i felt sad man…

hope tat it will have a big change in next election…
jiayou,,singaporeans..

learn from western country..

If I read this article correctly, the writer is questioning why one MP does not ask another MP embarrassing question in relation to the Town Council foray into risky investment. Not even Opposition MP asked the hard question. It took an Nominated MP to pose the question.

I saw the whole situation as perfect. All elected MP are responsible for the performance of their own Town Council. Who will question why the other party house is dirty when their own house is not any better.

It takes a homeless person (Nominated MP) who have nothing to lose, to pose such a question.

I would rather focus on the topic on why it seemed that GRC are the ones who have this problem? Have our GRC grown too big and out of control? The main reason (in my mind) for GRC is to allow some Ministers more time to focus on their actual work (being minister) rather than doing some ‘unnecessary’ work (being elected representative). I believed GRC members have also took the same view. They have forgotten how to serve the people and only remember how to make more money. Sounds liked another NKF to me.

that empress dowager should be called ungracious fool! What audacity! If i am getting that reply from her…I make sure she gets an earful of my expletives! Enuff is enuff…from this bunch of “jia liao bee”

our parliamentary debates are no more aired on TV like the last time, why? are there so many shameful things that they cannot be viewed by the citizens of singapore? c’mon don’t hide things from us anymore, show your face and your guts to the singaporeans when we are your paymasters, nothing but just cowards.

Hi Chih Yang,

It’s quite interesting parsing PM’s comments, especially if you consider the comparison he made to Japan’s LDP, albeit using it as a negative example of weak leadership.

When his father passes on, and he eventually hands over the reins, it will be hard to find unanimous consensus among the PAP as to who is to lead next.

The comparison to the LDP is perhaps a glimpse into how he views the future of the PAP: factional politics under a one party banner, but with a stronger grip than the LDP.

Dear Chih Yang,

I feel your comments on the opposition is not very fair. Both the opposition-held Town Councils (Hougang and Potong Pasir) had already declared that they have not been investing on risky assets or investments. In a way, they have “accounted” to their constituency. To question other Town Council doesn’t make sense, as they have fulfilled their obligations to their electorate.

On the contrary, the PAP MPs are dissappointing to the core. My impression is that they are all out to protect the a** of each other. Such behaviour tells me that having just one dorminant party is NEVER they way to go. If nobody has squealed on the Town Council funds, I shudder to think what catastrophy would result when everything is kept under wraps be covering each other’s a**.

birds of feather flocked together indeed, unfortunately ours are black ones, so no matter how white they paint themselves into, the inner is still black.

No point writing so much crap. Just vote for the right thing when the time comes

interesting. grace fu’s reply seems to suggest that mps are elected so that they can lord over the peasants.

if peasants have any concerns about the gahmen, pls approach the relevant authorities in their individual capacity.

i didn’t know there were fat cats in our parliament too.

Hi it seems the weather is kinda of cold these days and I am planning to hibernate for the next few years…. maybe come out in 2010 for a meet and greet and then vanish …..please note i have limited time for shaking hands, taking pics and carring babies…. so please make it snappy.

Hip Hop Hurray!!!

Why is it that we vote for a white elephant sitting by the closet and doing nothing. In fact, we paid for a useless diamond or a ton of crude oil. Are they worth our affirmation and doing their job as speakers for the common people or are they just in for the money and get on with life. I don’t see the point of them in the wayang government.

if it’s all a case of mutual benefits among the different town councils, pap or opposition, perhaps it is wise to keep everyone’s mouths shut.

so who really should be asking those questions? the press?

hmm.

how come no voice from the 2 opposition mps & most nominated mps (understand 1 of them is a very senior officer in pwc)?

sad

Err… have they even touched the ground before?

I am still concern that the TCs keep $$BB in reserve. What is the purpose????????

our dear elites will touch the ground now only if there is $12m there for them to pick up. Otherwise please dun even try bothering them.

Ya, I am not at all surprised that with such huge monetary resources at the town councils disposal, a NKF fiasco is indeed possible. I daresay no town council will ever dare to give a guarantee or assurance to Singaporeans that their funds are managed well and above board. Is there really not one black sheep among its many merry-men that is dishonest? Is there anyone out there – Ministers or MPs – who can vouch that everything is in order? It is time an independent audit be conducted to ensure everything is spick and span.

““We should ask the Town Council and it is something the residents should pose to their respective Town Council.” – Minister of State for National Development Grace Fu. (TODAY)”

Isn’t this the same tactic when Woody ask the investors to seek the FI who mislead them in the first place ? Guess what will be the majority of answer to these investors ? PUshing responsibility to the “little people” is always the practice of our gahmen. Why are we paying so much for these clowns which don’t even do their role and job ?

Let look at the tactic as applies to this scenario:
A female is raped by a gang of rapists, and the female report to the police. The police says it is not their job to approve and disapprove on the action of rape, but to register that the incident happen, and if the female want to seek justice, she should just go back to the rapists to seek complaints and injustice. Now if female want justice, she should risk getting rape again, or otherwise she should STFU.

Why do the female ask the police in the first place ? Obviously, it is because the police has the power and authority to arrest the rapist !

Why do citizen ask Grace Fu to ask the Town Council on behalf of citizen. Obviously because Grace Fu has the authority and influence to check on the Town Council and authorise investigation, and that is why she is made a million dollars minister. Do you think the TC will give a bloody damn to the curious citizen who is powerless and helpless ? In the same same way, do you think the rapists will even care about their rape victim who is helpless and desperate ?

Farting nonsense and tactics from the gahmen again and again.

Because of this Grace Fu should deserve of this additional prefix DIS =>
Dis Grace Fu

“We should ask the Town Council and it is something the residents should pose to their respective Town Council.” – Minister of State for National Development Grace Fu. (TODAY)

I wonder how many of our MPs stay in a HDB flat and pays S&C charges every month? If so, they should set the example as guided by the Minister of State.

We have been MIS-REPRESENTED in parliament.

This is a PAP govt that ‘MISes’ too many things.

I am sure by now we all know how powerless and aimless our elected MPs are.

The one-party politics doesn’t help them much as the buck stops at the top. Everything flows from the top and if there is a gap order passed down MPs will have to shut up or face the music. IS that what Singapore wants?

Do we want a one-party governance whereby everything goes through the top few men without representation? Even those that we elected can’t have the right to speak.

The problem is that the governance knows that you don’t elect an MP for who he is. We elect the man becasue he stands behind the lighting banner. So whatever he does is subject to the banner’s whelms and fancies. He does not truly represent the people that voted for him as they all voted for the party that puts him up for election. That’s the big difference.

Some MPs hardly even mix with the people and only attend MTP sessions and Parliament. Some of us can’t even remember the names of our MPs and that is a grave problem.

In Australia, people stood for election and of course they have a party to represent be it the Liberals, Labour, Green Party or others. He can be a aplumber, electrician, academican or a teacher but he wants to represent the voices of the people. So people go for votes and he is elected.

He will go for Parliamentary meetings, walk the ground and talk to the people to get feedback, explain policies and everything is very casual about it. Sometimes he will get stick from the ground as the govt passed down some silly policies and he will have to get to theground and explain the rationale for such implementation.

He literally has to earn the votes of the people or else he will be voted out for sure during the next election. That is people power politics in a democratic country. Ours is more of a controlled democracy where everything comes from the top. The MPs have lost much of its effect here and surely people will criticise them for doing a poor job or for doing nothing at all.

I believe Singapore will benefit from such ground-level politics than one that is so distant and official. Singapore will definitely benefit from a two-party political environment given the nature of our situation here. Power is now lodged in the hands of a few good men at the top and this is dangerous. We all know how absolute power can corrupt as there is no proper check and balances.

I like the comment No.2 by Slowdown, which said “I saw the whole situation as perfect. All elected MP are responsible for the performance of their own Town Council. Who will question why the other party house is dirty when their own house is not any better.”

However, do note that the house of opposition MP is very clean and in fact made 6% returns in their town council according to newspaper report. Surely the Opposition MP who have clean house, has full mandate to question those with dirty house? What an entire bunch of chiak liao bees we have ruling us. A great civilisation and order can be brought to destruction without proper governance and passion for the task they are charged with. Remember the Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire.

REX

Gilbert is right.

We need people in parliament who don’t give two hoots to political jargons, to financial or mathematical problems, to how bad the world is etc etc.

We need people who can relate to the people and bring the voice of the people to the table in parliament in plain, simple, understandable and as straight-to-the-face as possible language. if it takes one without an academic degree to do so, so be it.

It takes a cleaner to know a cleaner’s problem. Can an academic emphatise and understand a cleaner’s problem effectively? Vote the cleaner to help the cleaners.

We need diversity of opinions for a better and more balanced solution to our problems.

We don’t need the PAP to tell us to vote along party lines because all problems will be tackled fairly. Fairness is as deceptive as the person wearing the badge.

PAP I can understand. But it is getting a bit uncomfortable when Worker Party kept quiet. Can TOC arrange some interview with the Worker Party to check it out?

this is the FAILRUE of the GRC system. You have people who have little passion and leadership qualities wandering into the Parliament under the tailcoats of a Cabinent Minister in each GRC. But I must say that the Opposition Parties are equally as disappointing.

Dear #6 Concerned Citizen,

I do agree that the opposition MPs had fulfiled their duty to their electorate in declaring their own TC’s investment but as a opposition MPs they too hold a role of checks and balances. I am disappointed that they had not stepped into this role to check on the excesses of the ruling party. The role of opposition in a westminster system will invariably step out of the boundaries of Hougang and Potong Pasir.

At a time when anger on the ground is rising over the use of TC’s fund, the opposition should step into their role and question the ruling party when the PAP MPs are silent. By giving the initiative to a NMP, the are effecitively siging the death warrant to all opposition MPs and advertising that the NMP system is more effective. I do not believe that Singaporeans want the opposition MPs to take cheap political shots but as a representative of the people’s voice in parliament.

Dear #5 Zheng Xi,

Yes. PM Lee has in recent months seems to have a habit of using irrelevant and weak examples to support Singapore’s system. Think back his reference to Australia’s pork barrel election.

With regards to the LDP example, frankly, except for the communist party of China, Cuba…etc, I struggle to think of any country where a ruling party has stayed in power for so long. thus I believe he had used the LDP example albeit a very weak example.

Notice that not too long ago, the ST had highighted how the LDP had been weak with frequent change of PM due to a free wheeling media that trivializes politics. The ruling party’s grip on power is very strong due to a compliant media.

Is that the shape of things to come in the future? possible. But I shudder to think of it

If the PAP ever grow weak, it will be difficult to throw them out of office when you have a compliant media and a weak opposition that can neither be a checks and balance nor as a alternative party ready to take over. The future looks bleak.

The performance of the current batch of MPs is a glmpse to the future. Where the MPs are ineffective and issues get swept under the carpet.

Regards
Chih-Yang

Let’s be fair to the Opposition.

The PAP govt is doing too well for them to get involve. It will be like walking into a quagmire. I think the opposition feel it is best to keep quiet at let the PAP self-destruct.

And I think it is the right thing to do even as I had lambasted their silence before. If and should the opposition gets involve, the focus will quickly change to their utterences. The MSM will be quick to pick up the fight and the real losers will be us, the people.

So, if we think deeper, I think the opposition is doing the right thing this time. Keeping their mouth shut exposes all sorts of rubbish within the PAP and it works.

Dear PM, you need to have differing views and ideas to advocate for change. How to have change within your party when there is only one voice?

I would like to add that Lily Neo fought quite hard for the poor and old and was ridiculed in parliment. She is quite different from the other MPs, takes care of her constituents. My parents can attest to that.

Dear #29 Dan,

Yes. In that aspect I will have to agree with you on Dr Lily Neo. She is an exception. Given her background, profession and wealth, she need not serve as an MP but nevertheless work her socks off for her people. She has also questioned strongly Lim Hwee Hua in Parliament.

Sad to say, such MPs are few and far between. Can we name any other MPs like her? Dr Amy Khor was one such MP until she got drafted as a Mayor and was eerily silent.

Regards
Chih-Yang

With this kind of leadership we have, I think I would do well to vote Mas Selamat in as my MP.

Bugger showed more brains and pro-activity in engineering his escape.

And to date, he has not been found which attests to his fact that he’s either tremendously lucky (something our Tema-sick Holdings really need now) or spellbindingly brilliant (hey Hsien Loong, for all your Mathematics brilliance, you can’t triangulate his hideout?).

Yeah, my vote will go to Mas Selamat if he should decide to contest AMK.

YA there are some MPs that are way ahead of the rest:

1. Lily Neo – work among the poor and aged

2. Charles Chong – work for the Buangkok Station

3. Halimah Yaacob – work for the common workers

4. JBJ (deceased) – work for democracy and human rights

5. Amy Khor – work for the common people

6. One Teng Chong (deceased) – work for the unionists

7. Lim Hwee Wah – work for the residents in Serangoon Garden

The rest of the MPs I think work for themsleves or the party but not for the people.

But come GE time, which box are you gonna tick? The one with the lightning or the other one? Who wants to wager against the possibility of a GRC loss? Anyone? No one? Thought so….

Oh c,mon people, whether which MPs are really doing their work for the people can be seen very clearly from the way they put in their questions to the parliament, and the only way for the people to decide whether they are really working for the good of the people is to see them “live” on TV during their parliamentary debates. I am very sure that all singaporeans would want to view these debates on “live” on TV. Where the hell are these debates on air these days? or are you ruffians afraid to let the people know the TRUTH? we demand this rights to know the nothing less than the WHOLE TRUTH.

Theres a thing called MORAL COMPASS, I think they are in the bermuda triangle.
What Singaporeans can do now is to spread the word of whats happening to inform and educate.

CHANGE begins and ends with you as an individual. No point saying the REST of the masses will vote otherwise.

When it comes down to you to vote, what will you do ??

Can’t do “sheet”! No contest everytime! The only time I see a ballot paper was on tv when they showed you how to vote. Other than that, I don’t know how it looks like. But when I see others exercising their right and witnessing the results, well, what more can I say?

When DBS took over POSBank and started charging its depositors for services that was previously free, did anyone say anything?

When the government capped retrenchment benefits to max 24 years instead of one month for every year of service, was anyone upset?

When the casino decision was rammed down our throats, was there dissent?

Cheng San and Nee Soon East were the closest we came to an upset, but still nothing happened.

How can change happen when everyone else and everything is against it happening?

the 2 opposition MPs are infact functioning as estate managers than MPs. This is the time they should voice out the issues and perhaps score some politcal points, yet they remain muted. We sorely miss JBJ.
I can only see CSJ filling his shoes in Parliament, but sadly he been disqualified by we- know- who.

Hi jakc,

Love him or hate him, this is the time we can do with him. CSJ, that is.

Why should the people be so afraid of CSJ? Is it because the Whities tell us so?

If it is the Whities who tell us to be afraid of him, then, it is clear the Whities are afraid of him first. So it’s good to get him into parliament to give the Whities something to think about and to wake up from their sleep.

I feel terrible!

Despite so many many many many countries have CHANGED , just in this year alone!, do we really think that another country in Asia will CHANGE too ?

we can find some clues from its culture and mentality.

unique is unique.

Change is the perogative of those in control. Have a personal little story to tell about change.

Back in 2003 when the economy was “sheet”, my company restructured and many co-workers got the big envelope. After spending untold millions in the pay them off, the folks at management spent another bag of money for us survivors on workshops dealing with change. I swore I could read “Who Moved My Cheese” backwards. But guess what? When we were finally convinced ourselves to accept change, we found that it was the very same management folks (that preached about change is good) were the ones who couldn’t accept change because they themselves were set in their ways!

Till this day, I find this irony so bloody frustrating!

Moral of the story : Change will only come when EVERYONE wants it

39) the A Team

Hi,

It’s a terrible time isn’t it?
What does one do when one feels terrible?

a. one can continue to feel terrible and blame the heavens and the earth till the kingdom come, or,
b. one can act on it to relieve the terrible feeling.

The power and the solution lie in your . hands. You. have already identified the barriers. Now go and do something about it. Begin with your own little circle of friends. Tell them to vote for change.

If each of you can reach out to ten friends, and each of the ten friends reach out to another ten, the equation becomes a possibility.

Possibility brings hope. Hope brings the first fruit of change. Change will become evident.

You, and I, and all who want change, must set the wheel in motion. That motion begins with each of us. A small effortless step is all it takes.

It takes a ripple to create a tsunami.

Believe it.

For fairness to Singapore Citizens and Minister Grace Fu herself, I shall hereby call on the Minister herself to be truly graceful, sincere and responsible whence speaking in Parliament.

She ‘urged’ the Constituents to go to their respective Town Councils to ‘check’, if I may use the word, the Account and asserted that it is the Constituents’ Duties. And Responsibilities too? May I ask !! Please tell Singaporeans what Members of Parliament are elected for ? If the Citizenry has to check on Government Agencies. WHY AND WHAT ARE MPs ELECTED TO REPRESENT THEIR CONSTITUENTS FOR?

Minister Grace Fu; please tell the citizens of Singapore honestly and sincerely if they could go to their Town Councils and for this matter, any institution, to ask for clarifications, verifications and other matters, without contravening and violating the Laws. Tell us that citizens can do checks on institutions as she said in Parliament and have this Rights of Citizens legislated and annunciated .

I would personally urge Minister Grace Fu to gracefully step down on her own accord if she is not able to answer the Questions asked in this Thread truthfully, honestly and with conscience.

I will not expect any honourable person to remain in office when one is not familiar with ones’ duties, it is not just a question of competency. It is a question of qualifications for the JOB and that is know the job and duties.

patriot

Ironically, I stay in Bukit Batok. when I tried to go to Jurong Town Council website, http://www.jrtc.org.sg/jrtc.htm , i am unable to find any email I could send my enquiries.

I have to actually make a call and ask for the email address!

Say, is not Grace Fu from Jurong Town Council…but Grace Fu told the residents to ask their respective Town Council.

Dear all,

The ironical thing in Grace Fu’s remark is that she said resident should ask their respective Town Council for the queries.

I had just gone to Jurong Town Council website to do the following:

1) find an email I can send my queries to.
2) find a link I can download the latest financial report.

For everyone’s information, there is no email present, I had to make a phone call to get the information I need. Secondly,. there is no financial report for me to download and scrutinise the Jurong Town Council’s finances.

Ironically, Grace Fu is a MP for Jurong Town Council and the website is user unfriendly.

In any case, I manage to get the email after making a call to their hotline and will be sending my queries to them

Regards
Chih-Yang

I wonder how long will they take to reply CY’s email? And if they do bother to even reply, I wonder if it’ll be full of the typical terms that confuse rather than explain. If they don’t clear the trash in front of your house, CY, you’ll know why….

Hello MPs, wake up ! are you all still sleeeping??? howcome nothing come out of your month, don’t your teachers teach you how to ask questions??? am i voting dummies. ??

As all can see, anythings GO WRONG in PAP,,,there will be some bloody excuse,to fool the citizen,,,

remember that Pinky and his Papa,,,they CANNOT disclose the GIC funds,,

This is why Singapore needs a one party ruling, so that the NMP’s keep quiet and keep reading the comments posted in TOC.

This is why we building smaller flats
This is why the GST was raised to help the poor
This is why we cannot know how much reserves we got
This is why we cannot know if not others will know
This is why Singaporeans and Singapore needs Foreign talent
This is why we need FT who will take a lower salary , because Singaporeans are choosy when it comes to jobs….
This is why we need to buy frozen food as it is cheaper.

They NEVER admit their mistakes, NEVER! worst, they continue to make MORE MISTAKES!

48) 253 SA Charlie Batt-Action Front! on November 20th, 2008 8.07 pm
This is why we need to buy frozen food as it is cheaper.

and later they also say buy frozen human organs, its cheaper, still got SGH certified warranty card some more, but only eligible for those in “C” class wards

The fact that no one is blamed and made known to public does this mean they have not done any wrong?

I asked a colleague and their response is a concern to me. They don’t have much to say about the issue. I then asked them do they know what is Conservancy charges. It turned out that they live with their parents and do not know what the $%$#@ it is as money did not come from their pocket.

“On the same issue raised in Parliament, Minister of State for National Development Grace Fu, herself an MP for Jurong GRC was quoted as saying, when questioned if the town councils were aware of the investment risk they had taken.

“We should ask the Town Council and it is something the residents should pose to their respective Town Council.” – Minister of State for National Development Grace Fu. (TODAY)”

Grace Fu’s remark is tantamount to Lim’s Sweet Say’s answer.
“You ask me, I ask who? Find your own answers.”

I think ’silent’ has 2 context.

They are damn good in passing bolah tactic, always giving an unanswered answer when being question.

51) the ‘A’ Team

Nothing new, many still thinks that the Whities will take care of things and trust that they will resolve it. sigh.
Who within the whities will resolve it?? all act blurr now.
I thank Eunice Olsen for mentioning this, and I hope she stands for election against the whities, which I think many will support.

opposition silent? The local media has never been pro-opposition…so even if they squeak we would probably won’t hear about it…
I wished JBJ was still around…

I can see the merry-go-round here gerading our govt:

1. Minibonds crisis:

a. Blame yourselves as you signed on the dotted lines. High risk equals high gain. Blame yourself as you want higher returns.

b. Blame the FIs and banks as they are the ones selling the products. Such risky products should not be sold in the first place.

c. Blame the RMs as they mis sold unethically.

d. Blame MAS as they allowed such risky products to be sold in the first place

2. Town Councils Investment:

a. Blame the TCs as they anyhow invest. Residents should check with their TCs on how they invest the money.

b. Blame the govt as they allow TCs to invest up to 35% of their sinking funds into risky investment.

c. Blame the people for they did not check with their TCs so they anyhow invest.

d. Blame the MPs as they are supposed to the TCs’ advisors but did nothing.

3.Tariff Increase 21%:

a. Blame the telcos as they are the ones controlling the price of the power cost

b. Blame the agent Singapore Power as they are ones that bill us and yet collect so much of the cut in the tariff cost.

c. Blame the oil price as this jerk up the cost of the power

d. Blame the govt as they allow such increase to take place despite the high cost of living

e. Blame the people as they did not really protest at such high increase in tariff

4. One party Governance

a. Blame the party for allowing such governance to be in place as they consolidated their power base

b. Blame the opposition for being so helpless and weak

c. Blame the people for not voting for the opposition parties.

5. Foreign Talents

a. Blame the govt for allowing so many FTs into the country to compete for jobs

b. Blame the companies for wanting to employ FTs for they are cheap and hardworking

c. Blame the people for being so untalented and unable to compete for jobs fairly. They also are deemed choosy and too expensive to hire.

d. Blame the economy for being so advanced that our people could not cope with their limited skills. The IRs could only employ less than 40% of our local workers there. The rest goes to FTs.

5. Baby Blues

a. Blame the govt for not giving out too many baby bonuses

b. Blame the cost of living for families not giving birth to more babies

c, Blame the women who marry too late and can’t give birth easily

d. Blame each other when couples are too tired to procreate aftre spending a hard day at work.

The list goes on and our country will only improve if each party takes some responsibility for our action.

Yup!

Do we want to continue our relationship with a bunch of incompetent Nincompoops whose only job is to tell lies and present them as truth?

Worse, lately they have adopted a new system, an ecologically friendly system, no need to waste ink and paper and fuel to argue their case. It’s free, convenient and hassle-free.

It’s called: Sweep everything under the carpet and keep quiet.

Let’s take responsibility indeed. Make your decision now. . .

It’s also free and ecologically friendly and very convenient. No need to think anymore. No need to sweat over it anymore. Pass all these over to the people who should be doing the real worrying and sweating.

Let us not choose whether to vote for this or that party.

Let us decide to VOTE THE PAP OUT OF OUR LIVES!.

Let us repeat this mantra until it sticks to our skins, our minds and our souls.

Repeat it to others around you and get them to repeat it after you and to others still. We have had enough!

VOTE THE PAP OUT OF OUR LIVES!.
VOTE THE PAP OUT OF OUR LIVES!.
VOTE THE PAP OUT OF OUR LIVES!.
VOTE THE PAP OUT OF OUR LIVES!.
VOTE THE PAP OUT OF OUR LIVES!.
VOTE THE PAP OUT OF OUR LIVES!.
VOTE THE PAP OUT OF OUR LIVES!.
VOTE THE PAP OUT OF OUR LIVES!……………………..

i haven’t got enough of PAP……..please DON’T vote them out of my life…

1. i waiting for my friend in detention right now. with PAP and Wong Kan Seng in there, i know he has hope and the hope is there for him to escape.
2. I waiting to short whatever shares temasek holdings is buying. Whatever they touch turns bad, I am very sure that if i shorted everything I would be a rich man now.
3. I can’t wait for my town councils to increase S&C charges. I think they are way too low as of now.
4. I need more FT to serve me when I visit fast-food restaurants and normal restaurants. Local waiters just don’t cut it.
5. Oh and I waiting for a new dorm for FT to be built in my area. Every area should have one. I cannot wait for my area’s turn.

So please cast your vote properly. vote ONLY PAP.

How to vote them out when the majority don’t want to change their mindset?

George W Bush had the lowest ever approval rating as POTUS in 2004. He blatantly lied to the country abt Saddam Hussein, didn’r believe in climate change etc etc, and YET, he beat John Kerry hands down. Yeah, I know, its a different system from us, but the underlying thing is that despite all the “sheet” he and his party gave to the country, the majority preferred somebody they knew rather than take a chance with someone else.

Which is why I can only salute the American electorate for voting in Barack Obama and a Democratic majority because they are just so sick of the bloody Republicans. The American electorate took a chance and risked their future of the next four years with someone new. Now that is CHANGE.

And I’m afraid we in Singapore are adverse to it.

60) 253SA

If ever there is a rating system like POTUS here in Singapore, I am sure the readings will shock most of us if it is taken now.

George Bush did beat John Kerry hands down. Barrack Obama also beat John McCain hands down. The situation here is not because the people accepted George Bush Or Barrack Obama. It is because their opponents are named JOHN.

Lesson for Singapore, I think it has reached a point that the name LEE is as bad as JOHN. So we do have hope don’t we?

Apologies to all the normal Lees out there. Maybe you want to take out a class act against the LEE regime for smearing the good name of Lee. Go ahead with my blessings.

I hope I live to see the day I can salute my fellow Singaporeans for having the guts to decide for change.

gemami

Agree with your comments generally, except for the Lee part. Some of my best friends are called Lees, so I’ll hesitate to whack them for this association. And besides, I’d estimate 30% of Chinese Singaporeans are Lees, so you won’t want to offend them, would you?

In entry I made in another section, I compared the Singapore electorate to the long suffering but devoted England football supporters. No matter how “sheety” the team performs, no matter how they have won nothing over the last 40 years, no matter how the players whine about their already bloated salaries, no matter how exhorbitant the ticket price, the England supporter will still sell their house and dump his family just to watch the team play. Everytime. Amazing isn’t it? It’s almost like enjoying the sensation of self-induced pain.

Now, doesn’t this masochism strike you?

62) 253SA

I made the Lee comment with no pun intended. My message is that this particular family who call themselves LEE, have brought disgrace to the good name of Lee. Hope this is clearer and not affensive to the Lees out there.

You are right about the England team comparison to a certain degree. Mind you, the England teams, even though have often been over-hyped, have had real opponents to compete with. Once in a while it did beat some good opponents and that’s why the people support them like crazy. Because there is hope that the unthinkable could happen.

The fact about Singapore’s electorate is a wee bit different. They think theirs is the winning team; no, pardon me; they think they have the team that holds the world cup already. Why? Because they do not know what the world cup is. They have never seen it, only heard of it, and they believe every word these con-artistes sell to them – that they have the world cup in their hands, that they are the world champions. So they support them blindly.

I prefer now to think that Singaporeans are beginning to see that they have been conned and are beginning to ask questions, seeing that others are performing better, reacting quicker and most importantly, treasuring the support of their supporters.

Let us not kill this hope but have a little more faith in Singaporeans that with better information dissemination, they will see the real team for all that it is worth -Garbage. A new dawn awaits.

gemami

A quick word before I head off for lunch.

Your comments are spot-on.

After going thru’ trials and tribulations of life, I’m a realist, and I keep my optimism in check, just in case. Anyway, that’s me, the troll under the bridge.

Back in 1991 when GCT got his ass whipped, I was genuinely euphoric that politics here have turned a corner. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be. LHD and the Neo guy (definitely not Matrix!) performed dismally. The LHD who spoke in Parliament was so cowardly compared to the LHD who spoke so passionately at the rallies. Was this the same guy who kicked a Minister’s ass out of BB and Parliament? I couldn’t believe it. Then Cheng San in 1997, also came real close. At the rallies by JBJ and the Tang guy, man, they had the crowd eating out of their every word. And I’m talking about rock concert type of attendance, full house, with some climbing on the roof of their cars. Again, so near, yet so far.

Fast forward to the present, and I’d say this : the electorate is better educated and more inquiring. People are upset and they want answers, not plain poppycock. A new generation of electorate is ready. But with the GRC system in place, I just wonder if they’ll ever have the chance to do so. Me? I don’t even know how a ballot paper looks like.

64) 253SA

Hi, Hope you have a good lunch.

God to be a realist. Realists are very adaptable.

One thing the opposition did not take away with them when GCT was whipped in ‘91 was that the pull of the party brand was stronger than the pull of the individuals.

At that time ‘Chiam See Tong’ was the party brand more than SDP was. CST got both LHD and Cheo Chai Chen together with himself into parliament because of himself. The electorate could relate to him and because of that they were willing to give his party candidates the chance to represent them in parliament. I know, I attended every one of his rallies.

Cheng San remains a political question. If you could take some time to visit Robert Ho’s blog, you might get some juicy information there. I believe it was fixed too. I remembered waiting for the results till the wee hours of the morning.

My firends and I were gathered together watching the results unfold from our TV screen and we just kept on waiting for Cheng San until we got fedup and decided to drive down to see what was happening. Whilst there, there were rumours that there were additional unsealed ballot boxes being brought in after the votes were counted the first time round. A recount ensued and all were waiting with bated breath.

Alas, because of foul play, the PAP won by the narrowest of margins.

After that election, if you can recall, the relentless destruction of all heavyweight opposition politcians came out in full swing with the Chief Whitie leading the line.

The rest became history.

We now have to re-write a new set of history with a new generation. This has to happen and we must learn from our previous mistakes if not all these struggles will come to nothing.

Singapore will change.

Believe it!

gemami

If you’re ever at Hong Lim market, I’d recommend the bak kut teh at the corner of the first level. Damn good stuff :)

Yes, I remember that dramatic night in 1997. Who could forget? It’s the stuff of legends. Cheng San 1997 was our Florida 2000, when everything was finely balanced. If AG was POTUS instead of GWB, it will be a very different America. Heck, we might even have escaped the financial mess we’re in. Likewise, if the unthinkable happened in 1997, we would be living in a very different Singapore. Call me drama hick, but that was the tipping point of Singapore’s history, and no one can convince me otherwise. If JBJ had entered Parliament by the front door, he would have ushered in a whole new era of Singapore politics. After Cheng San, any form of resistance was ruthlessly swept away. As GWB likes to say “you’re either with us, or against us”.

The new generation bring me hope and fear. Hope bec they have an unprecedented access to information and can make better judgement, but also fear bec more than ever, they are spending more and more time on those trivial matters. The young working adults in my office can differentiate the two Ronaldos, but can’t identify Jessica Tan and Josephine Teo. However, the guys know Eunice Olsen, but all they are interested is her phone number.

Sidetrack a little, what do you reckon the chances of a snap election in 2009? The last time they did it was in 2001, immediately after 9/11. Now with everyone in crisis mode, they might just want to replay it.

One more reminder : bak kut teh :)

I like Lily Neo only, other pap MPs can’t perform well, some are self centre, quite selfish.

Hi 253SA,

Thanks for the BKT tip, will source it out when there.

I feel differently about the new generation. To me they bring excitement and anxiety, all at once. A better description would be anxiously excited, yah that’s it. I love mystery man!. When things are mysterious, it can mean one of two things. To the left or to the right, win or lose, happy or sad. Better than knowing you have already lost for sure. Mystery to me is optimism.

Don’t fret too much about them knowing Ronaldo more than Jessica. Don’t know about you but I knew Fandi Ahmad more than I knew Seet Ai Mee during my time.

When things get heated and the smoke starts to appear, they won’t be able to miss it.

Eunice Olsen, what can I say about her. Omph!
We’ll wait and see if she drops in to TOC one of these days.

GE2009 – in all probability, but exactly when in 2009? I feel it has a lot to do with these two weeks or so. Already the ST online is preaching that economically, things are beginning to simmer down and already there are calls for Singaporeans to take heart that the worst is over.

There will be much more of such doctrines in the coming days and depending on how Singaporeans take to these, it will determine if the election will be earlier or later – but definitely 2009 is going to be election year.

I’ll be out of town from tomorrow and I’ll see if I can catch the bkt before I leave. If not, it’ll have to wait for me to return. Hungry already.

Actually I find that it is not difficult to explain how our representatives in Parliament are so silent:

1. They are elite – the best brains and talents. Do you think that they will be able to understand the ground well? Most are even scholars living in private houses and may not even have step into a HDB flat before to live in. Connection is something that they will find hard to do especially with the poor and uneducated. Many may not even speak dialects if they are young.

2. They are gagged – one feels that most MPs do not have the freedom to talk in public. Maybe there are some who spoke before and got hammered by the top. In Parliament, you can tell the few who are passionate – Lily, Amy, Halimah. The rest are simply uninterested or toe the line like good puppies.

3. They simply do not feel for the issues – many are middle income or even high income earners. They have live a life of luxury all their life and could not identify with the ground people. They tried but could not as experientially it is beyond them. They may have try their best but it takes alot out of a person to feel and know how another lives and feels.

4. They just do their time – one gets the feeling that some MPs just want to serve one term and move on to get the credentials. During the last election, many one-term MPs moved on and I always wondered why. Were they asked to go or did they left voluntarily? As many as ten one-term MPs did not stand for the 2006 GE.

5. They do not know their aim and mission – serving as MP does take alot of personal motivation and if one is not inspired to serve it is a tough call. Many MPs I see came in by the GRC backdoor and some did not even have the chance to compete for votes. How can they felt inspired and fired up for the people that he serves if no one has the chance to vote him in? It’s a hollow victory if you asked me.

6. They are bureacrats and not motivators – one can see that our MPs are mostly talented becraucratic individuals who helm MNCs and big corporation. Many only have the few months of grassroad experience before they are thrown into the fiery fire. Most are then groom to work behind doors than on the ground. Some who make it to be Ministers of State definitely spend more time indoors than outdoors. They thus lack the ground level aspirations that politicians need to have to function well enough

As Singapore progresses in the midst of a financial crisis, we need change now and we need it badly.

Dear Readers;

me feels that the young Singaporeans today are the Hopes of Singapore.

My generation(me born 1951) and older are less educated, more conforming(Confucius indoctrinated lots?) and are old now. Yes, I do detect that there are some in Cyberspace doing their best to better society. Kudos to them and to me as well?

To: Zefly;

me like to have your contact and if You are reciprocal, please leave your contact with redbean at My Singapore News(redbean Blog) or alternatively, get my e-mail from him(through his e-mail at his Blog).

Like to say to the increasing number of younger Singaporeans in the Social Political Blogoland that You(all) give me much comfort. I am draw to the screen mainly because You seem to be able to agree with people of my generation. It is indeed consoling, jiayou! Bersama maju!!(Malay Language) Rakyat Singapura!

patriot

70) patriot

I’d love to. How ah? Who is redbean? Does he know who patriot is?

Zefly;

google ‘ My Singapore News’(redbeans’ Blog) and he has a e-mail add there.

I have got his help to pass my e-mail add to You or alternatively You can give your e-mail add to me.

To Readers of TOC, I do strongly recommend redbeans’ My Singapore News and Lucky Tans’ ‘Diary of a Singaporean mind’, both Blogs are worthy reads.

patriot

If by sheer accident, 1 blog shows only 1 but different article from the MSM news paper, then is it true to say there is no need to pay and pay for it anymore?

Of course, this is mathematically possible but theoretical at best.

disclaimer: I am not suggesting people do this but just sharing a ‘fear’ in my mind. I fear the MSM lose profit resulting in more expensive newpaper.

69) Gilbert Goh Keow Wah on November 21st, 2008 5.46 pm
Actually I find that it is not difficult to explain how our representatives in Parliament are so silent:

Hi Gibert,
actually it is very simple to explain here.
all these pap mps are only there for show only,
they are not allow to speak anything except to follow orders from who we all know,
so much so that whenever 1 tries to talk something, it always got screwed so
they are afraid even to comment on anything for 1 reason that they will lost their fat pay check, bottomline, they are there only for 1 reason, i.e. paid by taxpayers monies to protect the 1party, not the country, of course not the citizens either.

There is such a thing as a Party Whip, and, as the name suggests, anyone who goes out of the party line will get his ass whipped, feathered, tarred and sent packing from Parliament. Figuratively, of course. Think of the embarassment, the loss of stature etc etc. Worse still, they even start criticising your fashion sense. If that happens, I’m sure we won’t see metrosexual Baey and manhunt Teo around. Who wants that to happen to them?

(Although, I won’t mind seeing someone spank the tight ass of LN and some of them hot mama female MPs. Heck, I won’t even mind seeing EN doing the mamba dance at her seat, hoo yeahhhh…..)