Excitement, apprehension for first-time voters

SINGAPORE — While bread-and-butter issues matter most to first-time voters this General Election, they are also concerned with broader issues related to the direction of Singapore’s political landscape — including the kind of country the Republic should strive to be, society’s maturity and the quality of the Opposition.

Voting for the first time

This election, 110,000 Singaporeans, or 4.5 per cent of nearly 2.46 million eligible voters, will be heading to the polls for the first time.

In interviews with more than 70 first-time voters born in or after 1990, many told TODAY they were experiencing mixed feelings of excitement and apprehension as the national significance of their vote dawns on them.

“As a first-time voter, it’s a memorable moment to be able to decide and have a stake in it ... It’s our country, after all,” said lawyer Grace Morgan, 25.

Others expressed uncertainty about the future.

“This election is turning out to be one that is full of surprises. There is no longer total dominance by the ruling party, and so there is definitely a level playing field for Opposition parties, compared to the past few elections,” said Mr Kenji Kwok, 24, a communications undergraduate at Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

Savvy, engaged and critical, these young voters are tuning in to the election campaigns via a mix of mainstream and social media, relying heavily on online sources for research on the topics raised at the hustings.

“I keep up-to-date on the issues discussed primarily through articles shared by friends on Facebook. Often, I encounter issues that I do not yet understand, and would proceed to learn more about the situation by reading other related articles or (by browsing) ministry websites. It also helps that I have a few friends doing political science at NUS (National University of Singapore) whom I get to debate with over contentious issues,” said 24-year-old undergraduate Linus Lim.

Some, however, were less than excited, saying they were disappointed by the quality of the debate as it has been far too focused on the finances of the Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC). There has also been too much political jousting and mud-slinging among the parties, they added.

“They like to go back to the same old issues. The PAP (People’s Action Party) likes to recount what it did over the past five years, while the WP (Workers’ Party) keeps debating the AHPETC issue ... The focus isn’t so much on concrete plans they hope to push out,” said management trainee Deborah Loh, 23.

Making the choice

A common refrain among young voters is that they will cast their votes based on the calibre of the candidates and the policies they propose. Many also hope to see more sincere and down-to-earth politicians in Parliament.

“I’ll be looking for (those with) strong professional experience, robustness of opinions and, if relevant, their performance in Parliament,” said Ms Yuen Tingyi, 25.

These are qualities millennials place great store by, said Assistant Professor Woo Jun Jie of the Public Policy and Global Affairs Programme at NTU’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences. “Millennials tend to be more critical and lean more to the left, due to greater exposure to global media and ideas. Also, (their) brand loyalty tends to rank lower than (those of) their older counterparts.”

He added: “Young voters are increasingly concerned with less tangible issues such as representativeness, social justice and equality, animal welfare and so on,” he added.

Bread-and-butter issues

But despite their idealism, the key concerns of these first-time voters are likely not so different from those of people in their 30s or 40s, or even those of their parents, said Singapore Management University (SMU) Associate Law Professor Eugene Tan.

“Issues like cost of living, job security, healthcare costs, immigration and affordability of public housing are high on their agenda, just like other Singaporeans,” he explained.

Indeed, among those interviewed, the rising cost of living emerged as the key area of concern, followed by education and immigration.

The unspoken question behind their concerns: Can I have gainful employment that will enable me to keep up with the rising cost of living in an increasingly competitive environment?

For graphic designer Muhammad Iskandar Shah Burhannudin, 24, the main concern was that his diploma would be insufficient to land him a quality job. He wants to pursue a degree, but hopes subsidies will be made available to those like him, who want to further their studies but cannot afford to do so right now as they need to support their families.

For some, a stable job, even if it pays well, is not enough.

“I’m beginning to see how people are beginning to take the path less travelled and yet they’re still able to succeed,” said Mr Lee Wei Chen, a 23-year-old who is majoring in business at SMU. “Who knows? We could see more people being a dancer or film-maker, or embarking on more start-ups ... I hope the Government can support more such ventures.”

Young voters also set great store by ideals such as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights; advocating for victims of human trafficking; the plight of groups such as the Rohingya; and Opposition representation in Parliament.

However, many recognise that society might not be ready for them yet.

“Singapore is still quite young, and people mostly care about the material, bread-and-butter issues ... ,” said Ms Tan Pei En, 23. “(Society) is not mature enough to take on this debate.”

On the composition of Parliament, many of those interviewed did not believe in having an Opposition for opposition’s sake.

“I do not agree with ESM (Emeritus Senior Minister) Goh Chok Tong that the party can check itself — it is a hopeless endeavour ... ,” said 23-year-old Seow Siew Hwee, who majors in political science at NUS. “Ultimately, party members will echo one another’s views in the end no matter how much discontent there may exist.

“I wish for a truly democratic system where the Opposition can credibly check and balance the Government, and provide genuine, well-thought-out alternative voices and policies,” she added.