Singaporean Matters: Read only if you agree to disagree ….

It is a matter of perspectives

I seldom blog about politics as find Singaporeans still too immature to separate a person’s political views from the person. Discussions in this environment only serve to divide our society as the mindset is that if you have a political view different from mine, you are the enemy that needs to be destroyed.

Image by Freepik

I believe we should discuss politics not to be right, but to get it right. And, if we cannot do it with maturity, we will become a fractured society like what we see in the US. Given the ongoing debate in Parliament on housing affordability, I thought I will share three perspectives on the state of politics in Singapore:

1. Means vs ends. Both sides of the aisle want the best for Singaporeans. The difference is that the PAP sees Singapore as the means to accomplishing this, while the opposition sees Singaporeans as the means. Understand this nuance and you will understand the different arguments on policies like foreign talent.

2. Different time horizons. Unusual for a democracy, the PAP designs and implements policies for a Singapore 50 years into the future, while the opposition wants policies for today’s Singaporeans. As the future is uncertain, necessity dictates responsible stewardship of Singapore’s only asset…