As Singaporean youths seek greater political engagement and a level playing field, Alvin Tan, the newly appointed Chairperson of Young PAP (YP), emphasised that is important that the People’s Action Party (PAP) provides space for youths to challenge its stances and adjust when critiques are reasonable.
In an interview with Petir, Mr Tan acknowledged that youths have expressed a desire for a fairer society and a contestation of ideas. He therefore stressed that it was crucial for the PAP to continue to present values, ideas and solutions to address challenges faced by our youths, while providing platforms for youths to actively engage and critique and contest proposals.
“It’s now more important than ever that the PAP continues to present a set of values, ideas, and solutions to the challenges youths face. And then articulate them, put them out there, and allow youths to challenge them,” he said.
Mr Tan outlined three key actions the Party must confidently undertake: First, the Party must be receptive to criticisms. Second, it must defend its positions if they are deemed robust. Third, the Party should be “humble enough to make tweaks” when reasonable and relevant critiques are raised.
“It is important to allow for their voices to come in, to adjust, and then to show that we are adjusting,” he continued. “By doing that, it allows us to be more open to the youths. They’ll see that PAP is not monolithic or rigid, but in fact flexible. We can challenge their ideas, and if they’re able to convince us with their response, we can move ahead together.”
However, he emphasised that the Party must have political courage to push through policies it deems crucial for the nation’s future.
Mr Tan recounted how our founding Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, had previously acknowledged the rambunctiousness of youth. Mr Lee then expressed hope that young people would understand the rationale behind certain decisions made by their leaders.
“We must continue to uphold that ethos and values to ensure that we make decisions that benefit not only the youths of today, but also the youths of tomorrow. The proof of the pudding is in the effectiveness of our policies and how Singapore is like today.”
With the changing world order, Mr Tan noted that Singapore today might not be the same tomorrow or in five or ten years. He hopes our youths continue to understand that Singapore has no inherent right to survive. “We survive by our wits, our ability to coordinate, and our ability to execute”.
“My generation, although relatively young, must continue to inspire the next generation to subscribe to these ideals and carry them forward. That is the key to a sustainable and relevant YP, and a sustainable and relevant party. Hopefully, this will translate to a sustainable, relevant, and competitive Singapore that we all love.”
YP’s new district-based structure positions the group well to engage youths: Alvin Tan
In June 2024, the Party underwent an exercise to refresh itself. It promised to engage more widely with Singaporeans, including through new channels, to foster two-way dialogue. YP uses different platforms to engage diverse youth groups including new graduates, working individuals, and young parents.
The challenge and opportunity for YP lies in maintaining a broad base, which the new district-based structure will help achieve, Mr Tan explained.
“Different districts have different characters. They will have different youths with different experiences. This will allow YP to be flexible. YP leaders – district advisors, district chairs and regional chairs – can then have autonomy to engage the youth. This will be helpful,” Mr Tan explained. “They can share ideas and feedback across districts. This facilitates cross-pollination and brings consolidated input to the headquarters.”
He added: “This approach allows us to be more nimble, more able to receive and act on feedback. This positions us well to engage our youth [effectively].”
Youths are the future of the party: Alvin Tan
Before becoming the chairperson, Mr Tan served as an advisor to the YP. He had the opportunity to guide the executive committee of the group across diverse areas like mental wellbeing, sustainability, animal welfare, support for the vulnerable, and jobs and the future.
He remarked: “I was struck by the YP leaders’ passion for these issues, their sharpness in dissecting them, and their ability to articulate them, present them to MPs who then raised them in Parliament and make tangible impact on policy.”
Mr Tan shared that YP will continue this work while augmenting its leadership, a critical aspect of renewing the Party.
“PAP Secretary-General Lawrence Wong mentioned that it is “incumbent upon the PAP” to continually look for new people to refresh [its ranks] and steward the next generation. The YP is crucial in this mission for the PAP.”
When asked about the challenge of engaging Singaporean youths in politics, Mr Tan highlighted that Singaporean youths are no longer politically apathetic.
He said: “They are, in fact, politically savvy. They have agency and choice. They are looking at what the PAP and other parties are doing. Are we doing it right? Are we true to the PAP’s values of incorruptibility and meritocracy? Are we able to transform ideas into action? They are looking at all parties, and the PAP must continue to show up.”
He emphasised the importance of keeping the PAP relevant and attractive to youths.
“What’s key is showing that our values translate into action,” he said. “How does it impact our broader [effort to] refresh PAP? This is integral because youths are the future of the party.”
He stressed that Young PAP must ensure youths continue to believe in the Party and its principles, while seeing the principles reflected in its actions. “Only then can we remain relevant and welcoming to a new generation of youths. And that’s critical to the renewal of the party for generations to come.”
Alvin Tan encourages young S’poreans to join the party and shape a better future for S’pore
Concluding the interview, Mr Tan urged young Singaporeans to join Young PAP and voice their views if they have ideas, concerns, or suggestions for improving the community, the PAP, or Singapore as a whole.
He said: “Join us. Offer your views, challenge some of the policies that we have, and have an open dialogue with us. Allow us to share and defend our positions, but also be open to those comments and suggestions.”
“[Together], we can forge policies, build a community, and [shape] a Singapore that we all love and want to do better, moving into the future.”
