Local Political Environment Voters Sentiments and Behavior
(SINGAPORE)
Picture by Australian Institution of International Affairs
I have been mainly writing about businesses and Human Resource blogging. I have not touch on politics and economy. As I was writing an essay for a friend doing her MBA on Organization Behaviour, I came across the subject of culture by Hofstede a Dutch social psychologist for culture of nations and organization. Therefore I began to use his theory on our voting environment.
PICTURE FROM psychology wiki
This is a blog or literature of research with empirical evidence on the characteristics of the culture of voters of Singapore. It is no means satisfying any party(s) or supporting any party(s) in this matters or study.
Research of the social issues is done well by experts in local institutions. They research on effects of lack of jobs and many other social psychological crunch.It is not like institutions are not aware of what can happen to the environment in Singapore, having said that recent incidence such as foreign labor and riots incidence may also have been forseen.
Many Singaporeans have said that the next election would be another tsunami and a big win for opposition. Recently the opposition(s) were upbeat with a coalition of seven (7) opposition parties joining and banding together (never easy bonding together).
Next a party leader have been included, an Ex MP to lead these seven (7) parties to the next election given his experience and leadership. It was stated that the Ex MP attended the meeting as an observer (See Reference 1. ST print). It is kind of confusing as he came in as an observer and next thing you know he leads the coalition. Wonderful.
Next a party leader have been included, an Ex MP to lead these seven (7) parties to the next election given his experience and leadership. It was stated that the Ex MP attended the meeting as an observer (See Reference 1. ST print). It is kind of confusing as he came in as an observer and next thing you know he leads the coalition. Wonderful.
Last but not least, these opposition fanatics and romantics wanted an ex Prime Minister to join in as well. This just tells us of how creative we are in our ways to make believe in things we see and want. That is the culture we have. That is how we create FAKE NEWS.
Like I have always said our society has almost a 100% education of some form and yet we tend to lack factual creativity and neither could we spot fake news. We now need to be thought about how to spot fake news.
The Straits Stimes on 3rd Nov. 2018.11.3
Hofstede (1980, 1997)
In this article for reference and research we going to use Hofstede theory. He stated that cultures can be compared and classified on the basis of five (5) different dimension that affect behaviour on organization practices and social practices such as marriages, funeral, religious ceremonies.
l Individualism - collectivism
l Power distance
l Uncertainty avoidance
l Masculinity - feminity
l Short term - long term orientation
Collectivism
By now we all know we are a collectivism environment. We agree many things collectively which is called collective agreement. Except that of Opposition Party(s). We know they disagree on every issues including opposition as well. One such party is now in court.
Power Distance
We are a very structured based environment. Which is of most likely to be of power distance. That is how we have an ELITIST Group.
We are a very structured based environment. Which is of most likely to be of power distance. That is how we have an ELITIST Group.
As we are a more Confucian background with a confused mindset We prefer to have these classification and these power distance It is in our DNA. One of the key principles of Confucian teaching is the stability of the society, which is based on unequal relationships between people.
Confucious distinguished five basic relationships : ruler-subject, father-son, older brother-younger brother, husband -wife and senior friend and junior friend.These relationships are based on mutual and complementary obligations.
Confucious distinguished five basic relationships : ruler-subject, father-son, older brother-younger brother, husband -wife and senior friend and junior friend.These relationships are based on mutual and complementary obligations.
With this comes the confusion.
Woman rights, Gay rights, and many other confusing issues. In term of race of the President and even having to have a constitution to have a race base Presidential election. Confuses the minds of Singaporeans about meritocracy. Are these things by merit of race?. Everything is exceptionally and incredibly confusing.
Woman rights, Gay rights, and many other confusing issues. In term of race of the President and even having to have a constitution to have a race base Presidential election. Confuses the minds of Singaporeans about meritocracy. Are these things by merit of race?. Everything is exceptionally and incredibly confusing.
This have been the culture in our society. A rather confused state of mindset where leaders emphasis or motivate their followers to “steal other people’s lunch” Kiasu-ism. Everything about the culture of the society comes from the structured policy in the society. These are agreed by the society without questioning.
From housing policy, race base self help group, People’s Retirement Funds (I am not going to name the institutions), and many others followed without questioning. Even to give up your seats, there are posters to tell us to be kind too.
From housing policy, race base self help group, People’s Retirement Funds (I am not going to name the institutions), and many others followed without questioning. Even to give up your seats, there are posters to tell us to be kind too.
UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCE
The BIGGEST REASON why opposition party(s) will not win. Our society scores low in this character. We avoid taking risk This have been the reason for our failure in being CREATIVE. We score high in our education in the world but we lack creativity because we are unable (due to policy(s) or simply due to the culture) and fear to risk and experience failure.
This characteristic is the biggest reason for why opposition will not win
This characteristic is the biggest reason for why opposition will not win
PICTURE BY WIKIMEDIA COMMON
Masculinity or Feminity.
Here we score a balance. This is not about girls vs boys. Its about how the society thinks. A Masculinity society will be driven by competition, achievement and success
A feminine society is one where quality of life is the sign of success and standing out from the crowd is not admirable.
Fundamental issue here is what motivates people, wanting to be best (Masculine) or liking what you do (Feminine) Although some leaders prefer the Masculine where they advice younger generation not to love what they work, the society have become more incline to the Feminine way.
PICTURE BY COMMONSWIKI
Long term orientation
Here is another reason why opposition will fail in terms of voters confidence. The local environment prefer to see in the long term. With an opposition already in a COURT CASE for not following a simple tender issue many would be wondering if oppositions are ready to govern the country.
Here is another reason why opposition will fail in terms of voters confidence. The local environment prefer to see in the long term. With an opposition already in a COURT CASE for not following a simple tender issue many would be wondering if oppositions are ready to govern the country.
One opposition who sit in parliament have no confidence in governing the country. They are only there to counter check (check the other party). YET they are being checked for not doing the right thing in court.
The other thing is many opposition(s) leaders move from one party to another. This makes it difficult to identify party(s). Its worst than the S League. The reason why English Premier League is great is because many of the clubs are about a 100years old and are familiar and easier to relate to one another. There is also the loyalty to these leaders. If party leaders keep jumping from one party to another people lose confidence and also question the long term commitment of these leaders and individuals.
KiaSu-ism
Shiao-Yin Kuik a member of parliament in Singapore, recently contended that Kiasu culture is stiffling originality in Singaporean business (Chua 2016) It is important to test how Kiasu works psychologically if we are to better understand and manage the problem. This characteristic and attributes also hampers opposition votes.
Kiasu originates from Hokkien (a Chonese dialect) and literally translates to fear of losing out (c.f. Ho, Ang, Loh & Ng 1998). It is also defined as ‘obsessive concern with getting the most out of every transaction and a desire to get ahead of others (Hwang, ANg and Francesco 2002).
Kiasu is driven by FEAR, SELF-INTEREST and SELF-PROTECTION.
This attributes of culture defines voters. They will vote for one who could give them the edge or safety. Protecting them and their self interest such as jobs, housing and so on so forth. These are important to them. To them it is better to have them at any cost.
That is why you have the COE and the ERP being implemented successfully and it getting stronger and better. It does not matter if water tariff get higher. The Kiasu driven society.
That is why you have the COE and the ERP being implemented successfully and it getting stronger and better. It does not matter if water tariff get higher. The Kiasu driven society.
Younger Singaporeans do not know much about politics nor history. They are more concern about Science Maths and English to get them to University. This have been a program from the you know who that history is not an important subject in schools. Therefore many of them don’t even know who the first President or may be even the present one. I doubt many of them if not all will know why they are voting for a party and follow instructions as per reference link number 10 below.
Opposition(s) can check all they want and get checked it does not matter to most of them. To many of them, they do not care about policy. They simply follow, they do as they are told and get what they want. Even to the extend of stealing other people’s lunch.
Only 5000 people donated to a party course for their lawyer fees and they made a fuss. They can talk all they want, the voters will want to avoid uncertainty and kiasu-ism will bring them together to vote the one which gives them less risk. Furthermore, Singapore’s biggest supported opposition party has no confidence in forming a government. They are just as bad as followers who simply follow and get themselves in trouble with the law.
Understanding Singapore Followers
Kelly and Robert (1992), explained in detail this followership model and we can place where most Singaporean will be in the chart.
1. Sheep (A Singaporean Characteristics)
We can generally most Singaporean in this category. They do not use their brains. They are passive and uncritical. They do not play an active roll.They simply comply with any order given. They are not even YES boss people and totally disengaged. “You tell them what they should do” and they all wait for instruction(s). SOUNDS FAMILIAR?
2. YES People (A Singaporean Characteristics)
We have many of these people as they work in public sector serving the ministries. We have a percentage (%) of them in our population. Only thing good about them is they are active and energetic but do not use their brains. They are afraid to lose their jobs.
3. Survivors (A Singaporean Characteristics)
These are political guys always ready to save the skin. We locally have a lot of them in the working environment as well. In the voting environment they can and will make lots of noise but change their minds at the balloting box.
4. Alienated followers (A Singaporean Opposition Characteristics)
These are critical thinkers but never take in right perspectives. They are disenggage and passive in nature. They will ask question(s), challenge and always critical but will not offer any support. Guess what these people become? Opposition leaders..
5. Effective Followers (A very rare Singaporean Characteristic)
Now these are potential leaders and experts.They are active and critical thinkers. They too ask question(s) challenge to the conventional thought but will come forward with active support. They give right solution to the problem. Not just solutions. RIGHT SOLUTION(S) TO THE PROBLEMS. Not hesitant to bring concerns to leaders/bosses. They are energetic and proactive. They know their limitations. But do not hesitate to question authority and give directions or better policy(s)
Malaysia Culture
Picture by istockphoto
Malaysia is no difference from us. Although they have elected a NEW LEADERSHIP and an OPPOSITION the main people leading the line is not new. Only the Party is new and the government is a newly minted. BUT many of it are the same in term for the leadership.
Dr Mahathir may now have a new different mindset and moving away from the BUMIPUTERA POLICY but he is not new to the Malaysians. He is a heavy weight in politics. So is Mr Anwar Ibrahim
Picture by the star
Anwar Ibrahime is not new too. His coalition is new, founded by Mr Anwar Ibrahim and his wife, Wan Azizah and daugther Nurul Izzah Anwar. They (wife and daughter) have been on the ground since Anwar was imprisoned and have not jumped to other party(s).
Anwar Ibrahim
Mr Anwar is transforming Malaysia to make our Singapore National Anthem a reality there while it is just a aspiration here. He is trying to end
Mr Anwar is transforming Malaysia to make our Singapore National Anthem a reality there while it is just a aspiration here. He is trying to end
1. race base policies which we have started
2. Commitment to equality which we have created a class base environment
3. Progressive and fair economic policy (Ours supports cheap foreign labor)
4. Defend worker rights which in our case we have a union defending some thing other than workers.
Dr Mahathir
As a transitional Prime Minister given his own legacy, has a unique opportunity to change the one and only thing holding Malaysia back : the bumiputera, or the “sons of the soil” policy.
These individuals are not unknown quality. These individuals are not risky entity (unlike many Singapore opposition leadership). These individuals are heavy weight in Malaysia local politics.
Worst Bollywood effect by local opposition and fanatics
We in Singapore do not have these heavy weights in the opposition party(s) We got opposition in parliament who is afraid to form a government. We now know why from their handling of town councils.
rEDIFF 25 DOUBLE ACT
The worst thing is the Singapore opposition(s) and its fanatics trying to create a election scenario like Malaysia. Its really a Bollywood scene. Calling upon a Dr and an Ex PM to do a Mahathir /Anwar saga.
Then comes a breakfast party in West Coast Hawker Center and the small crowd of opposition goes wild like they have won the elections.
But no one minds to persuade a minority business man who was also an Ex Minister in Ang Mo Kio. He would have been a better individual to lead the line of the opposition with lots of ideas. May be he is a minority and cannot be seen or he has a high IQ and may not match the high EQs of Opposition leaders
In any case the scenario in Singapore is not likely to be that of Malaysia’s. The people are not convince with the opposition. They are not going to take a risk. The previous election was not that of sympathy votes. It was voting with a confidence and not to risk. It will be the same in the next local election. We are again going to avoid uncertainty.
But no one minds to persuade a minority business man who was also an Ex Minister in Ang Mo Kio. He would have been a better individual to lead the line of the opposition with lots of ideas. May be he is a minority and cannot be seen or he has a high IQ and may not match the high EQs of Opposition leaders
In any case the scenario in Singapore is not likely to be that of Malaysia’s. The people are not convince with the opposition. They are not going to take a risk. The previous election was not that of sympathy votes. It was voting with a confidence and not to risk. It will be the same in the next local election. We are again going to avoid uncertainty.
Reference
1. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/seven-opposition-parties-discuss-forming-a-new-coalition-invite-former-pap-mp-tan-cheng#
4.https://sbr.com.sg/hr-education/news/singaporeans-see-society-kiasu-competitive-self-centred-survey
6. FMT
7. TodayOpinion
8. https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/tan-cheng-bock-has-breakfast-with-lee-hsien-yang-at-west-coast-hawker-centre
9. Worker’s Party Not Ready to form a government.
https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/wp-has-foundation-form-alternative-government-says-low-thia-khiang
10. Young Singaporeans do not know enough about South East Asia and follow ruels too much : Panel
