THE "UNEXPECTED" LANDSLIDE VICTORY OF THE PAP
A result that surprised and puzzled many analysts, but here's why!
Many observers have attributed last night's less-than-expected big PAP turnaround in its aggregated popular vote from 60.1 to 69.9%, a sudden rise of 9.8%, to a variety of reasons:
(1) Singaporeans now fully understand the significance of elections and have come to realize that only the PAP holds the key to future prosperity;
(2) Singaporeans endorse PAP's policies and approve of the Government's performance over the last 4 years in tackling the issues that arose in 2011;
(3) A softening of PAP politics reflected in a change in PAP's outreach strategy into one that is more decentralized, more consultative and less arrogant; one that speaks from the heart rather than from the head; and one that features policies consciously shifting to the left.
(4) WP's performance over the last 4 years had been less than impressive and the widely publicised AHPETC lapses in accounting and governance must have had some effect;
(5) The feel-good factor in the SG50 celebrations this year;
(6) The sympathy factor in the recent demise of our founding father, Mr Lee Kuan Yew;
(7) Voters share PAP's anxiety about our leadership renewal;
(8) Voters voting for PAP by default because of fear of too big a swing to the immature opposition;
(9) Voters worried about the impending gloomy and uncertain global outlook adopt a 'flight to safety' mentality;
(10) The Singaporean voter is intellectually lazy and is not concerned about his rights, social issues like CPF, transport and rich-poor divide; or political issues like accountability, transparency and Parliamentary check and balance. He seems ready to surrender his political rights to paternalistic, political experts who can make all the right decisions for him and his country.
In my view, none of the above reasons fully and logically explains the widespread, island-wide swing towards the PAP. It must be observed that the reason behind it has a generalised and consistent effect on voting behaviour, except that the strength of the WP was able to resist the trend to some degree.
THE ANSWER - FILIAL PIETY
The clue here is that the answer is related to a very significant, one-off event.
Imagine a dying father, who was an expert painter, telling his child to forever preserve and never remove his favourite masterpiece that he had hung in his own house. Though the child may not be interested in painting himself and do not fully appreciate the beauty of that piece of painting on the wall, he readily promised to always treasure that piece of work.
Because of the unique history of Singapore, the relationship between Mr Lee Kuan Yew and the people of Singapore is not one between a leader and a citizenry; but more like a father and a child. So, such a paternalistic relationship is not one that is imposed on the people; but a natural state where both grew into. The dying father in the story is, of course, Mr Lee Kuan Yew; the child is the people of Singapore; and the painting is the PAP. Most people appreciate the fact that Mr Lee brought Singapore from 3rd to 1st world in fifty years, but people forget that the vehicle that he used to do it with was the PAP. PAP is his masterpiece and as long as it is in good shape, Singapore will be in good shape.
In an Asian society like Singapore, a good child's main duty to his father is filial piety, and it is with filial piety that subconsciously, almost the whole society voted to preserve his legacy, especially shortly after his passing. The effect may be strong enough to suppress present grievances and political differences. Just recall the unprecedented outpouring from people of all political stripes during Mr. Lee's wake and funeral.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
So, underlying the unexpected PAP landslide win is a deep collective psychological phenomenon that may not last forever. Indeed, such a fortuitous favour for the PAP may just be a one-off. Come next GE in 2019-2020, the effect may have worn off. So, the PAP must still work hard and the opposition should not feel too disheartened because the trend of the "new normal", though temporarily suppressed, may still be on.
