TR EMERITUS

I consider the People's Republic of China to be the most democratic government in the world. First, we have to understand what is a democratic government. It is a government "by the people, for the people". The government must be freely elected by the people and must work for the well being of the people. I consider this to be the true test of democracy. Most western countries did not produce this outcome. Their system benefits the wealthy elite, and the ordinary people suffer a drop in their living standards. This has happened in recent decades. These countries allows the people to change the government more regularly, but the frequent changes do not produce the structural changes that improves the lives of the people. In contrast, the PRC government was able to bring over 400 million people out of poverty and improve the living standards for the people at large. Let me elaborate on the following important features of the PRC system of government. 1. The people vote freely and democratically to elect their deputy in the local people's congress. The elected deputies vote for their leaders at the higher levels, i.e. the provincial and the national government. China adopts this multi tier system because it has a large population. 2. Their national policies goes through consultations at various stages. They get the experts and academics to study the issue and present their recommendations. These are evaluated by their policy making committee and a draft law is presented. Feedback is obtained on these laws from the relevant people and are further discussed. The final draft law is presented to the National People's Congress for adoption. When it reached this level, the draft had already been actively discussed and agreed at the lower levels. 3. Any citizens that is unjustly affected by the actions of the authority can submit their grievance to a proper channel. The grievance will be addressed at the local level. If it cannot be resolved, and the issue affects many people, it will be taken up at the higher level. This system worked quite well and produced a satisfactory outcome. In international surveys of trust in government, the PRC government obtained the approval of over 90% of the people. This is the highest approval rating of any government in the world. I consider the PRC government to be the most democratic in the world as it is freely elected by the people and receives the highest approval rating of the people.   Tan Kin Lian      Read More →

With all the attention drawn to the Committee of Privileges these past several days, something important has gone under the radar. It has to do with Minister Lawrence Wong who wrote a marvel. Not for its literary depth or intellect rigour, but rather for its brazenness in continuing the PAP’s justification in its undemocratic rule. Titled “Managing the tensions of tribal politics” (ST, 23 Nov 2021), the piece was actually the full text of his speech he gave at the Institute of Policy Studies. Now, if you’ve been around politics in this country long enough, you’ll know that coming from a PAP man using words like “race”, “harmony”, “community”, “democracy”, “conflict”, the thesis can only go in one direction – the warning against the ills of democracy and the continued employment of censorship and detention without trial to keep the peace. See what I mean: “Our founding leaders…took tough but necessary action,” Mr Wong predictably extolled. “They invoked the Internal Security Act [ISA] against chauvinists of all ilk.” Apparently so. And against their elected parliamentary colleagues on the other side of the House no less. Mr Wong’s predecessors incarcerated scores of opposition politicians and activists in the 1960s and 70s. One MP was locked away for more than three decades with nary a legal charge – and all because he refused to confess that he was a communist his captors accused him of being. Years later, the ISA was used against chauvinists of another ilk – social activists fighting for the poor. Now, they were accused of being Marxists. Slapped, kicked and psychologically brutalised, they were forced to confess. For good measure, the government put them on TV to make the “confession” public. With the opposition emasculated, cvil society brow-beaten, the media crushed into a “nation-building” microphone, we have now, according to Mr Wong, become a “Singaporean Singapore”. Of course, such harmony must be tended to. Hence, Mr Wong's pronouncement that the “harmonious state of affairs will always be on a knife-edge; so it needs constant attention and careful management.” And so, the Singaporean society trundles along, constantly reminded that the without the PAP’s undemocratic rule, society will just fall apart. This is why laws are introduced and rules are changed to enable the ruling clique to maintain its grip. It was the GRC system first that put gerrymandering on steroids, followed by the introduction of the Public Order Act that outlawed protests even by one single body, then the change of the constitution that further narrowed persons “qualified” to be president, then the enactment of POFMA that restricted online debate and, most recently, the passing of FICA that gives the government unprecedented power to further accuse anyone of being aided and abetted by foreigners. I've spoken repeatedly about this gradual political suffocation of our society. At a time when opening up the political system is critical given the changing needs of the country, the continued approach of maintaining fear and control will do this country irreparable harm. Many have asked why I continue the political struggle after so many years. It is such utterances by this young Minister and his group – unable to imagine a new and enlightened form of governance that this nation so desperately needs – that keeps me going. Resisting them and bringing about a hopeful future for ourselves and our children is the only thing to do.   Dr Chee Soon Juan      Read More →

Are you sure that you are fully vaccinated? Going for another jab to make yourself feel good to be vaccinated? Maybe you should think again.   Related: FDA documents show over 150K serious adverse events in first 3 months of Pfizer jab approval.        Read More →