Pkchukiss - Reality Wine

When you have no time to blog, you have to be thankful for other like-minded people in the world to say your mind.

Update: Molly has decided to give out some awards. Head on over to participate in the ceremony.

The legislation of morality is a hallmark of a country of inequality. Seen an extreme example yet? Try Nazi Germany. What NMP Thio is suggesting is to enshrine the morality of “The Majority” into the laws of the country, as a yardstick of the country’s stand on a particular issue. Wait a second… Just which “Majority” are we talking about?

Are we talking about “The Majority” who believe that non-believers of their religion will burn in hell? “The Majority” who believe that the government has no business using their money to buy compulsory annuities? Or “The Majority” which believes that casinos should not be legalised in Singapore?

That’s right: there is no single issue on which there is a set “Majority” that would agree with you on any issue. No country can properly define a set of moral rules that sets out a country’s acceptance of any issue in the world, unless you are running a theocracy. In this case, democratic countries set out laws that protect the liberty of a person to pursue his own life, on the condition that any actions taken do not harm another person’s liberty to pursue their own private life. This forms the basis why robbery, murder, rape, paedophilia, drug smuggling are all illegal.

Of course, we all know that Singapore is far from being a democratic country - there is no better way to explain away how “The Majority” failed to have their say on the issue to have gambling outlawed in the country. Repealing 377A holds no tangible economic benefits to Singapore that introducing casinos to Singapore would, and the government has taken extreme care to over-ride the concerns of “The Majority” in favour of attracting the foreign dollar. Like the Prime Minister has implied, the retention of 377A without active prosecution is a compromise - though this compromise is not what he makes it out to be. It is a compromise by the PAP government in the face of ramming issues like compulsory annuities down the country’s throat as a “democratic” measure. After having so many bread and butter issues go their way, they probably feel that there is a need to show that the opinion of a vaguely defined “Majority” actually matters.

In a way, things get more complicated. The country gets entangled in a fight between the people who want this discriminatory law to be abolished, and the ones who want it to stay in order to police the private lives of individuals. Both parties forget that short of significant economic benefits, none of the sides get their way. Even “The Majority”, celebrating their victory against the gay-rights movement do not realise that the shrewd government has just bought political will for another few more rounds of policy throat-ramming. Ideology in any form has no place in Singapore, unless it can bring in money, like how integrated resorts can.

Already, Shianux is urging people to migrate from Singapore. While you might be able to earn a living here, people of ideology are unable to thrive in Singapore. Even Sim Woon Hoo, often trumpeted as the shining beacon of Singaporean Entrepreneurship, did not make his fortune in Singapore. If you find that Singapore life is not for you, I am suggesting that you go elsewhere; there is no use fighting the system the way it is. I would say more, but short of a change in the local social climate, it would be hard for true democracy to be realised in this country.

I wish you all the best.

Filed under: Current Affairs