678 members of New Naratif’s community responded to stage 2 of The Citizens’ Agenda, and they were very clear about the biggest issues facing Singapore and what they want politicians to talk about at the next election.
Author Archives: Thum Ping Tjin
Thum Ping Tjin (“PJ”) is Managing Director of New Naratif and a historian at the University of Oxford. A Rhodes Scholar, Commonwealth Scholar, Olympic athlete, and the only Singaporean to swim the English Channel, his work centres on Southeast Asian governance and politics. His most recent work is Living with Myths in Singapore (Ethos: 2017, co-edited with Loh Kah Seng and Jack Chia). Reach him at pingtjin.thum@newnaratif.com.
Posted inResearch
The 28 Most Important Issues Facing Singapore
In Stage 1 of The Citizens’ Agenda, New Naratif asked Singaporeans readers what they think are the most important issues facing Singapore, and what they’d like political candidates to talk about in the next general election. Here’s what our readers said (and didn’t say).
Posted inExplainer
Singapore’s “Fake News” Bill: The FAQ
The Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Bill—meant to tackle “fake news” in Singapore—has received criticism from local civil society, international rights groups, and tech companies. But what’s in the Bill, and what are the concerns?
Posted inPodcast
The Spectre Haunting Singapore’s People’s Action Party
What is “Operation Coldstore”––the 1963 arrest and detention without trial of over 112 opposition politicians, trade unionists, and political activists on grounds of a communist conspiracy––for its role in Malayan history, how it has shaped Singapore’s governance, and why it matters to the ruling party. The lecture then examines the current political economy of control in Singapore and what these controversies reveal about the nature of People’s Action Party governance today.
Posted inPodcast
Political Agenda — “Fake News”, Foreign Interference, and Freedom of Expression
It’s been about a year since Singapore’s Select Committee on Deliberate Online Falsehoods held its open hearings. Although no Bills have yet been tabled, Singapore is expecting legislation to deal with “fake news” and foreign interference. But what would their impact be?
Posted inPodcast
Southeast Asia Dispatches — Episode 14
This week, Adam Bemma takes a look at the political parties running in Thailand’s general election, Laura McDowell profiles Timor-Leste’s first blind radio broadcaster, PJ Thum interviews Andreas Harsono of Human Rights Watch about Indonesia’s internet law, and Michael Tatarski reflects upon covering the Trump-Kim Summit in Hanoi.
Posted inPodcast
In Conversation with James Minchin
Thum Ping Tjin sits down with James Minchin, author of “No Man Is An Island: A Portrait of Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew”, to talk about his life in Singapore, his experience writing the book, his ban from Singapore, and his reflections on Singapore’s politics today.
Posted inPodcast
Southeast Asia Dispatches — Episode 13
This week, Kirsten Han invites us to lunch with Singapore’s Old Left, Mike Tatarski looks at the effects of Vietnam’s booming tourism industry, PJ Thum talks to Cambodian feminist Eng Chandy, and James Rose reflects upon efforts to clean up Thailand’s fishing industry.
Posted inPodcast
The Singapore Narrative(s): Old and New
In its 60 years in power, the People’s Action Party has used three, very starkly different, official historical narratives. In this lecture, PJ Thum explains this historiography and how the current narrative aims to legitimise the continued subjugation of Singaporeans, weaponise nationalism, and perpetuate colonial mindsets.
Posted inPodcast
The Highest Stage of Colonialism?
A lecture that our Managing Director PJ Thum delivered at Stanford University in October. He discusses Singapore’s political development and evolution under the ruling People’s Action Party, how this history has shaped and constrained the current government and politics in Singapore, and how this fits into contemporary Southeast Asia.