Why my votes matters - A dialogue with Minister Mentor

LinYu SG

Q1. Why elections?
MM: coz the govt need a mandate.

Q2. But many of the MP were not given the mandate coz they were workovers
MM: coz the oppositions think they don't stand a chance.

LinYu SG

these questions were far better than "Dare ask the PM"

LinYu SG

Q3: Why GRC?
MM: coz they take in considerations of minority

Q4. But the minority like Mr Abdullah were voted in without GRC.
MM Confused ?

LinYu SG

Boy. these youngsters were more aggresive than those civil servants asking the PM in "Dare to ask the PM"

LinYu SG

anybody watching?
Shocked Shocked Shocked

LinYu SG

Q: with the walkover, how can PAP tell that they have the mandate?
MM: the very fact that there is no challenge is the strong mandate

Ecxentrique SG

yeah.. watched it.. thought provoking.. i think some even stumped the mm..

snow leopard SG

if two persons are fighting each other, one pulls out a gun, the other walks away, that doesn't mean i support the one who pulled out a gun, does it?

Ecxentrique SG

somehow.. this question is a bit tricky.. a lot of the issues are intertwined.. as to y no challenge in the first place?

no challenge does not equal strong mandate.. its becos pple are denied the opportunity to exercise their vote..

come on.. we aren't even allowed to speak.. so how can we even say no??

and i notice this.. only he and him alone can say yah we are not giving they (the opposition) a level playing field.. compare that to zaqy's sweepy.. "it depends on how freedom is defined" Confused

Ecxentrique SG

just in thailand.. the thaksin affair..

pple abstain to say no to thaksin.. if we abstain.. would MM still consider that as a mandate?

snow leopard SG

you can have minority representation without the GRC. break up the GRC into its constituent single wards, let's say 6 wards. two wards dedicated to minority, the other four wards to the chinese. both the PAP and the opposition can only field minority candidates in the minority wards. do you still need the GRC?

Ecxentrique SG

and you dun need a super big grc (6 member)? y not have a 84 member grc altogether?

LinYu SG

That man is still very sharp. look how he refute the journalist

J: Voters are afraid to vote
MM: How do you know?

J: Over a 100 being interviewed say so
MM: Can you name them?

J: Yes, but why should I
MM : Who are the 100?

J: Er.. those interviewed by the ST
MM: Did you asked all of them?

J: No. but I interviewed about 40 of them
MM: Did the 40 of them says they are afraid?

J : Some say they don't care, so say the result is certain, so say they are scared...............
MM: So are you all afraid to vote?

J & other j : No...

J: ........without question till dialogues end.
Shocked Shocked Shocked

robertteh SG

MM Lee's Q & A session with younger voters (CNA 12.4.2006 at 8.00 pm)

It does not look like he was prepared to answer to most of the questions as can be seen below (a sample)

Q: When are you retiring?

MM: When I am no longer useful.
(Contradicting his self-renewal pledge and policy older MPs must make way for the new blood)

Q: There is a perception that you are pulling strings from behind.

MM: Er, do you think my son has not a mind of his own?
(Forgeting his pulling strings over the SIA pilots union chief's natural union bargaining process and subsequent revocation of his PR status)

Q: Why not let the minority come in as some have come in on their own.

MM: Such minority PAP candidate got voted in at the time when the party was still strong and had full support of the people.
(Admitting that he needed GRC to boost the weakening of PAP at the time when PAP was getting less strong)

Q: Do you get to field the best candidates or only the second best where the best have refused to come in?

MM: Yes, we field in the best we can get, some of the best have declined.
(Admission that he could not get the best candidates)

Q: Do you feel PAP was insecure?

MM: er er

Q: What is the purpose of all these controls when you have all the walkovers created by the GRCs?

MM: Politics is all about life and creating jobs.
(Meaning that the end justifies the means no matter how unfair and unlevel is the playing field)

Many other Questions have been avoided by his interjections of the questioners by throwing back the same questions when the questions seem too tough.

snow leopard SG

J did pop another question towards the end. when you have a 'giant' grilling you, a giant you know who has no qualms locking people up for their entire lives or destroying them with expensive lawsuits, it would take a lot of courage to continue to answer back. but i do agwee that being our founding father, he should've been accorded with a bit more respect.

we know that many of the people we know are afraid to vote against the PAP for fear of repurcussions in any way. if they are afraid in the first place, how would they have the guts to come forward and admit that they are afraid?

Minister Wong Kan Seng said registration number is a must on ballot papers to prevent phanthom votes. but wouldn't a watermark or some machine verifiable imprint on the ballot paper suffice? what a lame duck excuse! makes us even more pissed ...

hisoka SG

that idiot no brain lah. if they can print money that "cannot" be forged why they cannot do the same for the ballots..........

SG,LauBaiXing SG

LKY keep repeating his famous same old scare tactics, Singaporeans Lives will be difficult and National Reserves will be finish.
I think only the Aunties and Ah So's will buy his threat's.
How come nobody ask him about politics in Japan, Korea, Hong Kong & Taiwan leadership renewal without LKY & PAP ?
Did their country and economy went down so badly after changing leaders ?
I'm confident this 2006 GE, the PAP will loose 2 GRC's beside Potong Pasir / Hougang to Oppositions because I can read both Father and Son is showing some signs of worries.

NewAge SG

its never easy in politics.the suggestion of MM lee to the opposition seem to be quite valid though. However he might have an ulterior motive by suggesting that. By making the opposition stand for GRC the tendency of opposition land falingl is very high.

countdracula SG

the group of youngsters are much better than the usual rigged interviews...now we know who's never going to be an editor with the straits times....

some earlier questions did stump lky, some replies were lame while those he couldn't get away, he tried to do technicals like how many? you spoke to all? and scare tactics. when asked why need 5 or 6 man grc, i didn't understand what he was mumbling about populations shifts...shift so what, you can still have 3 man grc....

at the end, the programme tried to show the softer side of things...typical..

given the aggression level, i think that's why no other pap folks dared to come out and face the real singaporeans..

SG,LauBaiXing SG

The PAP worries signs that I've noticed are as follows ;
1) Not announcing PAP manisfeto and GE day !
2) Tasking SM.GCT to PP & Hougang !
3) Giving huge sum's of Progress Package to the voters !
4) Planned progressive pay-out's in May and some in June !
5) Sending Khaw Boon Wan and the other MP lawyer whom tackle NKF scandal to Sembawang GRC !
6) Wong Kan Seng said that this GE is water shed issues !
7) Not dare to underestimating Worker Party Chairperson Mdm.Lim capabilities !
Cool Both Father and Son airing inaguration speeches in TV for answering the peoples this time round !
This are some new signs that is unusual compare with previous GE's. and I hope I'm right this time.