Prime Minister Office To build an inclusive society
Whenever I hear PM Lee say that he wants to build an inclusive society, I wonder what he means.

He may have a different understanding of an "inclusive society" from what I have. Let me say what I understand this condition to be.

One research institute says that an inclusive society aims at empowering and promoting the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, economic, or other status. It is a society that leaves no one behind. We work to ensure that societies are open and inclusive to all.

My understanding concerns the ability of the citizens to have a say in influencing the direction of the country, i.e. the practice of democracy. An inclusive society must allow the voices of the people to be expressed and reflected in the decisions taken by the government. 

Here are my suggestions on how to change Singapore into an inclusive society:

a) Respect the votes of the citizens in selecting their members of parliament, i.e. move to the original single member constituency

b) Conduct elections in a fair and timely manner. The incumbent government should not abuse the election process to improve its own chances.

c) Treat all elected members from both the ruling and the opposing parties with respect and give them their same opportunity to serve their constituents.

d) Conduct free and open elections to elect members into the town councils. This will give the councilors the opportunity to learn about governance and get the knowledge and experience to move to the national level.

Singapore has a small population, relative to other countries, and a limited talent pool. We must use all the available local talents and give them the chance to grow their leadership skills. This approach will allow us to build a more inclusive society, where people can contribute to the betterment of society.

Tan Kin Lian

Vote - do you agree with my concept of an inclusive society? 






 

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