Singaporeans have always heard from the government that we are a small country with no natural resources other than human resource. Therefore, we have to work hard to develop this only resource that we have to ensure our survivial.

Indeed, the PAP dominated government has been working hard at this since independence. We have high literacy rates, high numbers of diploma and degree holders. However, education is a double edged sword.

Educating a person increases a person’s ability to comprehend issues. It also exposes the person to more literature and alternative ideas. It also increases a person’s ability to seek information for itself. This means that it will not be easy to control the opinion of the populace.

Before the Internet age, it was relatively easy to control information by restricting the import of print materials and heavily censoring the mainstream media. The Internet came along and smashed all barriers to accessing information. Of course, the Internet can be regulated, as evident from the great firewall of China.

However, to do that in Singapore will be disasterous economically and politically. E-commerce is growing rapidly, despite the dot.com bubble burst in the 90s. And, if Singapore claims to be a democracy, strict control of the Internet would most certainly smash that claim. Probably, the free trade agreements (FTAs) signed with rich and powerful liberal democratic nations will be smashed too.

So, with an educated population and ease of access to the Internet combined, it will be much harder for the population to accept government rhetoric without question. Many Singaporeans will become more critical of what our leaders say, and without a strong argument backed with solid evidence, it will be hard to convince Singaporeans.

Our leaders have constantly painted a picture of a united Singapore, always supportive of the government and that is why important policies get passed and implemented quickly. Actually, it is perhaps more correct to say that it’s an ignorant Singapore, rather than a united Singapore. Just take a read at the numerous Singaporean blogs out on the Internet. Many of them are expressing alternative views in a well-written and informed manner. It would not have been possible for so many Singaporeans to develop such alternative opinions in the past.

In order to develop and survive, the PAP dominated government promoted education. However, educating the population makes them more informed and less willing to accept government rhetoric. At the ballot box, this is a problem for the PAP because of the political awakening of Singaporeans. Singaporeans are beginning to see that the PAP has flaws like any other political party. Should there be another political party that gives the impression that it can perform as well, if not better than the PAP, that party could very well replace the PAP.

This means that the PAP has to keep on top of the game. It is unfortunate that among the PAP ranks exist members who are not on top of the game. Take the Wee Shu-min incident for example. Her father, a Member of Parliament in Ang Mo Kio GRC came out to defend her remarks, claiming that his daughter was insensitive, but the basic point was valid that “a well-educated university graduate who works for a multinational company should not be bemoaning about the Government and get on with the challenges in life.”

I am extrememly surprised that an elected MP actually would so casually dismiss the point of contention made by Mr Derek Wee. Mr Derek Wee has pointed out that he is going through the system, and has seen how the system has caused many well-educated Singaporeans to end up being retrenched and becoming taxi drivers. It just shows how disconnected Mr Wee is with Singaporean society. Further, it shows that Mr Wee’s attitude to complaints is to get on the moral high horse instead of investigating whether it is true, and that there is a new trend developing.

In other countries, Mr Wee’s blood would have been called for and maybe he might resign due to public pressure. Lucky for him, and unlucky for Singaporeans, our country does not permit that. However, while he gets to keep his position, another seed of unhappiness and dissatisaction with the PAP has been planted.

This time, the seed of unhappiness is planted in the minds of educated Singaporeans, who will soon form the majority of voters in Singapore. If the PAP loses support of the educated people, its position at the ballot box will be very precarious indeed. However, convincing educated and politically aware citizens is not easy. The PAP might very well find itself suddenly out of power because it has failed to realise that Singaporeans are aware of the power of their vote.

Thankfully, not every PAP politician is like Mr Wee. I was heartened to read from Xialanxue’s post that there are PAP politicians who do not ride moral high horses. I reproduce from Xialanxue’s post the speeches made by Mdm Halimah Yacob and Mdm Ho Geok Choo:

Mdm Halimah Yacob: Sir, I would like to ask for more support and help for the PMETs, ie, Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians.

In the last quarter, for instance, 37% of those who were retrenched were PMETs and, once retrenched, PMETs who are above 40 years old find it a lot more difficult to get jobs within the six-month period, ie, the benchmark we use to determine whether a person is considered as a long-term unemployed or not. Older PMETs need help in two key areas.

(1) Job placement. As our current efforts are largely focused on non-PMETs, may I ask the Minister whether MOM can do more to create a job data bank for PMETs and help to match them to jobs?

(2) PMETs need help in retraining, as their skills can also become obsolete after some time. Currently, the SDF does not apply to them. May I ask the Minister to put in place more initiatives to help reskill and retrain PMETs, to prepare them for jobs in sectors that need workers? If the SDF is not the proper fund, could MOM think of other ways to provide subsidised training for PMETs? This is an area that is important that we need to pay a lot more focus on, although hitherto a lot more attention has been paid on the non-PMETs. I think, as the economy churn takes its effect, it would also affect the PMETs and they also need some assistance.

Mdm Ho Geok Choo: Sir, like my colleague before me, today I want to bring up again the plight of a group of workers who are caught in a wedge. This group looks seemingly good. They hold high qualifications, hold jobs as managers, supervisors, and they are what we call the PMETs. They are mainly in their mid-careers, many in their 40s and 50s when their careers are at their most precarious. This is the age when what they needed most are their jobs. They are at that point in their life where they are in the midst of paying for housing, renovation and car loans, and their children are going to JCs, polytechnics or even the universities. This is also the phase in life when many body parts require more than just a touch-up job. They need repairs and cost money.

Then, one morning, when they go to work, they are crunched. Like the cork of the champagne bottle, with no more than a shake of the hands, their careers just go “pop”! A corporate merger and relocation of business, a downsizing or a change of top leadership, and they are out of jobs. Who is there to lend a voice to these PMETs? The plight of these PMETs affects not just themselves, but also their families, spouses, children and all other dependants.

I would like to urge the Minister to set up:

(1) a special database of these PMETs, so that the Government can monitor the status of this group of executives, managers, etc, who are in need of jobs, and help them get back into the job market;

(2) a network hub, where those aspiring for business contacts or portfolio manager jobs could be linked. At the same time, we should encourage the proliferation of more micro enterprises which could well provide the starting point for the PMETs;

(3) a platform similar to the ADVANTAGE! Scheme to help them.

If the PAP wants to survive at the ballot boxes in future, it would do well to ensure that its politicians are more well connected with the ground. Those who casually dismiss genuine calls for help will be a liability. And, educated Singaporeans are not going to be merciful with their vote. Just take a look at the results of Ang Mo Kio GRC in this year’s General Elections.