an attack from within

nismoS132 SG

i'll be honest that i don't really understand how politics works, but i've always wondered that rather than create a new party to vie with the ruling party, wouldn't it be easier to join them and make change from within?

that aside, what does it take to be a policitian in singapore anyway?

Viper52 SG

Unfortunately, thats never easy. You're just one man fighting against the entrenched mindset of the entire party, and in Singapore's case its even harder with the cult of personality built around one person and the a significant number of the cabinet handpicked from his offspring and those who subscribe to his ideas.

Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan is one such example, a well known critic of the government who joined the Cabinet and claiming he wanted to enact change from within. Today he faithfully spouts the party line and is all to often controlled by the all powerful Party Whip.

To be a politician in Singapore, you either join an oppostion party, or become a government scholar or a wildly successful businessman who doesn't have too many skeletons in your closet. If taking the last 2 options, you then sit back and wait for the invitation from the ruling party to join their ranks. Oh, and given the government's fixation with grades, a 1st class Honours Degree is the bare minimum requirement.

Atobe SG

Political Parties that separate its Executive Members from Ordinary Members are afraid of the Popular Vote of the Majority.

The PAP and the newly formed SPP do not allow the Ordinary Members to elect from amongst the Common Ordinary Members into the Executive Council.

Those who are in the Executive Council are selected, interviewed, tested, and appointed by the Elders - who had placed themselves there as the Founding Members, and created such regulations to ensure that Power remains with the trusted few.

Those with the Executive Powers will not allow themselves to be subjected to the whims and fancies of a electorial selection system, conducted with the votes from the supposedly Less Capable and Less Intelligent beings that form the Ordinary Membership.

Trying to be a Trojan Horse ?

Think again, as the Trojan Horse will be worn to the ground, before it even get pass the gate into the Inner Circle of the Executive Council.

Our Political Leaders consider themselves to be Citizens of a country that they have built into the First World image; but sadly, they still maintain the Third World mentality in Politics.

SingaporeTyrannosaur SG

Get used to it... this is a "Father-Knows-Best" state wat.

Public outcry and complains are what they would listen to... not riots and protests, but compliants... strange...

Viper52 SG

Change from within? Or spouting the party line while doing a great impression of a hysterical woman?

"If you want to dance on a bar top, some of us will fall off that bar top. Some people will die as a result of liberalising bar-top dancing. Not just because they've fallen off the bar top, but because it's usually a young girl with a short skirt who's dancing on it, who may attract some insults from some other men. The boyfriend starts fighting. Some people will die. Blood will be shed for liberalising the policy."

- Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Chairman of Remaking S'pore Commitee, Straits Times Oct 3

Atobe SG

Originally posted by Viper52:
Change from within?

"If you want to dance on a bar top, some of us will fall off that bar top. Some people will die as a result of liberalising bar-top dancing. Not just because they've fallen off the bar top, but because it's usually a young girl with a short skirt who's dancing on it, who may attract some insults from some other men. The boyfriend starts fighting. Some people will die. Blood will be shed for liberalising the policy."
[b]
- Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Chairman of Remaking S'pore Commitee, Straits Times Oct 3
[/b]

Sadly, for someone who has distinguished himself in a series of TV Debates, he can only come up with such a lame reason that makes one wonder if his brilliance was just a "flash in the pan".

Would have been more convincing if the learned Doctor was to say that "Hot Blooded People" will die of heart attack, watching up-skirt of a girl dancing on a bar top, wearing a mini-skirt.

nismoS132 SG

i just felt that some MPs were really sincere in helping the people, i mean those in the grassroots.

the problem with most singaporeans (MPs included) is they need someone to lead them, before they're willing to do anything. thus, although there are those that aspire to change the way things are, they're meek and silent, because there just isn't someone around willing gather enough people to revolt from within.

SingaporeTyrannosaur SG

I dunno... while I don't condone bar-top dancing, his very logic begs reasoning... after all, if they are so concerned for our safety, might as well do away with NS... after all, we do know some of us might end up getting killed or badly injured in there as part of this National Service...

Why not ban cycling? Some might fall off or crash and die?

Or any other thing for that matter... as a matter of fact, why don't they all stick us in pods of pink goo where we can't hurt ourselves and just use us as human batteries while we let them handle the dangerous world? This dosen't really seem like the bold spirit of remaking Singapore... Not that I ever had much personal faith in that programme to really change anything... unless they show me otherwise...

Pretty amazing logic...

Atobe SG

Interesting readings from an "Old War Horse" and perhaps one can form new strategies in living with the political realities in Singapore:-

http://www.singapore-window.org/sw03/030214fs.htm

One note of caution, "speed reading and patience needed in large dose"

laser51088 SG

Perhaps we need an opposition with leaders that have good credentials already OUTSIDE of politics BEFORE entering the political fray. The current oppo crop just cannot beat the PAP given their current image and strength.

I admit that much of their image is what the PAP paints of them, but then if they had indisputable credentials, then it'll be alot easier for people to trust them. After all, while i mentioned elsewhere that the government now has some buffer for certain miscalculations given singapore's economic success, the election of people to become leaders of our country must have no mistake, cos we dun have enough buffer to elect a weak or lousy leader in and still expect to survive till the next elections to get him out.. .

my two cents

Fanatical_Knight SG

Singapore is the new Rome, SR Nathan is Octavius Caesar, Lee Kuan yew is the Julius Caesar, someone is Marc Antony, you trojan horses are Cassiuses… Singapore is the new Rome! Videe VIDi Vinci larrr!

Eiizumi SG

Ah... Singapore can be consider a constitutional "monarchy", as SIngapore elects the "King" or Yang di Pertuan Agong, who is the President.

Why is this so?

Because of our past history with Malaysia. During the days when Singapore was merged with Malaysia. Every state has a chief minister (the state governor and now promoted to the position as a Prime Minister) and a ruler, or the Yang di Pertuan Agong (which is merely a symbolic representative of the people of the state).

Why the need of a symbolic representation is a matter of face, I think. Anyway, this is how our president came about who was then Yusof bin Ishak. But Yusof bin Ishak was always be looked down on for the Dubar or the Conference of Rulers as he was not born of the royal blood and was considered a commoner by Sultans of the Malaysian state.

The only true friend who really considered Yusof equality of status was our ally's Sultan of Brunei who was not part of Malaysia. Because the Sultan of Brunei thinks he was being looked down on when initially he was joining Malaysia, he did not like his status among the other Sultans.

Anyway, we still needed a President who's a model Singaporean whom the people look up too. So far, Mr. SR Nathan is averagely, so-so popular to me only. Firstly, he was not truly elected, as he was automatically appointed as President because he's the only eligible candidate. To many people, he still haven't do anything great than our former elected President Ong Teng Cheong. To me, the only thing I remember about Mr. Nathan was his declaration of continuing eating of roti-prata in the Istana even though he has heart problems.

nismoS132 SG

it's vini vidi vici.