The litmus tests of a more open society

http://www.todayonline.com/articles/29695.asp

Today
Friday, November 19, 2004

Some call them the MIW (Men In White). Writer Catherine Lim
prefers the term "shirtsleeves Government".

The litmus tests of a more open society
Derrick A Paulo
derrick@newstoday.com.sg
Some call them the MIW (Men In White). Writer Catherine Lim (picture) prefers the term "shirtsleeves Government".
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But she is not referring to the People's Action Party's sartorial style.
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Dr Lim has been providing the occasional insight into the party's political style ever since her controversial exposition 10 years ago of theaffective divide between the PAP and the people.
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On Wednesday night, in a talk held by the National University of Singapore Society on her dual role of writer and political commentator, she gave her latest take on the new political leadership.
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Amid positive comments came the observation that some things do not change.
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"This Government is totally amoral and not ideological, for purely pragmatic reasons because it is time-wasting," she said.
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"A problem presents itself, they roll up their shirtsleeves and they set to work and they go about it until the problem is solved.
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"But one thing that still exasperates me is this: They somehow have this unshakeable sense of their infallibility and superiority.
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"All the changes and so on that they make, I feel, cannot touch at the core. They are not ready for that."
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Addressing a small room of about 40 people, she likened the political situation to a series of concentric circles.
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The Government would be "very accepting" of more peripheral, non-political, day-to-day issues, for example, better welfare for foreign domestic workers, she believed.
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"It actually gives a sense of openness: The Government is listening. But, really, it is on these issues that don't touch them at all," she said.
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But, closer to the centre, the leaders might be more uptight about style, although she thinks they are now more prepared for criticism of Government policies.
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At the centre, she listed several political "no-nos" such as allegations of nepotism and questioning the judiciary's independence.
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In giving this appraisal, she also suggested three scenarios as litmus tests of whether the Government was willing to "back up its promise of opening up".
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Firstly, "if they allow demonstrations. This is part and parcel of any society. But it is absolutely prohibited. I don't even mean demonstrating against the Government. Groups could want to show their disapproval
of some international policy, Iraq prisoners, Abu Ghraib and so on," she explained.
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Secondly, if the Government tolerated political cartoons, which Dr Lim also described as part and parcel of "democratic life in any country".
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"Third and this will be the greatest: If somebody sues the Government and wins. I think Singaporeans will sit up and say: 'Ooh'," she said animatedly.
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However, she expressed her doubts that any of these would occur in the near future. But she will be watching closely the next elections for a more realistic sign of political progress.
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"If they repeat what they did at previous elections, I think I will be nettled and rattled ... not giving the Opposition enough time, coming in with their hardball politics, making use of the media and the institutions — this sort of thing annoys me," she said agitatedly.
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Here, she expects more openness and less threats, simply because she believes the Government is in a very secure position.
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In the post-911 and post-Sars world, the "climate" will be conducive for Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to pursue the economic imperative of jobs and stability, which is what Singaporeans really want, she said.
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However, due to the changing times and changing world and with a more sophisticated citizenry, she is confident that PM Lee will not go about it in the "knuckle-duster" or "lecturing and hectoring" manners of the past.
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"I am quite happy to see what is happening except that I sometimes think: 'Will you please stop your policy of incrementalism'. This Government is so cautious, they do things in small steps," she said.

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