The PAP ran a horrendous unintelligent campaign. Poorly
coordinated and one with a total dearth of a coherent message. The
mistakes include:
1. Gomez. Whatever plot they were trying to prove out of Gomez's
application forms, they looked like murderous character assassins
going after a young man who is a well known speaker and author.
They thought they can spin it into the equivalent of a 'CSJ
heckling GCT' using the media under their control. But 2 headlines,
7 days later, they realised nobody is convinced. How did they
expect to convince people they know what was going on Gomez's
head?! Their accusations were also so totally full of holes even if
you want to believe them you would have found it difficult. The
Worker's Party exploited it to the maximum remaining highly
focussed and getting their messages across.
2. Media. Saying that the media is bias during this election is a
total understatement, They didn't even pretend to objective. You
just have to attend 1 rally and you will realise the disparity of
the reporting....and Singaporeans attended rallies by the
thousands. The Internet disseminated it to people who couldn't
attend. People can see what is real and tell it from the illusion
the Straits Times was trying to create. The media lost its
credibility....it lost its effectiveness as a propaganda
tool.
3.No Intelligent Message. The PAP manifesto looked like it was put
together by an advertising company - totally unsincere and
motherhood. Frankly it looks pretty hollow and really reflects
badly on them. Are the PAP candidates especially the new pnes too
busy to come up with a decent manifesto? Where are the new ideas
from the new people? Singapore faces the biggest challenge in the
coming decades with globalisation & competition - the last
thing we need is complacent govt and a group uninspiring group of
'reluctant politicians' who can't even bother to serve us full time
as MPs because their own career are more important. You don't see
any passion, you don't see any fresh ideas....you don't see effort,
just people riding on the coattails....
4. Upgrading, upgrading and more upgrading. When ever the sense
their position weakening, they instantly cough out an upgrading
package. The WP mentioned that there were 2 blocks left out in the
lift upgrading, the PAP instantly offered it to them. Losing at
Hougang....no problem just dump an $80M upgrading package at
them...etc. Upgrading as an election weapon is losing its edge,
people know it is taxpayers money and are starting to feel insulted
it is being used to buy their votes,
The biggest blunder is by PM Lee who admitted to a lunch time crowd
he can't handle the opposition, he has to fix them and buy votes
from supporters. His quote was instantly spread to thousands
through email and the appearance in blogs & webpages. In a
single statement he lost alot of credibility, he STRONGLY INSULTED
the people from whom he is seeking mandate and admits the PAP is
involved in the dirty politics of fixing opponents. Who is going to
believe their accusations of Gomez now?!
The PAP lost the moral high ground this elections, they lost
credibility, they blackened their own White shirts.
