Reflections of a politically apathetic young Singaporean

I’ve never been one to dabble in politics. If I could help it, I would avoid politics because as shallow as it sounds, failblog and celebrity gossip were more interesting in comparison. On the occasion that I had to read up on local politics for school, it was minimal. I was living a fairly comfortable life – I had a roof over my head and food on the table, and didn’t see the need to know what was going on as long as the status quo was maintained. Like many of my generation, I was politically apathetic.

But this general elections, things appear to be taking a turn as I took more notice of the social and political situation in Singapore (much of it was forced upon me by the numerous opinions on social media). My comfortable life started to get a little uncomfortable. I may have a roof over my head and food on my table, but at 23, I also have the weight of close to $30,000 worth of study loans on my shoulders to pay off even before I start working (and after this debt is cleared, I will probably spend the rest of my life paying off housing loans). What makes me uncomfortable is not the loans that I have to pay. I admit that I am blessed to be able to pursue a degree and am grateful for such an opportunity. But it makes me uncomfortable to hear PAP candidates make remarks that seem to be a describing a very different Singapore from which I live in. By making claims that education is affordable, for example, is quite puzzling. Who is it affordable to when majority of our population, the middle-classes, have to struggle to maintain their “comfortable” middle-class lifestyle? And more importantly, what does this say about how well the PAP knows its people?

This post is not about dissing the PAP or the government. Many have, in the heat of the elections, vented their frustrations at the government and lost sight of the real problem. The focus is not on the individual issues that have been reiterated in the rallies, but the sum of them that reflects the complacency of a government who appears to have lost touch with the social needs and interests of its people.

To their credit, the PAP has done many things right and we would probably not be where we are if not for them. But just because they have a “track record”, doesn’t always mean that they will always do the right things. One cannot keep relying on past victories to validate the right to rule. This right has to be earned through the continual process of winning the consent of the people, and not by the constant reminder of its glorious golden years. Healthy competition has always been a great way to raise the standards and keep things in check. The opposition parties may not have as much experience, but they will definitely keep the PAP on their toes and working hard to earn our votes and the right to lead our country.

Tonight, Pritam Singh of the WP led about 35,000 people to recite the pledge. Never have I felt more proud to be Singaporean. It occurred to me then, that perhaps it is not the government who is guilty but the politically apathetic Singaporeans like myself who are to blame. In not caring, we were maintaining the status quo, we did not see the need to speak up, we saw nothing to fight for and WE allowed the incumbent government to turn complacent. This Saturday, we are no longer the politically apathetic youths of Singapore who lived in nonchalance or fear, but the generation that will take baby-steps towards inciting political change in Singapore.

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