Bilveer Singh - Understanding Singapore Politics

Understanding

Singapore

Politics

Understanding

Singapore

Politics

Bilveer Singh

NUS, Singapore

Published by

World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd.

5 Toh Tuck Link, Singapore 596224

USA office: 27 Warren Street, Suite 401-402, Hackensack, NJ 07601

UK office: 57 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9HE

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Singh, Bilveer, 1956 author.

Title: Understanding Singapore politics / Bilveer Singh.

Description: [Hackensack], New Jersey : World Scientific, [2017] |
Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2017003572| ISBN 9789813209220 (hardcover) |
ISBN 9789813209237 (softcover)

Subjects: LCSH: Singapore--Politics and government.

Classification: LCC DS610.7 .S575 2017 | DDC 320.95957--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017003572

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Copyright 2017 by World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd.

All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without written permission from the publisher.

For photocopying of material in this volume, please pay a copying fee through the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, USA. In this case permission to photocopy is not required from the publisher.

Desk Editor: Jiang Yulin

Typeset by Stallion Press
Email:

Printed in Singapore

Chiam See Tong (1935-present)

A trained lawyer and an Opposition veteran, Chiam See Tong was first elected to Parliament in 1984 as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Potong Pasir constituency. Until 2011, he was the longest-serving Opposition MP. He founded the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP). Later, he was forced to leave the party following a challenge from Chee Soon Juan. In 1996, he joined the Singapore Peoples Party (SPP). He spearheaded the formation of the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA), being the de facto Opposition leader until 2011. In March 2011, the SPP withdrew from the SDA and Chiam contested the 2011 General Elections in a Group Representation Constituency (GRC) in Bishan-Toa Payoh where he lost. Ill-health has, however, prevented him from being active in politics even though he remains a respected and popular political figure nationally.

David Marshall (19081995)

David Marshall was Singapores first Chief Minister and one of the pioneer nationalists who pushed for Singapores independence. His act of resignation in 1956 following his inability to help Singapore gain its independence, though often viewed as impulsive and irrational, signified the birth of nationalism for the small state. Despite his resignation, he left his mark as a charismatic leader that inspired others to think in terms of Singapores nationalism and independence.

Devan Nair (19232005)

Devan Nair was a leading and famous trade unionist in Singapore. After the Second World War, in the midst of rising nationalism in Singapore, he joined the communist-led Anti-British League. Later in 1954, he became a founding member of the PAP and supported Lee Kuan Yew against the communists. He was the founder of the non-communist National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) in 1961 that largely sealed Singapores victory against the communists. In 1964, he founded the Democratic Action Party and won a parliamentary seat in the Malaysian elections. On his return to Singapore in 1969, he continued to lead the NTUC and was elected to the Singapore Parliament from 1979 to 1981. He served as Singapores third president from 1981 to 1985. He controversially resigned as Singapores president following Lee Kuan Yew alleging that he needed to be treated for alcoholism. Nair, however, claimed it was due to the clash of political views that led to the acrimony and clash between the Head of State and Head of Government.

Goh Chok Tong (1941-present)

Despite not being Lee Kuan Yews first choice as successor, Goh Chok Tong became Singapores second Prime Minister. Prior to this appointment, Goh served as Senior Minister for Trade and Industry, Finance, and Health, and became the Deputy Prime Minister in 1985. His consultative style contrasted Lees hard authoritative stance, which made him popular among liberal-oriented Singaporeans. He first entered politics in 1976 and also contested the 2015 General Elections, making him the longest-serving MP in Singapores politics today. Though not in cabinet, he has held the honorary title of Emeritus Senior Minister since 2011.

Goh Keng Swee (19182010)

Goh Keng Swee was involved in the Malayan Forum that mulled over the independence of Malaya. In 1959, he won the Kreta Ayer seat and joined the first government under then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yews leadership as Minister of Finance. He was known as being the key driver of the Singapore economy and also a fervent supporter of merger with Malaysia due to economic considerations. Two years after independence, he became Minister of Interior and Defence, handling Singapores military and security policies. He also contributed to the reform of Singapores education system through the 1979 Goh Report that introduced streaming. He retired in 1984.

J. B. Jeyaretnam (19262008)

Joseph Benjamin Jeyaretnam, the former leader of the Workers Party (WP) from 1971 to 2001, epitomised the ability of the Opposition to succeed against all odds against the pre-dominant one-party dominant state of Singapore. In the 1981 Anson by-election, he defeated the PAP candidate, Pang Kim Hin, to become the first member of an Opposition party to get elected to the Singapore Parliament, thus ending the PAPs complete domination of Parliament since 1968. He was re-elected in the 1984 General Elections but lost his seat in 1986 for being convicted of falsifying his partys accounts. His conviction was quashed by the Privy Council. Following the 1997 General Elections, he returned to Parliament as a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) but was stripped of his parliamentary seat for being declared a bankrupt in 2001. He left the WP in 2001 and in 2008 founded the Reform Party (RP).

Lee Hsien Loong (1952-present)

Lee Hsien Loong, the current Prime Minister, was educated in Cambridge and Harvard, and is the eldest son of Lee Kuan Yew, Singapores first Prime Minister. He was groomed for political office for a long time and at the age of 32 entered politics by winning a parliamentary seat in the 1984 General Elections. Two years later, he was elected into the PAPs Central Executive Committee (CEC) and in 1990 became one of two Deputy Prime Ministers. In 1992, he was diagnosed with cancer. In 2004, he became Singapores third Prime Minister and led the party to victory in the 2006, 2011, and 2015 General Elections.