Addressing the political fear

last SG · 2007-10-24T22:36:07+00:00

Yes, a logical question, fair enough But I will need more specifics. In usual chit chat, no. For this case, I am expressing what I know of WP, and in such c...

robertteh SG

Do not expect the ruling party to do the citizens a favor. It has its own hidden agendas to serve. So even if it knows that a 30-40% opposition members will be genuine oppositions who could then put pressure on entrenched ministers to get out of their comfort zone and self-interests and protectionism and work hard to serve the people with better decisions and better performance do you think it will try to create the right conditions to make this happen.

My short answer is a big no because the ruling party is too self-serving and self-centred judging from its past performances to change.

The only way is for opposition parties to unite by one common objective - to hunt for talents with true ability and not shut out people who may be vocal with leadership and charisma and try to make it their utmost common goal to support the rise of stars and use their collective resources to use such stars to lead them to form coalition or merge parties so as to offer the real alternatives to the ruling party.

Hu Jin Tao and Wen Jia Bao of China have just nominated some new blood with potential to succeed them by the next election following what Deng Xiao Peng has done to sacrifice for the political evolution of the whole country.

This should be what politics at the end is all about - sacrifice of self for the good of the country. Opposition members too should do the same - renewal.

Melvin Tan SG

Hi,

If the above post was a reply to me, thanks for the pointers. I beg more questions for enlightenment.

If the PAP will not create the right conditions for opposition to harvest and on top of it, create conditions to ensure this does not happen, can the opposition grow with unity, hunt for talents, sacrifice of self and renewal?

If the answer is yes and the opposition can grow with unity, hunt for talents, sacrifice of self and renewal, would it be that the PAP has, through being unable to convince the people of the opposition's inept, created the right conditions for them to harvest?

Regards

kramnave SG

Let me relate a contrasting story today. It might make no sense but here it goes.

I met my Norwegian contacts for many rounds of beers. They appreciate what we have here even when we have erm "no democracy". Whats happening there is, they have social welfare for all and they have the same population as us. However they have many homeless people despite the welfare. These homeless people choose to lead their lives that way as they would have more money for drugs. In their society, criminal offences like drugs trafficking, murder, rape etc warrants a less penalty like corruption or general corporate crimes. Don't ask me why but thats what i was told. They have different "precedences" there and my contacts wish that there was less "democracy" as in what we have in Singapore. Such thing perpetuate there as their politics is 50-50 and no political parties want to offend if you would like. I was convinced that the ruling party(PAP) is doing a very great job.

I had to take a cab and had a cabbie who was very much into politics. Somehow i kinda instigated him into talking about politics. I remembered that many years ago, cab rental rates were about $90 per day. Today, i sat in a Skoda and his rental is about $110 per day and diesel rates are of course much more than it was when he first started out. He started to KPKB about the government not caring. However i realised that he is worse off than before. Somehow i felt that competition is bearing fruit as the benificiaries are consumers. However, who gives a damn about the taxi driver ? Every form of price increase is a bad word to consumers. What hit me was that the government managed to make the taxi driver worse off and make the consumer feel worse off. Something is wrong is it not ? I leave you people to decide whats happening today. I'll come back and hope that there is a fruitfull discussion.

Is everybody worse off ? Is it due to the government ? Will we better off as a "true democracy" ? We need to answer these questions. If we feel that we are getting a rough deal, how do we need to make it better ?

GPSg SG

It is an interesting point that the SDP is perpetuating the fear. I agree. When Singaporeans see them protesting in public, singaporeans say "siao lang!". When singaporeans see them being arrested, singaporeans say "They deserve it!". But singaporeans, in their hearts, when they see this, also become fearful.

WP is going about it the right way. I agree with Melvin that opposition needs to show the public that being in opposition you can still lead a normal, successful life. Only when people see this will more people be willing and unafraid to join the opposition.

And only then can we have a true alternative presence in parliament.

The SDP don't think this way. Their way is: "We are right! We cheong! Bleed nevermind. Cheong even more!"

In doing this, they frighten more singaporeans away from opposition.

The results show this: WP is growing. SDP is dying.

Need I say more?

googoomuck SG

We should read the WP and SDP websites to draw our own conclusions than to passively read the forum members' post.

It's not as bad as some posters would want us to believe - that WP and SDP are always at loggerheads.

LazerLordz SG

Classical divide and conquer.

So far, despite the brickbats thrown at SDP, they are still the only ones who have managed to make ministers look blanched and utterly lost in the international media.

reddressman SG

I believe sg'rean sense of democracy is not as mature as the those countries who really celebrate and are proud of their democracy. So much so, they fight for their rights and put in great effort to preserve their freedom and democracy.

mancha SG

Ha ha!

We see them and think theirs is very good.
They see us and wish if only theirs is like ours.

Get your info from all levels of society, as well as from foreigners.

There are foreigners who appreciate our system, as there are those who condemn it. You have the choice as to where you want to slant your opinions.

AndrewPKYap SG

When people start taking public money for their own pocket.... Mad Mad Mad

AndrewPKYap SG

Originally posted by Melvin Tan:
I thought I will start a new thread to discuss some comments on WP's quid pro quo, rather than hedge on topics that are discussing other parties or topics.

As someone within WP, I would say the party generally feels that [b]it will continue to be difficult to encourage people to come into the opposition fray as long as anyone who enters it cannot lead a normal life.

And as long as this remains, the opposition cannot strengthen in numbers.

Naturally, this does not mean there has to be compromises, or much compromises.

This, as much as I understand and try within my means to convey, is what I see as the WP's approach. Admittedly, this opinion may not be shared by all.

Regards[/b]

Why don't you tell us what life as a card carrying member of an opposition party is like? Fear of the unknown can be a deterrent.

AndrewPKYap SG

As for me, read the things I write,

http://newsintercom.org/index.php?memberid=226

and I am using my real name....

I started www.casinogamblingprevention.com which is head on with a gahmen promoting (at least, not preventing like me) casino gambling (for whatever reasons)....

and as you can see, I am still here wat....

Silvia is still a lecturer wat...

AndrewPKYap SG

If one million people join the opposition, what do you think they can do about it? Nothing. If they try to target these people, there will be a tremendous backlash.

Melvin Tan SG

Hi,

For me, it's almost normal Smile Almost because the only anomaly was that I was engrossed in political work and organising activities that I neglected my career. Hence, I am a step back from my peers, doing catching up after the last GE.

However, with proper balance of time, I believe anyone can be a political party activist.

The fear I used to have before deciding to participate in political has become fear of knowing that even to run the basic administrative aspects of an organisation already takes up the time of handful of volunteers, leaving very few or almost nobody from the rest of the volunteers to do the additional parts of whatever the people expect of a party. With a dearth of volunteers, I wonder how any opposition party can ever catch up.

What I can share in WP's case is, for every one new member who joins the party, there are about 9 things to do Smile Preparing that "card" to make him/her a "card-carrying member" is only one.

Regards

AndrewPKYap SG

I mean, regarding the fears that people have, that the PxP will come down on you and sue you till you are a bankrupt...

That kind of "pressure" and "persecutions" you face.

Melvin Tan SG

Hi,

Seriously, none of those. This was what I was trying to express from my gibberish Smile

It might be justified that it is because I am a small fry but in terms of "persecutions", apart from the "big fries", there are also "small fries" in that "loop" and "unscathed big fries" as well. Hence, I don't feel it is as simple as, you are a threat to PAP, you become bankrupt/exiled etc. I can show references if need be.

Note that this is not saying that I agree with PAP's harshness.

Regards

AndrewPKYap SG

so are you saying that in reality, people’s fears are unfounded and that openly donating to political parties and even joining political parties does not result in “pressure” and “persecutions”.... unless you are a really important figure like Dr Chee Soon Juan?

AndrewPKYap SG

what do you have to say to those that say, even though that might be true, better not take the risk?

Melvin Tan SG

Hi,

Except for the last portion of your sentence, which I reserve comments with apologies, yes, I think people's fears are unfounded for joining political parties and donations.

There is one catch though.

If your boss was personally a PAP member and did not know how to separate work from politics, there may a problem. Truthfully, I know at least one opposition party member working under a PAP boss who was more open but it doesn't happen all the time. Another is that if you work under a more "sensitive" government sector like Foreign Affairs, it is better to openly declare your affiliations because even PAP members can be rejected from such jobs.

Regards

Melvin Tan SG

Hi,

I would say it, is up to the person.

No matter how I justify, there is always 1% more risk in being full-fledged in an opposition party compared to being apathetic.

Each individual has to ask themselves if they wish to forego this challenge to do something for the country and gripe frustratingly over PAP's dominance merely because of the 1% extra risk.

To me, the 1% is no issue. Rather, in my view, it is a challenge to me and everyone in it, especially the likes of Low T K and Sylvia Lim, to see if they can make a breakthrough in the political landscape and provide Singaporeans a choice.

Regards

AndrewPKYap SG

So when do you think we will be like in the 1st world countries where the people in power are honorable and look upon the opposition as partners to check on their own excesses instead of hiding like the PxP, as cowards in their opacity and non-accountability?

« Previous Page Next Page »