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SINGAPORE: Paul Tambyah has a benevolent kindness worthy of any good doctor and professor.
But the Professor of Medicine at the National University of Singapore and Senior Consultant at the Division of Infectious Diseases at the National University Hospital reminds me conscientiously that he is here in a completely different capacity.
"I must put an end to the disclaimer All I say here is my personal opinion and have nothing to do with the university or the university. hospital, "he says with a smile
For good measure, I note that his" personal opinion "encompasses his views as President of the opposition Democratic Party (SDP), a post he has was elected last September
"Sure," he says with a smile
At first glance, one can not detect the passionate and militant politician Dr. Tambyah embodies – this facet of his personality is gradually emerging while we talk about the state of politics, democracy and the various policies of Singapore
But through all this, while criticizing the PAP government, Dr. Tambyah maintains affability, behavior and gives credit when credit
For example, he believes that MediShield Life is inadequate to make health care affordable for the masses, he acknowledges that it is "a huge step forward in that it is". he took care of people with pre-existing problems ". we are talking about his political career, he tells me what attracted him to medicine. It was the "combined influences" of his parents. Her father was a doctor and her mother, Leaena Tambyah, is a well-known lawyer who was partly responsible for the establishment of the first school for handicapped students in Singapore
CIVIL SOCIETY ACTIVISM – "THREE STAGES OF ADVANCE, TWO STEPS BACK "
In a way, it was his profession of infectious disease specialist that led him to his activism and later to his Political Awakening. "In the world, one of the most common infectious diseases is HIV, a virus that causes AIDS.This is a disease that is associated with a lot of stigma and discrimination." [19659002HehasbeeninvolvedinaadvocacygroupActionforAIDSSingapore
"These are activists who are taking action to reduce stigma and discrimination." I saw that people in Singapore can make the difference if they are convinced of someone e thing and they can collect evidence and data, the government will eventually change. "
His involvement in civil society has intensified and he has become one of the founding members of the human rights group MARUAH
" But I & # 39; one of the things I realized is that there are limits to what civil society can do. The civil society can give its opinion but finally, all the levers are always with the government. If you really want to make changes, in fact, former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong said you had to join a political party. "
Dr. Tambyah does not fully agree with this argument, even though he agreed" it is like that he is in Singapore.
Paul Tambyah challenged in Holland-Bukit Timah RCMP in GE 2015. (Photo: Facebook / Democratic Party of Singapore)
Here he compares civil society to that of other developed countries where activists play a larger role.
"There are fewer restrictions on civil society and civil society is really encouraged.They often receive government subsidies for various projects."
"You win, you lose, but you are treated with mutual respect and I think it may be a bit lacking in civil society today in its interactions with the government. "
He describes progress as" three steps forward, two steps in back ".
For example, MARUAH was classified as a political association and, according to him, "severely limited" their ability to work with other civilians. companies or organizations outside Singapore. Nor have they been allowed to accept foreign funding.
"MARUAH was created for the human rights mechanism of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) .But if they wanted to organize a event and invite human rights activists from the Philippines, they should apply for a permit.These are just barriers that make it difficult to progress towards a human rights mechanism in the Philippines. ASEAN. "
He also highlights more restrictions on Hong Lim Park's Speakers Corner in terms of" identity verification. "I ask him if he can see from the authorities' point of view You need to put in place protective measures against foreign interference.You do not want foreign interference and I think the worst thing is hidden foreign funding.But when you talk about something like ASEAN where there is, by its very nature, a collaborative effort between countries, I think that there must be a place for transparent and well-documented foreign funding, if necessary, on a case by "
" THE EXPRESSION SHOULD BE CONSIDERED NATURAL … NOT AN ACT BRAVERIE "
Dr. Tambyah began to get involved in the SDP He was part of the SDP team that participated in the 2011 Holland group general election -Bukit Timah (RCMP). One of the main areas in which he wanted to make changes was the financing of health care.
"I was looking for a party with a very clear ideology and the SDP is really a center-left. This corresponded to my own views on basic human rights, such as housing, health care and basic education. "
I ask why he does not consider the Workers Party (WP) which was then in Parliament.
" The working group did not publish the same number of guidance documents. I'm sure they share the same views we have on many of these issues, but the SDP seemed to want to be listened to.
He admits that his friends and family feared
"Many well-meaning people have said to me, 'Oh, you have to be careful.
He remembers that after giving a speech at a meeting of the SDP in 2011, he went to Mount Elizabeth Hospital to visit a friend and people told him asked when he was there to buy a clinic
"They thought that my days at the university were numbered and I think that professor […]
He said that while he was He too worried at first, he was "enormously reassured by the senior management of the university."
"I think there are elements within the university. strongly urge you to express yourself on important issues, as long as you do it in a responsible and rational way.
"The university has changed; I think it's much more open but also social media has come into play. And you've seen what happened to Cherian George when she was denied tenure (at Nanyang Technological University, NTU). He had a voice and he was able to talk about it and I do not think NTU did very well from this whole incident. "
" Talking should be considered natural for citizens of a democracy and not an act of bravery, "says Tambyah. (Photo: Facebook / Democratic Party of Singapore)
But I wonder if he could have gone from the front and joined an opposition party if that meant losing his job.
"First of all, I do not think anyone can lose his job or his career to talk or defend an alternative narrative in a democratic society. At this point in my career, I am fortunate to have options that many Singaporeans may not have. I am now an internationally known academic clinician who could possibly work in private medical care in Singapore or in academic medicine abroad. But to reiterate, speaking openly should be considered natural for citizens of a democracy, and not as an act of bravery. "
THE PROBLEM WITH SELF-CENSORSHIP
Although his own experience has been positive, he says that it is still very difficult for the SDP to have a good time. attracting candidates because of fears that participation in an opposition party would jeopardize their livelihoods
"We have had individuals within SDP who are very talented, very capable. There is actually a person who was very active in the SDP and she said that people from her organization told her that they were grassroots leaders and that they did not think that It was appropriate that she participate in an opposition party. I said: "It's ridiculous.You should complain but she said that they are the top management so who can she complain about? You will get good people who have the courage of their convictions, but it is very difficult to move people out of the center because they are too scared for their bread and butter. "
When I told him that it may be he agrees, but he stresses that "self-censorship is much more effective than effective censorship".
The government does not dismiss people because they are involved in opposition policies, there is often this perception about it.
He illustrates the power of perception by another example.
"You do not need to lock people up. All you have to do is make them believe that you are going to lock them up or think of someone who has been locked up 10 years or 15 years ago and when they censor themselves, it's much more effective . "
Considering that he accepts that this may be partly a manifestation of self-censorship rather than the ruling party giving directions to organizations to discriminate against members of opposition parties, I asks when he thinks the PAPs can actually do something about it.It is among the best in the world for the current campaigns.All they have to do is launch a campaign to say, join the opposition and your career in the public service will take off.I mean that's an extreme example, but they could say, the public service is independent.We have people from the Workers Party.We have SDP people, feel free to talk, Singapore is a diverse place that encourages the views of all ends of the political spectrum.
"We could have little mascots and we could have stickers and affic hes on buses and it would be extremely effective. "
I think he's facetious, but when he raises the suggestion later in the interview, he realizes that he's serious.
He believes that some actions by the authorities continue to fuel a climate of self-censorship. He cites as an example the arrest in 2017 of activist and artist Seelan Palay for presenting a piece of performance art in tribute to political inmate Chia Thye Poh in front of Parliament.
POLITICS AND PARANOICS
The climate of "walking on eggs", as he describes it, is exacerbated by the way the government manages parliamentary debates.
He describes how he thinks the ruling party can better engage the opposition.
"Whenever the Workers Party asks a question in Parliament, the government could turn around and answer as I would to a student who asks a question and say," Oh, that's a very good question. "
" Instead, they turn around and reprimand them. If you do not have any information and you ask a question, you are slammed and you are asked to apologize as Sylvia Lim was asked to do so, which creates some fear in people . "
He is referring to WP President, Sylvia Lim, who asked the House to apologize earlier this year for allegedly the government had launched" test balloons "before it". announce an imminent increase in goods and services tax
Go on record with Bharati Jagdish
I told him that most governing parties would consider a natural instinct to defend their policies and make a point if they feel that the other parties are trying to denigrate their intentions.
"But you still have to have some balance, otherwise it's going to turn against him, just like Sylvia Lim, I think he's got a lot of points of sympathy to Sylvia – the fact that people are trying to apologize for asking an honest question.You can say that the question is a silly question, you can try to criticize her for that, but try to make her s To apologize for asking a question, it's a bit like shooting yourself because it made you bully.
"In a parliamentary democracy, if someone asks you a question You can make it look small or really silly, but treating each question as an attack on your personal integrity, for me, is a little marginal.
THE SDP CAN CONVINCE THE ELECTORS
We turn now to the question of why the SDP failed to obtain seats in Parliament, not even in the elections of 2011. [19659002] "You have to remember, we were going from a state where the holiday was almost non-existent.It was the subject of several lawsuits.It was on the verge of bankruptcy and getting over 30 percent of the vote, I think, was a pretty significant achievement. "
I wonder why the party baggage did not discourage him from joining him.
"The fact that they persevered despite all the slingshots and arrows that had been thrown at them, was very impressive because it shows some courage of your convictions."
But he think media coverage for the ruling party has "
" In 2015, on the retreat, the front page title of The Straits Times was that of Mr. Khaw Boon Wan, who said you were May not get a PAP government There were these WhatsApp messages circulating with fake bookie odds.Nobody has ever found themselves spreading trying to scare people into believing that the PAP would lose the elections of 2015 despite all the indicators pointing in the opposite direction. "
He also cites the difficulties the party encounters in organizing community events, held by the municipal councils and the People's Association. is D
It is partly explained by the phenomenon of "self-censorship" that we discussed earlier.
"But I'm optimistic, I do not think this self-censorship can last forever, and if social media grows and people become more open, then I think the PAP will realize that they have to go down on those people who are second … to guess them and say, "Hey, relax. We will not call you and tell you not to allow them. Let them have their event in a basketball court.
But PAP's ability to mobilize state resources by other means is "very, very difficult to try to counter," he says.
clinic session after the election, one of my patients that I have treated for many years rolled into the room in his motorized wheelchair and he said, "Doc, you did a good campaign. Too bad you all lost. I said thank you. By the way, where do you live? Then he said, "We live in Yuhua, but you know, (Minister) Grace Fu gave us this wheelchair. Then I said: "She did not give the wheelchair. "
" He said, "No, no no, she came to my home with an entourage, with her photographers, and she gave me the wheelchair."
Dr. Tambyah says that "I'm not sure." he reiterated that "it's your money that went in this wheelchair", his patient "refused to accept it."
"It was a guy whose I'd like to go to." had taken care for 10 years. He knew me. We got along very well. But at the same time, he felt indebted to the ruling party politician because she was able, in his mind, to provide mobility. "
However, I told him that if the PAP government leaves Singaporeans down, and if the opposition manages to come up with better policies, it could get the votes regardless of the machinery of the PAP party.
Given the way in which Singaporeans voted in the last two elections, I suggest to him that Singaporeans do not see the point of an opposition party or do not consider the parties in the election. opposition, including the SDP, as worthy of a vote or as able to govern.
But he reiterates that the various obstacles prevent the SDP from really convincing the voters of his party. they "really have dedicated volunteers, and for single-member constituencies (SMCs), they can cover almost every household at least twice."
"Administrative Constraints, Media Constraints, and Problems" ; autocensu re affect people. Even social media is limited by the licensing problem and the different actions that have been taken against individuals to cross the Out of Bounds or OB badly defined markers. This deprives Singaporean voters of the essential information we need to enable us to vote for the most able and willing people to take care of our interests and well-being. "
Paul Tambyah meeting residents home visit. (Photo: Facebook / Paul Tambyah)
AN INDEPENDENT ELECTORAL COMMISSION AND MORE SMC
For example, the Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has he said that Singaporeans are likely Some analysts have said that it could help opposition parties who generally have fewer resources to build large teams, but Dr. Tambyah is "cynical" about it
"You can design three-member RCMP in a very strategic way. You can have these three-member RCMPs all in ridings you could win.
He says what he would like to see is instead an "independent electoral commission" that could ensure that "the electoral boundaries will be established"
At this point, the Electoral Commission reports to the Prime Minister's Office
It also suggests "a return to all single-member constituencies". [19659002] "Before the creation of the RCMP, Singapore has always had a multiracial parliament, we have always had MPs from the Malay and Indian communities, and the proportion of members of minority communities was the highest in the early years we were all single-member constituencies, so I do not buy the argument that the RCMP are essential for racial representation. "
I point out a survey that showed when it comes to deciding who should hold the highest positions in the nation, Singaporeans prefer to be someone of the same race as they are
"But of course, this has not been confirmed by the facts. Partial election of Bukit Batok, Mr. Murali Pillai won the victory against SDP Secretary General, Dr. Chee Soon Juan.It was the first by-election that PAP won since 1992 and it was quiteobvious that & # 39; there was someone & # 39; s a & # 39; a minority race that was capable of winning. I think these surveys need to be done with a pinch of salt. "
HEALTH CARE AND HOUSING
Apart from politics however, politics matter.
Since the beginning of his policy During his life, Dr. Tambyah has campaigned for a better health care financing system.
He still thinks that MediShield Life, for example, needs to be improved. "Health care is a right, not a charity," he says, citing research that showed the state of health care financing in the early days of Singapore
.The Health Organization sent a delegation to Singapore to Malaysia to study the health system.Our Minister of Health Health at the time was Ahmad Ibrahim and he pointed out that Singapore had a pretty decent health care system in 1960. The only thing was that everything was free at the point of service. $ 1 charge to Outpatient Dispensaries (OPDs) and I think it was a $ 5 S charge for hospitalized patients. "
This is how, he says, the Singapore health system worked until the mid-1980s. 19659002]" In 1983, when we had the blue paper on the care of in Singapore, Singapore had a lower infant mortality rate than the United Kingdom and the United States. So we have achieved very good health results with very cheap health care and I think that shows that it is feasible. If you wanted to pay a bit more to stay in a private hospital, you could, but basically, you should not have to worry about treating your cancer or your circumvention because it could be done at a really low price if the Government Paul Tambyah “/>
Dr. Paul Tambyah advocates for a better system of financing health care.
He believes that the privatization of health care is a "mistake", but is not a system fully managed by the state likely to be ineffective?
He recognizes it and suggests instead a national system of universal health insurance. the government supports the administration of insurance, but not the provision of services.
"The government is the financier but not the provider.It is what is happening in Australia and France.Germany to some extent."
His vision includes health care with minimal deductibles and co-payments.
When I raise the risk of overconsumption under such a system, he says that it can not be a direct effect of insurance.
"There is no direct evidence that a significant number of patients go out of their way to undergo unnecessary surgeries or treatments, simply because they are paid for by runners." Insurance or free .Most people do not like to see the doctor or undergo chemotherapy or injections or take bitter drugs. "
He says that the cases of overconsumption that we see today Could be due to other reasons.
asymmetry of information. Most people have very limited knowledge of medicine or medical procedures and depend on their health care providers to get the information they need to decide which procedures and which treatments are best for treating their ailments. For many reasons, including, primarily, the marketing of health care, which has led to the need to provide returns to shareholders who own major health care providers. For example, he says that some patients do certain tests and procedures as inpatients to "claim insurance benefits" and thereby maximize profits for health care infrastructure owners, rather than as ambulatory patients who would have been cheaper.
"The physician becomes an employee who must respond to the shareholder while maintaining an ethical practice vis-à-vis his patients.
He also points out that the forensic environment in Singapore and elsewhere may encourage physicians to potentially over-investigate patients for fear of prosecution or to be charged with negligence
. A national health insurance plan similar to that proposed in the SDP Healthcare Plan would avoid the problem of over-consumption by limiting benefits to procedures that are proven and supported by sound scientific evidence, "he explains.
. Like health care, of course, more money will be needed. I ask him how he thinks they can be generated.
"In Singapore currently, you do not have inheritance rights, you do not have to pay capital gains tax, you do not have to pay d & # 39; Dividend tax
He thinks it's time for Singaporeans to do it
But could this make Singapore less competitive as a wealth management center?
" I do not think so because I think we have the skills, the individuals with the talents, the infrastructure, so if we go back to a more equitable and progressive tax system, I do not think we're going to sub- These are people who are just parking their money here.If they were paying a small price, I do not think they would feel so bad. "
Of the other policy issues that worry about it, there is housing.
"Somewhere, public housing has lost its purpose, instead of becoming a basic human right To have a roof over your head, with the asset enhancement policy, it has become a tool to multiply your wealth or vehicle of speculation. "
He calls it a" misguided "approach
When I notice that a lot of Singaporeans have benefited from it, he says it's just a" short-term gain. "
" If you have more money, then you should invest in private property. "
He also points out that the Department of National Development has recently highlighted the limits of HDB leases.
" I think the government is going to take care of it.They will probably extend the lease.It's too much of a political time bomb. "
Paul Tambyah with SDP Secretary General, Chee Soon Juan. (Photo: Ryan Smith)
THE FUTURE OF THE OPPOSITION OF SINGAPORE
While we talk about the future of opposition in Singapore, something that he says is "on the cards" is an opposition
The SDP recently invited members of all other political parties to a forum where it appeared to him that their ideologies could be aligned.
"We recognize that we probably have more in common than what separates us Most of us are in favor of transparency, accountability, social justice."
"Dr. Tan Cheng Bock was invited and he was coming for our event but something happened at his place, he could not do it. We sent three of the highest members of his team and they were there, so we think that a character like him, who has been to Parliament, who has run successful election campaigns, could be a catalyst to bring together the people. "
asked what role Dr Tan could officially play, Dr. Tambyah does not seem certain.
" I do not know what he will do but all he has to do, s & # 39; 39, he decides to form his own political party, it is to bring all the other parties to form a coalition. There are many different possibilities as to what he could do. "
Ceci et l'idée d'une alliance est" une conversation en cours ", dit-il.
Je me demande comment son parti compte convaincre les électeurs de ses mérites dans le prochaine élection tenant compte de la performance du PAP lors des dernières élections et des nouvelles politiques qu'il a introduites depuis 2011.
"Il y a eu des projets tels que le Silver Support Scheme et le MediShield Life. une politique nationale complète d'assurance-maladie respectivement. Cependant, les deux sont sévèrement limités en termes de montant fourni (jusqu'à un maximum de 250 $ par mois) pour le Silver Support Scheme ou les franchises élevées pour MediShield Life. "
Il soulève également d'autres questions qui préoccupent Singapouriens.
"Les prix ont été majorés pour l'eau et l'électricité. Au SDP, nous considérons les soins de santé, les logements abordables et une éducation de qualité équitable comme des droits de l'homme fondamentaux qui devraient être garantis à tous ceux qui ne sont pas distribués comme des œuvres de charité ou qui sont commercialisés comme des marchandises. Le système de parti unique est un dinosaure qui est en voie d'extinction à Singapour. "
Sa vision idéale d'une démocratie est celle qui comprend de nombreux partis politiques.
" Je pense que ce qui est important est qu'il y aura une discussion libre »
Je lui demande ce qu'il pense des suggestions de certains selon lesquelles Singapour n'a pas besoin d'un système multipartite pour que la bonne gouvernance soit l'ordre. du jour.
"Je pense que l'histoire nous dit le contraire. Ce qui s'est passé au Mexique, à Taiwan et en Malaisie, c'est que la règle du parti unique ne peut pas survivre trop longtemps parce qu'elle se fossilise. Peu importe à quel point vous êtes bon, vous venez de vous fossiliser et c'est juste l'ordre des choses parce que vous avez besoin de gens pour vous garder sur vos orteils.
"Vous devez passer du temps dans l'opposition. Comme au Japon, le Parti libéral-démocrate était dans l'opposition pour une courte période et ensuite ils sont revenus et ils sont revenus mieux. Donc je pense que c'est quelque chose qui va inévitablement arriver. "
