MARUAH, a Singapore-based human rights non-governmental organization (NGO), has released a position paper suggesting that the GRC system should be scrapped.
MARUAH is an NGO that advocates human rights with a focus on the right to vote and having free and fair elections.
It proposed that an alternative Ethnic Balancing Contingency System (EBCS) should be put in place instead of the current GRC system.
MARUAH explained that while the current GRC system was put in place with the aim of improving ethnic minority representation, it also had a number of serious side effects such as creating an uneven playing field between the PAP and opposition parties and the possibility for ‘free-riding’ MPs to gain seats.
It also explained that the GRC system did not dramatically improve ethnic minority representation and it also had the effect of reducing the need to hold by-elections which the PAP is more likely to lose.
They addressed the fact that there is no proof to indicate that Singaporeans vote along ethnic lines, so there is little need to protect against such a situation.
Pointing out these flaws, MARUAH suggested that the GRC system should be scrapped, but some protections should still be in place in case the worse-case scenario occurs and there is insufficient minority representation.
It suggested that SMCs be reinstated island-wide to eliminate GRCs. However, parties contesting elections would have to ensure that they had at least a specified number of minority candidates.
Then, after fair elections are held, if it turns out that there is an under-representation of minorities, the best performing losing ethnic minority candidates should become MPs not associated with any particular wards to make up the quota.
This would ensure fairer elections without the chance of free riders, and would still have sufficient protections to ensure that minority voices are still heard.