If I were a PAP campaign strategist (which I am obviously not educationally qualified to be), I would advise them to liberalize politics significantly. In one fell swoop, they would pull the rug under the opposition’s feet.
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Hi Gerald,
Totally agree with you. I think internally the PAP knows that the system is not working. Not that problems are not being solved (it is debatable, of course) but that they are imbibing more bureaucrats than leaders.
That is a problem for a small country like S’pore which needs leaders to inspire the people. No one can or will be inspired by people in straitjackets.
That said, I do expect the PM’s speech on Sunday to be a significant one – quite different from his previous speeches. I am expecting the following:
1. A liberalisation of regulations regarding the Internet – particularly on political films and electioneering.
2. As LKY said, a tweaking to allow more alternative voices in Parliament. (Perhaps an increase in NMPs or NCMPs). And perhaps even changes to when by-elections should be conducted.
3. More incentives to raise the birth rate. (Wong Kan Seng, who is the minister in charge of this, will get to be the good guy this time round.)
4. More feel-good initiatives to help the poor.
4.
“That said, I do expect the PM’s speech on Sunday to be a significant one – quite different from his previous speeches. I am expecting the following:
1. A liberalisation of regulations regarding the Internet – particularly on political films and electioneering.
2. As LKY said, a tweaking to allow more alternative voices in Parliament. (Perhaps an increase in NMPs or NCMPs). And perhaps even changes to when by-elections should be conducted.
3. More incentives to raise the birth rate. (Wong Kan Seng, who is the minister in charge of this, will get to be the good guy this time round.)
4. More feel-good initiatives to help the poor.”
1. I won’t bet on it. In fact they will go the opposite direction – more regulation.
2. Again any change would be cosmetic.
3. This will be a matter of how stingy or generous the new measures are.
4. Yes it will be largely cosmetic again.
singapore is a tiny country. its not difficult to know what the people are thinking at all.
but seriously, there is not a chance that opposition will win majority votes in the next election.
pap was not built in 1 day. the opposition has never got the chance to build as in winning the majority since pap took power.
opposition should understand that they will need many decades to be capable of taking over.
that is the problem with opposition – they have not even started on the path to learn how to a the ruling party.
meanwhile, pap strategists and resources are overwhelmingly great compared to opposition.
the most important factor is the people – they appear never wanting the opposition to even have the chance to train themselves to one day take over if need be, based on historical hardcore evidence.
the main obstacle is the people and then the pap, in my view.
just me 2 cents only.
What lky is saying is, his govt. is the only grade in town. lky does NOT allow another govt. or is afraid of competition. B grade, C grade, how do you compare with no grade in town. HE knows how to tune the SG. people. That I give him credit.
I think maybe opposition need to import political talents from overseas and get them to be citizen in order that they have any chance of winning the majority votes one day.
I am not joking. Singapore now will have a medal just by converting a china national talent to be citizen. This is almost like overnight success.
Wonder if opposition will do the same given their bottleneck and track record and the strategies in place like the ZRZ ?
He (Gerald) is surely one of the finest living campaign strategists in Singapore.
The quote here, however, does not illustrate that. Surely he does not believe the ruling party– and I mean the party that rules– would be dumb enough to do something alike what he advised?
6) silentwind on August 16th, 2008 12.11 am He (Gerald) is surely one of the finest living campaign strategists in Singapore.
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But he says he is not right? TOC can be very mystical blog leh, wonder how TOC originated and supported by who? Got Tan Kin Lian, 30 odd year public servant kind of expert, leong hze hian , recently the state-related media keep giving him profiling , puzzling wor, even got channor news asian give the editor a prime time morning ‘advertisement’ of TOC wor. Can TOC bust the myth that is in my head?
They got someone who can even predict what is to be in the pm’s speech. they even can become the alternative voice hor?? wow, strategist siah!
wow, toc no joke siah. no pray pray ah.
TOC kind of blog is good and required for now.
I wonder sylvia lim got invited to channor news asian before or not ?
Maybe have her spread some of her message ?
Wow, toc real lucky.
steady steady boon bi bi.
even appear on newspapers and tabloids.
how come ltk not into the tv so much?
i wonder only lah.
TOC you got many other activities lined up or not?
supported or sponsored by who ?
I curious onlys lah. I concern about you wor.
Much as I would like to agree with the comment and hope that it comes true, my concern is that the percentage of Singaporeans who do surf the internet/blogosphere for current affairs. I think majority do not and therein lies the problem. The majority of bloggers who do post want what I want and of course there are the silent segment. But how many Singaporean who do not post/read the internet/blogs feel the same way or are more concerned with their daily lives….. basically apathetic.