What Can Singapore Learn From The Hong Kong Protests?

Liew Patrick
Nov 6 · 7 min read

What Can Singapore Learn From The Hong Kong Protests?

The general public is prone to taking sides, playing the blame game, and accusing different camps for cause of the ensuing tragic drama.

In reality and unlike many typical Hong Kong B-movies, it’s too simplistic to label the protagonists as good or bad.

There’s no single human or cause that’s perfectly right or wrong.

A series of prolonged and increasingly violent protests didn’t happen in a vacuum, and as a stand-alone incident.

If anything, these protests were triggered deliberately or unwittingly by failures, flaws, and fault lines of different sectors of society.

Over time, these problems gave rise to structural problems that affected many lives, lifestyles and livelihoods.

What lessons can Singapore learn from the Hong Kong protests?

How can Singapore ensure that similar social unrest do not happen in Singapore?

First Lesson — Build On Our “One United People” Spirit.

Many Hong Kongers, especially the young have not been educated and groomed to have a deep enough sense of trust and affection, let alone patriotism and affinity, for the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

In a similar way, I suspect Singapore’s greatest challenge in the future may not be out there, but is within and among us.

Every Singaporean must continue to do his or her part to build on our “One United People” spirit.

Singaporeans must be constantly inspired

to have a deeper sense of commitment in terms of ownership, rootedness, and active contribution, to the progress of Singapore.

Strengthen our “gotong royong” spirit to bridge and bond families and communities.

Help to take care of each other, including the last, the least, the lonely, and the lost among us.

Hold on to a deep-seated belief that it’s in our Shining Little Red Dot that we can find purpose for living, happiness and fulfillment.

And make Singapore a liveable and lovable place, and the best home for ourselves.

Is the Singaporean’s spirit of unity and loyalty strong enough to withstand challenges in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) future?

Second Lesson — Strengthen Mutual Trust Between The Government And Singaporeans.

The troubles in Hong Kong have been brewing below the surface, and for a long time.

At the root of the Hong Kong protests is a breakdown of trust between the people and the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administration Region (SAR) of the PRC.

There’s a growing and deepening sense of angst and anger, real or perceived, that the PRC government and its leaders are eroding Hong Kong’s way of life and prospect of a better future.

And the Hong Kong SAR Government is not doing enough to protect Hong Kongers and improve their lot.

The “One Country, Two Systems” has somewhat been degenerating towards a “One Country, Two People” system.

Perhaps, this phenomenon can be explained by using a Chinese idiom, “同床各梦”.

It’s like a couple sleeping on the same bed but having two different aspirations of how to live as a couple.

To many of the protesters, they can do no wrong and the government can do no right.

Will a similar but not necessarily the same crisis happen in Singapore?

Are there dormant challenges that can divide and polarize Singaporeans, including political and ideological divides, racial and religious disharmony, socioeconomic class differences, immigration issues, sense of elitism and entitlement, social inequality and mobility, income gap, and economic, technological and financial disruptions?

Are there angry Singaporeans living in our midst who can be influenced by others, or who can influence others to trigger social unrest and chaos?

To earn trust and continue to strengthen trust level, the Singapore Government cannot rely on a top-down approach in running the country.

As social media becomes more prevalent, there’s an increasing number of people who want a bigger say in the governance of the country.

If they are not being heard, they may feel disenfranchised and even upset, and that’ll affect their trust level on the government.

Therefore, the government should encourage and foster more bottom-up and peer-to-peer initiatives.

When the public sector works more closely with the private and people sectors, there’ll be more community leaders to help the government bridge and bond with various communities and societies.

These leaders are most likely in a better position to command attention and influence their communities.

They can help to communicate constructive plans, policies and practices, and help galvanize stronger support and participation.

Clarify important matters that can help break potential impasse, and contribute to mediation and conflict resolutions.

By working in conjunction with credible leaders from different quarters of society, the Singapore government can also further strengthen credibility and consensus to effect constructive and deep reforms, including carrying out essential but hard, unpopular or inconvenient changes.

In addition, such a collaborative and inclusive process can also help to engage those who feel disenfranchised and contribute to their healing processes.

Build potential bridges with those with dissenting voices and engage their help in eradicating current and future divides.

And develop national roadmaps that may be better embraced and supported by our people.

To rephrase Abraham Lincoln’s more oft-quoted words from the Gettysburg Address, the “government of the people, by the people, for the people” must also work WITH the people to strengthen mutual trust levels.

Are we connecting, collaborating, and co-creating solutions for greater group at major levels of society?

Third lesson — Keep Improving and Strengthening Our Political System.

The protests should be resolved by the Hong Kong SAR government as it has wider power and means to resolve major causes and drivers of the current protests.

Instead, the government has relied mainly on the police force to respond to and restrain the protesters.

And resolve issues when these protesters crossed the red line — which they did on many occasions.

By doing so, the Hong Kong SAR government has been reactive in tackling symptoms, but not proactive in eradicating root causes of the protests and offering sustainable solutions.

These issues, if left unresolved, will have a tendency to trigger future protests.

In other words, if the politics is not right, it’s hard to put to right many of the wrongs in society.

To be fair to the Hong Kong SAR government, the protesters may not have any concrete plan and roadmap to resolve the problems in Hong Kong society.

They are fighting for democracy and for freedom, but for which system of democracy have they chosen and how do they plan to implement the system?

Have they got more freedom before the handover of Hong Kong on 1 July 1997 than after the handover?

Truth be told, in a perfect world, democracy works well, but we don’t live in a perfect world.

Hence, while democracy is arguably the most viable political system for developed countries, it does not have a protracted record of success.

Democratic systems have caused many developed countries to become polarized and divided.

Governments have ended up in stasis and gridlocks, unhealthy horse tradings and compromises, and even in conflicts and confrontations.

Democracy cannot be a panacea for resolving challenges in a country and for developing a bright future.

If anything, it is the positive motives, means and ends of the people who run and support a democratic country that contribute to the success of that country.

Therefore, we should attract political leaders who have the highest possible quality of character, commitment, competence and compassion, and support these leaders to serve Singapore for greater good.

To do so, let’s accord a high level of honor and respect for good leaders, and not subject them and their loved ones to unnecessary stresses, scorns and strains.

Otherwise, the best of our talents will not want to serve in public offices, and Singapore may be worse off for that.

In addition, for democracy to work, it should be supported by a matured citizenry, comprising of people who take an objective, balanced and pragmatic approach to election of political leaders and running of a country.

However, helping citizens to mature cannot be a passive affair.

The Singapore government should help to educate our people to do proper research, think critically, and make wise decisions.

And if possible, involve the people in the crafting and implementation of major plans, policies and other initiatives.

Through this consultative and inclusive process, citizens can become more matured politically and wiser about sociopolitical issues, and develop stronger commitment to improving the country.

In closing, the protests in Hong Kong may be microcosms of what can happen to many parts of the world, especially when countries are confronted with a major crisis that tear into the established fabric of their society.

And their electorate is not willing to take bitter medicine, and make deep changes to reform and strengthen their communities and societies.

We must never take the relative peace, progress and prosperity in our Shining Red Dot for granted.

Let’s capitalize on every opportunity to unite our people, improve trust levels, and strengthen our political system to ensure our survival and sustainability in the exciting new world.

https://youtu.be/cJy9yMtNGjA

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Preview YouTube video Protesters and Hong Kong police clash in violent stand-offs on both sides of Victoria Harbo

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I hope this message will find a place in your heart.

By the way, I have also recorded other reflections.

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