By Zakir Hussain

ANOTHER reason Singaporeans feel hot and bothered over the citizenship issue is the perception that they do not have any rights that are uniquely theirs, and that PRs seem to have the same rights but without the attendant responsibilities and obligations.

IPS' Dr Leong finds that in absolute and quantifiable terms, the amount of privileges and rights for citizens versus PRs remains highly favourable for Singapore citizens.

He notes that there was little distinction in benefits between the two categories before policy changes in 2007.

That year, the hospital subsidy PRs enjoyed was reduced by five percentage points. Last year, it was reduced by a further five percentage points.

Hospital subsidies for foreign workers, previously the same as for citizens, were also slashed to zero.

Tertiary education fees for PRs and foreigners were raised.

Yet, some people argue that tossing up all these hard facts does not quite address the wider concerns and worries of citizens who feel they have few special rights as one.

In a 1950 essay on citizenship that continues to be widely cited, British sociologist T.H. Marshall noted that citizenship confers on a citizen three kinds of rights.

The first is civil rights such as the right to free speech, to own property, to freedom of religion and to equality before the law.

The second is political rights such as the right to vote and to stand for office.

The third is social rights such as the right to education, housing and protection against poverty.

To public law expert Kevin Tan, Singaporeans have some grounds when they feel they do not have enough of these rights due to them as citizens.

'If you say you are a citizen, the most blatant right is the right to vote, but because of the GRC system, there are a large number of Singaporeans who have never voted in their life. As a result, they do not feel they are citizens in the political sense,' he says.

Associate Professor Straughan adds that many Singaporeans have not had the opportunity to exercise the right to vote because of the lack of opposition.

'If you actively voted a government in, it will be in your vested interest to support that government and ensure that the governance will be a success. But if you did not exercise that right, there is a high likelihood that you may end up just watching from the sidelines and throwing in criticisms whenever you deem appropriate,' she says.

She believes there is a greater need for the Government to engage voters, and hopes concerned citizens will likewise take advantage of the available platforms to engage the Government.

Dr Tan acknowledges that citizens have some exclusive rights, such as the right to speak freely at Speakers' Corner, but says these are not tangible enough. Political leaders have maintained repeatedly that politics remains the preserve of citizens.

'If citizens can stage protests, without a permit, everywhere, that is something else,' he says. 'If you feel you are empowered, then you are more likely to feel this country belongs to you.'

As for social rights, there is a growing perception that PRs enjoy many of the same rights citizens have, albeit with restrictions.

These include the right to live in subsidised HDB housing, even if PRs can buy only resale flats, and the right to significant subsidies in areas like education.

Dr Tan believes that citizens are clamouring for more rights because they feel hard done by policies that entitle PRs to a slice of the benefits they receive as citizens - and they feel these privileges make life harder for Singaporeans as a result.

Many new PRs tend to be mid-career professionals who join the middle class and upper-middle class. So when they clinch their pink IC, they would receive about the same benefits as born-and-bred citizens, even though the latter have gone through national service and paid a lifetime of taxes.

Observers, however, reject a differentiation between various groups of citizens, as this would create a category of 'second-class citizens'. As Prof Straughan puts it: 'A democracy will protect every citizen equally.'

This article was first published in The Straits Times

» ST graphics: Quek Hong Shin

Other Pink vs Blue stories:

» Minding the gap

» The numbers game

» Balancing needs of both camps