PROPOSAL TO REVAMP THE CONSTITUTION
-
The Constitution usually sets out the basic rights of citizens and defines the role of government and its component branches.
To be competitive, it should not just define the rights of citizens, but protect the rights against interference by government in power.
It should define larger aspects of nation building and set up the larger roles of the government and put up appropriate safeguard to prevent abuse and motivate all citizens to participate in social and cultural and all aspects of nationhood.
A forward-looking constitution will lead a to more competitive nation building. This requires the spelling out of roles, duties and responsibilities of government and creating the necessary conditions for motivating and empowering social, cultural and moral growth of society and promotion and nurturing of enterprises and citizenship.
A more general constitution on the other hand may lead to conflicts and disputes among component of government leading to complexities and uncertainties and instability.
There should be a proper balance between the components and providing for the necessary conditions supportive of development of active citizenship.
While the government has the duty to establish law and order and enforce them to attract investments and stable growth, it has the larger roles to play to bring about economic competitiveness and vibrancy with the participation of its people.
Any lack of definition of roles may lead to abuse and over-controls, over-regulations and over-legalistic passing of laws and enforcement resulting in autocracy and stifling of creativity and enterprises of society.
Should the constitution serve the larger long-term interest of the state or the people - to the greatest good for the greatest number?
The answer is obvious isn't it? Government is elected to serve the people to look after their interests and wellbeing through :
(1) administration,
(2) justice,
(3) maintaining democratic election processes
(4) implementing policies and decisions in clearly defined objective work processes with accountability and responsibility seen to be promoting citizens' social, cultural and economic vibrancy and competitiveness.
Specifically the constitution would establish three branches of government: (a) An effective executive, (b) Independent legislature, (c ) An independent judiciary. Each of the three branches of government should be supported by a non-aligned civil service in the interest of all citizens.
When such a constitution is established, there will be cooperations, coordination and efficiency and all the government policies and decisions will then gain the fullest support and participation of its citizens in nation building ?
The existing constitution is too general leaving the executive branch too much discretionary power to pass laws and regulations to help itself in avoiding accountability and curtail people's right to speak up, and participate in governing policies, appointments of government etc.
Read more about the current shortcomings e.g. "20 major policy errors of governemnt" as posted to the feedback unit.
If the government wants to build a cosmopolitan and inclusive society then it must go beyond pro-exectuive top-down leadership-centric pretentious and hypocritic window dressing and statistical presentations.
There is a need to recognise that any form of legalistic wrangling of laws and regulations like the laws of election GRCs will be counter-productive and abhorent to the long-term goal and interest and will lead ultimately to instability.
There is obviously a need to balance between law and order and empowering of citizens' collective talents, coordination, knowledge applications and innovation in every field, the key to the people's vibrancy and competitiveness. -
What would be the catalyst to revamp the constitution? It takes quite a lot of political energy. What would be the trigger? Perhaps when some fancy year like 2020 arrives, or some other major events. For the near forseeable future it's difficult to see any revamp or even the possibility of the thought of a revamp. Some senior figures would become impediment of any reform.
-
If we do not as citizens know about the constitution, and what we want, then there will be no feeling towards anything written there or how it affects our works and lives.Originally posted by #$%^&*:What would be the catalyst to revamp the constitution? It takes quite a lot of political energy. What would be the trigger? Perhaps when some fancy year like 2020 arrives, or some other major events. For the near forseeable future it's difficult to see any revamp or even the possibility of the thought of a revamp. Some senior figures would become impediment of any reform.
Constitution is like the bible or koran which guides us in our human conduct and how we live our lives. Of course very few are interested in following the bible and koran to live better lives.
If there is anything that is wrong with our lives, the constitution will reflect it. If there is a need to change the constitution will be our guiding light. If government has no interest in the constitution, that is because people have no interest in it so this state of disinterest has to change first. But it is not easy, unless we raise the citizens' interests in government by a few notches.
This will have to start from somewhere, schools, community clubs, grassroots, parties and blogs. Newspapers' fear of writing on major sensitive topics without greenlight from government somewhere has to change. But it starts from everyone really. If it does not start with me then there can be no change.
It is important that citizes understand the roles of government and citizens and know how they affect us and do not let the problems persist even if they exist for different reasons or have helped us to achieve certain past success and now need to change because of the time.
Citizens are the trigger of anything concerning government and government actions in our lives. If they just listen to what the government say and agree with them without asking questions then there will not be any catalysts or triggers no matter what have happened to our lives.
I do not see this citizens' interest in the government which I consider is the precondition for any trigger.
Do we want to treat this place as a boarding house or want to make it into a home where many things can be done to improve the kind of life that we want to live. -
probably, the only hope of revamping the constitution comes with the downfall of PAP, hopefully in a few years' time.
-
KNN! Kong simi jiao wey? If you want to debate seriously, why r u wasting yr time posting this in SG Forum? U tink Forumites will sarport u meh?
Ppl like you got nothinf to do izzit? Tink u so smart? Better to keep quiet and be thought of as stoopid then to open your mouth and confirm it all!!!!!
:evil
-
I think with the way policies and regulations are set up, it will be quite difficult to topple them. Look at the way they stunted ALL the existing oppositions.
I feel that the only people who can and will eventually topple them, would be THEMSELVES.
No matter how great a KING you are, you will still become history to be read eons later. -
Don't be so emotional. The first thing to do is to post the proposal and spread the knowledge and then ask for change. A copy of this has been forwarded to some MPs, and Straits Times and Today which have obviously been afraid and turned down publication.Originally posted by :KNN! Kong simi jiao wey? If you want to debate seriously, why r u wasting yr time posting this in SG Forum? U tink Forumites will sarport u meh?
Ppl like you got nothinf to do izzit? Tink u so smart? Better to keep quiet and be thought of as stoopid then to open your mouth and confirm it all!!!!! :evil
It is for all citizens to ask for change now. -
(Reply to forumer's suggestion to the post "Proposal to revamp the Constitution)
The problem is such a request for greater freedom of speech at the moment is considered de-stabilizing by the government.
People must approach the whole problem including granting greater freedoms of speech and access to information etc from a certain fundamental nation building perspective.
Only then will the government be able to see the whole picture and begin to accede to request for liberalising the current tight controls on freedom of expression etc and open up the government processes to fuller participation by the citizens.
Citizens must take a greater interest in evolution of our political system, to go beyond our initial solutions based on leadership of a few top men.
Newer solutions and methods have to be found for dealing with oppositions and suing of political oppositions for defamatory remarks made in the course of election.
There is a critical need for de-regulations of centralized controls, systems, policies and renewal process.
All these methodologies of involving citizens in greater participation are very diverse with many ideas and suggestions by too many parties. (just watch the number of forums dealing with this topic !!!)
The government is unlikely to be persuaded until it is made to see that citizens are serious and want it to change.
However there will be no impact if every one only cares about his own particular specific idea and suggestion and fail to work together towards the common goals.
All the people's current demands and suggestions can be better presented through the redefining the constitution.
Hence, it is my idea to collate all their ideas and suggestions through a revamp of the constitution so as to make government responsible and accountable to the larger goals is what I am getting at.