Mr Abdul Malik Mohammed Ghazali, 27 wants to contest the next general election and will join the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP). -- PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
Transcript of Abdul Malik’s email interview with Straits Times
September 2nd, 2010 |
Attached below transcript of Mr Malik’s email interview with Jeremy Au Yong (ST Political Correspondent), reproduced with his permission.
J. Could you recount briefly, how you came to join the SDP? Were you invited to join or did you initiate the contact?
I submitted my application to the SDP at their Headquarters. The initial contact was through an SDP Young Democrats member who was on my Facebook. He asked if we could meet up for coffee, to which I agreed. My decision to join the SDP was through my own choice. They did not expressly invite me to join the party, but told me that that path remains open should I decide it was my calling.
J. According to the SDP website, Jarrod Luo and other Young Democrats met you on the Wednesday before you submitted your application. What did you all discuss and did that have any bearing on your decision? Did you have any contact with the party prior to that meeting?
We discussed issues concerning the YOG, and other broader national issues such as the Foreign Talent issue and freedom of speech in Singapore. I was given the opportunity to ask them about the causes they are championing. This session served to give me a better understanding of the SDP’s views on national issues as well as an insight into their plans for a better Singapore.
I had no prior contact with any SDP members before that day, although I did add them as friends on my Facebook account as early as 2009.
J. Have you heard back from the SDP after your application? Do you know how long it takes for them to process it?
Yes, I have. They are still processing the application, and it is being reviewed at the moment. I have no idea how long it will take them to process my application, although I hope I will be given the honour of joining the SDP soon.
J. You mentioned you had toyed with the idea of joining the SDP for some time. When did they first catch your eye and what held you back from joining till now? Why did you no longer want to be an “independent operator”?
I had first thought about joining an opposition party as early as 2007. At that time, I was looking to join either the SDP, WP or SDA Youth Wings. I strongly believed that a loyal Opposition in Parliament could provide a much-needed counter-balance to the views of the ruling party. I also believe in giving the common man the right to voice his opinions and to air his views in a free, unrestricted way.
Although I held these views, I was apprehensive of joining the Opposition because of that lingering fear of being a target of state security forces. This, I believe, is what holds back many promising young people from making a difference to the lives of their fellow countrymen by providing a voice that sings a different tune than that of the ruling government. Why I choose to join now is that every man needs a “trigger” to spur him into action, and I feel that I have found enough reason to tell myself that being an Opposition party member is truly my calling.
Everybody is entitled to the right to free speech. It is one of the tenets of a democratic society. I took issue with the problem of censorship in Singapore back then. I am a firm believer in the need for a free press to act as a watchdog for the government.
The press is the one major player which can help to champion the rights of Singaporeans. I also did not like the way Opposition parties were systematically blacked out of media reports, or at least given a very negative light. A fair press – one that gives equal coverage to both sides – can only win the hearts and minds of the populace, and more people will begin to view the mainstream media as a truly unbiased, objective news source.
To me, the Opposition is meant to help improve Singapore by providing a check against possible excesses by the governement of the day. I feel that the Opposition too, needs an injection of fresh talent to improve it’s relatively tarnished image in Singapore. This is what moved me eventually to become a member of an Opposition party (specifically the SDP). I want the Opposition parties in Singapore to be looked upon not just as adversaries to the ruling party, but as a way to give fresh input and alternative views on issues concerning Singaporeans. We are here to help the Government, as long as the Government is willing to hear our views through gentlemanly discourse.
This does not mean, however, that we cannot be vehemently critical of the government nor does it mean we cannot succeed them as the ruling party, when the need arises. There are some national issues, such as immigration of foreigners, where the government’s policies do not resonante well with the general public. As Opposition party members, we are bound by duty to provide much-needed reality checks for the government, so that they will stay in touch with what the man on the street feels about their policies.
J. You also mentioned their views were aligned with yours. I was hoping you could elaborate on that. Many opposition parties share certain common ideologies, could you specify which aspects of SDP’s views particularly resonated with you?
As I have mentioned earlier, I am supportive of the need for free speech and true democracy. I have seen the ideas that the SDP have written down for an alternative economic path for Singapore, one that champions the rights of workers and employers. It is about establishing a balance between both parties that will make Singapore a much stronger economic powerhouse than it is today.
The SDP’s views on the Foreign Talent issue as well, resonantes deeply within me. I generally welcome foreigners to work in Singapore, but there must be due diligence in ensuring that the rights of local-born citizens are not overlooked in the process.
The SDP believes in independent trade unions as a means to ensure that workers views are fairly represented and to ensure that they are not being exploited, all without fearing interference or retribution from the government. As many Singaporeans face lower wages and longer working hours, this amplifies the need for workers to be able to engage in meaningful dialogue with their employers, with their unions fighting for their rights to fair wages, and reasonable working hours.
J. Finally, would you be interested in contesting the next general election? Why or why not?
Given the chance, I would be honoured to represent my party for the next general elections. I must first take the counsel of my more experienced colleagues before deciding to contest. Frankly, I believe there is still a lot of room for me to improve before standing for election in Singapore. I lack experience in politics, being only 27 years old and I want to have sufficient experience if I am called up by the party and the People of Singapore to represent them. If I am judged ready to stand in an election, then I will do my utmost to ensure I perform my duty as expected of me as a representative of the people, in the spirit of true democracy.
