socialservice.sg presents: "Before the Ballot"

With environmental consultant Bertrand Seah, we discuss the progress made in environmental policies since GE2020 and what gaps still exist. We also talk about the state of climate advocacy in Singapore, how environmental issues have impacted politics in other countries, and discuss whether environmental issues will still be an important election issue in Singapore’s next general election.

The feature photos are by Ng Shi Wen (episode) and Kelli McClintock on Unsplash (cover).

Following our earlier conversation with former nominated member of parliament Anthea Ong on the current state of mental health and well-being in Singapore, we invited her back to chat about her stint in parliament. In particular, we discussed a 2022 book she edited, which gathered the perspectives and personal reflections of 20 past and present NMPs.

We previously hosted Anthea on this podcast in 2020 and 2021:

The feature photos are by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Ng Shi Wen⁠⁠⁠⁠ (episode) and Kelli McClintock on Unsplash (cover).

With PhD student Joel Yew (The University of Texas at Austin), we discuss the record number of vacancies in parliament as well as his research on the parliamentary representation of marginalised communities in Singapore. We also briefly explore the political and electoral aftermath of the government's repeal of Section 377A of the penal code. Joel was previously on this podcast in 2020, sharing about CAPE, or the Community for Advocacy and Political Education.

Resources referenced in the episode:

The feature photos are by ⁠⁠⁠Ng Shi Wen⁠⁠⁠ (episode) and Kelli McClintock on Unsplash (cover).

Issues of migration, citizenship, multiculturalism, and nationalism have featured prominently in both our politics and elections. Across two episodes with Dr. Rebecca Tan of the National University of Singapore, we take a deep dive into these issues. Fundamentally, she asks, what is fair and what is right? And how do we treat individuals more equitably?

In this second episode, we zoom into five key events in Singapore’s past decade: First, GE2011; second, the 2013 Population White Paper; third, the 2013 Little India Riot; fourth, the focus on the 10-million population figure during and after GE2020; and fifth, COVID-19 and the plight of migrant workers. After analysing these events, Dr. Tan highlights data challenges and how all the issues – cumulatively – could feature in the next general election.

LISTEN TO THE FIRST EPISODE.

The feature photos are by ⁠Ng Shi Wen⁠ (episode) and Kelli McClintock on Unsplash (cover).

Issues of migration, citizenship, multiculturalism, and nationalism have featured prominently in both our politics and elections. Across two episodes with Dr. Rebecca Tan of the National University of Singapore, we take a deep dive into these issues. Fundamentally, she asks, what is fair and what is right? And how do we treat individuals more equitably?

In this first episode, we learn about her research with “grassroots volunteers” and Integration and Naturalisation Champions, in terms of helping newly naturalised Singaporean citizens integrate into the country. Dr. Tan then explains global migration and political trends, including their theoretical applicability to our local context, especially on the themes of deservedness and belongingness.

LISTEN TO THE SECOND EPISODE.

The feature photos are by ⁠⁠Ng Shi Wen⁠⁠ (episode) and Kelli McClintock on Unsplash (cover).

The links between mental health and well-being and Singapore’s general elections may not be immediately clear. Yet, in GE2020, during a pandemic election which also placed emphasis on how Singaporeans were doing psychologically, many electoral candidates and political parties campaigned on related platforms. With former nominated member of parliament Anthea Ong, we first asked her to assess the current state of mental health and well-being in Singapore. Then, we discuss how these issues may feature in the next general election, after examining recent parliamentary amendments which were made and passed in the Law Enforcement and Other Matters Bill.

We previously hosted Anthea on this podcast in 2020 and 2021:

The feature photos are by ⁠⁠Ng Shi Wen⁠⁠ (episode) and Kelli McClintock on Unsplash (cover).

On May 15, 2024, at the Istana, Singapore's fourth prime minister Lawrence Wong took his oath of office and was officially sworn in, taking over from prime minister Lee Hsien Loong. This political transition is significant for a host of different reasons, and so, across two episodes, we take a deeper dive with Dr. Kenneth Paul Tan of Hong Kong Baptist University. We look back, and we look ahead. We look back, across Singapore's first three prime ministers or three generations of leadership. We then look ahead to three potential electoral scenarios for Mr. Wong and his ruling People's Action Party or PAP.

In this second episode, we focus on the next general election. Fundamentally, we ask Dr. Tan, is it the PAP’s election to lose, or the opposition parties’ election to win?

LISTEN TO THE FIRST EPISODE.

We previously hosted Dr. Tan on this podcast in 2020, in ⁠an episode focused primarily on our collective, growing reliance on migrant labour in neo-authoritarian Singapore⁠.

The feature photos are by ⁠⁠Ng Shi Wen⁠⁠ (episode) and Kelli McClintock on Unsplash (cover).

On May 15, 2024, at the Istana, Singapore's fourth prime minister Lawrence Wong took his oath of office and was officially sworn in, taking over from prime minister Lee Hsien Loong. This political transition is significant for a host of different reasons, and so, across two episodes, we take a deeper dive with Dr. Kenneth Paul Tan of Hong Kong Baptist University. We look back, and we look ahead. We look back, across Singapore's first three prime ministers or three generations of leadership. We then look ahead to three potential electoral scenarios for Mr. Wong and his ruling People's Action Party or PAP.

In this first episode, we ask Dr. Tan: Across Lee Kuan Yew, Goh Chok Tong, and Lee Hsien Loong, how has the ruling PAP consistently approached Singapore’s governance since we became a self-governing state? We then explore those three electoral scenarios for Mr. Wong, in terms of the PAP doing better than they did in GE2020, the party doing about the same, or if they come close to losing or even loses its parliamentary supermajority.

LISTEN TO THE SECOND EPISODE.

We previously hosted Dr. Tan on this podcast in 2020, in an episode focused primarily on our collective, growing reliance on migrant labour in neo-authoritarian Singapore.

The feature photos are by ⁠⁠Ng Shi Wen⁠⁠ (episode) and Kelli McClintock on Unsplash (cover).

About four years ago, in the lead up to GE2020 as well as halfway through the pandemic election, author Loke Hoe-Yeong shared about the electoral strategies of Singapore's opposition parties. Now, four years later, we've invited him back. We start with a brief reflection of GE2020 and its aftermath, before turning most of our attention to three of the main opposition parties in Singapore: the Workers' Party, the Progress Singapore Party, and the Singapore Democratic Party. And after a quick primer on the NCMP or non-constituency member of parliament scheme, we briefly discuss what Hoe-Yeong describes as the coalitions of electoral losers.

The feature photos are by Ng Shi Wen (episode) and Kelli McClintock on Unsplash (cover).

How do the economy and economic conditions influence electoral outcomes, both broadly and in Singapore? What can we understand from Singapore's ranking as one of the world's most expensive cities as well as the country's Consumer Price Index, or the CPI? And if the fundamental root cause of Singapore’s low wages can be attributed to widespread cheap sourcing and the influx of foreign workers from very low-wage neighbouring countries, how do we address that problem?

To answer these questions and more, we host Dr. Linda Lim, Professor Emerita of Corporate Strategy and International Business at the University of Michigan. We previously hosted Dr. Lim on this podcast in 2020, in an episode focused on the minimum wage, Singapore’s Progressive Wage Model, and low-wage labour in the country.

Here are the other links referenced in the episode:

The feature photos are by Ng Shi Wen (episode) and Kelli McClintock on Unsplash (cover).