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I am done cooling off. Lemme vote already.
Bitched on: Saturday, April 30, 2011
Time: 4/30/2011 10:10:00 PM
Ok... I haven't blogged for what may seem like a gazillion years. So I am a bit rusty. This might all sound incoherent but oh well... I will try my best to rearrange my paragraphs and stuff. And I do believe it will take me at least a week to write down this 'essay'... all the stuff I've been hearing, digesting and then thinking, along with the emotions that comes with this... 'fever'.Time: 4/30/2011 10:10:00 PM
Yes, I have been hit with the election fever... really badly... I was already feverish long before they announced the nomination day and polling day... when I was supposed to be working on my thesis. And now that I'm supposed to be concluding with my 5,000 words thesis report, here I am giving this entry my top priority. I can't help it. This election fever is infectious. And once infected, you are just longing for that one fateful day to get the results back; whether you will get better or be... doomed.
And don't write me off as another one of those noobs who are only vocal come elections. Those who will suddenly show so much interest in politics but in actuality knows jack....
Ok, neither am I saying I know every damn thing about the political situation here... If I did, I would have known how much we have in the reserves and I would have saved the late Dr Ong a whole lot of time prying the figures from the government.
But back to what I know. Singapore's political arena has never been this exciting since Independence. So much excitement and hype surrounding us - the people of Singapore. We are being wooed, being manja-ed... left-right-center. With promises to 'love-us-long-time' and 'deep-deep'. And of course not forgetting the occasional below-the-belt jibes at the other party wooing us.
PAP VS Oppositions.
82 out of 87 seats contested. Only one GRC walkover (a 35 second blunder of the century).
Possible 2-3 GRCs going to opposition parties.
Possible incumbent government losing many of the seats.
I'm sorry but 'incumbent' somehow sounds pretty negative to me... like 'incompetent' somehow... and I actually thought that was what 'incumbent' really meant until recently (oh snap, there goes my political 'credentials'). But then again, many of you would argue that the incumbent government has also been inco......... ehem....
Allow me to try to be neutral and not biased. Key word here is 'try'. I will try really really hard. Really hard. It is a no-brainer who I'm rooting for (note, key word here is 'root' not 'vote'. I would like to exercise my rights to keep my vote confidential).
So I've talked to friends; locals, foreigners, pro-PAP, pro-opposition, as well as watched the bias news on TV, read the bias papers which in turn made me turn to the net to read articles (courtesy of 'liking' The Online Citizen and not-to-be-one-sided-here, I've also 'liked' the PAP pages on Facebook), just trying to comprehend all these politics stuff and be updated up-to-speed. So what I have been seeing are arrows and spears flying across between these two camps and I am right underneath them.
Ever so patriotic.
Its true what Mr Tony Tan said, Singapore has been divided into two. But at the same time, strangely, Singaporeans have never been this united in the sense that we are extremely damn patriotic now. Each of us has an opinion (just ask your taxi driver next time for his). And each of us has probably never felt so strongly for this country, and neither have we felt ever so belonged and all of us suddenly want to be heard (via FB status, twitter and even the resurfacing blogosphere). Its like the past 40-er-something National Days all compressed into one. Saying the National Pledge has never been so meaningful to some until the past few days.
But like I've said, I have tried to be neutral. Hear both sides. But one thing that really annoys me is people who are really apathetic (to the extent, its really pathetic)... Statuses like "Why must my GRC be contested? Now have to go polling booth... Sianz" or "I know I should be patriotic and stuff... but there goes my plans on Saturday". Oh boo hoo. If you don't want to vote then give me your voting rights so I can double mine.
Another group that irks me is those who follow the crowd and have no opinions of their own. I say to this people, grow your own f*cking brains and decide. Do a bit of research before coming to a conclusion. You want to believe in some random blogger/singer/model/actor/eyebrow plucker with dipshit for brains, by all means.
Ball-less.
Then there are those who are convinced that their votes are not secret. So? "Oh, they are gonna find out whom I voted for, there goes my job/house application/promotion/bonus/(freedom?)". Again history is important, go learn what 1963 Operation Coldstore and 1987 Operation Spectrum is all about. Still relevant to these times? No, I don't think so. If it was, a lot of the 'oppositions' would be in prison by now.
Ask yourself this then, if you are so afraid of this people (or maybe you simply feel you would be inconvenienced in the future), then what does it say about who you are voting for? What does it say about the future you want for yourselves and your children's future? Should we all be living under this so-called fear for the rest of our lives? So ask yourself, what does it say about you?
Contradictions, contradictions.
Then there is another group who argues and argues until the cows come home, sleep, wake up, wander around again, get milked, then come home... again... without all the right facts and information. I get extreme joy from rebutting every single one of their arguments (sorry ah, but especially the PAP supporters. Yes, fine... I'm biased. But then again, I will always jump at any chance at a rebuttal when I see a contradiction). Like how they will first say to give Tin Pei Ling a chance to prove herself and in the same breath say the oppositions do not have any experience in 'running the country'. *scratch head*
So I say to this people, listen to yourself first before you open your mouth. Unless there are no contradictions, then you would just be helping me shoot your arguments down.
Another group which annoys me (again... sorry ah pro-PAP supporters) are those who have this mentality: 'Don't bite the hand that feeds you'. Firstly, I am not a dog. So to use that proverb is really insulting and plain stupid. Secondly, that is just simply saying that these opposition-supporters are ingrates and it is un-Singaporean to not support the PAP. Get this right, PAP is not the government. And no, the government will not crumble if we let anyone else in. Are we clearer now? And please do not confuse the first generation of PAP leaders to those we have today. The PAP then had laid the foundations to what Singapore has become today, yes, that I agree, very much.
FYI also please learn your (unbiased) history before you give all the credit (every single last one) to Mr Lee Kuan Yew. With all due respect, he was not the only PAP founder, nor was he the only person who revolutionised and dreamt and built every single thing that is in Singapore today; like reclaiming the marshlands of Jurong to get what we know today as Tuas for example... or the MRT train system... or botanical gardens (I was watching Martha Stewart 'in Singapore' one day and the STB guy kept saying LKY did this, this that...). The man is a man, a very smart and resourceful man, but he is still a man. Not a God. So please, give credit when it is due. And I also urge you to listen to both sides of the story, apparently this man, is no saint either.
Track Records
I feel it was necessary to have these 'iron-ruling' leaders for a nation that needs to not just be steered to a particular common direction but also to be stirred to wake up and progress. Yes, that 'patriarchal' form of governance back then was suitable. Now, it is completely irrelevant. People are convinced that the now elitist and arrogant PAP has been too detached from the rest of us 'mere mortals' while they throw lightning bolts from their Mount Olympus.
Which brings me to the next point. Some argue, the PAP has a proven track record. Well, yes, but again... DO NOT confuse the first few generations of PAP with the current one. They are different, even PM Lee admitted that himself. So pick a year, say from the 2001 or 2006 elections when most of the current ministers came into power. And compare their performance, solely their performance, and not the accumulated performance of generations after generations of PAP. I leave it to you to decide.
And please, the only reason why we say they have a good track record compared to the opposition is simply because..... the opposition doesn't have one... at least a substantial one to date. So how? Give them a chance lor. Vote them in, then five or ten years later you want to compare track record, then it would be fairer right? If they sucked then sack them lor. If not then their track record is better no?
And this is where the pro-PAP will immediately spring up and argue, 'how can we let our future be in the hands of these people then, just so we can test them out?' Well, I say, isn't it same for the new PAP candidates? *BAM! In your face!*
And if the next argument they bring up are the qualifications of the oppositions, "Are you so sure they are qualified?". Then I would be more than happy to slap their faces with all the combined degrees and resumes of the opposition which is substantially thicker than the PAP's candidates'. Get this straight, the oppositions today are just as capable and qualified as the PAP's candidates, some even more than some of the PAP candidates. Check their qualifications first before you make the sweeping comments. Besides, who says good academic results always equates to good leaders (this applies to both PAP and opposition teams)?
And then they ask, "But what can they do? It's all talk what! Why should I give them a chance? They only make promises and not explain how they are gonna keep it."
Read the f*cking manifestos. It is all in their manifestos. Numbers, quantities and details. Not pictures, not colours and definitely not brief statements.
Considerations, considerations.
So I've been to many rallies around Singapore, from as far as Serangoon Stadium to nearby ones at the Chinese Garden. And I have listened to both sides... (wait... it should be multiple sides). I am still partially undecided. I would say it would be an easy choice for me if I were to stay in Aljunied but alas I don't. I stay in Jurong GRC and its one of those boring GRCs if you ask me. More boring than West Coast GRC (at least they have JBJ's son). So why am I torn? Firstly, because Tharman, Halimah and gang (I dunno the rest but Lim Boon Heng was once part of the team here) have done a good job here AND in parliament. I have not seen any boo-boos from them. Plus, the opposition team being fielded here by NSP is a bit blah... On the other hand, there is the expectation (from myself, not anyone else) that there should be more opposition in the parliament.... so I am torn. See, I don't just follow blindly, I am actually deliberating.. really hard.
But to those who live in Aljunied GRC, Holland-Bukit Timah GRC and Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, I think its a no-brainer... at least to me. So why am I feeling the way I am right now? About the PAP and the opposition? Hear me out.
Accountability
Ok, if you have been to enough opposition rallies, the points that they all keep bringing up (without fail) are the mistakes that the PAP have done. This is a good tactic, but its a lil' bit shallow if you ask me. Just listing out the long list of mistakes done by the PAP simply suggests (to me) that you only want to make the crowd angry and all riled up. But it should go deeper, some opposition speeches that have been outstanding to me, are those that do... and they brought up this thing called 'accountability'. Yes, people make mistakes. And mistakes can be forgiven.... but if and only if you know why you are forgiving the person. So, sorry right back atcha PM, your apology may have swayed some voters but to me (it kinda did...) but no, I will stick to my guns and demand to know why. Cause I do not believe in a government that is not transparent (it shows more humility rather than to accept blame, and it also shows respect because you are including Singaporeans in the 'loop').
So that said,
Dr Vivian should man up and explain why and how the YOG budget tripled. Yeah sure, you didn't have precedence for your initial quotes, but tell me why though the size of YOG was only one third of the Beijing Olympics but yet it was a mere 10% less than the latter? Didn't Beijing build huge stadiums and all?
DPM Wong Kan Seng should explain himself why and how Mas Selamat escaped.
Mr Yaacob Ibrahim should explain why and how there were floods in Singapore. And instead of blaming us first, or saying we aren't 'stoic' enough, couldn't you have done better damage control? I want to see you say that face-to-face to those who faced hundreds or thousands of dollars of damages.
Why am I going to pay close to half a million dollars for an HDB when HDB flats are now mostly prefabricated by HDB itself and tenders for construction is usually given to the lowest bidder? So what is the cost breakdown? Land is expensive and limited? Then why is SLA (which is under the government) selling it high? Who is losing money and who is making money now?
Can someone please explain how and why billions of Singaporean taxpayers' money are lost in investments - in government-owned corporations Temasek holdings and GIC? Why are there affiliated corporations in the first place?
The list goes on... and on it does.
Let's face it... A handful of the ministers and ministries have disappointed us with their lacklustre performance over the past few years. Yes, they have basically screwed up. Yes, they have made 'honest' mistakes. But is it easy to move on? When there were no explainations and apologies (not on their behalf but directly from them) put forward? Where is the accountability?
I don't demand their heads on the chopping block and their resignation (just like most oppositions who seem to be playing on the crowds' distrust and disgust with these ministers). I am simply asking them to explain themselves. What happened? I want to know. If their explanations make sense, then all is forgiven... truly.
Like in the case of Wong Kan Seng and the Mas Selamat fiasco, of course I don't demand him to step down simply because the most dangerous terrorist in Singapore ran out (slash that... hobbled out) of the supposedly most secured prison in Singapore. That is just plain silly. You don't prosecute a king in his ivory tower just because his lowly guard allowed a prisoner to escape.
Of course not, all that I am asking is, WHY? and HOW? Have the questions been answered? Not really... Am I satisfied with the answers? Hell no. There should be transparency and accountability and no details should be spared. We, Singaporeans, should know.
While still on this topic, he should definitely fire his advisers who 'advised' him to comb jungles and coastlines instead of putting his family members under surveillance. *facepalm*
The government had a good opportunity to prove themselves (with all of us Singaporeans behind them) when that Ionescu hit-and-run case fell into their laps. What has happened since then? I dunno... Swept under the rug is my guess.
So please, consider this, if you have the same bugging questions as me, who are the ones who are gonna ask them on your behalf? But if not the opposition? Yes, I do have notable examples of some PAP ministers who are not asleep in parliament and ask hard-hitting questions. For example, Dr Lily Neo, she is (in my opinion) the PAP minister with the biggest heart. Unfortunately for her, and Lim Boon Heng, their opinions are swallowed by the majority. No groupthink? Think again Mr Lim. Partially the reason the you cried is probably because you were helpless then... and many more ministers like you who think and say otherwise will also be helpless now.
Foot-in-the-mouth Disease.
All the PAP ministers seem to have this. And its very infectious... Even Mr Lee Kuan Yew has it (and he isn't sorry that he has it. He stands corrected). Why are they shooting their mouths off especially before the elections? All their past 'mortals', 'hawker centre, food court or restaurant', 'once in 50 years' and 'maids in other countries' comments are really facepalm-worthy. These basically show how much these ministers are so out-of-touch from the rest of us.
Speaking as a minority, a Muslim-Malay-raised individual, the comments that many ministers have said have been downright insulting. George Yeo's "Christians are less likely to riot" comment, Yacob's "Malay should be a foreign language" comment and Mr LKY's 'hard truths' are hard to swallow. But are they true? Give me stats then I will shut up. But no matter what it is still insensitive and insulting to bring it up. And what is up with all this generalising? Haven't they heard of the word 'some'? 'Generalising' is instant fail. Just ask my General Paper teacher.
It is already enough that there is unspoken but blatant racism in the army. You want me to integrate? Then stop marginalising me and "my kind".
(On a side note: if I were in parliament, I will fight to remove 'race' from our identification cards. Its not relevant anymore. I am Singaporean first, more than anything else. I will also fight for lower defense budget... Look, wars are almost irrelevant in today's time. We should look at Costa Rica for precedence. Yes, they are surrounded by many unstable south American nations - with military juntas and coups, but do you know they do NOT have an army? Instead, the money that could have gone to their military expenses, they directed it to preserving their share of the Amazon rainforests and other nation-building expenses. Learn from that.)
Apologies, apologies.
I just have one more question now, I just to need to know why you are apologising... now. Why were you not apologising back then in 2006? During the past five years, mistakes after mistakes. Why are they suddenly u-turning policies very unpopular with us Singaporeans? Why are the issues only addressed today? Why not then? Housing policies, immigration policies and transport issues. Any more? Feel free to add.
We were unhappy back then. We showed our displeasure. But why now? You are suddenly scared of us? You need a strong mandate from us?
Heat.
Are you feeling the heat of the election fever?
I can't help but feel really sorry for Mr George Yeo; he is definitely in the hottest seat ever (but we keep forgetting he has other khakis to share that hot seat). General consensus is that it would be a pity to lose one very good Minister to usher in WP's A Team (if that happens). This is the flaw of the GRC system, isn't it? A damn good example if you ask me.
GRC should be removed. It is nothing but gerrymandering. Unworthy candidates riding on the coattails of senior politicians. Bullocks. I want you to be my MP, not the other 3 or 4. And if minority candidate for the PAP Michael Palmer wins his SMC, I hope they think twice about making excuses that GRCs are needed only because minority candidates will have no chance contesting in SMCs.
Did you know JBJ still won his seat in his majority-Chinese-populated Anson SMC? And since then, PAP's 'big loss', GRCs were implemented? Did you know the number of minority representatives in parliament has been more or less the same before and after GRC's implementation? And there was even a year (after the implementation) that the number of minority representatives dipped below the lowest number of minority candidates pre GRC-implementation? Go look that up. And remove GRCs, please. Your reasons for it are bullocks.
I think this 'cooling off' day is aptly named. We need to cool off and think.
I suggest you list down all the pros and cons for both parties contesting in your ward. I just did.
Thank you for spending the time to read this entry of mine. I don't wish to sway your votes, nor do I intend to force my opinions down your throat. They are just my humble opinions and like the thousands of Singaporeans around, I want these opinions to be heard. I cannot keep quiet anymore.
Disclaimer: So I kinda did contradict myself at the beginning when I said I would try to be neutral but I am sorry if it hasn't, I have come to my own conclusion. The tribe has spoken.
Peace.
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