Abstract

This paper discusses public participation or active citizenship embodied in the Remaking of Singapore and Singapore 21 documents. It looks at the extent public participation has been incorporated in two of Singapore’s latest policy initiatives; the Integrated Resort and the Increase in Ministerial pay. The paper highlights that participation in Singapore, is “pseudo” or “partial” in character. It is guided by existing authoritarian structures and prevailing societal norms; structures and norms that have been shaped by years of Peoples’ Action Party (PAP) led involvement in the economic, political and social spheres. Under such circumstances, efforts at active citizenship and public participation would at best be gradual; an exercise that is highly contingent on the dynamic accommodation of state authority structures with that of the larger society.

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