Singapore: a Democracy of Deeds and Problem-Solving
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Commentary: Volume 25, 2016 Singapore: A Democracy of Deeds and Problem-Solving Editor: Gillian Koh Published by The National University of Singapore Society (NUSS) Kent Ridge Guild House 9 Kent Ridge Drive Singapore 119241 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher. Printed by Naili Printing Industry MCI (P) 007 / 02 / 2016 COMMENTARY VOLUME 25, 2016 SINGAPORE: A DEMOCRACY OF DEEDS AND PROBLEM-SOLVING 1 Contents Editor’s Introduction Chapter Seven 5 - 10 Singapore: A Democracy of 61 - 68 Developing the Singapore Deeds and Problem-Solving Soul: ACRES and Animal Gillian Koh Welfare Louis Ng Chapter One 11 - 20 Revisiting S Rajaratnam’s Chapter Eight “Democracy of Deeds” 69 - 77 A Sustainable Future through Irene Ng Purposeful Making Veerappan Swaminathan Chapter Two 21 - 28 Singapore 100: Becoming a Chapter Nine City of Good 78 - 85 The Challenges and Promise Melissa Kwee of Ground-Up Social Innovation Chapter Three Kuik Shiao-Yin 29 - 37 Foundations: The Mutants of Democracy Chapter Ten Lee Poh Wah 86 - 92 Five Hunches about the Future of Public Policy Design Chapter Four Bernise Ang 38 - 49 ‘Giving a Future to our Past’ - Reflections on Developing the Chapter Eleven Heritage Conservation Cause 93 - 100 A Democracy of Words Chua Ai Lin Johannis Auri Bin Abdul Aziz Chapter Five 50 - 53 Building an Enabling Environment for Successful Ageing Susana Concordo Harding Chapter Six 54 - 60 Transient Workers Count Too’s Singaporean Way with Advocacy on Migrant Workers John Gee COMMENTARY VOLUME 25, 2016 SINGAPORE: A DEMOCRACY OF DEEDS AND PROBLEM-SOLVING 3 . Mission Statement To foster a lifelong relationship with NUS and the wider graduate community At NUSS, a lifelong relationship with NUS and the wider graduate community is achieved through two mutually reinforcing thrusts: • promoting the interests of its members and NUS; and • contributing positively to Singapore’s political and intellectual development and helping to cultivate a more gracious social and cultural environment. As the foremost graduate society, NUSS strives to promote the interests of its stakeholders by providing appropriate platforms for all to socialise, build networks, improve connectivity and exchange ideas through a multitude of recreational, academic, political, social and cultural activities. 4 COMMENTARY VOLUME 25, 2016 SINGAPORE: A DEMOCRACY OF DEEDS AND PROBLEM-SOLVING Editor’s Introduction Singapore: A Democracy of Deeds and Problem-Solving Gillian Koh Gillian Koh is Deputy Director (Research) at the Institute of Policy Studies which is part of the National University of Singapore (NUS) where the area of civil society and its development is one of her research interests. An NUS alumnus herself, she is proud to be a member of NUSS. COMMENTARY VOLUME 25, 2016 SINGAPORE: A DEMOCRACY OF DEEDS AND PROBLEM-SOLVING 5 Editor’s Introduction Singapore: A Democracy of Deeds and Problem-Solving This edition of NUSS’ Commentary significant milestone — Singapore’s trains the spotlight on Singapore’s 50th year of Independence. For that active citizens, with a theme that reason, we thought to shift the attention borrows a phrase used by the late towards the extraordinary acts that former Deputy Prime Minister and one ordinary citizens and community leaders of independent Singapore’s founding have mounted to address the country’s leaders, Mr S Rajaratnam. He had said social and cultural needs. Oftentimes, that Singapore should be “a democracy those ground-up actions have led to of deeds, not of words”. change in public policy. The chapters in this edition of Commentary provide the Writing in the early years after NUSS community with an update on the Singapore’s unexpected birth and in the life of civil society in Singapore. midst of the difficult geopolitical conditions facing us, Mr Rajaratnam felt Outside of government policy and that Western norms of liberal democracy programmes, or sometimes in addition to like having a confrontational opposition or opposition against government policy, and adversarial politics would not bring many active citizens have worked us the effective long-term governance tirelessly, quietly but effectively for a and the progress we desperately sought. better Singapore. While there can always be discussion and dispute over what is His plea was for the kind of democracy defined as the ‘common good’ or the that would involve citizen participation at ‘public good’ for a community and all levels of society; to “get people away country, these active citizens let their from adversarial democracy” so that they actions speak and allowed the fruit of would “solve practical problems in a their labour prove their intent. They also practical way”. The first chapter of knew that the means by which they Commentary 2016, written by the award- hoped to effect positive social change had winning biographer of Mr Rajaratnam, to reinforce that social good. Or, as a Ms Irene Ng, provides a crisp background Gandhi has often been quoted as saying, essay on what this meant and why it was many of them have been cognisant that important for a Singapore that was “the means are the ends in the making”. struggling for survival. It explains the theme of our journal this year. There are several key messages from the chapters of Commentary 2016. Previous editions of this NUSS journal First, that even in the most obvious have provided excellent critical areas of need, there is still a lot of room analyses of different aspects of public for novelty, the spirit of insurgency and policy, with the most recent 2015 one innovation to bring about positive set within the celebration of that social change. 6 COMMENTARY VOLUME 25, 2016 SINGAPORE: A DEMOCRACY OF DEEDS AND PROBLEM-SOLVING Editor’s Introduction Singapore: A Democracy of Deeds and Problem-Solving We have here, a record of how philanthropy that brings paradigm shifts Singaporeans and local non-government in the practical levers of social change, organisations have invested themselves should be a sunrise sector. in articulating and addressing the needs of Singapore’s social minorities – what The second message therefore, is that the chapters by Melissa Kwee of the while active citizens can sometimes feel National Volunteer & Philanthropy daunted when they think the problem is Centre, Lee Poh Wah of the Lien larger than what any one person or even Foundation as well as John Gee of an organisation can address, they can still Transient Workers Count Too, do. make a difference. They speak of the more novel individual In addition to the three chapters referred and corporate acts we too can explore in to above, the interview with Louis Ng and addressing the daily needs of the poor the chapter by Veerappan Swaminathan and disadvantaged; the efforts to support speak of their journey to help children in their climb out of the effects Singaporeans become more aware of the of being from such backgrounds through larger, more complex ecological system innovative models of pre-school that they must seek to understand, education; and the practical acts but treasure, and act on. also policy advocacy targeted at improving the welfare of Singapore’s Ng, a long-time activist against animal migrant workers, often the invisible part abuse and the illegal wildlife trade who to what sustains life in our busy city-state. founded the group called ACRES as an undergraduate at the National Kwee highlights the ways that individuals University of Singapore (NUS), shares, and corporate citizens can find that are in an interview, how his work is not just within their means to adopt, to make a about animals but about us humans - difference in the lives of the needy. Lee developing the Singapore soul that on the other hand, represents the sector acts against unethical practices and of philanthropic foundations that is injustice wherever we see it. He describes always associated with out-sized financial the process of multi-stakeholder resources. With a clarity of purpose and engagement which culminated in the the freedom of manoeuvre, Lee discusses November 2014 changes to animal how the Lien Foundation has been able welfare legislation. It encourages us to to develop innovative solutions to deal find ways to develop allies in our fight for with the multiple challenges that the a fair and just world. poor face in seeking a brighter future. As a relatively developed society, this Swaminathan of the Sustainable Living space of intelligent and progressive Lab or SL2, a movement spawned while COMMENTARY VOLUME 25, 2016 SINGAPORE: A DEMOCRACY OF DEEDS AND PROBLEM-SOLVING 7 Editor’s Introduction Singapore: A Democracy of Deeds and Problem-Solving he was still studying at the NUS as well, impact of its urban redevelopment plans is inspirational for his creative and on our historical sites and buildings; to practical approach to ecological take heed of these intangible but sustainability; no action is too small or invaluable considerations of heritage and modest if we want to do our part for the memories. It is integral to the cause that health of Planet Earth. He introduced the the state comes to institutionalise the Maker Movement in Singapore and practice of impact assessment – it signals created a programme where people can to active citizens and academia that it is learn to repair their household items worth investing expertise in these areas rather than dispose of them. After all, so that decision-making is informed, being conscious of our ecological impact robust and wise; it also ensures that what is only being kind and fair to the is of national and public concern need not generations that come after us and be politicised in the sense that whether Swaminathan convinces us that we do a heritage site is of value will not be not need to be stumped by the seeming caught in the whims, fancies or enormity of that mission.