Journey back to Singapore
by Chen Show Mao on Saturday, October 8, 2011 at 10:25pm
I have received several invitations to meet with people to share my story following GE 2011. It never ceases to amaze me at the interest. But if it can pave the way to get more Singaporeans to step forward in public service, I will happily oblige.
This week, the Stanford Club of Singapore kindly invited me to speak on "My journey back to Singapore". During the Q&A, a fellow capital markets lawyer posed a question on what I left behind (a legal career) and why? To me, it's more about what's ahead. I am new to political life and will undoubtedly get some hard knocks. But I look forward to it with enthusiasm and hope.
My journey back to Singapore
INTRODUCTION
When I arrived at Stanford in the late nineteen eighties, I was feeling on top of the world. I thought I had come off great runs at Harvard and Oxford. Taken some knocks, Yes, but learnt from them. And for a young man, there was nothing better than learning from your experience. In addition to prospects of fine classroom instruction, Stanford looked set to offer me opportunities to continue learning about public interest law at its community law projects in East Palo Alto. A research assistantship with my professor would enable me to continue learning about research in law and economics.
I had chosen Stanford, Stanford had chosen me, it felt like being in love.
And like many friends who also ended up at Stanford following several years on the East Coast or in England, I was looking forward to doing my learning in the California sun. Of everything around me, I kept asking: "Why?"... and "Why not?"
Life seemed full of possibilities.
That is the sense of being fully alive and of possibilities that I remember vividly from my days at Stanford. That's the same sense that brings me here tonight. It is the sense that I hope our young people can always share. Right here in Singapore.
When I was extended the invitation to meet with you today, I was told that friends at the Stanford club would like to learn more about me, my beliefs and the decisions I made to come home and stand in the last elections.
MY EARLIER YEARS AND WHAT SHAPED ME
Let me begin with my earlier years.
What shaped me to be who I am today.
In the many schools I attended right through Stanford and most recently in my practice as a corporate lawyer, I spent almost all of my time and energy on my work and my career. I also have a young family and my wife and I naturally spend as much time as possible raising a family, bringing up our children the best we can.
But over time a sense grew stronger within me-- the sense that I needed to give something back to society for what I have received, which has been a great deal.
You see ... Along the way, I formed a belief:
We have, each of us, benefitted from what others around us or before us have given or contributed. I do not believe that any of us is who he is solely as a result of his individual talents, hard work and ambition. In my case I benefitted from what my parents gave me (it goes without saying), also my teachers, my colleagues, the people who donated money to build the schools I attended, and to fund scholarships for needy students, and so many others before and around me.
I use the words “give” and “contribute”. I do not think it is solely a matter of exchange in which I received something from these benefactors only because they had received something from me in return. Take my teachers as an example. What they did for me was not, as most see it today, part of a transaction in which I paid my fees and they provided their services (and met their key performance indicators). The good teachers brought their hearts and minds and the best part of themselves to the task and gave me an education.
That extra bit made all the difference, and it was freely given to me.
It is up to me to give back.
As I grow older, the sense grows stronger that I may not have all that much time to give back.
SERVICE: MAKING PEOPLE’S LIVES BETTER
How do I give back -- how can i be of service?
I asked myself these questions before embarking on my journey back to Singapore.
For me, The starting point has to be how do you help make people’s lives better?
We all have our ways.
I believe that particularly pertinent for Singaporeans today is to ask -- how do you make government policies more responsive to people’s needs?
Because our government is a big part of our lives.
A CREDIBLE ALTERNATIVE
How do you help make government policies more responsive to people's needs? I think there needs to be a credible alternative -- political parties OTHER than the ruling party, which are capable of forming the government. This alternative needs to be credible for it to be effective in keeping the Ruling Party on its toes and doing a good job.
Since the last general elections in May, we have seen a slew of government policy revisions for the benefit of Singaporeans. Reasonably in response to the bigger presence of the opposition in the elections.
FIRST, A ministerial salary review committee was set up just 2 weeks following the elections.
THEN, HDB was soon told to build more flats ahead of demand and the income ceiling was raised after 17 years.
AND The transport fare hike came in at 1 percent, lower than requested and expected, and senior citizens got their concessions extended to the whole day.
HOW about nature lovers? the former KTM railway would be preserved as a green corridor.
AND university places would be increased by nearly 17 percent over the next four years.
I am happy to see the government actively reviewing its policies. I believe the bigger presence of the opposition helped. We know that the ground is shifting slowly but surely below us when we see Singaporeans talk more freely, feeling more emboldened. When we hear the Prime Minister tell his party that it needs to adjust its policies to serve the people better.
I believe that a credible alternative will help produce better policy in a functioning multi-party parliamentary system.
We have the institutions in place for such a system -- we have general elections that different political parties take part in; we have a parliament. But we have not developed a credible alternative, for historical and other reasons. It’s as if we have the machinery in place, but not the people to make it work properly!!
So I think it’s important for people to step forward NOW and start to help grow a credible alternative. That means ordinary Singaporeans like us. Mind you, for any political party wishing to offer up a credible alternative, it WILL .TAKE .TIME for it to learn and grow into its role.
As one person, there may be only so much that I can do, but I feel that I have to do that much.
That's how I came to knock on the doors of the Workers' Party during one of its open house receptions in 2007. And that's how I came to stand as a candidate in the last general elections, however unlikely a politician I may have felt I was.
I hope that by the small examples of more and more people around us taking small steps forward, Singaporeans will be more encouraged, will be less fearful, will find it more normal, to speak up, ask questions and become more actively engaged in politics.
I call it the “Power of We.”
By taking small steps and setting examples for one another. We draw strength from one another. We draw strength from our community of ordinary Singaporeans who believe that political diversity is good for Singapore.
In short, I embarked on my journey back to Singapore to serve Singaporeans. Hoping to make it easier, more "normal", for my fellow Singaporeans to come forward and make our democracy work. I believe it is good for us. I believe it is what we need.
SERVICE: THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT
Now, let me talk about service as a role of the government.
As I see it, our government's central task to serve Singaporeans.
You may say, "Yes, of course." But I am not sure if we always remember to use that yardstick to measure the success of our government policies.
To me service means putting at the center of things the object of our service.
The question is simple, it is a matter of perspective, who will be at the center of things, that is all. Is it the people of Singapore, or some measure of gross development or growth, that has over time been taken as a proxy for what's good for Singapore.
For instance, when the economy grew by 14%, as it did last year, but median household income grew only 3%, or 0% after you adjust for inflation, then we need to ask "who is all this growth for?" Who is at the center of all this economic growth if most Singaporean households barely kept pace? I have come to meet many more Singaporeans in this situation since my return.
It has got to be: all this economic growth will go to benefit MOST Singaporeans, in the long run if not necessarily in the short run.
But is that the case?
SERVANT LEADERSHIP
In his National Day dinner speech in Ang Mo Kio, the Prime Minister said that we've got to “keep on getting our economics right, our policies right and our politics right”. All three are important, and we need to get our politics right in order to get our policies right. It is what I have been talking about. It is our aim. I believe that through well- functioning multi-party Parliamentary politics, we will get more responsive government policies that put at the center of things the service of the people of Singapore.
Some of our leaders worry about that. ESM Goh Chok Tong warned that Singaporeans must “choose between pragmatic and populist politics”. In pragmatic politics, Singaporeans will accept measures with short-term pain but long-term gain. "In populist politics, they want immediate gratification and ignore the long-term costs.”
He is right. I face the same problems everyday: do I go jogging today or not? I'm often tempted to avoid short term pain at the expense of long term gain. In politics, people often vote the same way. Now let's talk about populist politics.
Populist politics pose a real danger to Singapore. That is why we criticize the government's populist policies such as making opposition wards last in queue for Lift upgrading programs, and making cash distributions to citizens just before the general elections. These populist policies have the effect of linking votes to lifts and to cash in the voters' minds, and appear to pander to the voters' worst instincts. They focus the voters' attention on the very short term, instead of what may be good for the country in the long term.
These populist policies were put in place by a government with an overwhelming majority in Parliament. So Singapore has always had to face the temptations of populist politics. And if one feels that, on the whole, Singaporeans in the past had chosen well between populist and pragmatic politics. Then there is no reason to feel overly concerned that we will not continue to do the same, just because we have now made the pragmatic choice of giving the opposition a few more seats in Parliament.
In the face of the temptations of populist politics, I don't think the solution is to say: Let's have fewer voices. Instead we should have more voices. Voices to educate, to reason, to persuade. If you feel you know better what is good for the people you serve, then, as a Servant, you need to make that case to them in a fair and unbiased manner.
The truth is many of us look to our government leaders, our Servants, for guidance and leadership. We want to learn from our leaders and make progress. We welcome help to make up our minds. But that final decision is ours to make. That is key. The added burden of PERSUATION is a necessary (and welcome) burden that must be taken on by our leaders who aim to serve in the new normal. Ultimately it is their duty to respect our decision, including the decision to elect opposition MPs to represent us in Parliament.
NOW, THAT to me, is Servant Leadership.
Friends, We live in a democracy in which the people are sovereign, and our politicians are not rulers of the people, but are public servants. We must remember this, even as we look to our politicians for leadership. I believe our country needs every woman or man who is willing to come forward to serve. To step forward and offer to play a bigger part in public life, in the life of our community.
The way I see it. At this point in our nation's history, the act of coming forward is an act of public service. Taking the first step forward makes half the journey.
The way I see it. When you choose to embark on your journey of service, you may feel that the steps you can take are just too small. BUT you know something? -- you will be a source of strength, encouragement and inspiration to the people around you.
Come, friends, step forward, do what you can.
THANK YOU.
by Chen Show Mao on Saturday, October 8, 2011 at 10:25pm
I have received several invitations to meet with people to share my story following GE 2011. It never ceases to amaze me at the interest. But if it can pave the way to get more Singaporeans to step forward in public service, I will happily oblige.
This week, the Stanford Club of Singapore kindly invited me to speak on "My journey back to Singapore". During the Q&A, a fellow capital markets lawyer posed a question on what I left behind (a legal career) and why? To me, it's more about what's ahead. I am new to political life and will undoubtedly get some hard knocks. But I look forward to it with enthusiasm and hope.
My journey back to Singapore
INTRODUCTION
When I arrived at Stanford in the late nineteen eighties, I was feeling on top of the world. I thought I had come off great runs at Harvard and Oxford. Taken some knocks, Yes, but learnt from them. And for a young man, there was nothing better than learning from your experience. In addition to prospects of fine classroom instruction, Stanford looked set to offer me opportunities to continue learning about public interest law at its community law projects in East Palo Alto. A research assistantship with my professor would enable me to continue learning about research in law and economics.
I had chosen Stanford, Stanford had chosen me, it felt like being in love.
And like many friends who also ended up at Stanford following several years on the East Coast or in England, I was looking forward to doing my learning in the California sun. Of everything around me, I kept asking: "Why?"... and "Why not?"
Life seemed full of possibilities.
That is the sense of being fully alive and of possibilities that I remember vividly from my days at Stanford. That's the same sense that brings me here tonight. It is the sense that I hope our young people can always share. Right here in Singapore.
When I was extended the invitation to meet with you today, I was told that friends at the Stanford club would like to learn more about me, my beliefs and the decisions I made to come home and stand in the last elections.
MY EARLIER YEARS AND WHAT SHAPED ME
Let me begin with my earlier years.
What shaped me to be who I am today.
In the many schools I attended right through Stanford and most recently in my practice as a corporate lawyer, I spent almost all of my time and energy on my work and my career. I also have a young family and my wife and I naturally spend as much time as possible raising a family, bringing up our children the best we can.
But over time a sense grew stronger within me-- the sense that I needed to give something back to society for what I have received, which has been a great deal.
You see ... Along the way, I formed a belief:
We have, each of us, benefitted from what others around us or before us have given or contributed. I do not believe that any of us is who he is solely as a result of his individual talents, hard work and ambition. In my case I benefitted from what my parents gave me (it goes without saying), also my teachers, my colleagues, the people who donated money to build the schools I attended, and to fund scholarships for needy students, and so many others before and around me.
I use the words “give” and “contribute”. I do not think it is solely a matter of exchange in which I received something from these benefactors only because they had received something from me in return. Take my teachers as an example. What they did for me was not, as most see it today, part of a transaction in which I paid my fees and they provided their services (and met their key performance indicators). The good teachers brought their hearts and minds and the best part of themselves to the task and gave me an education.
That extra bit made all the difference, and it was freely given to me.
It is up to me to give back.
As I grow older, the sense grows stronger that I may not have all that much time to give back.
SERVICE: MAKING PEOPLE’S LIVES BETTER
How do I give back -- how can i be of service?
I asked myself these questions before embarking on my journey back to Singapore.
For me, The starting point has to be how do you help make people’s lives better?
We all have our ways.
I believe that particularly pertinent for Singaporeans today is to ask -- how do you make government policies more responsive to people’s needs?
Because our government is a big part of our lives.
A CREDIBLE ALTERNATIVE
How do you help make government policies more responsive to people's needs? I think there needs to be a credible alternative -- political parties OTHER than the ruling party, which are capable of forming the government. This alternative needs to be credible for it to be effective in keeping the Ruling Party on its toes and doing a good job.
Since the last general elections in May, we have seen a slew of government policy revisions for the benefit of Singaporeans. Reasonably in response to the bigger presence of the opposition in the elections.
FIRST, A ministerial salary review committee was set up just 2 weeks following the elections.
THEN, HDB was soon told to build more flats ahead of demand and the income ceiling was raised after 17 years.
AND The transport fare hike came in at 1 percent, lower than requested and expected, and senior citizens got their concessions extended to the whole day.
HOW about nature lovers? the former KTM railway would be preserved as a green corridor.
AND university places would be increased by nearly 17 percent over the next four years.
I am happy to see the government actively reviewing its policies. I believe the bigger presence of the opposition helped. We know that the ground is shifting slowly but surely below us when we see Singaporeans talk more freely, feeling more emboldened. When we hear the Prime Minister tell his party that it needs to adjust its policies to serve the people better.
I believe that a credible alternative will help produce better policy in a functioning multi-party parliamentary system.
We have the institutions in place for such a system -- we have general elections that different political parties take part in; we have a parliament. But we have not developed a credible alternative, for historical and other reasons. It’s as if we have the machinery in place, but not the people to make it work properly!!
So I think it’s important for people to step forward NOW and start to help grow a credible alternative. That means ordinary Singaporeans like us. Mind you, for any political party wishing to offer up a credible alternative, it WILL .TAKE .TIME for it to learn and grow into its role.
As one person, there may be only so much that I can do, but I feel that I have to do that much.
That's how I came to knock on the doors of the Workers' Party during one of its open house receptions in 2007. And that's how I came to stand as a candidate in the last general elections, however unlikely a politician I may have felt I was.
I hope that by the small examples of more and more people around us taking small steps forward, Singaporeans will be more encouraged, will be less fearful, will find it more normal, to speak up, ask questions and become more actively engaged in politics.
I call it the “Power of We.”
By taking small steps and setting examples for one another. We draw strength from one another. We draw strength from our community of ordinary Singaporeans who believe that political diversity is good for Singapore.
In short, I embarked on my journey back to Singapore to serve Singaporeans. Hoping to make it easier, more "normal", for my fellow Singaporeans to come forward and make our democracy work. I believe it is good for us. I believe it is what we need.
SERVICE: THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT
Now, let me talk about service as a role of the government.
As I see it, our government's central task to serve Singaporeans.
You may say, "Yes, of course." But I am not sure if we always remember to use that yardstick to measure the success of our government policies.
To me service means putting at the center of things the object of our service.
The question is simple, it is a matter of perspective, who will be at the center of things, that is all. Is it the people of Singapore, or some measure of gross development or growth, that has over time been taken as a proxy for what's good for Singapore.
For instance, when the economy grew by 14%, as it did last year, but median household income grew only 3%, or 0% after you adjust for inflation, then we need to ask "who is all this growth for?" Who is at the center of all this economic growth if most Singaporean households barely kept pace? I have come to meet many more Singaporeans in this situation since my return.
It has got to be: all this economic growth will go to benefit MOST Singaporeans, in the long run if not necessarily in the short run.
But is that the case?
SERVANT LEADERSHIP
In his National Day dinner speech in Ang Mo Kio, the Prime Minister said that we've got to “keep on getting our economics right, our policies right and our politics right”. All three are important, and we need to get our politics right in order to get our policies right. It is what I have been talking about. It is our aim. I believe that through well- functioning multi-party Parliamentary politics, we will get more responsive government policies that put at the center of things the service of the people of Singapore.
Some of our leaders worry about that. ESM Goh Chok Tong warned that Singaporeans must “choose between pragmatic and populist politics”. In pragmatic politics, Singaporeans will accept measures with short-term pain but long-term gain. "In populist politics, they want immediate gratification and ignore the long-term costs.”
He is right. I face the same problems everyday: do I go jogging today or not? I'm often tempted to avoid short term pain at the expense of long term gain. In politics, people often vote the same way. Now let's talk about populist politics.
Populist politics pose a real danger to Singapore. That is why we criticize the government's populist policies such as making opposition wards last in queue for Lift upgrading programs, and making cash distributions to citizens just before the general elections. These populist policies have the effect of linking votes to lifts and to cash in the voters' minds, and appear to pander to the voters' worst instincts. They focus the voters' attention on the very short term, instead of what may be good for the country in the long term.
These populist policies were put in place by a government with an overwhelming majority in Parliament. So Singapore has always had to face the temptations of populist politics. And if one feels that, on the whole, Singaporeans in the past had chosen well between populist and pragmatic politics. Then there is no reason to feel overly concerned that we will not continue to do the same, just because we have now made the pragmatic choice of giving the opposition a few more seats in Parliament.
In the face of the temptations of populist politics, I don't think the solution is to say: Let's have fewer voices. Instead we should have more voices. Voices to educate, to reason, to persuade. If you feel you know better what is good for the people you serve, then, as a Servant, you need to make that case to them in a fair and unbiased manner.
The truth is many of us look to our government leaders, our Servants, for guidance and leadership. We want to learn from our leaders and make progress. We welcome help to make up our minds. But that final decision is ours to make. That is key. The added burden of PERSUATION is a necessary (and welcome) burden that must be taken on by our leaders who aim to serve in the new normal. Ultimately it is their duty to respect our decision, including the decision to elect opposition MPs to represent us in Parliament.
NOW, THAT to me, is Servant Leadership.
Friends, We live in a democracy in which the people are sovereign, and our politicians are not rulers of the people, but are public servants. We must remember this, even as we look to our politicians for leadership. I believe our country needs every woman or man who is willing to come forward to serve. To step forward and offer to play a bigger part in public life, in the life of our community.
The way I see it. At this point in our nation's history, the act of coming forward is an act of public service. Taking the first step forward makes half the journey.
The way I see it. When you choose to embark on your journey of service, you may feel that the steps you can take are just too small. BUT you know something? -- you will be a source of strength, encouragement and inspiration to the people around you.
Come, friends, step forward, do what you can.
THANK YOU.
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