Ng: S'poreans should be aware of possible freak result

last SG · 2011-04-24T17:28:12+00:00

i didnt know they still serve our needs.its more like we serve their needs.

Clivebenss SG

By Satish Cheney | Posted: 23 April 2011 2354 hrs

SINGAPORE : Education Minister Ng Eng Hen has warned of a possible freak result if Singaporeans vote the opposition into power in the coming polls.

He said that the opposition must look to form an alternate government, and not just offer alternative voices in Parliament.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng took issue with the opposition sharing candidates.

They were speaking at the launch of Heights Park in Bishan-Toa Payoh Group Representation Constituency (GRC) on Saturday.

After meeting with residents at the opening of Heights Park, Education Minister Ng told reporters that voters need to ask themselves who will best serve their needs.

He said Singaporeans should only vote for the opposition if they believe the opposition can run the country better than the People's Action Party (PAP).

Dr Ng said: "Every election, it is never about just alternative voices in Parliament, because your vote is very powerful and for every General Election you are deciding on who runs the country. If it is just for alternative voices, the NCMP scheme allows for that, you can raise anything you want in Parliament.

"But as the opposition parties have clarified, that is not their intent. In fact, they want to - Workers' Party have said they want to block constitutional amendments, they want enough seats in the house not just to provide alternative voices, but really their goal is to form an alternative government - to become the government."

One of the points in the Singapore People's Party manifesto is that the government must be held accountable for any security lapses. To this, Mr Wong said he had already dealt with this issue in Parliament.

He said: "I spent one hour detailing what the Committee of Inquiry found, and spent the next two hours answering questions from all the MPs - those who were interested in asking questions. Mr Chiam (See Tong) stood up and asked me a question, and he asked whether the police considered using tracker dogs to track down Mas Selamat.

"That is his only question for me in Parliament, where I spent two hours answering questions. So I made a full public account of it. So if he now says that is not enough, why didn't he stand up then and ask more questions."

Asked to respond on Mr Chiam's comment that sharing of candidates shows opposition unity, Mr Wong disagreed.

He said: "So it means that all the opposition parties have the same philosophy, same principle, same values? By his comments, from what you just read to me, that must be the meaning of it. Well, if that is the case, why so many different parties, why not have one?"

- CNA

Rooney9 SG

I am looking with anticipation that opposition will win 1 GRC and win a few single seats, that will be a freak result in this GE

Icerage SG

dismantle the GRC, pap will lose lesser

u bet big time, u can lose big time too

Clivebenss SG

The more he spooked the voters the harder he will fall.

Goodbye in advance.

Junyang700 SG

dismantle the GRC, pap will lose lesser

u bet big time, u can lose big time too

yup.. losing 3 grcs... like 12 seats .... already 13.8% of seats gone...

tranquilice SG

I am looking with anticipation that opposition will win 1 GRC and win a few single seats, that will be a freak result in this GE

If opposition winning 1 GRC is a freak result, what if they win half of the 15 GRCs? What result will it be? Laughing

Clivebenss SG

Please there is no such thing as a freak result. There is only good or bad results for the participating political parties.

The voters have their choice and we must respect the voters' choice.

Please do not insult the voters, have respect for your fellow citizens.

Rooney9 SG

If opposition winning 1 GRC is a freak result, what if they win half of the 15 GRCs? What result will it be? Laughing

it wont happen in this GE. for it to happen, sg economy and PAP policies must have sucked big time, just look at Japan's LDP losing after 50 years in government. Japanese people are fed up of 2 decades of no growth and incompetent LDP politicians.

we haven seen that in Spore yet, it may well happen in a few decades from now, but it wont happen anytime soon.

shanfan SG

After meeting with residents at the opening of Heights Park, Education Minister Ng told reporters that voters need to ask themselves who will best serve their needs

This asshole still have the cheek to make this statement, no shame!

shanfan SG

only winning by PAP is not freak

tranquilice SG

we haven seen that in Spore yet, it may well happen in a few decades from now, but it wont happen anytime soon.

Yes, won't happen in this GE. I think don't have to wait for a few decades, in 10 to 15 years time, when LHL is no longer the PM, we may see the political tsunami coming.

Icerage SG

we haven seen that in Spore yet, it may well happen in a few decades from now, but it wont happen anytime soon.

u r so out of touch, seems like u r living in yr own circle

u r comparing japan to singapore politics?

The change is long due n should happens anytime

Icerage SG

if the result is freak then we must have voted out the freaks

Rooney9 SG

Yes, won't happen in this GE. I think don't have to wait for a few decades, in 10 to 15 years time, when LHL is no longer the PM, we may see the political tsunami coming.

for it to happen, spore economy must be in the doldrums for years and coupled with bad PAP policies that contributed to the malaise.

SingaporeTyrannosaur SG

Seems like they a bit fidgety that this year it seems that the mood on the ground is not as welcoming as before and the alternative parties have been coming out in force and the new generation of voters are more vocal.

Might not actually translate into a "freak" election result... you must remember a significant amount of the population remains politically apathetic who see Singapore's current state as their lot and have bought the whole "only one party can give us stabilty" bogeyman. Or of course the more conservative and local-media fed generation that will still traditionally vote for the incumbent party.

Also there's an additional buffer of thousands of new citizens who benefit from the liberal immigration policies who would naturally want to vote incumbent. All these translate into some "insurance" the ruling party can fall back on given they have by far, largely failed to capture the hearts and minds of the internet generation.

In the long run though, it is clear the PAP job in gaining support among the newer generation is a lot less of a cakewalk as it had in the past few decades. Their poor choice of young candidates also sends out the wrong message... rather then picking a passionate, radical people with strong views of how the country can be run and who represent party renewal and relevance to the new voters, they instead chose pretty much those who would not disturb the status quo and meekly agree with the party line, flying in under the wings of the GRC system... this in my opinion in the long run will be a stragetic mistep for them.

The movers and shakers of Gen Y are not going to the party and they're going to feel it in the long run when more and more of them start settling down, buying overpriced houses and go into the workforce to compete with the imported FTs... all in all I can say that the old tricks are starting to lose effectiveness...

Ironically this is a good thing for the PAP if they step up to the challenge, if they wake up their idea and realize that the new generation is a lot smarter and will not take to be treated like sheep and be coddled or affected by the Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt tactics that have been used. Will they be able to make the change or will they just fall flat because too many parties have too many vested interests in the status quo that they are reluctant to change? Only time will tell.

All I can say is, it is almost certain their mandate among true-blue, born in Singapore and served NS Singaporeans will almost certainly be reduced. They can try to top up the loss by attempting to redefine Singaporean by importing loyal citizens from other countries, but they is only a stopgap.

So yes, they have reason to be cautious.

Rooney9 SG

this election will tell the PAP, people are fedup with foreigners issue and cost of living in Spore goes up, esp the HDB issue.

it wont cause them to lose power, but they will see it as a protest vote against their policies. if they continue at this rate, the next election in 2016, they may lose more than a few single seats and GRCs, but not necessarily to the extent of unable to form government.

βέτά SG

I asked myself who would serve my needs well and it turns out to be opposition.

If we vote them in we will suffer another 5 years.

Rooney9 SG

I asked myself who would serve my needs well and it turns out to be opposition.

If we vote them in we will suffer another 5 years.

then problem is how many people think like you? does the uncle and auntie in the street think like you do? if so, then PAP will be voted out of office if majority of Sporeans think like you do.

SingaporeTyrannosaur SG

I don't think they are foolish, they can see the writing on the wall that Singaporeans are not too happy with some of the runaway policies implemented in the past few years. The so called "reversal" of some of the policies are election mitigation efforts.

I have no doubt they will remain in power, or retain a majority in parliment. What they are afraid of is having a greater mandate pass to the opposition which will indicate that their job will be harder to justify and do, and also that they can't keep ignoring the alternative views anymore, they won't lose their jobs but will most certainly need to run for their money, which given how incredibly high their salaries are, they ought to face some real challenges at work.

All this talk about one-party being best for Singaporeans is contigent on the notion that the party itself has the best interests for Singaporeans first and foremost.

We only hear half of the story. They say that having a one-party system allows policies that benefit Singaporeans to be easily passed.

They are leaving out the fact that a one-party system also allows policies that do not benefit Singaporeans to be easily passed.

And the fact that they don't adress that makes me feel that they are not really adept at forming their arguments, which makes it hard for me to vote for somebody who does not seem to know their own case very well.

Vote PAP OUT to Save SG SG

One 88 year old guy still in power is already a freak result.

I want to end that freak result.

Ministers pay in millions is also a freak result.

Country flooded with aliens is also a freak result.

Country with no englishman but anglicised is also a freak result.

Lee family wants to control everything is also a freak result.

I want to end all of the freak results.