This is a letter sent to us by a TOC reader.
This year’s General Elections is probably one of the most exciting Singapore has ever seen. For the first time ever, 14 out of 15 Group Representative Constituencies (GRCs) and a total of 12 Single Member Constituencies (SMCs) are contesting, with the glaring exception of Tanjong Pagar, the GRC headed by none other than the illustrious Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew and a few unknowns, amongst them an overnight Member of Parliament (MP).
Tanjong Pagar GRC was formed in 1991 and has since been uncontested. As it stands today, the GRC boasts a total of 139,738 non-voters, a drop from 2006, which saw 148,141 non-voters. So it seems that there is one less MP – 5 now as compared to 6 in 2006 – in the Tanjong Pagar team this year to make up for the 8403 drop in the number of electors. Placatory move, I wonder? That the electoral boundaries and the number of MPs running for each ward are given to such capriciousness is surprising, considering that the country’s leaders pride themselves on being one of the least corrupt and most stable in the world. Residents in each GRC have absolutely no idea how, when and why they are put in this GRC and whether or not the same set of MPs would be serving them for the next 5 years, despite their ministers pledging all forms of support at the start of each election campaign.
Chia Shi-Lu (credit: Asiaone)
In 2006 for example, the Tanjong Pagar team was made up of Baey Yam Keng, Indranee Thurai Rajah, Koo Tsai Kee, Lee Kuan Yew, Lui Tuck Yew and Tan Chin Siong. In 2011, we have Indranee Thurai Rajah, Lee Kuan Yew, Lily Neo, Chan Chun Sing and Chia Shi-Lu, the last two being the newest, a former Chief of the Singapore Army and the latter an orthopaedic surgeon. Mr Baey Yam Keng was conveniently and abruptly taken out of the GRC to be teleported to Tampines to replace a new candidate who suddenly stepped down supposedly due to “misconduct”. In Mr Baey’s place, came the surgeon who was hitherto that fateful day, really just one of our needful healthcare professionals.
Another great mystery would be just how elusive and fluid the electoral boundaries are. This year, Tiong Bahru GRC was blatantly absorbed into Tanjong Pagar GRC. When we analyse the resident profile in Tiong Bahru, we would realise that more young people have moved in. Tiong Bahru is one of Singapore’s most charming and oldest estates. While there remain many an old folk living there, it has attracted a considerable number of young people due to the presence of conservation houses and the novelty of old world charm unique only to the area. In addition, some of the old walk-up apartments have been converted to backpacker hostels, thus bringing up the economic value of the place. On top of that, Tiong Bahru is centrally located, almost like a focal point to any other part of Singapore with the Ayer Rajah Expressway and the Central Expressway at its backyard. With a growing middle-class – younger, more educated and more critical – inhabiting the area, there is therefore reason for the ruling party, the nation’s self-appointed cartographers to perk up. What would be the next best and most practical solution then? Merge Tiong Bahru with Tanjong Pagar. As it stands, Tanjong Pagar GRC today constitutes itself, Queenstown, Tiong Bahru, Tanglin, Bukit Merah, Bukit Timah, Orchard Road, Novena and Newton with public Housing being non-existent in the last three areas. Those who live there are either from the upper-middle income group, or non-eligible voters such as the expatriates or Permanent Residents. Singaporeans from the upper-middle income group could well swing either way: first, it wouldn’t matter much to them which side wins for they already have the financial resources to tide them through difficult periods. They do not need to depend on the government for any estate upgrading for their very own private condominiums are sufficient and comfortable enough. On the same note, since neither party’s victory matters to them, they could also potentially vote for the opposition just for the sake of hearing an alternative voice in the government. Lastly, they could vote for the PAP just to perpetuate their own wealth and imagined stability. Due to these very unpredictable outcomes, the PAP has once again executed the greatest pre-emptive measure. Keep the ward uncontested by having the greatest, most effective deterrent ever: the presence of Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, who by the way has been heading Tanjong Pagar since its formation 20 years ago.
There was a chance that MM Lee’s team be given a run for its money this time. However, due to a combination of haphazardness on the part of the contesting parties, Mr Ng Teck Siong of the Socialist Front, as well as suspected-but-not-unexpected manoeuvrings on the part of the Elections Department on Nomination Day, victory was once again served on a platter to the prevailing team, without a fight. While the rest of the nation heads off to the polls, the Tanjong Pagar residents remain disempowered, silenced and silent.
If anything at all, residents would appreciate some transparency by knowing when and how their MPs get elected in, when and why they decide to leave and how indeed their constituency-addresses get shifted every now and then. It is extremely disconcerting for me that my constituency-address can change every five years. In light of this unrepentant lack, I have sadly come to this conclusion: I live in 3 places – Commonwealth Crescent, Tanjong Pagar GRC and Singapore, the first being my postal address and perhaps the most constant, the second being the most unpredictable and erratic, and the third up for question because it seems like constituencies speak louder than the citizenry with the former being demarcated, delineated and dominated by the People’s Action Party. What is a citizen if he or she is not allowed to vote? What is a nation when a good part of its citizenry has been politically pushed over, stepped over – walked over?
It is therefore easy to give up on this country in view of this bullying by the ruling party and I have in many moments questioned my continued loyalty and love for this country. It is so much easier to remain apathetic, to ingratiatingly and rapaciously grab every cent that the PAP throws into our bank accounts under the guise of packages aimed at stimulating the economy and alleviating the rising costs of living; it takes so much less effort to be bought by money. But what does that make the individual? What does it say about a population that is concerned only with his or her own interests? What does it say about the integrity and the honour of the citizenry as a whole if everyone thought this way? If this is going to be the winning and hence the overwhelming sentiment of Singaporeans, then are we allowing the hegemony to persist in their wrong-doings and their power-mongering? If so, then Singapore will go to the dogs.
This elections is for me – despite not being able to vote – a very important one. Because at no other time have I felt that every vote matters. Thanks to the prevelance and pervasiveness of social media like Facebook and Twitter, passions and dialogue have been riled up, disseminated and perpetuated like never before. In my 30 years here, not once have I experienced such robustness amongst Singaporeans. If the stereotype of the apathetic Singaporean does indeed exist, then I am surely witnessing a smattering of it this year. Or maybe, Singaporeans have never been apathetic. We just did not have the adequate platforms in letting our views be heard, in fighting for our voice, in asserting our convictions. The Internet has, in this sense, done much for Singapore and Singaporeans, much to the consternation of the ruling party. Technology has inevitably turned the tides of political discourse in Singapore and it has not only made it public, but resoundingly voluminous. Not only is dialogue rampant on Facebook, Twitter, blogs and sites like Temasek Review and The Online Citizen, instantaneous uploads of rallies are also available on YouTube and other relevant websites, thus encouraging and permitting comments in just as quick a time as well. The Straits Times and Channel News Asia should really consider revolutionizing their reporting methods. Honestly, we do not need them anymore because journalism should never have a textbook. These two media have presumptuously assumed positions of authoratative Singaporean texts for too long. Time for a change because textbooks have an expiry date.
While there is much action going on online, many things have been happening on the ground as well. I have since attended three opposition rallies, one by the Workers Party and two by the Singapore Democratic Party. Suffice to say that the opposition parties in Singapore capitalise on generally the same issues – cost of living, immigration, the current obscene salaries of PAP ministers, unaffordable HDB prices – they do however tell us one important message: that we are Singaporeans and we need to tell the world that we are. Singapore is not the PAP and vice versa. This is a lesson that every Singaporean ought to remember because we have been silently made to think otherwise all this while. The atmosphere at the rallies are if anything, intoxicating and electifying. While the number of attendants at opposition rallies might not translate into votes, it is however an indication of growing political interest in Singapore: People are there to hear what the opposition parties have to say, to source out an alternative voice. People are there both for reasons for disgruntledness and duty. People are there because Singapore matters. And this for me is most heartening because it’s not about keeping Singapore on the top that matters, it’s about changing civil society in Singapore, it’s about seeing Singapore mature into a first-class society of compassionate, thinking, critical and passionate people. Never have I felt prouder to be Singaporean.
Lee Tzu Pheng, one of our best and oldest Singaporean poets once opined, out of a frustrated and critical sense of patriotism: “My country and my people are neither here nor there, nor in the comfort of my preferences, if I could even choose.” Despite writing this in response to Singapore’s (very confused) identity as a post-colonial nation-state – Singapore has since moved on from that dilemma – I think her words resonate with us in contemporary Singapore. Singaporeans are torn between fear and idealism. This perennial dualistic and paradoxical identity has bred in us a “choice-of-no-choice”. While we understand and appreciate the benefits of living in an affluent society, most of us know in our heart of hearts that GDP figures alone are not enough. When stomachs are full – and most Singaporeans are very full – hearts and minds want to be filled as well. (By the way, a high GDP does not necessarily equate to a high standard of living or a lower cost of living). Interestingly, Singapore presents a distinct conundrum: while it is by and large very comfortable living here, comfort has been the main reason for silence for a long time now. For some, abundance is a good reason for apathy. Lee Tzu Pheng’s words are more truth than rhetoric. Beneath her poetic utterance lies a cautionary tale: we cannot be “here nor there” anymore. The time is now ripe for choosing, or should I say, making this choice has been a long time coming. 5 years is but a metaphor for an identity-making or identity-breaking process. We cannot let the electoral cycle determine who we are or what we can be as Singaporeans; we need to find that place where our “people” and our “country” can safely and surely belong.
Singapore will not crumble if more opposition members get elected into parliament – not as token and emasculated Non-Constituency Members of Parliament (NCMPs) but as democratically-elected MPs. Rather, it will work for the better because power urgently needs to be checked. Complacency and arrogance are not the marks of a first class government and if nothing is done, the country is headed for a political disaster. Even if the PAP boasts of being corruption free, complaceny and concentrated power are themselves forms of corruption that are more dangerous and insidious than blatant bribery and nepositsm common in regimes which are widely known to be corrupt. Because such power thrives on deception and co-option, the people will in the end have to pay a price for being comfortably- and unknowingly-complicit in such a system. If it doesn’t make the people already any more nonchalent, it would certainly make them more indoctrinated and ignorant and in the words of Aristotle: “the only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance”. We know that political speeches can sometimes be mere demagoguery, but with patience and knowledge, I trust that what the opposition parties say in their speeches will eventually translate into action because we are blessed with a crop of capable and determined opposition incumbents this year. We just need to trust them despite their lack of a track record. In the first place, it was never a level-playing field with the PAP making it impossibly difficult for anyone, regardless of his/her competence to come up with any, much less impressive track record. Immediate change cannot happen but we can surely expect that more opposition voices in parliament will herald a symbolic paradigm shift in the way politics and political discourse is carried out in Singapore. And this in itself is a precious form of knowledge that will be transmitted to the people simply because there are a greater number of groups representing a greater number of interests. Abraham Lincoln, in his first Inaugural Address uttered these immortal words: “A majority , held in restraint by constitutional checks, and limitations, and always changing easily, with deliberate changes of popular opinions and sentiments, is the only true sovereign of a free people”. Doesn’t this unsettle the ruling party? Doesn’t this augur well with us who want to see more representation in our parliament, and hence our government?
Democracies are never static. They evolve with time and technology. Singapore is only at its nascent stage of becoming a civilised, enlightened and communicative republic. Gone are the days when indolence and apathy were the excuses for fear and trepidation. Change is slow, but it is sure, and it is real. The elections are imminent. I am concerned not just for the next five years as GRC politics would have me believe, but: for a society where civil debate is carried out in a progressive and cultivated manner. For a more expressive and critical citizenry which would not place its priorities only on pecuniary gains but civic virtue. For a parliament that would not concentrate its power solely in the hands of one party. For a government that well and truly cares and loves its people by putting them first on all levels. For a country who would continually groom its elites without forgetting that it is the constant striving for egalitrianism that would give elitism a responsible and public-centric spirit. For a brighter, better Singapore.
My no-vote this round does not translate into a no-voice. And I know that voices, especially from the beleaguered Tanjong Pagar GRC, are louder than ever. To the rest of Singapore, do us in Tanjong Pagar a favour; do this country a favour. Think not only for your interests. Think not only for the next 5 years. But think for the nation. Vote wisely. And bravely.
Here’s to Singapore and Singaporeans.
Chew Yi Wei
The Online Citizen
20 Maxwell Road #09-17
Maxwell House
Singapore 069113
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May 5, 2011 at 4:32 pm
As long time resident within Tanjung Pagar GRC, I do not wholeheartedly share the writer’s sentinments.
To put it bluntly, the haphazardness and the lateness left a sour taste within this resident who will carefully consider the merits/demerits of contestants.
If any party wishes to contest in Tanjung Pagar GRC please have the courtesy to be waiting on the dot at the start instead of halfway thru.
Further, if people can wait in queue for trivial things such as Hello Kitty what more such a important contest.
For other areas of contest, please review merits /demerits and please standby your choices whatever it may be and take the responsibility which comes from it.
May 5, 2011 at 5:08 pm
Hi Wang…
Do you really want someone in the hello kitty queue to stand for election? Perhaps if you are outraged about this writers’ view, you can rebut back with your views on Tanjong Pagar GRC, your reason for being a pro-PAP, etc? I’m certain people would like to read on your views before casting their vote too.
May 5, 2011 at 5:47 pm
How on earth is this response relevant to the supremely well-written article??
May 5, 2011 at 5:48 pm
I meant the response by Wang (which makes no sense to me), not Laminin
May 5, 2011 at 4:37 pm
I share some of your views but I’d like to point out that there’s a part of Bukit Merah area that was carved out of Tanjong Pagar GRC, to form Radin Mas, a new SMC. For accuracy sake.
There are quite a fair bit of elderly and people staying in government rental flats in that area. Wonders if that may be the reason why PAP is so confident of putting it up as a SMC.
May 5, 2011 at 5:28 pm
if pap really want to contest they can do away the grc and kicking residents here and there to suit themselves.
if they really need to kick residents here there, there should at least be a polite reason why?
why was thousands of aljunied residents absorb by ang mo kio?
Pls explain it in pap own words.
and in the matter of 35s late, your mm can do the gentlemanly thing by still accepting the challenge instead of saying i wish i could had contested.
May 5, 2011 at 5:44 pm
I belong to the unfortunate group who cannot speak up like a true Singaporean. I’m hope I may still have the voice to speak out next time.
Jalan Besar GRC was spilt and merged into Tg Pagar. Have friends staying in Holland Village and they belong to Tg Pagar too, so funny.
Wang, heard stories that the Oppo team were at the election place since 11.30am. Go fish out more info before coming to conclusion, esp info from state-controlled mainstream media.
Be a discerning and thinking person who can analyse and diffrerentiate, not take things wholesale w/o digesting. Vote wisely
May 5, 2011 at 6:07 pm
I completely agree with you. I live in Holland and I do not belong to Holland-Bt Timah GRC. This is so funny. Here we have two unknown sailed in as MPs just like that (I thot must have proven record?)
Yes, vote with the large picture in mind
May 5, 2011 at 5:58 pm
My dear fellow citizens,
If you want to cast a vote for President, then you have to vote opposition on Sat, May07.
If not, the coming election for President will be walk over again or assigned by the OMO. (one man operation)
So tell me do you or I got a say then. Just think for the last president election, what had happened ? Can you recall ?
May 5, 2011 at 6:16 pm
Concerned mum, their track record is the schools they studied in and the scholarships they had. I tossed out the newsletter when I saw the useless info last night – there goes my conservancy charges.
May 5, 2011 at 7:02 pm
Not Privileged et al
Please note that i did state preparedness and waiting on the dot.
Nomination starts from 11am.
Please look at all the others GRCs which were at least organised and complete.
I never stated pro anything
May 5, 2011 at 11:22 pm
Hey Wang (or perhaps it should be PAP Wangker), your comments are so totally irrelevant to this extremely well thought out and written piece. So please take your comments and stick it where the sun dont shine. And by the way, you sound like a civil servant, so there!
May 6, 2011 at 3:03 am
Hi Wang,
I’m sorry I may have interpret your earlier comment differently. I do agree with you, maybe they are a little half heartened to contest LKY. To be frank, I do feel that it’s a waste of money to contest in Tanjong Pagar… Against the pioneer himself, it’ll be almost another mission impossible… Though some would argue he is out of touch..He is still greatly respected… or rather.. Feared..
Who knows… 5yrs later, he may not have survive to stand in the next and oppositions will be eager to contest Tanjong Pagar again. I certainly don’t wanna see a 92 yr old man contesting..
May 5, 2011 at 9:33 pm
Once a Minister takes a salary that is so large that it looks like a heist in comparison with similar jobs in government across the Globe, he breaks the compact with the citizenry. His job becomes a commercial contract and should be gauged in a strictly commercial manner. There are standard methodologies for valuing jobs and the job of being Ministers is no exception. I suggest that if a substantial opposition gets elected in Parliament, it moves the motion to revalue the jobs done by the various Ministers. The parameters involved in such a valuation exercise includes estimating that portion of the GNP attributable to the Minister whose job is under appraisal. It also includes estimating a discount rate which consists of a risk free rate and a risk premium. Intuitively without doing the calculations now, you can see that the portion of attributable GNP is very different from the GNP itself. It has been touted by the PAP that they created the whole GNP, which is not correct because patently commercial, industrial and financial enterprises are the engines which brought the process of creating the GNP to completion. For instance the ministers do not operate, the finance houses, factories and every enterprise in the country. The share of the GNP created by each Minister is a sliver of the country’s GNP.
This sliver of GNP is then operated on by the discount rate to arrive at a figure of value of the job of each Minister..The risk premium ( which as mentioned above is a component of the discount rate) would be entirely absent in Ministerial jobs so that what remains is the risk free rate which name itself reveals the nature of Ministerial jobs- essentially risk free! You should find that the resulting figure of value of the job should bear comparison with figures of actual remunerations of the Parliamentarians in the first world countries, as Singapore prides itself to be first world. You will then see the utter absurdity of claiming that a Ministerial salary in Singapore is to be 6 to 10 times more than its comparable in the first world governments. Thus the present salaries of our Ministers would be found to be grossly wrong in fact. Whether they are also wrong in Law has to be investigated, given the fact that these Ministers in this one party Government of Singapore in effect drew up their own salaries scales and paid themselves from that self- serving blueprint..They are judges in their own cause. Moreover they went to war with the oppositions for 50 years using the legal apparatus of the State, destroying them and in the process remain the Ruling Party for all of 50 years and eradicating the concepts of Human Rights by unprincipled use of defamation Laws, ISD arrests etc.The next question is whether they should be asked to return the excess payment to the State, as many bankers and CEOs were asked to do so when it was found that they did not deserve such remunerations or such remunerations were extracted by false representations..
As citizens we should break up the nonsense of Million dollar salaries to Ministers on spurious claims of uniqueness.Singapore is on the same planet as New York, London, Beijing, Tokyo, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Amman. None of the office holders in these countries demand such grotesque salaries. Not only do we support a big heist but we also engender a colossal greed in these supposedly exceptionally noble people. One of the most ludicrous deeds instigated by such salaries is the pump priming of the economy by overwhelming the country with foreign labour. We will be sitting ducks for the next get rich quick scheme for the benefit of the PAP.
May 5, 2011 at 9:36 pm
Notice that the PM is saying sorry for not doing the infrastructural works to prepare for the huge deluge of foreign workers when it came like a five year long Tsunami. He is not saying sorry for opening the flood gates to let them in. What is the root cause of our problem is the flood of foreigners, not the lack of preparation for them.
The PM still does not want to give up his plan to transform and replace the people of this island with those who are more capable of work to increase the GNP and who in gratitude will vote for the party for another 50 years.
Dismiss his apology for what it is worth, another smoke screen to make big money for the PAP( through mind-blowing 2-4 million dollar salaries).
May 6, 2011 at 2:52 pm
I dont think PM and the other MIW are sincere in saying sorry. If not for the strong opposition, you think these high and mighty will do it? They are desperate now….
May 6, 2011 at 1:44 am
Top 30 Highest Paid Politicians in the World (Information QUOTED from the internet)
Clean sweep by tiny Singapore to be in the Guinness Book of Records!
Top 30 highest paid politicians in the world and they are all from Singapore.
(All amounts exclude bonuses.)
1. Elected President SR Nathan – S$3.9 million.
2. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong – S$3.8 million.
3. Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew – S$3.5 million.
4. Senior Minister Goh Chok Thong – S$3.5 million.
5. Senior Minister Prof Jayakumar – S$3.2 million.
6. DPM & Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng – S$2.9 million.
7. DPM & Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean – $2.9 million.
8. Foreign Affairs Minister George Yeo – S$2.8 million.
9. National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan – S$2.7 million.
10. PMO Minister Lim Boon Heng – S$2.7 million.
11. Trade and Industry Minister Lim Hng Kiang – S$2.7 million.
12. PMO Minister Lim Swee Say – S$2.6 million.
13. Environment Minister & Muslim Affairs Minister Dr Yaccob Ibrahim – S$2.6 million.
14. Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan – S$2.6 million.
15. Finance Minister S Tharman – S$2.6 million.
16. Education Minister & 2nd Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen – S$2.6 million.
17. Community Development Youth and Sports Minister – Dr Vivian Balakrishnan – S$2.5 million.
18. Transport Minister & 2nd Minister for Foreign Affairs Raymond Lim Siang Kiat – S$2.5 million.
19. Law Minister & 2nd Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam – S$2.4 million.
20. Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong – S$2.2 million.
21. PMO Minister Lim Hwee Hwa – S$2.2 million.
22. Acting ICA Minister – Lui Tuck Yew – S$2.0 million.
23 to 30 = Senior Ministers of State and Ministers of State – each getting between S$1.8 million to S$1.5 million.
Compared to other Countries’ Leaders:
Donald Tsang Yum-Kuen – Hong Kong (S$716k)
Barack Obama – United States (S$555k)
Nicolas Sarkozy – France (S$441k)
Angela Merkel – Germany (S$420k)
Gordon Brown – UK (S$387k)
Taro Aso – Japan (S$337k) Total of all 6: S$2,856,000
May 6, 2011 at 1:10 pm
Don’t forget what Health Ministrer Khaw surgery cost of $8. No wonder Miss Ting said “medical and education are cheap in Singapore la!”
May 6, 2011 at 12:45 pm
Hi,
I speak as a Queestown resident(the one with the replacement MP). I cannot agree more with what you said. Although our GRC is uncontested, I certainly didn’t let myself be uninvolved in the happenings of the last 9 days. The GE isn’t about PAP vs Opp or anti-PAP sentiments, but about what, we as citizens (in all GRCs) want for our nation. While walkovers might have been unavoidable due to uncredible opposition(like the socialist front fiasco), I think the MPs cannot take it for granted, and like you said, we need some explanations, and accountability with regards to the last minute switch. That being said, I look forward to seeing our new MP serving us, and yes, certainly looking forward to voting and seeing a real fight in 5 years time
May 6, 2011 at 1:05 pm
I really hate the moving of boundaries thing. Its worse than diving, bribing the referee, or even spitting on the damn ball. Moving the goal posts is something only Hitler or Osama would do – so we used to think.
The other thing I hate about the boundary moving thing, is now I take 20 minutes to drive from my place in Marine Parade, to get to my best friends house in Marine Parade (the part which is near NEX). It is so embarrasing. I think all map writers should vote for the opposition.
May 6, 2011 at 2:57 pm
I live in Serangoon (Marine Parade GRC) and I can ‘walk’ to my friend’s house in Serangoon Garden (Aljuined GRC)…
May 6, 2011 at 1:51 pm
Please consider if we want to go the way of Taiwan politics where politicians speak in parliament just for their personal limelight rather really to serve people and their country. The Taiwan politics has become so noisy that the government can’t even plan, not to mention, manage the country’s economy any more.
May 6, 2011 at 2:58 pm
Why should they (PAP) “repent” and step down gracefully when they can just simply replace their citizens?!?!?!
May 6, 2011 at 3:56 pm
QQ,
please don’t criticise Taiwan unless you have lived other since 1996 when they started the direct presidential elections. You don’t know enough to make the appropriate comments.
Please don’t forget that Taiwan is a world renowned IT technology giant despite your claims against “selfish Taiwan politicians”. So our government tried to create a similar idea but failed… Acer is No 2 PC computer manufacturer, Foxconn is world’s No 1, in electronic OEM, ASUS dominates the motherboard, more than half the world’s notebooks are made by Taiwanese companies.
Taiwan is Asia leading high end/organic argricultural exporter, the world’s leading orchid exporter in terms of revenue.
The world leading bicycle manufacturer is from Taiwan
You think this is a result of Taiwan “self seeking politicians”. Despite their relative success, they have a nation of people who dare to be different, have no fear and have diverse views. This is what makes a nation tick.
What I have listed are possible areas that Singapore might have been the place for success instead or at least we tried through a VERY WELL ORGANIZED GOVERNMENT strategy.
Please don’t be naive. This is a result of a society that is too dependent on a small group of leaders who claims to know all and does not tolerate DIVERSE, DIFFERENT or OPPOSING views.
What could the rest of the world say about us as a country, as a Nation, as Singaporeans.
May 6, 2011 at 4:23 pm
To rub in the salt on Taiwan, they are constantly bullied by their big Chinese neighbour.
No status in UN, can’t even get into WHO even with an observer status.
Plagued by constant earthquakes and typhoons.
I am glad that Taiwan is brought into the picture. This is a nation despite all the issues, perceived to have a poorly managed government, disorganized citizens, “selfish” politicians.. etc.. continues to be a world beaters in the some many areas
It is their diversity in the government that brings accountability and improving governance, lesser coverup for mistakes etc.
As Singaporeans, we need to allow DIVERSITY to make us a stronger nation.
May 7, 2011 at 12:50 am
Minister Khaw said his heart by pass is cheap too because of the 3M, Medicare, Medishield and Medi…
He did not say that his salary is 2.6mil and will have no problems contributing to the 3Ms.
How about the aunty and uncle cleaning hawker centers for peanuts and unable to contribute enough to the 3Ms.
or the rest of us who lost jobs and could not contribute to the 3Ms like myself.
So shut up minister Khaw !
May 7, 2011 at 2:16 am
So dear ACACIA,
Which country’s healthcare system do you hope we follow?
Hope you have some alternatives in mind before asking someone else to shutup.
May 7, 2011 at 2:19 am
This is for ali ot of you who dun consume healthcare if you are luckily not sick. Khaw has shine some lights on some of the darkest corners in this land.
Many HIV patients who are like poor uncles who contracted the viruese; their wives and children. Before Khaw’s time, moh refuse to give subsidized care for these poor folks, becoz they believe this are sinful punishments for low lives. They just died. Finally , Khaw said in 2008 why should they be discriminated, HIV is no different from other disease. Totally unjudgemental, so rare inSINgapore ,he stepped up and challenged the status quo. Now meds that can cost about S$10000 annually can be given to these poor patients for free through the medifiund. He is someone who dare 2 go where previously no one ventures. The underdog s are lucky to have him on their side
May 7, 2011 at 5:31 pm
God, please help all the lost Singaporeans realise how blessed and fortunate they are to be born in Singapore.
God, please give these people wisdom to walk the right path.
God, please prevent my beloved country from falling into the wrong hands.
May 7, 2011 at 7:32 pm
I am concerned that in the last 20 years of the PAP rule a number of anti-citizen developments have arisen in our Society. This has mostly occurred in our social-legal-police institutions because it is in such arena that societal conflicts are played out.
1)An alarming phenomenon in Singapore is the too close association between elites or elite firms with State Institutions. It has come to my notice that some Law firms close to the Government are able to commandeer State Institutions to hound their clients’ enemies so as to ensure victory in the Courts. This is because with the hounding the other side gets acquainted with the corrupt power of State support and softens its resolve to get justice. The State Institutions that partake in this oppression are the social/police/law organizations like AG, MCYS, MUIS, ICA and famously the ISD. The ISD in particular seems of late years to have left off focusing on Enemies of the State but now go after enemies of their elite friends. ISD faceless police are ubiquitous even in divorce cases. It is no wonder that they can’t even keep Mas Selamat in his place because of their varied errands for their friends.
2) Many elite professionals in the private sector also hold significant decision making positions in the public sector. These people have a leg in a Law firm and the other leg in Social/Police State Institutions. It seems that the legal/social/police entities indulge most often in such symbiotic relationships for mutual benefits and competitative advantage. Thus you have a Shari’ah lawyer who also sat in the Council of MUIS. He will thus be able to use his Statutory position to aid his fee earning efforts. Again there are cases of lawyers who are also members of Parliament. An MP is supposed to serve the citizenry at large, not a client against his opponent whenever a fee is paid to him by one side. Conflict of interest is no longer of interest in Singapore. Dopplegangers are everywhere. The examples I mentioned are just the tip of the iceberg.
3)Fifty years have seen shameful oppression against opposition personalities, a number of whom have been broken badly by thuggish legal manoeuvres by the Ruling Party and have left politics in Singapore, exiling themselves beyond the reach of the Singapore menace.. The end result is that the ratio of Ruling Party to opposition is about 80: 2. Which shows the efficacy of the mafia in the House.
4)Aside from many other adverse consequences to the citizenry, I tend to think that the singlemost adverse result is the inordinate salaries now received by Ministers because there is no countervailing voices in Parliament because the voices have been killed by the purposeful premeditated repressive acts of the Ruling Party on the oppositions during a 40 to 50 year duration. Can you make a case about this to the appropriate International Tribunal, for crime against Humanity?
5) I feel crowded in these days by massive numbers of foreigners working or staying as citizens. This also is a consequence of a non existent or weak opposition voice in Parliament, the very result of the extra-ordinary witch hunt against opposition individuals carried out decade after decade by the PAP. Our country has been sold off from under our feet without our consent. Because consent making was killed. Can this be formulated as an abuse of Human Rights?
There is an urgency to end this state of the Regime. We happen to live in an era where crime against Humanity has been brought to book in many instances. I know that such crimes are usually the deadly ones like wholesale violent taking over of state resources, rape and genocide. For these latter, the present day response is Egypt and Tunisia with Libya coming up for reckoning.
But in Singapore we have to contend with the Rule of Law (famously declared by K Shanmugam to the International Law Community as the guiding light of our Society) which gags us, arrests us, sues us and leave the unfortunate as a financial wreck and wasted human.
We should not let this tyranny go on unchecked for another day much less another 50 years..
May 8, 2011 at 1:55 am
Write so much for what! More & more Singaporean will be suffering for the next 5 years! Guarantee those pro PAP voters will regret when they are old. By then I ‘ll migrate to heaven already!
Enjoy your hell life here! I bet you will.
May 11, 2011 at 10:41 pm
Thank you for your insightful commentary!
May 13, 2011 at 4:24 pm
Stop cutting up constituency, give here and there some to paste on, as and when like. Everyone affected find it incredible and disgusted. Some families and friends whose parents lived opposite block suddenly become different constituency, family feel alien and disconnected. Old folks also become confused with their town council every five years, they don’t have giro account, hey go where queue up they ask?
By the way, is there any necessity of changing GRC every five years? If not, do away with it for fairness, equality and sanity. We want simple life!
May 13, 2011 at 9:54 pm
For those who keep singing praises for PAP, please google Ngiam Tong Dow and read his Hard truths and Harder Myths about the ruling party! You will get enlightened. It is a must read and it is eye opener for those who say PAP is the best, we need only ONE GOOD Party and have no room for checks and balances. Open your eyes… By the way, Ngiam Tong Dow was once the permenant secretry for Ministry of Trade and Industy, Chairman of DBS Bank and EDB Board.. It is a pity that his article was posted only on 2 May 2011 and many voters might have missed it