Since the day Singapore officially gaining sovereignty on 9 August 1965, its politics has been dominated by the People’s Action Party (PAP). During the 2006 election the PAP won 82 out of 84 seats in the nation’s Parliament. Despite the PAP’s dealings with communists in the early days, its governing philosophy for the last several decades can best be described as Socialist Democracy.
Singapore, under the leadership of the PAP, possesses a distinct political culture: authoritarian, pragmatic, rational and legalistic. Singapore’s power structure is highly centralized, characterized by a top-down style. It features appointment rather than election to most offices. Economic growth and political stability were maintained by the paternal guidance of the PAP. Thus, Singapore is not administered by politicians, but by bureaucrats, in a meritocracy where power is gained through skill, performance, and loyalty to the nation and its policies.
Furthermore, Singapore has a multi-racial and multi-religious character, where giving fair treatment to all races in education, housing and health is considered very important. The minorities are assured of equal representation in Parliament through the Group Representation Constituency or GRC system.
There is a dominance of government-controlled companies in the local economy. But in spite of its powerful position, the Singapore government has maintained a clean, corruption-free image. In addition, rifts within the leadership in Singapore are rare. The mode of decision making is by consensus, and the leadership style is collective.
The formal Head of State of the Republic of Singapore is the President. Tony Tan Keng Yam is the current President and he was sworn in on 1 September 2011. The Prime Minister and Head of Government is Lee Hsien Loong, who was sworn in on 12 August 2004.
The Constitution
The Constitution of Singapore is the supreme law of the Republic of Singapore. It lays down the fundamental principles and framework for the Executive, the Legislative and the Judiciary — the three organs of the state. The constitution cannot be amended without the approval of more than two-thirds of the members of the parliament on the second and third readings.
Part IV of the fourteen-part Constitution contains the guarantee of the fundamental liberties of Singapore citizens: liberty of the person; prohibition of slavery and forced labour; protection against retrospective criminal laws and repeated trials; equal protection under the law; prohibition of banishment and freedom of movement; freedom of speech, assembly and association; freedom of religion; and rights in respect of education.
The Parliament
Together with the President of Singapore, the Parliament is known as the Legislature. The Parliament has a single house and is modeled after the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy. The Westminster system has Members of Parliament who are voted in at General Elections. The leader of the political party that secures the most seats in Parliament becomes the Prime Minister (PM). The PM will choose his Ministers from elected MPs to form the Cabinet. The ‘life’ of each Parliament is 5 years from the date of its first sitting after a General Election. The General Elections are held within 3 months of the dissolution of the Parliament.
The Parliament has three major functions: making laws, controlling the state’s finances and performing the critical/inquisitorial role to check on the actions of the governing party and the Ministries.