Singapore is not a democracy

Democracy literally means "people rules". Thank god the people don't rule. Not directly anyway.

Not in Singapore, where we elect our government every 4 or 5 years. Not in the United States, the so-called bastion of democracy, where they elect their governors, their senators, and their president.... sort of. Indirectly.

Singapore is not a democracy. Then again, neither is the USA. or any other so-called democracy, because in between elections, the people really don't have much to say about unpopular decisions. Decisons like going to war in Iraq. Or increasing GST. Or giving Ministers a pay raise.

If people really ruled on a day to day basis, then there would be less globalisation. More immigration controls. More protectionism. More traffic jams arising from more cars on the road. No casino (or casino 30 years ago). No national service. Probably more wars.

Because basically, people are selfish, small-minded, and short-sighted.

Fortunately, democracy as practised in Singapore, and most other places, relies on people making a decision once ever 4 or 5 years to elect people who will make long term decisions. In other words, a Republic, or rule by representatives. In this case we are a democratic republic, in that we elect our representatives (MPs) who then form the government.

And "long-term" is relative to the circumstances.

The two-party system in the US also means that everytime there is a change in majority, the country changes its priority. The relatively stable political situation in Singapore means that generally, long term, really means more than just 5 years down the road.

And so that is how we get decisions like the Casinos. Oh wait. I mean the Integrated Resorts or IR. Which, coincidentally are the same 2 letters in front of IRAS.

There are also bad decisions on hindsight. Like Suzhou. And Shincorp. At least we didn't invade Iraq.

The point is that government is about decision making and it is not rocket science. It may be harder. (ST 8 April 2007, "Successful govt not rocket science? It may be tougher", Janandas Devan). People who casually dismiss such policies as no big deal need to see the bigger picture.

When the rains came, our biggest deal was a few flooded plant nurseries. Johor had not one but 2 bouts of flooding with tens of thousands of people displaced. Jakarta apparently floods on a regular basis... when it's not covered in soot from the forest burning.

MM Lee suggested that the best argument is a bout of incompetent government. The problem is that the govt has succeeded so well, that is it inconceivable that Singapore could fail. His comments has been mocked as fear-mongering. Perhaps.

I guess then the opposition's platform for the next election is simple: Vote for the opposition and when we form the govt we will cut our salaries by 50%. $1m should be enough. And we can come up with the same, "no big deal" policies. We may even raise the public assistance to $400 instead of the miserable $290.

Yes. i do believe the PAP has dug their own grave with this pay rise. :-)