V for Voting

It's the election fever in Singapore as Election Day is just round the corner on May 6. Yet what does it mean to vote? The concept of voting is somewhat foreign to many Singaporeans as many of them belong to constituencies that have walkovers (no contest from other political parties). Voting is a formal expression of preference for a candidate for office or for a proposed resolution of an issue. It is compulsory and your vote is secret. It is a duty of every citizen to voice how they would like their nation to be run in a democratic system.

I remember a show I watched recently called V for Vendetta which was adapted from Allan Moore's graphic novel of the same name. The plot is set against the futuristic landscape of totalitarian Britain and tells the story of a mild-mannered young woman named Evey who is rescued from a life-and-death situation by a masked vigilante known only as "V"

The charismatic V ignites a revolution when he detonates two London landmarks and takes over the government-controlled airwaves, urging his fellow citizens to rise up against tyranny and oppression, following the same steps of Guy Fawkes, a sort of terrorist of the XVII century, who wanted to blow up the English Parlament in London.

As Evey uncovers the truth about V's mysterious background, she also discovers the truth about herself - and emerges as his unlikely ally in the culmination of his plot to bring freedom and justice back to a society fraught with cruelty and corruption.

While the story may seem exaggerated, it emphasises the importance of having good governance where there are checks and balances in place in the system, so as to avoid a situation of absolute power. Ultimately in a truly democratic system, the government is elected by the people, for the people and should thus reflect the people's vision and hopes.