YOUTH AND POLITICAL PARTICIPATION IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

In spite of a “youthful” population, the political participation of youth in Singapore is a subject which has attracted little attention and research. Besides a handful of articles and specific studies on youth and politics done mainly in the sixties and seventies, research in this area has been meagre. Therefore, it is hoped that this Academic Exercise (AE) will in its own small way, contribute to our understanding of the political role of the youth in Singapore. This AE seeks to understand youth and political participation by examining the nature and structures of the various avenues of political participation available to the youth in Singapore; and how they serve the participator needs of Singapore youths. The focus of the study is limited to the three major avenues of political participation that caters primarily to the youth, namely the National University of Singapore Students; Union, the People’s Association Youth Movement and the People’s Action Party (PAP) Youth Wing. Essentially this study suggests that the political participation on the youth in Singapore takes place through avenues that are government-designed and-defined. While the new PAP leaders are compelled to respond to the demands of a changed electorate for greater autonomous participation they are at the same time, in favour of efficient government without excessive political participation. As a result of this dilemma, the avenues of political participation that cater to the Singaporean youths provide for a mixture of autonomous and mobilized participation in a controlled manner.