New Naratif's Political Agenda

Roy Ngerng was just a blogger writing on Singapore using publicly available information when, in 2015, he was sued by Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong for defamation. The court found him guilty and he was ordered to pay SG$215,000 in damages and costs. His life destroyed, he eventually left Singapore for Taiwan. He talks to PJ Thum about the sheer injustice of his case, which is covered in the new book "Ridiculous: Untold Tales of Singapore". In the first half, they discuss the political situation in Singapore, and the impact of decades of harsh oppression on Singaporeans' mental health and society. In the second half (39:44), they talk about his five years in Taiwan, its economic and social policies, and how they compare to Singapore.

Buy "Ridiculous: Untold Tales of Singapore": https://www.wordimagesg.com/product-page/ridiculous-untold-stories-of-singapore

PJ Thum talks to Irie and Muhammad, two founders of Quasa, a peer support and community network for queer Muslims in Singapore. They talk about Quasa, what it does, why it’s needed, and what they want to achieve. They also discuss the lives of Queer Muslims, what they want, their relationship to their faith, the challenges the face, and the banality of their lives and desires in contrast to how others perceive them. They also ponder religious and cultural discrimination, and the extent to which power structures and discrimination within the Muslim community replicate the power structures and discrimination in the Singapore socio-political system as a whole.

https://www.instagram.com/quasasg/ 

https://twitter.com/quasasg/

New Naratif held a contest inviting people to tell us who they thought the next Prime Minister of Singapore should be, and why. The winner, with 57 votes, was Yeo Kian Hwee, who (presciently) picked Lawrence Wong. He speaks to PJ Thum about his thoughts on the succession and a Lawrence Wong premiership. As Yeo was born in Malaysia, they also have a discussion about the difference between Malaysian and Singaporean politics, and PJ also gives a brief impromptu history lesson about two of the PAP's big policy missteps, "Stop at Two" and the Second Industrial Revolution. Thank you to everyone who voted in the contest!

You can watch the episode of "The Show of PJ Thum" referred to in the conversation (on Singapore's economic quandary) at: https://youtu.be/ZFI8GJI0hUo  

New Naratif explains and explores the forces which shape Southeast Asia.  Find out more about our movement at https://www.newnaratif.com/hello​​​. Please join our movement at https://newnaratif.com/join​/​​ or donate at https://newnaratif.com/donate​​/​ - your funds support all our original, hard hitting, independent research and journalism.

Dr Chee Soon Juan is the Secretary-General of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) and one of the most respected and feared opposition leaders in Singapore, so it was a little inexplicable when he decided to start up a restaurant, "Orange & Teal". Singapore's food & beverage industry is notoriously difficult and competitive, and on top of this he started his venture in June 2021 in the middle of a pandemic! PJ Thum visited his restaurant to talk to him about why he started Orange & Teal, his experience in his first year, and what he hopes to achieve. They also talk about the future of Singapore, his vision for the SDP, and its changing perceptions and role in Singapore politics.

Transcript available at https://newnaratif.com/dr-chee-soon-juans-orange-teal/

To learn more, please visit: https://orangeandteal.sg/

https://www.facebook.com/orangeandtealsg/

https://www.instagram.com/orangeandtealsg/

New Naratif invited people to tell us who they thought the next Prime Minister of Singapore should be, and why. PJ Thum interviews the four finalists: Roderick Foo, for Louis Ng; Joel Wong, for Prof Teo You Yenn; Yeo Kian Hwee, for Lawrence Wong; Steven Yeong, for Teo Chee Hean. 

Read their written arguments and vote for who you think made the best argument at https://newnaratif.com/NextSingaporePM!

Ahead of the publication of the revised and updated edition of her memoirs, legendary Singaporean civil society activist Constance Singam sits down with PJ Thum to talk about her long career in activism. They talk about the "AWARE Saga", when it was taken over by a group of fundamentalist Christians, which she was a direct participant in as the then-outgoing President of AWARE. They discuss the race, nationalism, and identity; the intersections of Singam's life with so many historical events; and how identity is fluid and ever-changing. They conclude with a discussion on activism in Singapore, what she's learned from a long career, and her hopes for a better life for Singaporeans and all peoples.

"Where I Was: A Memoir About Forgetting and Remembering" is available for pre-sale at https://www.ethosbooks.com.sg/products/where-i-was. You can also follow Ethos Books' Facebook and Instagram page for more information.

Leong Mun Wai is a Non-constituency Member of Parliament for the Progress Singapore Party and the CEO of private equity firm, Timbre Capital. He explains to PJ Thum about Singapore's financial reserves, where it comes from, and how it is spent. They talk about the need for more transparency and accountability over how it is spent, and the inherently political nature of the trade offs between saving Singaporean income and investing it in social welfare and Singapore's future. They also talk about the recent Monetary Authority of Singapore (Amendment) Bill, how it suggests a loosening of financial discipline and responsibility, and why it is potentially very troubling for Singapore.

Leong's speech in Parliament on the Monetary Authority of Singapore (Amendment) Bill can be found here.

Mysara Aljaru talks to PJ Thum about her research into narratives about Singapore's Malay community in the mainstream media in Singapore. They discuss racial stereotypes, the challenges facing the Malay community, the systemic and historical underpinnings of racism, and how racism can be overcome.

In particular, they argue about whether racism is a cause or a symptom of the oppression of Malays in Singapore, the role of neoliberal capitalism and nationalism in that oppression, and whether it is possible to end discrimination over identity.

In defiance of its own laws and the UN Convention of Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Singapore government intends to hang a man with borderline intellectual functioning for smuggling 42.72 grams of diamorphine—a form of heroin used to treat severe pain. PJ Thum speaks to Emmy Charissa, a disability rights activist; Kokila Annamalai, an anti-death penalty activist; and Mila Rockey, sister of death row prisoner Syed Suhail and also an anti-death penalty activist, about Mr Nagaenthran’s case, the lack of a fair trial that accommodated his disabilities, and drug trafficking and the death penalty in Singapore.

Things you can do to help #SaveNagaenthran:

What is the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Bill? How will it impact our lives? How do we avoid running afoul of it? Why is this law so important? Lawyer Carol Yuen, NCMP Leong Mun Wai, and Progress Singapore Party Women's Wing leader Wendy Low will discuss this mammoth, complicated law with New Naratif managing director PJ Thum and unpack its far reaching implications. This interview was recorded live on 30 September 2021.