Singaporeans: Politically Apathetic?

[xiahongfei]

Many singaporeans, esp. youths are perceived to be politically ignorant and apathetic. They do not know nor care to know much about their own political environment.

In a recent press conference, Ex-Education Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam told students to "ask not what you can or cannot do, but do something to make a difference instead." This political apathy among singaporeans could pose a serious threat to the political stability of singapore after the old batch of leaders pass out.

So what are your views about the political apathy among s'poreans? Are Singaporeans truly so apathetic as compared to people from other countries?

[Old Mike]

In a country where a single party has been in power since long before most of the population were born,where they are, if not affluent, certainly not starving, and where they are taught to respect authority, there would seem to be little reason to be politically active.
As Singapore does not have a welfare state, young people realise that they need to concentrate on gaining the skills they will need to support themselves, so do not waste so much time in pointless politics.
Having said that,

In the USA  Sixty-four percent of U.S. citizens age 18 and over voted in the 2004 presidential election, up from 60 percent in 2000.

In the UK voter turnout in the last election was 61.4% up from 59.4% in the 2001 election.

The turnout in the Singapore 2006 election was 56.4%.

So even in states where there is a good chance of a change in ruling party, lots of people do not bother to vote either.

[Child-Bride]

Apathy among students a Singaporean phenomenon?     Goodness me. 

[michael539]

If they can locate Iraq on a map and know in what direction the sun sets- they are ahead of the game.  -
U.S. educated cynic

[finding agent]

I thought that it was a consciously planned Machiavellian thingy to keep Singaporeans politically pathetic(sic).

The setting up of more local universities/"institutions of higher learning" is simply to keep them in line with their direction.