Over 4 times more youths in Singapore, Vietnam upbeat about domestic politics than Indonesians, Thais: Survey

SINGAPORE: At least four times more youths in Singapore and Vietnam are optimistic about their countries’ political conditions as compared to Indonesia and Thailand, according to a survey by a Singapore research institute published this month. 

The study found 72.4 per cent of respondents from Singapore and 68.2 per cent from Vietnam rating their political situation as “very good” or “good”. This is over four times the 15.1 per cent of respondents in Indonesia and 16.4 per cent in Thailand who viewed their country’s political situation positively.

Among Malaysian and Filipino youths, 31.9 per cent and 25.9 per cent of respondents viewed their national politics positively. 

Singaporean and Vietnamese youths were the most optimistic and satisfied with their respective countries’ political systems, law enforcement, economic conditions and economic agenda, the survey of six Southeast Asian countries found.

The Youth and Civic Engagement in Southeast Asia survey by ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute polled 3,081 undergraduates aged 18 to 24 across Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines. 

It is the first time the institute has conducted the survey, which polled the youths online from August to October last year.

ISEAS said it targeted undergraduates for the survey as youth activism on campuses has grown over the years and students in countries such as Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines have played an instrumental role in regime change.

It hopes to include all 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries, address rural and urban differences as well as differences between degree and non-degree holders in its next level of analysis. This is the first survey in a three-year project.