Lets stick to topics of more
substance such as what kind of election goodies we will be getting.
HDB upgrading, New Singaporea shares...=)))
Singapore's elections have more
substance.... mixed up over election forms is of so much substance
that its deserves many days of coverage by our national media.. we
should have a televised debates on election form filing
procedures...
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I REFER to Mr Lee Seck Kay's Forum Online letter recommending
that Singapore introduce television debates before the General
Election, similar to the series of three debates held recently in
Britain ('Have TV debates before election'; last Monday).
Unfortunately, Mr Lee has overrated the debates shown in
Britain. While viewership was above expectations, this was driven
far more by the novelty of the endeavour than the substance of
debate.
Far from being a 'resounding success', the consensus is that
television debates have led to a greater emphasis on style over
substance.
For example, the parties' manifestoes are no clearer to voters
than they were before the TV debates: the incumbent Labour Party
and the opposition Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have all
failed to give the electorate enough details about their
spending-cut plans to reduce Britain's structural deficit which is
now close to £1 trillion (S$2.1 trillion).
I and, I believe, other Singaporeans prefer our leaders to stick
to substance over style when it comes to elections.
In the context of the global economic downturn, this means a
government that appeals to voters based on its solid track record,
and its ability to steer the economy out of recession and take the
long-term measures needed to place the country economically,
politically and socially on a sound footing.
Dennis Tan
Oxford, England
