2) For a PAP ruling party.
I concede that my articles were VERY biased. I wrote nothing good about the opposition and chose to delete any comments Pro-Opposition/Anti-PAP, even if they were well-reasoned.
Why? Because Pro-Opposition sentiment is already very strong everywhere. I mean look at the opposition rallies’ crowd! Everywhere I looked, people were coming up with more and more anti-PAP articles, and yet nobody was speaking up for them. That’s not because nobody believes in them – it’s because it is such a given that they will dominate the parliament that there was NO NEED to defend them. People only liked to give support to the underdog.
Besides, the anti-PAPs are so fierce that nobody dares to say anything Pro-PAP! You’d be immediately called a dog, brainwashed, ignorant, stupid etc.
I feared for Singapore’s future. I think that with the strong anti-PAP sentiment going on online, PAP might not get majority seats and we might have a complete change in government. No matter what PAP’s mistakes are, I didn’t want that. Especially not some inexperienced ah bengs with left wing commies giving away citizens’ money and undoing all we have achieved over the years.
Why didn’t I trust Singaporeans to make their own judgement by providing a neutral, objective article? There wasn’t a need to. Anti-PAP articles are everywhere. I was trying to provide a balance.
I agree we needed more opposition voices in parliament. But I didn’t want to lost George Yeo. And I didn’t want it to go overboard and topple PAP.
And true enough in many areas the PAP win was only a very close one. What’s going to happen in 5 years’ time when many of the old folks loyal to PAP are dead and the impressionable youths have only read about what an evil dictator PAP is? I didn’t want that. I didn’t think it was fair.
Sadness
Just my view on those who voted for WP in Aljunied GRC:
Do voters really know what they are doing? What they have actually done? Years and years of hardwork and service from George Yeo and his team. Even the opposition admited it, GY and his team did nothing wrong, they did everything they could for the people. What did he get in return?
What did Aljunied voters do to repay him? Voted him out in favour of an untested, unproven team. Voted him out because they buy into the idea of “First World Parliment”. Voted him out because for this far-fetched theory of “Checks & Balances”. Do people REALLY realize the consequence of their actions, what they have done?
There is no groupthink within the PAP. Even within their own ranks, not all PAP members agree with government policies. Look beyond their party affiliation, they are just citizen like you and like. You don’t need opposition to give a balanced view. PAP members DO voice out their differing opinions and alternatives, they do debate and argue it out rationally. This is the “Check & Balance” you are looking for, this the “First World Parliment” you want, where different views and opinions are voiced out and debated upon. Sadly, people seem to buy into this idea that ONLY opposition candidate can give “alternative view”, ONLY opposition candidate can fight for the rights of the citizens. They get swayed by lofty rhetorics and ideals and kicked out an experienced team of leaders.
Y
Hi Xiaxue,
I just wish to say a big thank you for speaking up for the government who has worked so hard for Singapore. I feel sad when I see so many anti PAP sentiments around especially when I don’t think they deserved it. A country’s policies can never benefit everyone, the optimal point is always a balance. In saying that, you create some tradeoffs, helping majority of the people but as a result, a minority gets left behind. I don’t think those people should blame the government because they should take a look around the world, the impact of globalization is affecting every country and Singapore has to go along with it to survive. This has forced to government to make certain policies to ensure the survival of Singapore in the long term but as this point, some people just don’t see it. Moreover, I think Singaporeans should stop blaming the government for some of their situations because ultimately, you make the decisions in your life. The government is responsible for the general well being of the nation but individually it’s your call. I don’t know how to get it across to my friends that “hey it is not only the government’s responsibility to help the poor, it’s our social responsibility too.” Many sit there and blame the government but they don’t do anything to help. This scares me especially when I think about the kind of society we may face in the future because of all these mindsets. People now blame the GRC system for causing the loss of Mr George Yeo, but do they realize that it was their votes, the decision that they made that created this? I just hope many of them will move on now that George Yeo graciously has, and concentrate on ensuring that WP fulfills every single one of its promises. The GRC system was created to ensure that minority groups get represented better in that area. It was created because the government was afraid that a single MP may not be able to relate to everyone of different races and religions and therefore implemented this to ensure every citizen, regardless of race, language and religion gets heard by their GRC team.
Many Pro PAP supporters don’t speak up because maybe the anti PAP sentiments are too overwhelming and I think it can be pretty much of a waste of time when you try to reason with people who are not listening at all.
June
And, I believe it’s NOT that pap doesn’t listen, but rather problems can’t be solved as yet, because leading a country is NOT easy in the first place. Can people just stop seeking perfection? We should have alternative voices, but those voices should be of high-quality, at the very least on par with the incumbent and not at the expense of good ministers? People said WP-A team, PAP-? team. You are obviously blinded, because if WP has an A team, then pap has an A+++ team, with experiences and credentials that are on par, and even exceeding that of the other side. You believe that WP will be your alternative voice, I respect your decision, but people need to stop insulting the other team and gloating over their loss!
M
The opposition can’t do that as they don’t have the power they need to make a difference. Honestly, if the opposition were to hear you (they did hear many Singaporeans out, therefore they highlighted the issues of the GST, government salary pay, tax etc), the opposition will take note of the good suggestion you pointed out. But they can’t promise you anything thats all. Besides I personally feel that PAP has changed over the years. They sure do govern the country well, but they must remember to hear the citizens out. We have good suggestions, but they don’t hear us out
One example is their salary pay, I really wish they can cut their pay by half, and use the rest to help the poor in Singapore, or perhaps reduce the GST to 6% or 5%… I would really be happy. Im sure other would too, and you as well
Jasmine S.
Ur examples just show how ignorant you are about how economy works, just like the rest of the Opp so-called supporters.How about PAP hear people out and slow down, re-focus on people instead of economy, take out money to help the poor, reduce GST, don’t import foreign talents. People will be happy for a while but in the long term, Singapore’s GDP will slow down, less jobs are available, the rich become poorer, the poor even poorer, the country’s reserves drop, economy crisis hits and we are unable to recover as quickly. I am certain that if that happens, people will be saying to PAP, but you should know better than us, as our leaders you should have done what’s right and good for us instead of blindly listening to us. No matter what PAP decides, at the end of the day, just cos they are the ruling party, anything goes wrong, people put all the blame on them.
Hi. I’m from MY and I have been following SG’s elections. The opposition have been targetting social media and are nothing but all whines and complains. Real estate prices go up, blame gov. Too many foreginers, blame gov. Money misused, MAGNIFY it. It is unevitable that real estate prices increase, given how much land singapore has. The opposition is just trying to use peoples’ hatred to gain support. If people had really done a comparison, they’d know that the lower income group in SG does have a higher quality of life compared to other ASEAN countries. Opposition shouldn’t be all about opposing the gov per se. The foreigners brought into SG are all highly-skilled professionals, so what’s the problem in that? Without these people and their contribution, the resource-limited SG wouldn’t be how it is now. At least there is control over imigrants to SG and legal procedures are followed. Unlike here where most of the imigrants are bangla labours without permits. Money mismanagement happens occasionally. Minor mistakes once in a while for a lesson learnt is worth it. But in MY, the government does it repeatedly. There are huge numbers of our taxpayers money spent to pay equipments over-priced due to corruption. Singaporeans have to be more appreciative of the government, in which their achievement is something other countries long for.
rakshel
sigh, it’s my exam period now and the lost had affected me so much i couldn’t study. everywhere i go i hear ignorant singaporeans talking about how lousy the governement is, and almost everyone is pro-opposition. but i’m an economics student. i know how every policy has it’s pros and cons and i’m so bewildered that how anyone can just shoot off their mouth and introduce their own policy based on their ridiculous expectation. hello? that’s why you (the anti-pap) are not the government.
good leaders means u know how to say ‘no’ when it’s hard to. just like what dumbledore (haha) says, ‘
you have to choose between what’s right, and what’s easy’. people get roused when the opposition offers dreamy solutions but the repurcussions are way beyond your imagination. minimum wage? even the most mediocre economic student will tell you it will result in social inefficiency.
people wants to hear nice things, but nice things might not be good for us!
and it’s so unfair for nicole seah to keep saying that pap neglected the poor. how much help does she really wanna give? does she realise that every change in the amount of help given to the poor is very delicate? if too much help is given to the poor, people might get reliant and dependent on the governement. the right amount is important to drive people to work hard and ensure the poor has some form of subsidies. people get lured by her views because people are idealistic and don’t wanna see the practical side of the issue.
C
Major love for PAP. I know they are not perfect. They have nt looked into many areas and cared for every single person who has fallen thru the cracks. They even failed to invest in Sg stocks when there was an economic crisis to save Singaporeans; they invested in China and India stocks. This I truly do not understand. Yet I love them, because I have seen with my own eyes, the contributions they have made to Singapore. No one I know have no home, no jobs, no education. As compared to other countries, I find ourselves very lucky. I believe in our own hard work even tho there are still improvements that can be made by the PAP. And like u, I think talk is cheap. The oppositions can suggest better solutions instead of just pin pointing problems. How to make housing even more affordable? How to let the minority walk out of poverty? If HDB is soooo affordable and everyone pays up within 10yrs, then everyone can afford to buy two or three properties, then its supply and demand again that will drive up the cost of property. And over building will cause another dip in everyone’s property prices. So who do you want to satisfy? buyers or sellers? There is no perfect policy, and politicians are not God.
kickass_spunkchick
Hello XX,Keep blogging, i love your outspoken, genuine and “in your face” posts, love the last few entries on the GEs. It’s a pity that Singaporeans don’t know what they have, and what PAP and MM Lee have done for this tiny nation. If not for their hard work and tough love and strict rules, Singapore wouldn’t have risen to its current status from being just a dangerous, and poor slum city 40 odd years ago. I’m a Singaporean studying abroad and miss everything about Singapore while i’m here.
Silly Singaporeans really don’t know and don’t cherish what they have, something as important as safety has been long taken for granted back home. When you’re out and living abroad, you’ll realise how much the PAP government and MM Lee have done to ensure that our streets are safe no matter what time, and that we get clean tap water that is drinkable, education, 24 hours police stations, 24 hours shops, macdonald’s etc etc and the list goes on.
All these have been taken for granted and people just got carried away with what the OP/WP have promised. Those are mere words, well, the people have chosen. Time will tell if the WP/OP CAN actually deliver. You think the grass is greener on the other side, wait and see, time will prove it all.
Guest
why the inefficiency must be blamed on the PAP? arent the doctors and nurses your fellow Singaporeans? blame your fellow Singaporeans who are slow and inefficient. must the govt meet them personally to hurry them so that you can get your scan done?
_____________________________
Guest
A good MP will get a grip on her emotions, wipe the tears of the poor and help them to help themselves. Not just help them by asking the government to give them more handouts becos then, these poor can never live in dignity. As the saying goes “Teach the man to fish and he will eat for a life time”, and this is exactly what the PAP has always been doing, teaching us to be independent and take charge of our lives. It takes a lot of courage to stand up to the ignorant and the a lot of wisdom to tell the right from wrong.
SingaPolis 