Beyond LKY

I refer to the article and speech by Mr Ho Kwon Ping about Singapore beyond LKY.

That Singapore will survive LKY is to me without a doubt. The nation will not collapse overnight nor will it degenerate into a slum. Every Singaporean knows that we have accomplished so much in such a short time, and I suspect nobody will allow anything to be lost just for the demise of one man. It is the very survival instinct that enabled us to survive the de-merger from Malaysia, and I am sure it will be the same spirit which will be evoked to continue our survival beyond LKY.

It was interesting to read how Mr Ho Kwon Ping mentioned LKY, Mao Zedong, Fidel Castro and Deng Xiao Ping in the same breath. Apart from LKY, the others are widely regarded as dictators of their respective regimes. Whether there was a hint of cynicism in Mr Ho's message will only be known to the author, but one thing is for sure, the four share similar traits of powerful charisma and strong character in their exercise of political leadership. The outcome of each regime has been different, and I must say Singapore is exceptionally fortunate to have been ruled by a power-centric leader and yet still thrived as a nation without succumbing to a culture of corruption. We are fortunate because one of LKY's main political agenda was indeed to eradicate corruption in our society.

Indeed, corruption remains the single biggest threat to a nation's survival, and more so in small country like Singapore. If we were ever to allow corruption to creep back into our society, into our civil service, our political system or judicial institutions, or if corrupt leaders were to take control and manipulate the system, then the damage would be unimaginable, if not irreparable. All that has been built in our short history will be destroyed in an equally short time.

Beyond LKY, it is critical that we have an infrastructure to keep the nation on course and corruption-free, regardless of the charisma or personality traits of the political leadership. What is needed today are systems, structures, and legislation that ensures Singaporeans are not at the mercy of any possible all-powerful leader-turned-rogue ruler.

One of the legacies of LKY is the "Father knows best" mentality among the elites of the ruling party. In the early days, LKY had to fight off the communists and communalists who threatened to derail his vision for a better Singapore. In the process, he threw everything including the kitchen sink at his opponents to ensure that the 'PAP way' prevailed. He faced up to every criticism from the international media, and felt adequately vindicated through the economic successes that Singapore accomplished over the years. His was the pragmatic and no-nonsense way Singaporeans of his generation have grown to respect.

Some of the policies of the PAP government have an incidental effect of serving to preserve the status quo for the ruling party - the 'PAP way'. Well and fine when you have the LKY legacy firmly in place. But, there is no guarantee that the next LKY (someone similarly charismatic and strong on a cause) will have similar noble political values. What if someone was under the influence of a foreign hostile power? Or, what if the PAP becomes a target of power-grab by a group of unknown extremists? If you think about it, there are countless scenarios that you could conjure up - and they are not all unrealistic. Then look at the various options and avenues open to the government of the day: Internal Security Act, Public Order Act, GRC electoral system, just to name a few. When used objectively, these are legitimate tools to counter extremism, preserve social cohesiveness and ensure national security. If used instead to haul up political opponents to secure electoral victory, they are corrupt weapons against humanity. Without protection against abuse, they are enough to make one re-think the possibilities of a future beyond LKY.

Arguably the "Father knows best" mentality no longer holds any weight for the present generation of Singaporeans. The world has become a much more complex place, and the issues multi-faceted. The demographics have also changed. People are much more mobile, much more knowledgeable and well-informed. When the government tried to explain out the recession that we had to have, it did not get blind acceptance. More and more, people are questioning the fundamentals of its economic policies, the resultant impotence of our domestic private economy, and the loss-making investments made by Temasek. More and more, the educated populace today will not allow themselves to be confined to a singular solution.

Yet, we know that the virtually non-existent parliamentary opposition offers no fallback solutions. Furthermore, the grassroots infrastructure embedded in the community network makes it easier for someone with political ambitions (for better or for worse) to emerge from within the circle than for him to climb over from the other side. As a result, if there is any strong enough cause for fundamental political revolution, it is more likely to come from within the ruling party than from outside. And it is trite to say that the most dangerous revolutions are those driven from within. Therefore, any measure of self-preservation 'at all cost' by the ruling party, no matter how noble the intent today, is not necessarily wise for the future.

I am confident of the present leadership. I am also confident so far of the leadership renewal process. And I will be far more confident if we had a system in place so that we get this type of leadership every time at each turn of the renewal cycle - to keep it noble and corruption-free. To me, that includes the need to review some of our existing laws and regulations to guard against possible future abuses. We must not leave our future success to chance.