The nature of my job needs me to travel around Singapore.
CBD ( Central Business District ) district, HDB ( Housing Development Board ) public housing estates, GCB ( Good Class Bungalow ) Districts, Districts 9, 10, 11 Landed & High End Condo Areas, Suburbs Mass Market Condos, etc.
Recently, one distinct trend that I notice is the non-ubiquitous or rather the lack of the ubiquity of our National Flags hanging out from mass market public housing units. As a percentage, from my observation, generally it is likely to be way below 50%.
Strangely, at the other end of the housing spectrum, the bigger the landed house I pass by, the higher the tendency to have a fairly large national flag on display in the compound of the landed property. As a percentage, from my observation, generally it is way above 50%.
What does this tell us?
Maybe something? Maybe not?
Nonetheless, I shall attempt to hazard a likely trend that may just juxtapose with the political and social trend locally. But I must add that it is just an observation on my part but could very well turn out to be reflective of the situation on the ground.
If one carefully studies the distribution of political support based on recent years election, one trend that seems to be developing quite clearly is the support of the opposition Worker's Party ( WP ) by heart-landers especially the working class in public housing estates such as Hougang, Pungol East, Aljunied, Paya Lebar, Eunos, Bedok etc.
According to a study in recent years, the top 20% of Singaporeans' households earn more than S$13,000 per month. The top 10% earn more than S$30,000 per month. On the other hand, slightly more than 80% of Singaporeans live in public housing estates.
In the estates mentioned above won by WP in recent years, the support is around 55% or higher and on a up trend. On the other hand, based on GE 2011 voting demographics, the post-1965 voters form the majority for the first time.
What does that tell us?
A growing number of younger and relatively much more educated Singaporeans but not doing as well as their parents' generation socially and economically?
Is this a temporary trend or a growing trend?
What has happened in Singapore in the last 23 years after the first generation leaders had handed over the "political baton"?
What is in the name of the Worker's Party?
Has anybody ever thought of forming another party call PMET's Party or Professional's Party or Manager's Party or Engineer's Party or Technician's Party?
What for?
What is their proportion compared to the larger percentage of ordinary blue and white collar workers?
Maybe a new party name such as HDB Owner's Party would stand a better chance of garnering better popular support?
But in a more serious vein, not withstanding a likely increase in support for WP in the eastern and north eastern corridors of Singapore in future elections, what would the WP really stand for nationally?
What would be the reaction and thinking of the rich and high income earners under such a scenario? What does the present WP stands for in such areas not withstanding their party manifestos?
A peek into the current MPs make up in their ranks and future ranks may offer some discomforting trend. Out of their current 7 elected MPs, three are lawyers. Out of their 3 new potential faces unveiled during the Jan 2013 rallies of the PE BE, two are lawyers and one is an academic in sociology.
Where is their financial and economic depth? Does the WP for now just stands for workers in name and in essence? How about the rich in the society, not mentioning many other myriad interest groups?
At the other end of the spectrum, the ruling party is seen by many to stand for the rich and the elites? Many ordinary Singaporeans priced out by sky high car and property prices lament that our city-state is gradually being transformed into a gigantic playground for the rich. Maybe even transformed into a forbidden city for many ordinary Singaporeans who does not have the monetary means to be members of this and that or owners of this and that.
Ultimately, how would this fast growing trend, if it really exists, translate into future political development in this little red dot city-state? How bad has this social stratification become nationally?
Essentially, I tend to be party-blind and neutral.
What is good for Singapore is just as good generally.
But, if WP for now and the foreseeable future is what it is and stands predominantly for workers in name, party support, philosophy, policies and general orientation, what does it foretell for Singapore's future if it gets onto the national political stage down the road?
How long does it need to get more to the centre?
Can it get more to the centre without losing support on its left?
Would they now or in the foreseeable future be able to get a team of capable, committed and proven financial and economic professionals to come on board and integrate into its current power structure without too much disunity?
What would be the response on the ruling party side?
Can it get more to the left without hurting Singapore's national competitive edge and what works for this little red dot thus far?
How about the middle ground players and parties?
Would they be able to play a constructive, moderating and balancing role for the sake of the future of this little red dot?
Have the ruling party "painted" themselves into a corner?
Would they ultimately pay a heavy price for concentrating so many "not so popular ministers" in the eastern corridor of this little red dots in recent years helming some major GRCs?
Would Singapore's future be compromised with such a development or is it one for the better?
Likely nobody can tell until it happens. Perhaps ten to twenty years later some historians would be able to give an objective account.
For now and going forward, undoubtedly, this little red dot may be entering uncharted political, economic and social "waters" and territories in the coming years. Hopefully, common sense would prevail and this little red dot society as a whole benefits more than suffers from such development.
PSS
*The writer blogs at http://pro-sustainable-sg.blogspot.sg