Comments on: Where is the opposition?

By: good exposure

good exposure — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 03:38:41 +0000

I concur with patriot that our new politicians have to come from the younger people.
The older generation is responsible for the status quo. As parents concern for our young people’s future, we must support them in their aspirations.
It is their future.
My interactions with our young people show that they would like to see a more balanced representation in parliament. Agree with victor on this.

The last election showed a positive result for the group of young unknowns who took on the PM and his team, and those were reasonably good times.
However there is much doubt on the economic situation for the next few years and this may drag on till 2011. Couple this with all the fiascos that have hurt the people and the incompetency of the PAP in damage control, our young politicians should stand a better chance. There is now more space for our young people to make their presence felt and also interact with the public.
NTU students’ protest is a good indication that we have young people with independent minds. I hope the rest of the young people in the workforce will take the cue and support their own generation and any opposition.
Parents like myself can enhance their chances by supporting them morally and financially.

By: singaporean

singaporean — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 15:37:54 +0000

it is the stupid businessmen who do not pay their staff sufficiently in order to enable them to afford their own goods and services.

By: what type of people easy become traitors in times of invasion?

what type of people easy become traitors in times of invasion? — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:12:50 +0000

I just hope the opposition is not just hoping and hoping to win something in the next election.

What have they done so far that shows they are aggressively doing what they can to win votes?

Why ?

Are they moving slowly and hoping to win some votes in each election? or maybe hoping to win a GRC by hoping the people will somehow let them win?

What is the REALity?

Why singapore opposition so different than those from any other democratic nations?

Let the people know the REALity please.

regards
Greed is good, Selfish is way of life to some people

By: Fleeing Dogman

Fleeing Dogman — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:06:04 +0000

Why Opposition not putting sufficient and impressive effort in educating the young generation to be social issue interested and active?

Why ? What is the REALity of Opposites?

Don’t expect people to continue supporting you if you keep on the way you are.

regards
FD

By: victor

victor — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:23:13 +0000

i think tat we need a BALANCE parlinment…

then it will judge whether the policy is good enough towards SINGAPOREANS..NOT just one party decision only…

tat my view,,
it is good tat other parlinment member jugde against the pap member..

opposition party did thing for the sing pp,,,,u guy go to youtube and type,,,@singapore parlinment speech@

then u guy will see how hard the opposition party made…

BUT THEIR voice is too small…
becos of votes…so sing pp need to push some opposition party member into the parlinment…so they can make an effort tat hlp sing pp…

@young generation@

By: patriot

patriot — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 08:32:29 +0000

CREDIBLE OPPOSITIONS.

ALL THE HOPES OF SINGAPOREANS ARE ON THEM.

AND THEY ARE ALL SO QUIET NOW.

SO, WHERE IS OUR HOPES?

I say, we have to educate and motivate our youngs to play active citizen roles to safeguard the wellbeings of their predecessors(parents/grandparents), themselves and their offsprings. I have more faith in our youngs than the Oppositions.

MAY THE YOUTHS OF SINGAPORE RISE TO THE NEED AND CALLS!

SINCERELY FROM: patriot

By: Pragmatic Extremism

Pragmatic Extremism — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 02:03:07 +0000

13) Ah Siao on October 9th, 2008 9.08 am

IDEALS vs Pragmatism
SELF vs PEOPLE
ALL for 1 vs ALL for ALL

By: Pragmatic Extremism

Pragmatic Extremism — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 01:59:49 +0000

13) Ah Siao on October 9th, 2008 9.08 am
———————————————————

Only time can prove the REALISM.

By: SelfPreserved Kimchi

SelfPreserved Kimchi — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 01:57:33 +0000

12) idontthinkso on October 9th, 2008 12.19 am

despite what you say, the core issue is
the MAJORITY voted and allowed the status quo.

By: Ah Siao

Ah Siao — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 01:08:38 +0000

It’s good to see Mr Seah and Mr Tan Kin Lian are now talking.
They were once, consider to be part of the “system”. I am glad that without worrying about job security, they can speak their mind now.

It is also very sad, to think that there could be many like-minded people who are still working in the system, that are keeping quiet becos of fear.

By: idontthinkso

idontthinkso — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 16:19:11 +0000

when you talk about party rule, ultimately, you are talking about a one man rule or a system that will give rise to a strongman . we have seen that happened in our own soil. most of the time, if not all of the time, it spells trouble for the country – eventually. if sgoreans have not learn anything about party politics around us, then woe to them. it really does not matter whether you have one party or more, all party politics are self serving base on the vision of the strong man. if the strong man is the old man, the old man will leave his mark. if the strong man is the low man, the low man will leave his special mark. lim, chee, tan, j so on, are all the same. once they rise to power, they will sleep with money and when that happens, who is to say it won’t change his philosophy and priorities?

and in any case, can we afford a musical chair rule like the US? not as if they are any better so, better think out of the box :)

By: angkukueh

angkukueh — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 10:53:30 +0000

At the root, Capitol Hill is faced with this problem in the first place as result of lax lending practices by its financial institutions and its citizens heavy spending using credit. Prior to this crisis, there has been talk of housing bubble in the US but did the politcians in the US do anything to correct this? No, they did not. Even if they wanted to, a policy to address the problem of the housing bubble would be unpopular with the voters and they have to pander to the expectations of the voters.

Going back to the article by the author, Singapore cabinet would not be faced with the hypothetical question posed by the author in the first place. Singapore’s regulators do not allow housing loans without it being backed by collateral and GIC did not buy mortgage-backed securities.

D: We screwed up.

R: Yeah, we did.

D: Ah ha! But you screwed up more than i did! I delayed the approval of the $700 billion rescue package and scored political points!

R: Darn.. Where are my spin doctors? And hang on second here.. I might have screwed up more this time but you’re linked with terrorists!

And here we have an article and comments praising the Americans and criticising the PAP.

By: ignored ideals . money at all expense. selfpreservation. Greed is gawd.

ignored ideals . money at all expense. selfpreservation. Greed is gawd. — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:16:25 +0000

9) HaiGong on October 8th, 2008 3.38 pm

But your view is different than the Majority.
For some unexplanable reasons, they never chose any other party and ensured the status quo.

I suspect too many are into business. Low employee salary is good for employers. I know of a businessman who on surface does charity work and visit critically ill patients and preach to people about his charity work and at times hint to his staff that he is a millionaire but choose to remain modest by driving a BMW and wearing simple clothes. He let loose of his tail when he exposed his dark side which I shall not mention here. He likes to hint people he meet that he is a grossrotladder given the business when he knows nothing about it.

I have met several grossrotladders who do the same. They like to inform people they are grossrotladders when it has nothing to do with what was happening. I wonder why.

sporeans, prepare to go into Depression. this does not mean it will happen. It means prepare to go into Depression. that is all.

even so, am I considered intelligent and high IQ when I say SWF has not lost any cent in this ordeal? I personally think I am unnaive and super smart singaporean. How about you? Are you one of me? hee hee !

regards
NARBOO et. al CB.

By: HaiGong

HaiGong — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 07:38:50 +0000

Singapore will be a better place today if we have more than one party rule long ago.

By: The People is Ultimately Responsible

The People is Ultimately Responsible — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:59:53 +0000

They allowed the status quo. PERIOD.

Fat Kangaroo

By: V S RAAJ

V S RAAJ — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:45:57 +0000

I totally agree with SCN but it is going to be a commttied, self-sacrificing, dedicated, party above self and foremost good financial support to churn out a good credible opposition whose main concerns, primarily, would be the common man woes!
One would need more SCN, for the matter, to ‘play’ politics here. A good credible oppostion in Parliament is healthy and a harbinger between the govt. and common man. I think the gap is widening between the poor, average man and the rich!
There’s so much I would like to propose to the govt. or to a credible opposition
party on what I see as woes of the society….and of course some results must come thru this. One for the matter, I would suggest the parliament to split into 2 – upper and lower. Lower MPs, must be a full-time MP, if GRC – one of them…Our MPs are paid well and of course one can gets proxies to handle his businesses, firm or companies. “An MP must not only be seen but seen to act”….An MP must be available 8 to 5 , daily, not too busy for his voters which is the seen now! An MP should not hold jobs which has ‘conflicts of interest’, like a MP- a lawyer by professional representing cases in court or acting for the govt. in court cases!
The Mayors we have are totally in hideouts – many are unware of existence of a Mayor – Mayors should elected and play more constructive roles! The structure of Public holidays must be reviewed, CPF fund withdrawal system must be reviewed, GST to be scrapped for food/groceries/power supply etc in view of pending slow economy!!!
I am for a CREDIBLE CONSTRUCTIVE opposition!

By: jbjghost

jbjghost — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 02:13:33 +0000

See lah, those people who deride the likes of JBJ are now enjoying their own fruits of supporting the PAP lah. Serangoon Gradens incident, the Mas Selemat incident, the prices just keep going up, up and away and nobody is there to fight for your human rights.

By: Ho Pinkie

Ho Pinkie — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 17:07:39 +0000

political commentators in TW said that the Bian was given too much power.
Altho some less democratic society like to say TW’s democracy is bad, its precisely this people power that led to the discoveries of Bian’s alleged wrong doings. Imagine if Taiwanese are all quiet and obedient people who NEVER protest and never question and accept whatever is said by their leaders and accept whatever policies thrown at them, would Bian’s alleged wrong doings be discovered? Look at their media, though some are pro-Green some are pro-Blue and some pro-Red, the media still got the job done because it allows Freedom to Question the authorities and intellects are able to appear on TV to explain the case to the people who are not as politically knowledgeable.

Viva la Democracy!

regards
Ho Pinkie (the ultimate kangaroo ….meat ..lover…)

By: wh173rav3n

wh173rav3n — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 15:29:44 +0000

I agree with Seah. LKY didnt hide his bias against Obama and preference for McCain in a recent interview with a foreign media. The PAP’s policies are almost a copycat of the laissez-faire capitalism, pro-business, you’re-lazy-if-you’re-poor inter lia, philosophy that is the idealogy of the Republicans. Read Paul Krugman “The Conscience of A Liberal” and you’ll find out how the 1% filthy rich in America is stealing the lunches of 90% of its middleclass, due to Bush and Cheney’s cronyism and cosiness with the private corps and the military-industrrial complex. Incentives are liberally handed out to the super-rich so they dont pay taxes, get their asses covered, raid the govt funds all at the expense of the public taxpayers. The current financial crisis and previous crises are caused by the super-rich and the bailout package will similarly enrich them further. PAP leaders closed their eyes to million-dollar pays for TT Durai because they are paying themselves millions too- all because they think they are worth all that money. Of cos, in Durai’s case, it took SPH – a financial goliath- to call his bluff and opened up his closet full of skeletons and brought abt his downfall into ignominy. The others, we’ll never know until they’re long gone.

By: Donaldson Tan

Donaldson Tan — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:36:22 +0000

Who disagrees with Seah?