I don't mean to sound like I'm flaming but this is a really not
news. The PAP has always been doing stuff like this and it'll be
foolhardy for anyone to think they'll stop behaving like this
anytime soon.
The PAP is probably just making an example of Potong Pasir. And did
I hear democracy? Come on man....the voting we do is just to pay
lip service to our own empty promise of "building a democratic
society, based on justice and equality." Most foreign observers
consider our government a very friendly dictatorship. I can't
remember who told me that or where I read that so that might not be
true. But if it is true, I wouldn't be surprised at all, and
neither should any of you be.
Most Singaporeons just blindly vote for the PAP, just for the sake
of security. When I say security, I mean things like economic
stability, low crime rates, etc. Complain as much as we may, we're
still much, much better off than a lot of other countries in terms
of those factors.
In a way, Singaporeons are willing to trade off some of our
freedoms and other niceties in return for the kind of security the
PAP gives us. Granted, for all we know the SDP might actually do a
better job but because of the political non-competition in
Singapore, no one will know for sure; Being as kiasu as we are,
we'd rather play safe and stick with the PAP.
Ever heard of "give an inch, and they'll take a foot?" Same goes
for the PAP. They give a bit of room for political competition, and
before they know it the opposition would use the slack that the PAP
cut them, to choke the PAP. Once they let the ball start rolling,
it will be near impossible in a political context for them to stop
it, and they'll be out of office before they know it. In a way, the
PAP is just as kiasu like the rest of us Singaporeons, and would
also rather play safe.
With the current hullabooboo about more free speech and political
competition, the PAP is just letting opposition have a go at it
just for show. In reality, the opposition is nothing more than
cannon fodder to the PAP. As a side note, the General Elections is
more or less the PAP's turf, so what makes the opposition think
they could win a fight in the PAP's own backyard? If any of you
have noticed, most of the opposition candidates are those that
probably have been deemed as non-threatening by the government.
Those that did pose a threat have all been jailed, sued to
bankruptcy, or been given free air-conditioned rooms at
you-know-where.
I guess you could say the recent General Elections was just one big
successful PR stunt the PAP managed to pull off, and the people
living in Potong Pasir were none the wiser. Lets just hope those
constituencies that voted for the opposition learn their lesson in
time for the next General Elections, and don't repeat the same
mistake.
That is, if they're still allowed to vote. Since the PAP has the
mentality that not voting for them is grounds for the revoking of
"privileges" like the upgrading of HDB flats, building of MRT
lines, etc, considering not voting for them as grounds for not
being granted the "privilege" (anyone remember that one?) to vote
isn't really that far-off, is it? The consequences are all the same
anyway; vote for PAP or...actually you don't really have a choice.
You just have to vote for them. 
Food for thought, anyone? 
[This message has been edited by chamenos (edited 14 May
2002).]
