Singapore Forum

I have accepted an invitation to speak at the Political Science Department's Singapore Forum on Politics 2006, to be held on 25 February 2006, 9am, at NUS Lecture Theatre 8.

The theme of next year's forum is "The (In)Significance of Political Elections in Singapore". It will comprise a panel of 5 speakers.

The organisers have provided the following information below:

SINGAPORE FORUM ON POLITICS 2006
“The (In)Significance of Political Elections in Singapore”

Since the 1960s, general elections in Singapore have continued, many say convincingly, to reinstate the People’s Action Party as the ruling party. Since the early 1990s, when the Presidency became an elected office, Singaporeans have only voted once for their President. What does all of this mean for the future of elections as an institution of democratic politics in Singapore? Are elections really able to express the will of the people? Have elections ever presented real choices and alternatives for voters? Can elections continue to act as a government’s main source of political legitimacy? Are elections anything more than political spectacle to periodically re-enchant a depoliticized administrative state?

posted by JG Blog @ 3:40 PM

WP Elections Training Seminar

In a well attended members elections training seminar on 4 December 2005, I had the opportunity to present a segement on WP and media management . My segement of the training comprised of the following sections:

1. How the local media reports the opposition
2. How the opposition views the local media
3. Current practices of media management within the WP
4. Areas of review to consider.

The presentation ended with a lively Q n A session on the possible approaches to manage the media during the upcoming elections.

posted by JG Blog @ 9:52 AM

Good Day!

Hi James,very impressive mate, all your grassroots work and I must say I like your site.

VIVA SINGAPURA!

Regards, Gerard
(Singaporean in Perth)

Reply: No worries, Gerard. But the grassroots work is never enough. Don't forget to visit!

posted by JG Blog @ 2:45 PM