Chan Chun Sing rejects Jamus Lim's proposal for enhanced transparency in electoral boundary review

Summary

The speaker addresses the issue of electoral districting, advocating for a fair and transparent system that avoids gerrymandering. They emphasize the importance of an electoral boundary review committee (EBRC) that operates independently of political parties, ensuring neutrality and objectivity. The discussion also touches on the potential for both intentional and unintentional gerrymandering, and the speaker proposes the use of scientifically supported tools to create benchmark maps. They question the PMO's stance on adopting such an approach and highlight the need for the EBRC to serve the interests of the people and Singapore, rather than political parties.

Takeaways

• 🗳️ The speaker acknowledges the imperfections in electoral districting systems but argues for improvements to achieve fairness and public perception of fairness.
• 🌐 The speaker suggests that benchmarking current electoral boundaries against mathematically sound models can enhance transparency and acceptance.
• 🤔 There is a call to question the underlying political values that lead to concerns about intentional gerrymandering, which can diminish the weight of certain voters' voices.
• 🗣️ The speaker emphasizes the importance of ensuring that all citizens' voices are heard equally in a modern democracy.
• 🏛️ The speaker describes the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) as an independent and objective body, free from party politics.
• 🛡️ The EBRC's composition and processes are designed to be insulated from political interference, unlike in other countries.
• 👨‍⚖️ Suggestions to involve a high court judge to enhance the EBRC's independence are considered but deemed insufficient to prevent political interference.
• 🔍 The speaker distinguishes between intentional and unintentional gerrymandering, with the former being assuredly absent in the EBRC's approach.
• 📊 The proposal to use scientifically supported tools to produce benchmark maps is presented as a method to counteract potential unintentional gerrymandering.
• 🤝 The speaker invites consideration of whether the EBRC should serve political parties' interests or the broader interests of the people and Singapore.
• 🌟 The primary goals for Singapore and Singaporeans are identified as having MPs who can take care of, represent, and form a functioning government to look after the nation's interests.

Q & A

What is the primary goal of the electoral boundary review committee (EBRC) according to the script?

The primary goal of the EBRC is to serve the interests of the people and Singaporeans, ensuring that every electoral division is a microcosm of the nation, reflecting national interests and not just sectoral interests.

How does the EBRC ensure independence and objectivity in its work?

The EBRC is composed of senior civil servants with no party allegiance, and it does not have access to voting information. It operates independently and objectively without consulting any political party, thus avoiding party politics and gerrymandering.

What is the speaker's stance on the use of mathematical models in electoral boundary delimitation?

The speaker is open to the idea of using mathematical models to adjust electoral boundaries, as long as it is uninformed by actual voting preferences and aims to create a microcosm of Singapore in each electoral division.

What are the two forms of gerrymandering mentioned in the script?

The two forms of gerrymandering mentioned are intentional and unintentional. Intentional gerrymandering is purposefully manipulated for political advantage, while unintentional gerrymandering occurs naturally through population movements and may inadvertently affect electoral outcomes.

Why does the speaker believe that involving all political parties in the EBRC's process could be counterproductive?

Involving all political parties could politicize the entire process, leading to horse trading and gerrymandering, which would move the process backwards rather than forwards, away from the goal of serving the interests of the people.

What concerns does the speaker express about having a high court judge oversee the EBRC?

The speaker is concerned that a high court judge's involvement could politicize the judiciary, leading to debates about who appoints the judge and whether the judge has any political leaning or bias, which could undermine the independence of the electoral boundary delimitation process.

How does the speaker define fairness in the context of electoral boundary delimitation?

Fairness, according to the speaker, is defined by the process rather than the outcome. It is about ensuring that the process is transparent, objective, and serves the interests of all Singaporeans equally.

What is the speaker's view on the importance of transparency in electoral boundary delimitation?

The speaker believes that benchmarking existing electoral boundaries against those that have passed mathematical muster will improve transparency and make the maps more acceptable to everyone involved.

What is the speaker's opinion on the role of the EBRC in ensuring that the voices of all citizens are heard equally?

The speaker emphasizes that the EBRC should aim to ensure that the voices of all citizens are heard equally, reflecting the democratic aspiration of giving equal weight to the votes of those living in different geographies.

What suggestions does the speaker make to improve the electoral boundary delimitation process?

The speaker suggests introducing scientifically supported tools to produce benchmark maps as a reference, and exploring various models to ensure that the electoral divisions are a fair representation of the national pattern.

How does the speaker address the issue of unintentional gerrymandering?

The speaker acknowledges the possibility of unintentional gerrymandering due to natural movements in the electorate and suggests the use of mathematical models to adjust the boundaries to mitigate this risk.