Guardian.co.uk, 10 May 2011Something extraordinary happened in Singapore in May 2011. It was not that the prime minister dissolved parliament and called for general elections. Neither was it that, for the first time since independence, a majority of Singaporeans got to vote.
Instead, a populace finally tired of living under an authoritarian system and of constantly being told how good their rulers were and that their rule was a right and not a privilege.
The Singapore Democratic party (SDP), of which I am leader, was one of the six opposition parties that contested the ruling Peoples' Action party (PAP). We saw an unprecedented surge in the number of people coming forward to volunteer their help. Medical professionals, lawyers, educators, managers and students, poured forth and came into our office by the hundreds. I could see one message written all over their faces: "We have had enough, we want change!" Full story
