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1 | ‘People No Longer Trust the Government’ – This Open Letter Went Viral in Singapore | ‘Tsy Matoky Intsony Ny Governemanta Ny Vahoaka’ : Niely Be Tany Singapore ity Taratasy Misokatra ity |
2 | From the website of Catherine Lim | Avy amin'ny vohikalan'i Catherine Lim |
3 | Popular Southeast Asian novelist and Singapore-based writer Catherine Lim wrote an open letter addressed to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong bemoaning the decline of public trust in his government. | Nanoratra taratasy misokatra i Catherine Lim, mpanoratra tantara fanta-bahoaka sady mpanoratra avy any Azia Atsimo Atsinanana monina any Singapour, ho an'i Lee Hsien Loong, Praiministra, hilazàny ny alahelony momba ny fihemoran'ny fitokisan'ny vahoaka ny governemantany. |
4 | The letter became popular on the Internet and was also covered by mainstream media. | Nanjary nalaza be tamin'ny aterineto sy notaterin'ireo haino aman-jery mahazatra ny olona ilay taratasy. |
5 | It sparked a lively discussion about Singapore politics, and in particular the defamation suit filed by the prime minister against a blogger early this month. | Nahatonga adihevitra mafana sady mahaliana momba ny politika any Singapore izany ary indrindra fa ilay fanenjehana noho ny fanalam-baraka nalefan'ny Piraiminisitra tany am-piandohan'ity volana ity ho anà mpitoraka bilaogy iray. |
6 | The sudden popularity of the letter reflected the validity of the many issues raised by Lim. | Taratry ny fahamarinan'ny olana marobe avoitran'i Lim ny fiparitahan'ilay taratasy haingana be. |
7 | It also affirmed the continuing and rising active involvement of Singapore netizens on socio-political issues. | Manamafy ny mbola fandraisan'anjara mavitrik'ireo mpisera amin'ny aterineto any Singapore momba ny olana sosialy sy politika izany. |
8 | First, Lim noted that more and more people are daring to use graffiti, which carries strict punishments, including jail terms and caning under the island country's vandalism act: | Voalohany, nomarihin'i Lim fa miha-sahy ny olona manao ilay soratra amin'ny rindrina izay mahatonga sazy henjana isan'izany ny fampidirana am-ponja sy ny fikapohana amin'ny karavasy maka endrika asa fandrobàna ny firenena nosy izany : |
9 | We are in the midst of a crisis where the people no longer trust their government, and the government no longer cares about regaining their trust. | Tena ao anatin'ny krizy izay tsy itokisan'ny vahoaka intsony ny governemantany sy ny tsy firaharahian'ny governemanta ny hàka indray ny fitokisam-bahoaka intsony isika izao. |
10 | Firstly, the people are resorting to forms of high-visibility, high-risk protest never seen before, such as graffiti writ large on public buildings, persistent, strident online criticism despite stern government warnings and threats, an increased frequency of mass gatherings held at the Speakers' Corner, as well as increased hostility shown at these gatherings. She blamed the prime minister for not listening to the people: | Voalohany indrindra, miantso fanaraha-maso avo lenta ny vahoaka, hetsi-bahoaka tena sahisahy izay tsy mbola fahita hatramin'izay, toy ny lalàna naofhezina ho fohy nosoratana ngezabe aminà tranom-panjakàna, ny fitohizan'ny tsikera tena henjana amin'ny aterineto na dia eo aza ny fampitandremana sy ny fandrahonana mafy nataon'ny governemanta, ny fahatetehan'ny famoriam-bahoaka atao any amin'ny Speakers' Corner ( Zoron'ny mpiteny), tahaka izany ihany koa ny fitombon'ny fankahalana aseho any amin'ireny fivoriana ireny. |
11 | …it is ultimately your inability or unwillingness to listen to the people. | Tsinian'i Catherine ny Piraiminisitra noho ny tsy fihainoany ny vahoaka : |
12 | After your initial show of contrition and your ardent promises of change, following the shock of the General Election of 2011 (a change of heart which must have astonished as well as heartened a lot of Singaporeans like myself), your government now seems to be hardening its position and going back to the old PAP reliance on a climate of fear maintained by the deployment of the famous PAP instruments of control, notably the defamation suit. | …ny fehiny dia ny tsy fahaizanao na fandavanao tsy hihaino ny vahoaka. Taorian'ny fifonanareo sy ny fampanantenanareo mivaivay fa hiova rehefa tsy nahavoa tamin'ny fifidianana solombavam-bahoaka tamin'ny 2011 ( fiovam-po izay nanaitra sy naharisika ny ankamaroan'ny vahoakan'i Singapore toa ahy ihany koa) dia tahàka ny manamafy ny toerany sy miverina miankina indray amin'ny PAP mamboly tahotra amin'ny fanaparitahana ireo fitaovaana fanaraha-maso malazan'ny PAP, indrindra fa ny fanenjehana noho ny fanalam-baraka. |
13 | The People's Action Party or PAP is Singapore's ruling party since 1959. | Antoko eo amin'ny fitondrana hatramin'ny 1959 ny PAP na Antokon'ny Hetsi-Bahoaka. |
14 | It remained the dominant party in the 2011 elections but received fewer number of votes. | Mbola izy no antoko natanjaka tamin'ny fifidianana tamin'ny 2011 saingy vitsy ny isam-bato azony. |
15 | In recent years, many Singaporeans have been openly blaming the government for its failure to address the rising cost of living, widening income inequality, and even the increasing number of foreign migrant workers in the city state. | Tato anatin'ny taona vitsivitsy , Singaporeana maro no nanakiana ny governemanta noho ny tsy fahombiazany manoloana ny fiakatry ny vidim-piainana, ny fitombon'ny tsy fitovian'ny karama ary ny fahamaroan'ireo vahiny mpifindra monina miasa ao amin'ny tanàna. |
16 | The defamation suit was filed against a blogger who accused the prime minister of being involved in corruption without presenting evidence. | Nisy ny fitoriana an' ilay mpitoraka bilaogy izay niampanga tsy nisy porofo ny Piraiminisitra ho voarohirohy aminà kolikoly. |
17 | The blogger has already apologized but the case was not withdrawn. | Efa niala tsiny ilay mpitoraka bilaogy saingy tsy mbola nosintonina ny raharaha. |
18 | Then, Lim reminded PM Lee that young people are also interested in acquiring more rights: | Avy eo nampahatsiahivin'i Catherine ny PM Lee fa liana ihany koa ny hahazo zo misimisy kokoa ny tanora : |
19 | …the expectations of the people, especially the young, go well beyond material needs, to encompass the long denied need for freedom of expression, open debate and public assembly. | ny fanantenàn'ny olona, indrindra ny tanora dia mihoatra lavitra ny filàna ara-materialy, entina hilazàna ny filàna fahalalahana maneho hevitra efa nolavina efa hatry ny ela, ny adihevitra misokatra ary ny fivoriam-bahoaka. |
20 | What had worked well in the old era may no longer be relevant today, or worse, may even be damaging. | Mety tsy mandaitra intsony amin'izao fotoana izao, na niha-ratsy, na mety efa rava aza angamba ny zavatra nandeha tsara tamin'ny vanim-potoana taloha. |
21 | She warned the Singaporean leader that if the issue of trust is not addressed, it will lead to a political ‘meltdown': | Nampitandrina ny mpitondra Singaporeana izy fa raha toa ka tsy jerena ny olan'ny tsy fitokisana, dia mety hitarika ho korontana ara-politika izany : |
22 | This is an epochal time in Singapore's history, when one era is fading into the past, and a new one is being transitioned into. | Fotoana iray eo amin'ny tantaran'i Singapore izao, misy tantara iray vaovao hiseho rehefa voafafan'ny lasa ny teo aloha. |
23 | If the present crisis of trust is not resolved, it will become even more intractable for the next Prime Minister and the new generation of leaders, for by then the crisis would have deteriorated into meltdown. | Raha toa ka tsy voavaha io olan'ny tsy fitokisana amin'izao fotoana izao io, dia ho sarotsarotra kokoa no miandry izay Piraiminisitra sy ireo andian-taranaka vaovao ho mpitarika manaraka eo, noho izany manomboka eo dia mety hivadika korontana ilay olana. |
24 | Her letter quickly went viral. | Nalaza vetivety ny taratasin'i Catherine. |
25 | The official response came from Mr. Jacky Foo, the Consul-General of Singapore in Hong Kong, who disagreed with Lim's view that public trust is declining: | Avy amin'Atoa Jacky Foo, Kaonsily Jeneralin'i Singapore any Hong Kong izay tsy nanaiky ny fomba fijerin'i Lim momba ny fihemoran'ny fitokisan'ny vahoaka ny valinteny ôfisialy : |
26 | Of course, not all is perfect in Singapore. | Marina fa tsy lafatra avokoa ny zavatra rehetra any Singapore. |
27 | Like other developed societies, our middle class too feels the squeeze from globalisation. | Tahaka ireo fiarahamonina hafa mandroso, dia mahatsiaro ho voaterin'ny fanatontoloana ihany koa ny saranga antonony eto amintsika. |
28 | The government has openly acknowledged the problems of income inequality and slowing social mobility. | Niaiky ampahibemaso ny olan'ny tsy fitovian'ny karama sy ny fihisatry ny fivezivezena ara-tsosialy ny governemanta. |
29 | It has done much to overcome them, and is doing more in a sustainable and responsible, not populist, way. | Efa nanao ezaka maro ry zareo mba hihoarana azy ireny, ary amin'ny fomba maharitra sy tompon'andraikitra, fa tsy amin'ny fidehadehafana hakàna fon'olona. |
30 | That is why trust in government in Singapore remains high. | Izany no mbola maha-ambony ihany ny fitokisana ny governemantan'i Singapore. |
31 | He also defended the defamation suit filed by PM Lee against a blogger: | Narovany ihany koa ilay fanenjehana noho ny fanalam-baraka nataon'ny PM ilay mpitoraka bilaogy : |
32 | Ms Lim is also wrong to claim that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's defamation suit against a blogger will further erode trust. On the contrary, Mr Lee acted because the government prizes integrity as the ultimate source of the trust it enjoys. | Diso ihany koa Rtoa Lim amin'ny filazàna fa mandrava tsikelikely ny fifampitokisana ilay fanenjehana ilay mpitoraka bilaogy nataon'ny Piraiminisitra Lee Hsien Loong noho ny fanalam-baraka, ny mifanohitra amin'izany aza no misy, nataon'Atoa Lee izany fihetsika izany satria omen'ny governemanta lanja ho toy ny loharanon'ny fitokisana izay isalorany ny fahamarinana. |
33 | A leader who does nothing when he is accused of criminally misappropriating monies from the state pension system must engender mistrust in his honesty and leadership. | Ny mpitarika izay tsy mihetsika rehefa ampangaina ho nanao fanodikodinam-bola goavana tao amin'ny volam-panjakana no tsy maintsy mahatonga ny fisalasalàna ny amin'ny fahamarinany sy ny fahaizany mitarika. |
34 | Lim replied to Foo and emphasized that ‘mistrust is very real': | Novalian'i Lim i Foo ary nohamafisiny fa ‘tena zava-misy marina ny tsy fitokisana' : |
35 | I would like to point out that the mistrust is very real, even if it only involves a minority. | Tiako ho tsindriana fa tena zava-misy marina ny tsy fitokisana, na dia olom-bitsy ihany aza no voakasik'izany. |
36 | Mr Foo commented on my long history as a complainer. | Tsikerain'Atoa Foo ho toy ny fitarainana ny tantara lava nosoratako. |
37 | I have been writing political commentaries for 20 years now. | Efa ho 20 taona izao no nanoratako tsikera ara-politika. |
38 | Their central theme is the need for a robust, trusting relationship between the government and the people, which, I strongly believe, is the only guarantee for a small country to survive in an increasingly perilous world. | Ny filàna fifampitokisana matanjaka amin'ny mpitondra sy ny vahoaka no fototra ijoroany, izay inoako marimarina fa hany antoka hahafahan'ny firenena bitika iray hivelona eo anivonà tontolo iray izay miha-ratsy hatrany hatrany. |
39 | In response to Catherine's letter, former Straits Times editor Bertha Henson agreed on the point about how Singapore politics has been reduced into a mere ‘transaction' between leaders and citizens: | Ho valin'ny taratasin'i Catherine dia neken' ilay tonian-dahatsoratra fahiny tao amin'ny Straits Times, Bertha Henson, ny teboka momba ny fomba niovan'ny politika any Singapore ho ‘fandraharahàna' tsotra eo amin'ny mpitarika sy ny mponina : |
40 | The relationship between ruler and ruled has become a transaction. | Manjary fandraharahàna ny fifandraisana eo amin'ny mpitondra sy ny entina. |
41 | Leaders are just contractors whom we pay to do a good job. | Ny mpitarika no mpanao fifanarahana izay karamaintsika hanao asa tsara. |
42 | When there's a good job done, we think that's what they should be doing anyway since we pay them so well. | Rehefa misy asa tsara vita dia heverintsika fa izay no tokony ataon-dry zareo satria isikano mandoa ny volan'izy ireo. |
43 | And when anything bad happens, we become very unforgiving because we think they are not worth their pay. | Fa rehefa misy ny tsy mety dia tsy milefitra isika satria heverintsika fa tsy mendrika ny vola aloa aminy ry zareo. |
44 | Also because we PAY them, there's little respect. | Satria koa MANDOA KARAMA ho azy isika, dia misy ny fifanajana kely. |
45 | I know one reason for high pay is to keep our politics “clean”. | Antony iray fantatro fa andraisana karama ambony dia ny fanaovana politika ‘madio'. |
46 | But I think it has come at the expense of trust and regard that people have for political leaders. | Nefa heveriko fa lasa ambony noho ny fitokisana sy ny fanajan'ny vahoaka ireo mpitarika politika ilay izy. |
47 | Now which is more important? | Iza no zava-dehibe kokoa amin'izao fotoana izao ? |
48 | Interestingly, PM Lee published an open letter by an unnamed social worker on his Facebook page when Lim's letter became viral. | Mahavariana, navoakan'ny PM Lee tao amin'ny Facebook-ny ny taratasy misokatra iray izay nosoratanà mpiasa iray tsy mitonona anarana rehefa niely be ilay an'i Lim. |
49 | The letter sender praised the government and assured PM Lee that majority of Singaporeans continue to support his leadership: | Nidera ny governemanta sy nanome toky ny PM Lee ilay mpandefa taratasy fa mbola manohy manohana ny fahaizany mitarika ny ankamaroan'ny Singaporeana : |
50 | I am glad I am a Singaporean. | Faly aho, Singaporeana aho. |
51 | I am thankful that my government is thoughtful and far-sighted. | Velom-pisaorana aho fa mandinika tsara sy mitsinjo lavitra ny governemantako. |
52 | I hope it will bring you some comfort that not all Singaporeans think like Roy Ngerng and the other activists who are overly self-righteous in the ways they challenge the government. | Antenaiko fa mitondra fampaherezana kely ho anareo ny hoe tsy ny Singaporeana rehetra no hisaina toa an'i Roy Ngerng ary ireo mpikatroka mafàna fo hafa izay tsy mety milefitra amin'ny fombany mihantsy ‘ny governemanta. |