRC helmed by Yeo, three other GRCs saw close fights – Marine Parade helmed by Goh, Tampines and East Coast. A swing in votes could see any of these GRCs go the way of the opposition.
Hence, it is not surprising that results of the elections serve as a confirmatory signal to the ruling PAP that it must change in terms of its approach to engagement with Singaporeans. Alienating more Singaporeans will risk the loss of more GRCs for the next elections, and hence the change in favour of increasing rapport with Singaporeans is needed if the PAP wants to enjoy further support.
Goh also spoke of having more time to devote to his Marine Parade ward after stepping down. It was one of the closely contested wards. Obviously, it is in Goh and the PAP’s interest that the current level of support must be maintained or increased. Devoting time to the ward in service of the residents there may just achieve this objective.
It started with Yeo’s acknowledgement for the need of transformation within the party and now we are seeing the stepping down of senior Lee and Goh in acknowledgement that a new style of governance is required. Though the former stated that the ruling party is not adverse to change, it remains to be seen how the party itself will evolve. However, the writing is already on the wall with the departure of the two former leaders that we are seeing a new dawn in our parliament.
