I think it's time to get rid of PAP.
by Da Cunha, Derek
The People's Action Party, the nation's ruling
party since 1959, made Singapore a byword for political status quo.
The electorate was known to be stolid, politically apathetic,
indifferent. Until 2011.
In a general election that witnessed
Singaporeans' desire to alter the political landscape, the PAP saw
its vote slide to an all-time low since Singapore's independence.
The opposition Workers' Party secured six parliamentary seats. It
was a significant breakthrough.
Opposition parties have always been confronted
with major obstacles on their road to Parliament, not least the
multi-seat electoral divisions known as Group Representation
Constituencies.
With the fall of Aljunied GRC to the WP and the
defeat of two Cabinet ministers, GE2011 shattered the ruling
party's aura of virtue and invincibility. Breakthrough: Roadmap for
Singapore's Political Future examines the circumstances and context
of WP's parliamentary gains, and where almost 2 out of 5
Singaporean voters opted for an opposition party.
Singapore's electorate, post-GE2011, is polarised
between those who subscribe to the status quo and those who want it
altered irrevocably.
As a
consequence, Singapore's political future is certain to be marked
by unexpected twists and turns, many of which will likely be
counter-intuitive.
http://www.selectbooks.com.sg/getTitle.aspx?SBNum=052903
