iGov: The Singapore Model for Online Intersection Between Government and Public

Barack Obama didn't launch the first government effort to experiment with online feedback from the public. In Singapore, new media has been revolutionizing the ways in which the state and citizens communicate with one another. Citizens are demanding more; they are no longer content with having periodic interactions with policy-makers and the government through the ballot box. Instead, citizens seek to make their opinions on public issues heard through online technologies, whether or not the government cares to hear them. Governments around the world are coming to grips with this change. and many are rethinking the way they reach out to their constituents.

From Computerization to Convergence to Engagement




This page will examine the ways in which the the government of Singapore attempts to engage its citizens who use the new media extensively. The Government-citizen online relationship promises to progress beyond information dissemination and retrieval, to an active engagement in the policy-making process.

The Government has embarked on a series of initiatives to harness the full benefits of information communication technologies. Beginning with the computerization of the Civil Service in the 1980s, the most recent iteration of the plan, iGov2010, has several specific objectives. It seeks to expand and hasten the integration of online services that will bring about a more “connected” Government. and to leverage on the available information communication technologies to enhance national competitive advantages. One of the new specific thrusts of this initiative is to elevate the scope for the online participation and engagement of citizens in policy-making. This augments and complements existing efforts by various government agencies attempting to engage their constituents online.

Public Consultation on Policy Making




REACH (Reaching Everyone for Active Citizenry@Home) was set up in October 2006 as the lead agency for engaging and connecting with citizens. Its online portal allows citizens to give their feedback on any issue, as well as to participate in the online forum to discuss their take on these issues with one another. It is also the repository for public consultation papers from all Government ministries and agencies. Citizens can view these papers online and give their opinions and suggestions on the proposed policies.
Examples of the latest public consultation papers:
“Working draft on Integration of healthcare services-role of primary care” by the Ministry of Health
“Public Consultation on Casino Exclusion Measures” by the National Council on Problem Gambling


Community Engagement




Government agencies also seek to engage citizens on community-based issues and interests.
The National Heritage Board fronts a blog, Yesterday.sg, that shares information and news on Singapore’s history, heritage buildings and monuments, museums, etc. It also encourages fans of similar interests to sign up as members and post on the blog to share their thoughts, pictures and recommendations.

The Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports is behind Youth.sg, an online portal for Singapore youths as a platform for them to get more resources and information on community projects. The aim is to facilitate link-ups to experienced resource persons or organisations that can guide or partner them, resources for starting a youth organisation, etc. The eventual goal is for the portal to become an online space where a network of community-oriented youth can emerge and thrive.

Politicians get on the bandwagon

One of FM Yeo's blogs

Minister for Foreign Affairs, George Yeo, is the first Cabinet minister to officially post his personal thoughts online. He guest-blogs on two blogs (Beyond SG and a writer’s blog) and shares his thoughts on current events and his experiences during his official trips abroad. Members of Parliament (MP) are much more active in the blogosphere. A group of MPs from the
People’s Action Party share a blog to post their thoughts on current issues.

Nominated MP, Siew Kum Hong, shares his thoughts and experiences and parliamentary speeches on www.siewkumhong.blogspot.com, where he also tries to “demystify” the parliamentary process for his readers. Both Mr/ Yeo and Mr. Siew also have Facebook accounts.




Online Grassroots Activism




Singaporeans have used the Internet to champion causes, especially the ones that the mainstream media is likely to ignore. In the realm of public policy, one that was fairly well organized and supported was the one to repeal Section 377a of the Penal Code, which criminalizes sex between men. Repeal 377a is a website set up by the gay community and its supporters to lobby for this section to be removed from the Penal Code, when a slew of other wide-ranging changes were to be tabled and passed in Parliament on 17 September 2007. An open letter to the Prime Minister that was posted on the website garnered more than 8000 signatories. A group of local actors and actresses teamed up to shoot a video (below) to support the repeal of Section 377a.




The sustained lobbying, which was helped in large part through the website and social networking sites. did bring about concrete results. Nominated Member of Parliament, Siew Kum Hong, submitted a formal parliamentary petition for members to address this issue. Several MPs of the ruling party also departed from the party’s stance by voicing support for the repeal, citing moral and legal inconsistencies. In the end, Parliament chose to retain Section 377a. The Prime Minister explained that as Singaporeans were generally socially conservative, many still find it unacceptable to repeal the law in question. Nonetheless, he reassured the gay community that the law would not be actively enforced and gays will have their space in society. While the gay community expressed disappointment at the decision, they were also encouraged by the public support they received through their online outreach efforts and the politicians who stood up for them in Parliament.

Going Forward
While the direction towards embracing e-engagement is a positive one, there are several key points to keep in mind. First, the depth and scope of e-engagement efforts by the government have to keep up with the development of online technologies. Second, the current nature of e-engagement in the form of public consultation remains initiated and controlled by the government. It sets the agenda on which participants can discuss and contribute to. Despite some encouraging examples such as the lobby to repeal Section 377a, there is still a lack of online discourse on public policy issues initiated from the ground up that the government takes seriously.

Although there are many avenues through which citizens can participate in the public policy process. such as speaking to their elected MPs, intensifying e-engagement efforts cannot slacken. With an increasing number of digital natives (who will lead the country in the years to come), it is important for the government to reach out to them on their “home turf”. The lack of an effort to establish a government presence in e-engagement can potentially lead to a disenfranchised and apathetic generation.

Additional links

Advisory Council on the Impact of New Media on Society (AIMS): A panel convened by the Singapore government to study the far-reaching social, ethical, legal and regulatory implications of a rapidly growing Interactive Digital Media (IDM) sector. The panel has made recommendations to the government on how these issues should be managed while keeping pace with the development of IDM in Singapore.

Media Development Authority (MDA) : The regulatory agency for media content and information, including online media. The regulatory framework for Internet publishing is posted here.



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Regina Tan