This topic is emotional to me because I
love Singapore as a country I shed my first blood, laughter and tears.
Like a good spanking, the government
deserves this lesson. Malay have a saying 'padan muka' (serve you right) and that was the first thing that came out from my mouth when I read the news. All those talks about needing foreigners to sustain our
economy came back slapping the government hard because beloved PRCs started their antics and showed their true colours. Surprised? Nope, it is expected because that's how the history of Chinese revolution starts. PRCs bring along Mao Zedong’s legacy into Singapore, just like how they bring along their mother, brother sister, cousins, distant cousins, and cousin's friends into Singapore.
But seriously,
communism is so unfashionable in this century.
Monday’s strike by the PRC bus drivers who
were unhappy with SMRT’s income inequality towards foreigners and locals was an
awakening for the government. It threatens our peace and security, poses a
problem to our economy and creates social and political unrests in the long run. If this happens again, I foresee a Greek-style Singapore plagued with unemployment,
inflation, increase crime rate, etc. The list goes on…
Sit-in or peaceful gathering whatchamacallit, the PRCs had organised a strike: a work stoppage for a preannounced short period (a minute, an hour, a day or
even a week) to express views of workers on economic, political and other
issues. The aim of protest strike is to demonstrate that the workers feel
strongly about a particular issue, and that they possess the strength to act
more strongly if necessary. This method may be used to spark the
imagination of the workers and to promote the idea of striking on that
particular issue.
By walking off the job, PRC bus drivers try to
restrict the revenue going to SMRT, thereby pressuring SMRT for better
terms and conditions of their work. In this sense, the strike is an economic
act. However, walking off the job has other implications. In doing so, bus
drivers or service leaders implicitly or explicitly challenge SMRT’s unfettered control over their
property. A strike can also be more for some workers, who feel that their participation
in a strike can be transformative because it involves them in a collective
project that changes the way they understand society and their position on it.
In this sense, strikes can be mechanisms for the creation of class
consciousness, a moment when workers come to see themselves not only as
individuals but members of a working class in opposition to SMRT and its
government allies. Or strikes can do the opposite of convincing the workers and
the public on the futility of their actions. In this case, it's the latter.
There are two theories to this event:
i) Strikes are coercive, trample employers’
property rights, disrupt the economy and reward lawlessness.
ii) Potential to educate workers about
their exploitation, challenge the foundations oof capitalist labour relations,
or aspire to nascent arrangements of socialise economy.
As seen in the world today, strike is
futile. The first time you organise a strike, it will capture everyone’s
attention. Second time you organise a strike, everyone will come down hard on
you because you disrupt the economy and risk other people’s lives. You will also
cause great financial problems to your family. If you are foreigner, you will be
sacked. If you are a Singaporean, you will stay in Changi studio apartment for a couple of years.
As much as we want to stage a protest,
rally, strike or protest in the hope to overcome the problem of the ‘powerless’
and create negative inducements, touch our hearts and ask ourselves who
and what is more important? Our parents, wife and children who are citizens of
Singapore? Or our complete self-serving, noble urge to help the people who
over-sensationalise issues when the choice had been completely theirs.
I’m glad that Singaporeans are toying with the idea of socio-political change and we are doing it via online and slowly translating into real life action. This is a smart national effort from Singapore citizens because we observe how the world react to such social movements but KIV first before we creatively tweak the form of change to suit our social and political climate. Singapore is not a saturated society but we are not hasty, silly and impulsive like the PRCs. Unlike other countries like Greece and Russia where the income inequality are at opposite ends, Singapore government doesn’t treat the citizens great nor place foreigners at the pedestal. Foreign workers such as Pinoys and PRCs should stop comparing themselves to Singaporeans. We are a small country, Singaporeans are top priority. Get that in your heads.
It is high time that SMRT relook into their
corporate strike strategy, if they have one. Strikebreaking, like striking, is
a fundamentally a political act. Also, service leader is a noble profession and SMRT should consider a
revamp on its career advertising.
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