Chen Jiaxi Bernard
[h=2]Magnanimity and Singapore's political future[/h]
June 22, 2015 at 10:55am
This article was first published in the latest edition of the Hammer.
At the outset, one has to recognise that there are many possibilities to Singapore’s future. We could probably begin the discussion by stating that as Singaporeans, we can love an imperfect Singapore perfectly and continue to make our little contributions towards the nation-building process. While we ponder over the many possibilities, I would like to share my perspectives on the political future of Singapore.
Over the next fifty years, magnanimity can serve as the core value that will underpin the political direction of this nation. Magnanimity will provide a clear signal to Singaporeans that the state is investing its confidence in them to make calibrated and constructive decisions in the name of the larger national interest.
In governance, there is a need to ensure that the state meet the needs of groups left out by present public policies, to exercise fairness in name and in deed. Magnanimity in governance takes it one step further. It is the awareness that nation-building is a broad canvas, large enough an endeavour to accommodate the various distinct interest groups and political parties. Magnanimity in governance also requires that the relationship between the community, grassroots organisations, the constituents and the government have to be seriously reconsidered. The grassroots has to be depoliticised. It has to be made accessible again to all, regardless of their political stripes.
Magnanimity in politics is about respecting each Singaporean regardless of their political stripes. It is an active agenda to enhance the state and build a more resilient nation for generations to come. The government, led by the political party with the most parliamentary seats is merely one of the many stakeholders, albeit an important one, with obligations and responsibilities to the electorate.
Fundamentally, magnanimity is a vision of tolerance within a diverse, demanding and democratic society. The party in power, wielding the resources of the state should continually bear in mind that their mission to serve also entails a commitment to not impose injustice and meanness upon their fellow citizens.
At the end of it all, embedded within magnanimous politics is the notion of trust. In fact, political parties need to build this crucial relationship with the electorate. Trust is a work-in-progress, continually evolving, but never to be taken for granted. A critical part of the trust quotient is not merely a name on the electoral ticket but the presence of an able and responsible organisation behind those names. Every vote is important, not because it is rhetorically pleasing to the ears, but because voting is the process through which responsibility and trust is transferred from the voters with all their uncertainties, hopes and aspirations onto the names on the ballot paper. It is about the electorate entrusting the election candidates with the future of their estate and the direction of the nation. It is a sacred process; one that I hope our members of parliament and national leaders would never take for granted as we embrace SG50 and embark on the next fifty years in our nation-building process.
The next fifty years can only be better than the last. There's much work to be done. There are more lives to improve. There are more policies to better. At the end of it, there is one Singapore that we all love. So, let's get going! Majulah Singapura!
