I encourage all readers to visit ‘The unOfficial Yeo Cheow Tong Website’ to get a better insight into the working of the PAP behind the scene. You don’t read these from the ST.

38) tiredsingaporean
For God sack! please all opp parties to be united as One Big Party and get the rid of the present papees, 44 years, how long do you people want to drag on?
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If you include self-government by PAP from 1959, it is already 50 years of authoritarian rule. I don’t think you can get rid of the PAP in the next GE. Maybe after another 5 GEs. By then Singapore will be bankrupt because the political leaders will be corrupt and working for their self-interest.The weak opposition in parliament and the brain-washed, complacent general public are aiding them towards our future collapse.

A South American country which reached First World status became bankrupt in less then 90 years. This country was a former colony and had a dominant party with a ruthless leader like Singapore.

Each and every citizen who believes in democracy and cares for future survival of Singapore should do their part beside just encouraging the opposition parties to unite. I pay subscription fees anonymously to the Hammer to be sent to pro-PAP colleagues. Once, I paid for some copies of the Hammer to be given to residents at a food centre. Take actions beside giving feedback to help the opposition parties. By taking actions I do not mean thinner and lighter.

Please visit the above-mentioned website to find who and how those who work for the PAP and senior civil-servants and army personnel are rewarded. It is right and proper to reward those who work hard for the nation but not those who work for their self-interest and to perpetuate PAP rule. Tell your friends and loved ones.

http://forum.yoursdp.org/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=123

Yes, that is only successful by citizen’s standard and perception. Just like Low ask about job credit scheme, is it EFFECTIVE ?

If you are serious, I can help to contribute some content. Maybe the book should be entitled ‘PAP- the inside story’. It should include who and how pro-PAP businessmen who work for them are richly rewarded. How an NTUC staff member who took part against the PAP in the GE was sacked. How govt offices were told not to subscribe to newspapers like Singapore Herald because they were critical of the PAP govt and why all these papers were closed down.

The list is endless.

you know the problem is there is not enough opposition MPs to defend Singaporean’s interest.

We only get goodies when Election is coming.

The style of the opposition is not really essential now. Rest assured, if the style is not right, LKY will sue until bankrupt.

Having said that the 2 ex SDP MPs really didn’t make use of their opportunity when they are in Parliament.

if I compare their contributions (from their style) to Low TK’s contribution, I think many would say Low is better by far.

I was at the PAP rally at Raffles Place during the 2006 GE. PM LHL revealed that the PAP would allow a maximum of only 10 opposition MPs in parliament. If there are more than that it would be difficult for him to carry out his duties beside dealing with so many opposition members. He said he would FIX them up.

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Hi Edward,

PM LHL can go around fixing alternative MPs but if there are 20 or more Alternative MPs in Parliament, I believe in time to come the PM himself and his Party will be FIXED!

I am going to write a book entitled “The Fixing Game Both Can Play.”

So what consititute success ? citizen’s Voting or approval ? Is JBL successful ? As what ? So what if MP LOw play by the rule and question the authority ? I hope that this time Low wouldn’t just move on without the answer by the authority over his question on job credit. There must be followup through, though it always a move-on thingy.

It is always the same old thing. Certain Opp party play by the rule, and for a while look successful during parliament, catch MP and minister by surprise, and the citizen feel vindicated. but then, thing move on, and gahmen cast all the question raised by the opp party aside and continue their own way. Opp party now view as wayang party, even more so quoted and poke fun by the ruling party. So is the definition of been a successful opp party ?

So Let not say any opp party are complaining or trying to ignore them until we understand the thing and obstacle they going through.

You answer that. There isn’t at all. But you fail to mention the drastic measurement dorminant party that blatantly use over the other to the point that law can be twist and turn to their liking.

It is not a question of whether gov will give opponent a chance to prove themselves, but whether it is right to abuse the law and authority to cite to their own power and appease their ultimate pay master, and destroy those openly who question them of such act. The act of questioning becomes the act of conspiracy that end as contempt of court ? Isn’t that absurb ? If a court already known blatantly as kangaroo court worldwide, why sue other of the fact instead of making the court more independently ?

YawningBread has once written a excellent article about how gov is using a game theory of tolerating a lesser threat to defence against a great threat.

” shouldn’t the opposition parties give themselves a chance to prove their capability?”
Did they not try to make their own opportunities to prove themselves but to be suppressed by the gov and not by the citizen ?
As why these opp parties wouldn’t want to work as one, my guess is the disagreement over each other strategy, and likely fear that government will retaliate over the unity (remember how it is that JBL can be cast out as MP so easily ?). But whatever the reason, let them sort out themselves. They should have known better than any of us since they have make a effort to reconcile that difference before.

Anyway, this aside, I hope that the question raised by MP Low will be answered and not move on as it always do.

I think you need not get so worked up.
I am also a neutral person.

We should not be attacking alternative parties.
We should be supporting the Idea of Alternative party – its role and importance.

Lets focus on the Commonality and get rid of negative thoughts.
Like this then can progress.

Majulah!

Sure, then after finding the answer, what to do? The key is to operate within a given set of rules and do it successfully, rather than keep complaining or trying to ignore them.

This sounds like the bull**** spouted by the PAP. Taking the opportunities to prove yourself is predicated on the assurance that the opportunity is not TAKEN AWAY from you in the first place and the ground you stand on is not constantly gerrymandered by the PAP.

In dictatorships opponents are crushed. in democracies, opponents aren’t given a good time, but they have a fair (and much fairer) time than in Singapore.

Talking about limited space. Perhaps one should start questioning why the space is limited in the first place.

1) Have full time MPs who walk the ground and understand the people’s concerns. Represent the people truly and honestly. We don’t need half an MP and half a business director.
2) Mandate an independent elections department. No more gerry mandering please.
3) Restore public housing prices to sanity.
4) Restore the CPF back to its original goal which is for retirement purposes. Allow citizens access to their own hard earned monies especially in exceptionally bad times like these.
5) Treat this as a country first and not a business. Implement a Citizens first policy and value them truly. Let citizens see the true value of citizenship.
6) Cut GST to 5% or less and exempt the basic necessities. We don’t need regressive taxes with such a wide income divide.
7) Open up the mainstream media so that we can have a free press. No more govt propaganda please.
8) Set up a truly independent Consumer’s Association.
9) True transparency and access to public information for Citizens. No more second guessing our ‘paper losses’ in TCs and govt reserves please.
10) Use of ISA detentions only with 80% approval of our MPs plus our President and mandate to file charges after maybe 6 months or a year. We don’t want to live in fear of the powers of our secret service please.

Now is the best time for our opposition to sieze the ground. Please take full advantage so that our children will not have to go through the pain and scars that have been inflicted to us by our elites.

The term doesn’t really matter, but I’d prefer we stick to the conventional usage of ‘opposition’, instead of being uniquely Singapore again ;)

- Hi Loo. J, don’t worry, the SDP is not the sole opposition party in Singapore. “SDP presence hamper all the other oppositions. that is why until now i have not firm my mind to decide PAP or oppositions very clearly. I think TOC do not need to give any publicity to SDP forum on 7 Feb”.

But it’s still fair to give them publicity, to see what they can offer and whether they are changing. Anyway opposition parties suffer from a lack of publicity, as I mentioned in the article, and the New Media, like TOC here can help them out.

- Hi Daniel, “if they are not, why not even give opp party a chance to prove themselves ?”. Well, is there any governing party in the world which will GIVE their opponents a chance to prove themselves? The correct question to ask is shouldn’t the opposition parties give themselves a chance to prove their capability? This will ensure they use the most effective strategies to maximise their limited space.

- Hi Chee Wai, “If they wish to continue fighting the PAP’s lack of transparency and accountability, then they need to either do their homework or show that they have done their homework transparently without being asked.” You’re absolutely right about this.

More importantly, their 5-point alternative budget does not restore economic growth and employment, and they seem more interested in scoring political points and trying to be populist, by claiming to be ‘people-centric’. They lack a viable proposal, which will hinder their attempts to be relevant. Though they are the opposition, they don’t have to depart so far from the govt’s policies.

- Hi Minibonder, “In HK, the Democratic Party is helping the minibonders with legal advice and court action. Here other than Goh Meng Seng (in his personal capacity), no opposition party is helping.

Imagine the public gdwill if the WP, SDP etc had individually or collectively tried to help?”

Good idea. That’s one important way the opposition parties can gain publicity. But they have to maintain a balance between politics and genuine help.

In HK, the Democratic Party is helping the minibonders with legal advice and court action. Here other than Goh Meng Seng (in his personal capacity), no opposition party is helping.

Imagine the public gdwill if the WP, SDP etc had individually or collectively tried to help?

Anyway back to where the comments left off, TOC has no need to work against any opposition party. MPs in opposition parties – what have they been doing since they weren’t elected? Given up? Any “proof” they have ppl’s welfare at heart?

I will naturally support the opposition party who has been ACTIVE these past few years. But were there any, that I may be unaware of?

You summarize what I *used to* feel about Dr. Chee and the SDP. Thanks to other netizens, it is clear (to me, now) that the SDP approach does have its role to play in shaping a better political environment for Singapore.

I do not agree with your argument that the TOC should work against publicizing the SDP’s activities. They are taking a road of non-violent civil disobedience and while not all of us are comfortable with it, we can still wish them well on that journey. It is not as if they are inciting violence and hate.

I would go one step further and urge the TOC to publicize interesting PAP events as well that may be worth attending to neutral or pro-PAP viewers. Makes for a genuine and more comfortable venue for civil discourse in the TOC imho.