Public member reports alleged govt-linked survey on public sentiment in Singapore

A member of the public has come forward to share details about a survey allegedly conducted by a Singapore government ministry, aimed at gauging public sentiment on the performance of the government and its policies.

According to the individual, who participated in the survey, they were contacted by phone and asked to provide their opinions on various aspects of governance, sparking concerns about the transparency of the survey’s findings and how the data will be used.

The survey, which took approximately 10 minutes to complete, required respondents to rate their agreement or disagreement on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 representing total disagreement and 5 indicating full agreement.

The questions covered a broad range of topics, including governance, public transport, economic conditions, discrimination, and social issues. Some of the questions included:

• “In your opinion, has the Singapore government done well?”
• “The government has made my life better today compared to five years ago.”
• “Singapore is heading in the right direction.”
• “I approve of the way the Prime Minister is leading the country.”
• “Singapore has a good public transport system.”
• “How would you describe Singapore’s current economic situation?”
• “Have you ever personally experienced discrimination in your employment or job search process?”
• “How concerned are you about the cost of living situation in Singapore?”
• “Which statement reflects your opinion on having homosexuality in our society?”
• “I am comfortable with the number of foreigners in Singapore.”

The survey also explored respondents’ views on climate change, support for low-income individuals, and their media consumption habits, including the frequency of news consumption from local alternative media, mainstream media, government websites, and foreign news outlets.

Following the completion of the survey, participants were asked to provide demographic details, including their age, education, income, occupation, and religion.

The individual who shared the survey details expressed concern over whether the results of the survey would be published or kept confidential, raising questions about who would have access to the data and for what purposes it would be used.

The individual who shared the details of the survey also expressed concerns about how he was shortlisted to participate.

He questioned whether speaking out about the survey could lead to repercussions for him and his family, which is why he has chosen to remain anonymous.

Additionally, he raised fears about whether the results of the survey could be used for gerrymandering, given the potential link between his responses and his residential information given that he was called on his home number.

The lack of clarity on the publication of such survey results echoes a 2019 query by former Workers’ Party MP Mr Leon Perera, who called for the publication of every public opinion poll and data collection effort funded by the state.

At that time, Ms Sim Ann, then-Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information, responded that the government does not compile statistics on the surveys conducted by various agencies, nor does it always publish the results.

She noted that some surveys conducted by REACH, the government’s feedback unit, are periodically released on issues of public interest, but emphasized that the government does not make policy decisions or communication strategies solely based on survey results.

The issue of transparency in government-conducted surveys was further highlighted by Workers’ Party chief Mr Pritam Singh during a parliamentary speech on the President’s Address last year.

Mr Singh remarked, “The PAP knows that as long as the WP is not in government, it will never have the full breadth of considerations and access to detail the PAP is privy to – Cabinet briefings and papers, access to hundreds of classified public surveys and, of course, the intellectual and operational engine of the Civil Service.”

The recent survey, coupled with the government’s historical approach to the publication of such data, raises important questions about transparency and the role of public opinion in shaping policy decisions.

The list of questions that were posed to the member of public:

• In your opinion, has the Singapore government done well?
• The government has made my life better today compared to five years ago.
• Singapore is heading in the right direction.
• I approve of the way the Prime Minister is leading the country.
• Singapore has a good public transport system.
• Singapore’s public transport system has improved compared to five years ago.
• How would you describe Singapore’s current economic situation?
• The government has been efficient in creating jobs for Singaporeans.
• Have you ever personally experienced discrimination in your employment or job search process?
• How concerned are you about the cost of living situation in Singapore?
• The government is doing its best to ensure Singaporeans can cope with the cost of living.
• I am confident that I will be able to handle inflation this year.
• In your view, how important is it for Singapore to make addressing climate change a priority? For example, reducing carbon emissions.
• Do you do the following actions regularly, once a week?
  • Recycle (e.g., put items into the blue bin)
  • Use reusable items instead of disposables (e.g., bring your own container)
  • Buy or use green products (e.g., energy-efficient appliances)
• In general, how do you feel about foreign citizens in Singapore?
• I am comfortable with the number of foreigners in Singapore.
• The government gives priority to Singaporeans over foreigners for job opportunities.
• Which statement reflects your opinion on having homosexuality in our society?
  • I am okay with that.
  • I am okay with that, as long as I do not see homosexual behaviour or activity in public.
  • I am not okay with that.
• I am comfortable having schoolmates, colleagues, or neighbours who are openly homosexual.
• How much support do you think is being given to low-income individuals and families?
• Did you donate money to help the needy or vulnerable in the last 12 months?
• On average, how much do you consume news about current affairs and events from the following sources?
  • Local alternative media (e.g., Rice Media, Mothership)
  • Local mainstream media (e.g., TV, radio)
  • Local government websites (e.g., Gov.sg, ministers’ social media pages)
  • Local social-political sites (e.g., Wake Up Singapore, The Independent SG)
  • Foreign news sites (e.g., BBC, New York Times)
  • Social media platforms
  • Other social messaging apps or news aggregators