PROPOSAL FOR 
GOVERNOR-MAYOR SYSTEM

On 8 September 2015, at a rally during the last General Election, our Prime Minister Mr Lee Hsien Loong said: "The world is changing. Singapore is changing. Our politics will have to change... But we have to work together even if we have to work harder to have a national consensus ..." 

I agree with what he said and it is in that spirit that I'm proposing for public and Government consideration a Governor-Mayor System (GMS) to be installed in every constituency.

It is hoped that it can help address and resolve most of Singapore's outstanding political problems in the following ways:

1. Partisan grassroots organizations 

GMS: The winner of an election will become the MP-Governor of that ward. He/she will be the leader in charge of the town council as well as the people's voice in Parliament. The best loser in that election will be the Mayor who will be responsible for the day-to-day running of the town council and assist the MP-Governor in resolving the problems of residents. So, every constituency will be served by a team of 2 people from different political parties. Because both will be holding official appointments, grassroots organizations will have to serve both officials without prejudice.

2. Hostility and negative campaigning between political parties

GMS: Both the MP-Governor and the Mayor will work together in the same office so that they can learn to build consensus through a spirit of common national purpose. Gradually, this friendship between them will have a positive contagion effect on relations between political parties and adversarial politics and personal attacks will slowly disappear.

3. Wasteful political rivalry

GMS: Instead of their political differences becoming a bone of contention, they will become a source of strength in generating creative solutions for the town council and the community. They can also collaborate, build synergy and bring to fruition the non-overlapping social programs that they have each promised during their election campaign. Capitalizing on their plurality maximizes scarce political talent and resources.

4. The limitations of a part-time MP

GMS: Since work is shared between the MP-Governor and the Mayor, their workload will be lighter and therefore they will be able to cope despite working part-time. Accordingly, the original MP allowance will be shared according to the proportion of their popular vote, eg in Bukit Batok, it may be a 61:39 split in the allowance.

5. The objectionable upgrading carrots and town council politics

GMS: When election time comes, both the MP-Governor and the Mayor can join the fray as opposing candidates, and having seen them in action over 4 to 5 years, voters will be in a much better position to judge them on their character, their ideas, their deeds and their ability to be a team player. Dangling of carrots like upgrading and other projects will become obsolete vote-motivators because people now know that the top 2 candidates will eventually work on these projects jointly.

6. The persistent clamor for alternative voices

GMS: Because the PAP and the opposition will always work together in every town council and in every constituency, people will realize that alternative thinking will eventually be incorporated into Government policies. Having alternative voices for their own sakes will be a thing of the past. Supporters from both sides will unite when they see their leaders already working together.

7. The lack of political renewal

GMS: The novel idea of the best loser in an election being appointed mayor means that opportunities for political work will increase. This will encourage more talented people to enter politics and also increase the pool of people familiar or competent with town council work. The next generation of political leaders will emerge when people begin to see politics as a viable career choice.

Conclusion

For this GMS to work, a transformative change of mindset in the whole of Singaporean society is necessary. Politics should be seen less as a competitive activity, but more as an art of conciliation, compromise and collaboration. The GMS will become part of our ongoing meritocratic experiment of seeking "what works" as started by the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew.