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Ideas shaping Governance
Good Leadership
Good leadership in the government is also a key principle of good governance in Singapore. There is a need for honest and capable leaders to maintain stability in the government and to make the right decisions for the country. These leaders also had to be talented, with a good foresight and vision for Singapore, understand Singaporean’s needs and aspirations, and can work together as a team. They must also have the moral courage and integrity to do what is right and not what is popular with the people. The leaders must have good moral character and are incorruptible so that they can win the confidence and respect of the people.
An example will be the PERCEIVED corruption in Malaysia’s leadership where large amounts of state money is funded to personal accounts has led to a decrease in public confidence in the government because they PERCEIVE that the leadership is not trustworthy. This can potentially lead to dire economic and social consequences. Incorruptible leaders will make decisions for the good of the country rather than for personal interests. Should leaders be dishonest, they will be dealt with by the law. This helps to ensure that leaders in power are working with the right intent, in the interest of society, leading to the growth and development of the country.
Good leadership ensures that Singapore continues with its path to economic success. This is because good leaders make wise and correct decisions based on sound principles. The latter will help to win the trust and support of the people for its policies and plans. It will also win the confidence of foreign governments & investors. In turn, this will bring in increased foreign investments, success and growth to the economy.
Anticipating Change & Staying Relevant
A good government also needs to be able to manage tensions and remain forward-looking. A forward-looking mindset anticipates future challenges and needs. This prepares the country for changing times and helps Singapore remain ahead in a competitive global economy.
An example will be the building of Integrated Resorts at Marina Bay and Sentosa in 2008 led to tensions between economic benefits and social costs. The economic benefits are in terms of job opportunities and higher tourist spending and the social costs are in terms of concerns about higher gambling rates. e.g. National Council of Problem Gambling (NCPG) was set up to conduct public education and outreach as well as provide counselling.
With the good foresight of the government, it can anticipate problems and find solutions to them before we are adversely / negatively affected by them. This is crucial as it gives people the confidence that the leaders are able to help resolve potential problems. Being forward-looking has also helped the government to secure long-term commitment that will ensure that Singapore’s development can continue unhindered and help Singapore to stay competitive in the global economy.
Providing a Stake for Everybody
Allowing people to have a say in decision-making develops a greater sense of belonging and work towards the good of society.
For example our Singapore Conversation allows Singaporeans to share their views, hopes and dreams about Singapore. The Home Ownership through the Public Housing Scheme (PHS) enables many Singaporeans to own their own homes through the provision of housing grants.
When people are given a say in decision-making, they will feel that they are valued members of the society and this gives them a greater sense of belonging to the country. Even if there is disagreement, it may not be manifested in the form of protest or other violent means. Hence, this ensures good governance and running of the country.
Meritocracy
Meritocracy is a system that distributes opportunities to enable future successes. It rewards people according to the effort they put in regardless of race, religion and socio-economic background. Rewarding hard work and talent would encourage more people to do well and so provide Singapore with a pool of committed and hardworking people who can continue to contribute positively towards the country’s progress and leadership, thus ensuring continued harmony and good governance.
Students who perform well in their studies and CCAs are rewarded in way to help them excel further in their education through the giving of Edusave Scholarship (10% of school students) and Merit Bursary (25%). This would provide us with the best people to lead in different sectors of the country.
Meritocracy ensures that the best and talented people are available for the government. This would ensure and sustain good governance as we will have capable leaders who can bring the country forward. This is important as it ensures that talented and capable people in Singapore are able to develop further. This will lead to having more capable and talented people taking up leadership positions and, as a result, wise decisions and policies will be made, helping Singapore become a more efficient country that will enjoy economic progress and growth.
Conclusion:
There is no doubt that meritocracy gives rise to good governance but it just encourage people to do well and provide Singapore with a pool of committed and hardworking people who can continue to contribute positively towards the country’s progress.
However, without good leadership in the government, there will be no one for the masses to look to for directions. Good leaders are not only capable, honest and able to anticipate future challenges and needs, but they also have the moral courage to do what is right and not what is popular. Without such good leaders, the policies which are pragmatic, encourage meritocracy and forward-looking may not even be there. Only good leaders can ensure that such policies are in place to prepare the country for changing times and helps Singapore remain ahead in a competitive global economy. Good leaders will ensure that the government practices meritocracy and reward hard work and talent so that it can sustain good governance. It will also ensure that there is fairness as Singapore is a multi-racial society with different races and religions. It also knows that it needs to win the trust of the people and will plan to ensure there is transparency in government. Therefore, good leadership in the government is the key principle of good governance in Singapore because it enables Singaporeans to have trust in their leaders, confident that they understand their needs and keep their promises to deliver results.
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