Think Centre organises forum
Singapore. January 7, 2000
AS part of the Politics 21 Series, the Think Centre is holding a forum, Jan 28, on Non-Partisanship: Politics Without Punishment.
The three-hour forum to be held at the RELC International Hotel, Orange Grove Rd, Singapore begins at 7pm on Friday, January 28. Registration begins at 6.30pm.
The speakers are: Chong Chia Goh, Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP), Eleanor Wong, Zulkifli Baharudin NMP and Member of Roundtable and Chia Shi Teck former NMP and chairman of Heshe Holdings.
This forum would be of interest for those who claim to be non-partisan and for others who want to understand whether the notion of non-partisan is meaningful and viable. It is open to people of all political persuasions from student groups, NGOs, political parties and individuals.
The Politics 21 is a series comprises seminars, forums and workshops that aim to address questions and issues facing Singapore today. The series seeks to fill the political gap in Singapore 21 and to take on the challenge of active citizenship. The idea for the series is the product of discussions between Think Centre (an independent political research initiative) and Socratic Circle (a political discussion group).
The following press release explains the reason for the forum:
"In Singapore, the term non-partisan has emerged in political discourse largely to create space, where little existed before, for legitimate alternative expression.
"As an idea and platform for mobilisation, non-partisanship has found appeal in politics, civil society and in academia. An institutionalised example is the Nominated Member of Parliament scheme. However, some argue that non-partisanship often subsumes itself to furthering the status quo.
"They argue this occurs when non-partisan groups stumble over themselves to invite the ruling party on the same platform as alternative views often in new "spaces" created through hard work.
"Further, the idealism of non-partisanship is often forced to give way to the realities of pragmatic politics when one is directed towards a political party to pursue one's political objectives.
"Thus, sceptics argue instead of promoting political development, non-partisanship, in fact, retards the maturing of political pluralism in the party political sense.
"But why is there such a great obsession with being non-partisan? Why do people prefer to flock to political type activities that say they are non-partisan as compared to party political ones? Are people who do so cowards who want to politick but do not want to take responsibility? Given the need for individuals and groups to take positions on certain issues, can the idea of non-partisan politics be realistically justified? Or is it nothing more than not being a member of a political party? Hence making it politics without punishment.
"The forum will explore these and other related issues."
For further information contact the Think Centre.