Lecture Notes: Politics in Action - Singapore and Malaysia

Introduction

Speaker: Professor Kenneth Paul Tan

• Professor of Politics, Film, and Cultural Studies at Hong Kong Baptist University
• Previously, Vice Dean at the National University of Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy
• Published numerous interdisciplinary articles
• Founding chair of the Asian Film Archive's Board of Directors

New Prime Minister of Singapore: Lawrence Wong

• New PM in 6 days
• Wong selected after two years of being identified
• Wong's background:
  • Divorced, recently remarried
  • Modest upbringing, did not attend elite schools
  • Cabinet roles in National Development, Education, and Finance
  • Commendable performance in COVID-19 taskforce
  • Portrayed as relatable (social media presence, plays guitar, motorcycles)
• Challenges Wong will face:
  • Intra-party Dynamics: Managing rivalries within PAP
  • Political Opposition: Workers' Party's increasing popularity and more relatable politicians
  • Civil Society Movements: Climate justice, sexual politics, death penalty, and Palestine support
  • Economic Challenges: Rising costs, income inequality, and demographic tensions

Recent Political Scandals

• Keppel Offshore and Marine Case: Corruption allegations and non-prosecution in Singapore
• Conflict of Interest Concerns: Tin Pei Ling's private sector job and potential conflicts
• Tan Chuan-Jin Hot Mic Incident: Speaker's moralistic persona contrasted with actions
• Workers' Party Scandals: Two senior members' extramarital affair leading to their resignation
• Ridout Gate: Ministers renting luxurious properties, leading to public dismay
• Transport Minister Investigation: S. Iswaran's gift acceptance scandal
• Workers’ Party Leader Charged: Pritam Singh’s lying allegations and potential disqualification

Political Landscape and Future Elections

• Next General Elections: Must be held before November 2025, possibly as soon as November this year
• PAP Vote Share Trends: Drop in popular vote percentage, significance of 2015 as an exception
• Leadership Transition: Importance of giving Wong a strong mandate

Broader Analysis

• Success of Technocracy: Singapore known for technocratic governance, but needing adaptive leadership now
• Adaptive Leadership Needs: Transforming values, welcoming dissenting voices
• Future Innovations: New strategies that are risk-inclusive and innovate beyond past successes
• Political Legitimacy: Challenges in maintaining political legitimacy and managing polarizations

Q&A Highlights

• International Relations & ASEAN: Singapore’s governance education programs aimed at improving regional standards
• Technocratic vs. Adaptive Leadership: Singapore's past success formulas may not suit future challenges
• Potential Populism/Nationalism: Question about religious populism and impacts of global conflicts like Gaza on Singapore’s societal fabric