Most youths in Singapore lead a relatively comfortable lifestyle as compared to youth in neighbouring countries. It has been said that the (relative) affluence youth today enjoy has led to an indifference in the way the state is run, causing them to be materialistic and uninterested in matters other than that pertaining to their own lives, while the only news they care about is the news of the most recent celebrity gossip or the score of the latest English Premier League match. How many times have I heard the excuse ‘Why do I have to care about what’s going on in Singapore? The government is taking care of everything anyway.’ Youths today are more than willing to let the government run the state as it sees fit, and while are not without their grouses, are contented to grumble in the background rather than stand up and make themselves heard to effect a change.
This is not to say there aren’t youths who are willing to take an extra step and play their part in making Singapore a better place to live in. However, even among youth who are willing to go the mile, many feel pressurized to make politically correct statements, making them fearful of speaking out against social norms and voicing their opinions. Further complicating the situation, as Out of Bounds (OB) markers are not made clear to Singaporeans, many are unwilling to test the limits and speak their mind freely. Admittedly, this unwillingness to be a voice that stands out from the rest may well be mistaken for political apathy, or a complete indifference for the political situation in Singapore. In addition, many parents also forbid their children from actively participating in politics, fearing libel suits and other ramifications. Even though then Education Minister urged students to actively voice their views as ‘One does not develop a conviction and commitment to a society without first questioning and pushing the boundaries’ and also welcomes restlessness in young people as it feeds idealism and helps society move forward, this is not enough to put the concerns Singaporeans in youths to rest.
If, as youths hope, Singapore is to adopt a Western-style democracy, they also need to be more realistic in realizing that without their active participation, this style of democracy is not going to work. How can the government work its way towards a more liberal political environment if it cannot be sure that its people will step up to the challenge? As proposed by Muhammad Shamin (Singapore Youth Parliament), the Singapore Youth Parliament would probably be a good starting point. As suggested, the Youth Parliament would be a platform for young Singaporeans to bring up, discuss and debate issues that are potentially contentious, allowing the youths of Singapore to have a voice and be heard by the those passing bills in the Singapore parliament.. So how about we stop complaining about the paternalistic way the government is governing Singapore, and start examining the ways we can starting participating more actively to ensure that we are capable to step into the shoes that we want to fill so much?
Speak up, Tharman tells youths
Political apathy among the youths in Singapore
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