READ: An honest open letter by Tembusu College students to the future prime minister of Singapore

At a forum held at the National University of Singapore (NUS) titled “Singapore’s Fourth Prime Minister: Aspirations and Expectations” yesterday, a panel comprising of political and corporate figures discussed everything about just that. Indo-Trans Corporation Executive Chairman Zulkifli Baharudin, Singapore Management University Associate Professor Eugene Tan, and Nominated Member of Parliament Kuok Shiao-Yin discussed the qualities, values, and attitudes they’d like to see in the leader who’ll soon take over the job of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

But it was the fourth member of the panel who provided a voice that needed to be heard. Representing his fellow students from Tembusu College, second-year sociology student Tan Yang Long read a letter for the future prime minister that pointed out concerns such as freedom of expression, social inequalities, and the growing technological divide, among other things.

Read the whole letter that’s been published here, and check out some highlights below:

On dissenting voices

“We are prompted in school to think critically and voice our opinions, but we see some naysayers being treated negatively. We are encouraged to push boundaries in some sectors, yet those of us who write articles online are reminded to respect existing boundaries. We are taught that it is important to learn our history, but are certain narratives preferred over others?

You might answer that it all depends – perhaps in specific areas, you will treat us like leaders, and in other domains, we’re better off being governed. Yet, that’s the crux of the issue, isn’t it? We can tell how much you trust us by looking at what freedoms you entrust us with. And, we want an answer because this will partly determine how far we will go for Singapore.

We want you to trust that we do not disagree for dissent’s sake, and that we can find unity even in the face of our differences with you — differences of ideologies, opinions, beliefs or values. Disagreement is not weakness and your appointment is a chance for a new way for our differences to be received. We truly believe that it is only in facing our differences together openly, honestly and fearlessly that our discourse can be strengthened, outcomes can be sharpened, and our relationship can be deepened.”

On meritocracy

“We have always been told that Singapore is a meritocracy and that everyone can chase their dreams. Yet, we have also seen that some dreams are more difficult to chase than others for some people – much, much more difficult.

We feel this sense of longing at times, when we see some of our peers attain jobs upon graduation because of a family connection, or when some of our batchmates can afford to attend top universities abroad or to study without a loan. We feel discouraged when we see the rising cost of living because it’s now going to be more difficult to take care of our parents or have children at an earlier age. We feel inadequate when we’ve never learnt to conduct ourselves well at interviews because the schools we went to did not expose us to it, or, when our siblings are not going for 3 tuition classes a week because our parents can only afford one after cutting back on other expenses.

These experiences make us worried that our meritocracy is one with strings attached, and one that is increasingly narrow. We’re scared that we cannot aspire as high, as wide and as far as we could before.”

On technology and identity

“A lot of us are worried for our parents and grandparents as we embark on our charge to become a Smart Nation. Going cashless, using high-tech phone applications, relying on artificial intelligence, are not activities we can expect our Ah Gong or Ah Ma, our Nenek or Datuk, our Paatti or Thatha to get used to over a few years. In time to come, technological disruptions will become even more pervasive, perhaps to the point where basic services might be denied to those without technological know-how. Even as you continue to portray a utopian vision of a Smart future, we are troubled by the likelihood of the 4th Industrial Revolution displacing older Singaporeans. Some of our peers, too, struggle to live up to the discourse that a Singaporean must not stop upgrading, upskilling, and increasing productivity. Technology does not always strengthen; sometimes it splinters.

And it’s not just technology. As our world continues to get more interconnected, other centres of gravity will become stronger. Stronger expectations will arise for Singaporeans to reconsider, or even replace, their existing Singaporean identity. Some of these identities will be, and perhaps are already becoming, alluring alternatives to the Singaporean identity. As regional countries try to elevate their stature, we will be increasingly pressured to give up our sovereign spaces. We will be pushed to lean towards some sides over others, or risk certain consequences. Sometimes, things can also get difficult and involve a display of might or even a multi-faceted attempt to tear our social fabric apart. You will have the unenviable job to stand firm and fly our flag high even in the face of foreign pressure. Through it all, our resolve on what it means to be Singaporean and Singapore will be severely questioned.”