What should the PAP do with their supermajority?

ray245 SG

In singapore, the PAP holds a supermajority of the seats in the parliment, which means they could actually push forward a number of conterversial changes to Singapore without fearing they would lose any votes.

Take for example, legalising homosexuals and allowing homosexuals to adopt and get married, increasing taxes to get a NHS system and all that.

Don't you think that one of the primary reason why we criticisng the PAP is not just because we don't have a bigger opposition party in the parliment, but because they are too spineless to enact a number of conterverisal changes to the nation?

If having a supermajority of seats in the parliment is not enough for us to recongise the minority in our nation, the LGBT community for example, what's the point of holding on to a supermajority in the nation?

MM Lee and the PAP loves to argue that we should wait for a time where Singapore becomes more open minded to homosexuality before decriminalising homosexaulity, but what happens if the public becomes less intolerant of those groups of people, and more opposition parties that might be even more conservative than the PAP rise to power?

Won't it be harder to pass all those controversial Legislative acts if that happens?

If the public is already bitching and moaning at you for not representing their interest enough, yet you managed to retain a supermajority, why can't the PAP just make use of their supermajority?

Fantagf SG

Actually they are, they are in their own ways to self serving.

ray245 SG

I'm not talking about what they are already doing, I'm talking about that they can do for the public interest.

Even if the general public don't understand it. There are alot of political issues that the general public couldn't fully understand, and might even hate if even though it is in their self-interest.

Fantagf SG

I'm not talking about what they are already doing, I'm talking about that they can do for the public interest.

Even if the general public don't understand it. There are alot of political issues that the general public couldn't fully understand, and might even hate if even though it is in their self-interest.

why don't u tell us the policies that they have which are good for the self interest of the public.

to me and many the govt is just to money minded to care so much for us.

dadeadman1337 SG

Take for example, legalising homosexuals and allowing homosexuals to adopt and get married, increasing taxes to get a NHS system and all that.

Won't it be harder to pass all those controversial Legislative acts if that happens?

If the public is already bitching and moaning at you for not representing their interest enough, yet you managed to retain a supermajority, why can't the PAP just make use of their supermajority?

If homosexuality was decriminalised, next thing you know we have same sex marriages, disgusting gays roaming the streets

Stevenson101 SG

You're kinda assuming that the PAP is truly an impartial and objective organisation.

LKY himself could be homophobic but used an excuse that Singaporeans are not ready to cover up his own prejudices.

Truth betold, they've already instituted a whole bunch of regulations that are no less unpopular.

Stevenson101 SG

If homosexuality was decriminalised, next thing you know we have same sex marriages, disgusting gays roaming the streets

Gays would roam the streets irregardless of whether we criminalised them or not.

caleb_chiang SG

I believe that if the party is really objective, there isn't anything stopping them from decriminalised such thing. Face it. The problem is already there and all we are doing is avoiding.

Seowlah SG

Take for example, legalising homosexuals and allowing homosexuals to adopt and get married, increasing taxes to get a NHS system and all that.

Won't it be harder to pass all those controversial Legislative acts if that happens?

If the public is already bitching and moaning at you for not representing their interest enough, yet you managed to retain a supermajority, why can't the PAP just make use of their supermajority?

The majority of the public is against homosexual acts.

So, why should the government legalise homosexual acts which will anger the

majority of the public ?

ray245 SG

The majority of the public is against homosexual acts.

So, why should the government legalise homosexual acts which will anger the

majority of the public ?

Because the majority of the nation would seek to oppress the minority. The very definition of democracy is giving the majority a say over the minority.

And also because they can afford to. The PAP can afford losing a few seats and stay in power.

However, the reason why we have rights is because there is a need to protect these minorities from discrimination and harm.

Even then, there are limits to democracy, which is why we don't give people direct democracy. What happens if we give people the right to vote over raising and lowering taxes?

Would a majority of people even vote for raising taxes even though the national treasury might be broke, like what happened in California? No.

You're kinda assuming that the PAP is truly an impartial and objective organisation

They might not be impartial, but I'm saying I would be fine with them if they are impartial and could allow Singapore as a nation to progress.

Just because they are the PAP doesn't mean I must disagree outright. If there is any specific policy created by the PAP that is beneficial to the general public, I would gladly side with the PAP on those specific issues.

By right, the PAP shouldn't wait for a opposition that is now smart enough to challenge them on those issues.

ray245 SG

I believe that if the party is really objective, there isn't anything stopping them from decriminalised such thing. Face it. The problem is already there and all we are doing is avoiding.

Exactly. That's one reason why I am angry with the PAP. In my opinion, they have become too obsessed to maintaining their supermajority as opposed to making use of that to give benefits to minority who is being discriminated.

It's not an issue about the PAP being too strong in the parliment, it's about the PAP being too strong yet being too scared to make use of that advantage.

I think that it is worth the cost of losing a few seats in the parliment to the opposition if they can decriminalise homosexuality, legalise gay marriages.

That's being a statesman and not being a politician.

It is ridiculous to believe that any opposition party would dare to push something as conterversial as homosexuals being allowed to get married or adopt kids, or increasing taxes to give us an NHS system.

Especially when the support of the opposition party is already very weak to begin with.

mancha SG

What should the PAP do with their supermajority?

They can give me and each and every citizen at least $10,000 but they simply do not have the guts to do so.

They can do away with the COE for car ownership, and we'd all benefit with cheaper cars. I and many of us here would be able to buy at least three cars each.

Anyway what supermajority?

60+ percent means about two thirds, which means two out of three.

Furthermore two out of three of valid votes casted only.

So too bad, if you don't get your cake.

ray245 SG

What should the PAP do with their supermajority?

They can give me and each and every citizen at least $10,000 but they simply do not have the guts to do so.

They can do away with the COE for car ownership, and we'd all benefit with cheaper cars. I and many of us here would be able to buy at least three cars each.

Anyway what supermajority?

60+ percent means about two thirds, which means two out of three.

Furthermore two out of three of valid votes casted only.

So too bad, if you don't get your cake.

Supermajority in terms of seats they have in the parliment.

And seriously, why are you equating political issues to something as stupid as giving out money for free? If the government gives out free money, the value of the Singapore dollar would drop. Is that what you wanted?

COE taxes? Why the hell should we allow every singaporean to have more than one car? You enjoy the idea of creating more traffic jams in Singapore?

The reason these acts are not being passed is not because the PAP are afraid of losing votes due to these issues, it's because it is stupid.

mancha SG

Supermajority in terms of seats they have in the parliment.

COE taxes? Why the hell should we allow every singaporean to have more than one car? You enjoy the idea of creating more traffic jams in Singapore?

The reason these acts are not being passed is not because the PAP are afraid of losing votes due to these issues, it's because it is stupid.

Whoa! there is hope after all.

sgdiehard SG

Take for example, legalising homosexuals and allowing homosexuals to adopt and get married, increasing taxes to get a NHS system and all that.

Won't it be harder to pass all those controversial Legislative acts if that happens?

If the public is already bitching and moaning at you for not representing their interest enough, yet you managed to retain a supermajority, why can't the PAP just make use of their supermajority?

interesting why homosexuality should be anywhere at the top of the list of things the PAP, or any government should handle when there really make use of their supermajority. this is one issue that will really turn their supermajority to no majority and most like, the lost of power.

majority oppressing the minority or minority pushing their agenda in the face of the majority?

If the "more opposition parties that might be even more conservative than the PAP rise to power", then the opposition deserved the power because they are protecting after the interest of the majority.

don't abuse the power that come with supermajority.

angel7030 SG

Given a fresh graduate or Doctorate in political science to join a party in Singapore, who do you think he/she will go to?? SDP? PAS? Hammer? Screwdriver? etc etc...or PAP?

MY bet is that most will go to PAP, as the furture for them, therefore, PAP is not superparty, nor is it some super miracle. All these scholars can see and do research for themselves to choose PAP, that is why PAP is so successful, because it can attract young talents and intellectual scholars to carry on and improve it party glory. These peoples can see the furture with them in it. And that is where opposition failed, not because they are not good, but they failed to attract these young talents to help them out.

It is just like an option between buying Rolex and a $5 watch.

trashbag SG

Now the question is what should the prostitute angel7030 do with her body other than selling it for money?

angel7030 SG

throw my tou huay into outside trashbag

ray245 SG

majority oppressing the minority or minority pushing their agenda in the face of the majority?

don't abuse the power that come with supermajority.

Why the hell should I support a political party that is more conservative than the PAP?

And why would this turn their supermajority into no majority? Especially when the supposed SDP and many other parties are supposed to be liberal as well, and is crying out all day that we should respect the rights of the people.

Surely the PAP can use their resources to tell the general public how stupid it is for we to criminalise homosexuality.

Even freaking INDIA decriminalise homosexuality. INDIA!

Is being more conservative than India something to be proud of?

If we are trying to be a first world nation, then start acting like one.

angel7030 SG

Homosexual is already here since the dawn of Mankind, it is nothing new or special, with or without laws, so far, we see no problem here. As some MPs said, homosexual is a nature of mankind, somehow it will never go away no matter how tough a law that can be, on the other hand, you have to look at human rights, they are also humans. So far homosexual didn't much erode our society, as natural as it is, let us be calm and carry on our life as per se.