Fang Shihan >> TOC Review
In this first installment of our “Youth in Politics” series, we speak to Justin Ong and Nicole Seah from the Young Reformers, the youth wing of the Reform Party.
OPPOSITION party members seem to have it tough, especially when it comes to job opportunities. That is the common perception anyway.
But Justin Ong and Nicole Seah, both of whom recently graduated from the National University of Singapore, hope to dispel that idea.
Mr Ong, who majored in Political Science, is a corporate banker who has just started his career with the Development Bank of Singapore. Ms Seah is an accounts executive at a multinational public relations firm. She has a degree in Communications and New Media.
In this interview, they related with The Online Citizen about their vision for the party and the difficulties they face as young individuals seeking to reform the political landscape of the country.
1) How did your interest in politics begin?
Nicole: For a long time I was a person who subscribed to the rhetoric of the PAP – that we are a fishing village transformed into a first class nation. However, when I came to university, I took a couple of classes in politics and it was from there that I discovered alternative opinions and views. They may be more complex and sometimes convoluted, but they make more sense than the simplistic rhetoric the current government tells us.
In university, I also joined an independent publication The Campus Observer. It was then that I started to get very interested about what people were talking about and what was the alternative ground view. NUS promotes itself to be a world-class university, but I noticed that there were still prevalent problems. They had to be brought to the surface to improve the lives of students. I saw NUS as a microcosm of how Singapore is being run, and I started to think critically about the issues affecting the country as a whole. It was then that I decided that I wanted to do something substantial and take ownership of my own country.
Justin: As a teenager, the National Education programme was been a powerful force in shaping my political beliefs. Upon matriculating in university and studying political science, it occurred to me that the reality of politics in Singapore was quite different from the rhetoric that I had been taught. The sight of how the country was being run politically was discomforting. After exploring academic arguments and comparing the political systems of various countries, I started taking a greater interest in politics and eventually gave political activity some serious consideration.
2) What made you decide to join Reform Party?
J: I had been looking around the political scene for some time, since university as a political science student. After graduating, I gave some serious thought about which party to join. I decided upon the Reform Party, which was in some instances an obvious choice for me, It was a new party with JB Jeyaratnam’s legacy and led by Kenneth Jeyaratnam. I was attracted to both Kenneth Jeyaretnam’s academic credentials and technocratic clout along with the policies and programmes that the party represented.
N: I was looking around for an opposition party to join and to contribute to. One of the main things that attracted me to the Reform Party was the fact that it was very new. There’s a lot of potential and room for growth and the sort of political direction it could take. I wanted to be at the forefront, to play a part in shaping a new political era. Though I took notice of the Party when JBJ passed away, it was only until Kenneth took over that I started reading up on the website and the Party’s manifesto. The Party’s ideals strongly resonated with the kind of ideals I would like for Singapore. So I joined the party to support its ideals and contribute in my own way towards enacting positive change.
3) Justin, how were you selected to head the youth wing?
J: Upon joining the party, I was enthusiastic in initiating programs for youths. That was when the CEC (Central Executive Committee) suggested that I take form and take charge of a youth wing, catering programmes to individuals below the age of 35. I couldn’t turn down the challenge to organise something for a new party. I started the youth wing with a vision to cultivate a movement that I thought had been lacking in Singapore.
4) What are your vision and goals for the youth wing?
J: I’d like to see more participation in politics among youths. Political participation should be regarded as a meritorious activity and all Singaporeans should be encouraged to participate in public life. At the party, we hope to groom individuals who would eventually contest for the highest political offices in the land. We’d like to instill a lifestyle inspired by rigourous thought, debate and intellectual discipline.
N: It is important that politics is a fulfilling vocation for the youth. We aim to bring across the merits of politics, and people have to see it as a productive activity over say, spending their weekends at Orchard Road. All this while, in any activity that we propose or execute, we are essentially hoping to get youths interested and to join the party. We want to make politics relevant to the people and show them that it adds value to their lives.
5) What goes on at a typical Open House?
J: We have two Open House sessions a week for both the youth wing and the general public, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, respectively. Our Open Houses are open to all, and we typically receive visitors who would like to enquire more about our programmes and membership. At the Open House, we provide an avenue for the public to discuss politics and encourage the discussion of current governmental policies.
N: What is heartening is that, increasingly, you get people who walk in on their own accord. It doesn’t have to be that they want to join the party. They’re taking an interest in current affairs and policies. They come here to bounce ideas off each other and listen to what people have to say. The open house serves as a platform for people to come together together and share their views on what they would want best for the country. At the moment, it is very hard to find such physical platforms elsewhere.
Describe your political views.
J: I believe that political competition is as vital as economic competition. In Singapore where bread and butter issues take precedence, the Reform Party’s strength is its strong economic perspective.
I believe that the divisive income inequality gap in Singapore needs to be addressed, and alternative policies need to be put in place to address such a problem.
To me, the growth-at-all-costs model is no longer viable for Singapore. I believe that economic policies need to be revised for the Singaporeans to live more equitably. I am glad that the Reform Party has a firm stand on economic policies and has been a place which has encouraged my political views.
N: My political view is about striking the right balance between the 3 sectors – politics, economics, social. Especially for social issues, because I feel that there’s a greater emphasis placed on economics than the other two. In light of that, I feel that it is important to have a diversity of voices. You cannot have one person, or a very small group of people, dictating and telling you what to do all the time.
Different voices represent different segments and everyone has to have a stake in what they would like for the country and what is best for them. I feel strongly about the social aspect of politics. I think that in running a country, your foremost concern is for the welfare of that people. I’m not talking about a welfare state, but it is important that policies are implemented for the benefit of the people.
7) If you were one day (hypothetically) made the Prime Minister, what is the first policy you would change?
J: I would reduce defence spending and place more emphasis on education. All Singaporeans need to have a safety net in place that they can fall back on. I believe that all Singaporeans should be encouraged to have a minimum of secondary school education funded by the state. It is a political right of citizens to be protected by the government.
Also, there should be more emphasis in lowering the teacher-to-student ratio, and to move away from mass-based education system to one that is personalized to the individual. This encourages critical thinking. I think it is far more worthy to put in place such an education system, than to accumulate tanks and fighter jets.
N: I would revise the incentives and funds that are allocated to foreigners and reduce the influx of foreigners into the country. While Singapore can afford to have a multicultural populace with a substantial number of foreigners, it is important is that we do not marginalize citizens in the process or make them feel like second-class citizens in their home country. This is a potential negative social consequence when the number of foreigners outweighs locals, or when there is a large influx coming into the country in such a short time.
The government blames it on people not reproducing enough. But if it was not so stressful and the cost of living so high here, we wouldn’t be having this problem. After all, the process of reproduction is human instinct and a natural thing! In line with reducing incentives, I would also revise the minimum wage policy. It is important that Singaporeans do not feel that they are struggling to make ends meet in their own county. Singaporeans should not feel threatened in their own home.
8 ) How did your friends and family react when you joined the Reform Party?
N: My parents were very proud of me. They felt that I was willing to stand up for something I believed in. I felt encouraged by that.
J: Initially, some of my friends were worried for me. They thought that stepping out to join an opposition party would mean that I would be marginalized in the job market. However, they were eventually relieved to see that this was not so. My parents have been very supportive of me.
They appreciated my maturity to be politically involved and respected my different way of thinking. They gave me their blessings as they were glad that I could reach out to help the community in some way and were happy to learn that I had established myself in a leadership position within the Reform Party.
9) What are some future activities of the Youth Wing?
J: Right now we are trying to network the youth wings of the various parties by inviting one another to our open house sessions. I hope to organize a debate competition in the future and also a series of invited guest lectures. We hope these programs will be beneficial and add value to their lives.
N: We also plan to tie up with couple of clubs in universities to raise awareness of what we do. I think we would be keen to reach out to the DSC (Democratic Socialist Club in NUS) because for clubs like these, it’s a place where people already have an interest in politics and civil society issues. We want to fuel that further. On top of that, we are busying ourselves with maintenance activities such as working towards establishing a solid online presence by manning the Facebook page and revamping the Party’s website.
J: Apart from our usual activies, we have been very active online and are currently in the midst of setting up a new website which will be up sometime in November. The youth wing has been quite proactive in spearheading the party’s online activities and provides a good opportunity for youths to have a hands-on experience in contributing towards a political cause.
10) How difficult is it to get youths to join the party? What are some of their reasons for not joining?
J: Youths in general have been receptive towards joining the Reform Party, but as usual, there are always certain barriers. Many of them wish to complete their studies before joining us as they have a heavy schedule of lessons and CCAs (Co-Curricular Activities).
I think it is normal for youths to have such considerations and prioritise their time in such a manner. I too, only considered joining a political party after I had graduated as I was afraid that I would be distracted. Apart from that, our programs are quite attractive to youths and our membership has been steadily growing. It is very heartening that I can play a part in cultivating a movement for youths to participate in politics.
11) “Singaporean youths are apathetic.” What are your comments to this statement?
N: There’s a growing number of Singaporean youths, especially online, voicing opinions, and participating in civil society. They are also standing up and having more opinionated discussions on various issues happening in Singapore and around the world.
However, this demographic might still be a minority. There are still are a lot of youths out there who do not care about politics. But this is not because they do not care about their country. Rather, it is the unfortunate consequence of a nanny state. We’ve been raised in a way that a lot of us do not think about having a strong stake in policies that concern our lives, because there is someone out there who insists that a certain way of life is best for us.
J: I think the word “apathy” is incorrectly used. A more applicable word to suit our context is the word “anomie”, which denotes a certain helplessness against the system. This helplessness which occurs on a systemic level is reinforced when results does not correlate to effort. However, we need to change this. We need to encourage participation in the public life for youths to feel a greater ownership towards the political processes of the country. We need to empower each and every individual to elect their government of choice through the vote.
12) What is the biggest problem within the opposition, as you see it? How can it improve?
N: The opposition lacks a technocratic group to take over the government. The problem with opposition politics is that people do not perceive us as being credible enough to form an alternative government. That, coupled with a climate of fear and What-ifs make it difficult for the opposition to have significant political breakthrough.That said, it is not about replacing one group of elites with another. Rather, there needs to be different political voices out there to keep the state accountable for what they do, to keep policies in check and ensure that it is the best possible outcome for the people.
J: On one level, the opposition is too weakly supported. We need ground support for us to be elected in parliament. On anther level, the opposition needs to be responsive towards the continually evolving needs of Singaporeans. The opposition needs to progress in a proactive manner and not through a reactionary engine. We need greater unity and work even harder towards the vision of forming an alternative government in the future.
13) Lastly, Justin, our female readers have been keen to know: Are you attached? Married?
J: I am single-mindedly attached to the ideals of the Reform Party and am married to the ideal of reforming Singapore.
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50) ZL on October 17th, 2009 10.14 pm
To me, it’s “vote for all opps, especially RP, except WP”.
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Is the current tactic of the stooges of the PAP to sow disuniy amongst the opposition? I can tell you now not to waste your time. There will be no 3 corned fight in any fo the seats contested in the coming GE, so it is not a matter of WP or RP or SDP for that matter. It is just opposition against PAP and looking at how the PAP stooges have been working overtime, I can only guess that they are very fearful of the people kicking them out of power. But what do you expect. They trampled on the rights of the very people who put them in power.
I say enough is enough. It is now time for a coalition of opposition to take over.
To 44) Not very hopeful on October 17th, 2009 9.02 pm
“MM Lee says the PAP will win big for at least 2 more elections.”
The old man is trying to remind everybody that without him around, the PAP will falter. LKY is saying in a nice way (without discrediting his son) that the PAP’s political longevity is pegged to his!
Though I am not a supporter of any party, I do agree with 29)Lim Han Mian that it is indeed PAP that help build this country. I do not like the way they win election through the GRC system but this credit should not be taken away from them.
Both Justin and Nicole are promising but reading their responses from above, I just don’t think I am ready to be led by them. I have read on those issues and didn’t think they have a good grasp of the issues. With respect to both, I maybe wrong. I am bizad grad and not in political science so I stand corrected. Have spoken to one of them and I just didn’t feel I would join a group to be led by them. Their direction is vague. Still looking out for a party to join as I am interested in speaking my views and learn from good young leaders. Looking forward to find out more about WP during their dialogue. Please let me know anyone of you have insights.
i think it is fair that some people will vote pap, others rp or wp. what is most important is that people have the freedom to choose and to elect their party of choice as government. right now, we don’t have that choice.. so we need somebody to lead the charge and change things as the pap will never liberalise the political space. we need change! we need reform! support opposition!
I wish the both of you , all the best ,do well, hope more will follow you .
You have my full support,
MAXIMUM FULL ENGINES AHEAD!!
Is the current tactic of the stooges of the PAP to sow disuniy amongst the opposition? I can tell you now not to waste your time.
============
I think it’s because WP stand a chance to win a GRC. WP right now is the only party that many people say they would vote for any opposition except them. When SDP or RP or NSP reach that stage, they will suddenly become “unpopular” also. We don’t realize how many MIW agents are lurking around.
54) June Tan on October 17th, 2009 11.05 pm
Those who are interested in furthering their career should join Young PAP. All you have to do is say ‘Yes’ and follow order to climb up the party ranks.
I cannot hold back.
Nicole is simply stunningly beautiful.
Period.
lovely pair. they look quite compatible actually.. I wonder why did justin side-step the final question. his answer was quite humourous actually.. is it because he is attached to nicole and doesn’t want anybody to know? tee hee!
I have been trying to find out why people like me dare not join RP when talents like these 2 young citizens have done it. They joined as RP members.
I suppose these people Walk the Talk – they are not ArmChair Critics which is one of the easiest thing in this world, and some say the milky way, to do.
I suppose these talents are more Confident about themselves, their beliefs, the value system, the purpose in life. They have escaped the mental jail created by fear. They are not the usual singaporean youths. They are in a class of their own.
A cut above the rest in this respect.
Singapore needs these types of talents. Our long term survivability depends on pillars of our nation who dare to stand up and voice up and question. A robust democracy depends on having a credible opposition parties who can offer an Alternative and at least able to REPRESENT our people especially the REAL Humans called the 33.3%. Yes, these people EXIST , have 2 eyes, a nose, etc and are flesh and blood of their parents. More importantly, they are the Citizens and Pillars of Singapore.
Last but not least, RP is a party whose aspiration is to Reform Singapore.
There are good reasons for reform, to many.
The Party’s existence should be for this purpose and not for glorification of any one single person. So, i mean leaders can come and go. Reform Party should be here to stay to bring singapore to the next level of democracy.
Happy Deepavali to all our Indian, Hindi, Buddhist, Sikh or Jain Readers.
Let there be Light.
“However, when I came to university, I took a couple of classes in politics and it was from there that I discovered alternative opinions and views. They may be more complex and sometimes convoluted, but they make more sense than the simplistic rhetoric the current government tells us.”
I would like to invite singaporean youths to try watching a few weeks of TW channel “2100″ which is a program found on SCV channel 54 where political commentators share with viewers their views on issues of the day. These are able to criticise both parties where necessary and we can learn from them how they present their idea across and how they debate. Intellectually stimulating!
Surprisingly or not there is no such level of debate program in singapore altho there are talk shows on current affairs. and thats about it.
Cheers
27) Huh on October 17th, 2009 3.47 pm
I have seen some engagement of YPAP and I find them sucks big time.
you may not know this… but YPAP stands for “Yes PAP”. They are learning how to say ‘yes’….
29) Lim Han Mian on October 17th, 2009 4.07 pm
I think that there is little point for Justin and Nicole in sacrificing their time for politics in Singapore as there is little that needs changing.
To be frank, I think you are 1 reason that J and N is doing politics. i.e. you need changing.
About ‘changing’ in general, have you heard the saying, ‘when you are not moving forward, you are moving backwards’? Basically, change is ALWAYS needed. It may be the one absolute thing in life… the only unchanging thing is change itself.
54) June Tan on October 17th, 2009 11.05 pm
Though I am not a supporter of any party, I do agree with 29)Lim Han Mian that it is indeed PAP that help build this country.
I think there is a distinction to be made here. PAP did build the nation, but PAP is a organisation made up of PEOPLE. The PEOPLE who built the nation have almost all gone from the current PAP (except for 1 …). What have the current PAP done that we own it to them?
Do you not know of any food store which used to serve delicious food or have generous servings? If the standard of the food drop and the serving decrease in size, would you still go to that store?
60) regina de cruz on October 18th, 2009 12.05 am
lovely pair. they look quite compatible actually.. I wonder why did justin side-step the final question. his answer was quite humourous actually.. is it because he is attached to nicole and doesn’t want anybody to know? tee hee!
hmmm… my ‘theory’ is Shihan is the one attached to Nicole so he skipped the question!
After 50 years in power, everything thing is unravelling for the PAPies. Truth is things started going downhill after LHL took over. The situation has turned so bad that even our soccer players are leaving for greener pastures. Despite MIW boasting that Singapore has one of the highest per capita income, many of the soccer leagues in the region are paying their footballers much more. The exodus of our footballers will be a great loss to this country.
Does the ruling party feel it is a loss as well? I seriously doubt it. The PAPies have never taken sports seriously. That is because sports in their opinion doesn’t contribute to GDP. The needed all hands on deck. They wanted all Singaporeans on the treadmill working non-stop to increase the revenure and consequently their salaries. Sports was a distraction until recently. In the past, most athletes stopped sports after finishing school. They reached a dead end after that. For me the it appears that the MIW were placed in charge of our sports association to make sure that they failed.. It appears that they have done their job well. To appease the people hunger for success in the sporting field, they brought it ‘foreign talent.’ Millions of dollars were spent on these so called ‘foreign talent’.
Our local athletes were neglected so that professional sports was not a viable option for them. Most had to get on the ‘treadmill’ after the left school like the rest before them.
It is only now that the ruing party is opening up to the idea of Singaporean taking up sports as a professional career. This move, like bar-top dancing was done to make Singapore more attractive to forieigners.
If Singapore fans want to see fellow Singaporeans on the world stage for sports, then we have to vote in the opposition. Otherwise it is back to the ‘treadmill’ for all of us.
I read ‘The great public housing debate’ by Tan Hui Yee in the Shitty Times and vomitted halfway through reading it.
I’m glad I stopped subsribing. We really need a free press.
Is it wiser to look at what the govt could do good/harm in the next 50 yrs than keep looking on past 50 yrs? Recent economic crisis has proven that a well perform hundred yrs old company could go bankrupt overnight in wall st.
54) June Tan on October 17th, 2009 11.05 pm,
I share a common ground with you by not being a supporter of any party. In all my posts, I have never denied that the ruling party did helped to build the country in part. However, we all must realise that the past does not represent the present, and certainly does not represent the future. This is exactly how they ran the country for years, relying on their familiar pasts (to the point of over-emphasizing the ‘nostalgic’), drawing fresh pays, and hoping for different results in the future. This is clearly not how things work.
In this entire forum, one would have discovered that the issues are not just about having a GRC system. It is about having multiple chinks in the entire armour right now, and the people affected most are the citizens.
It is not far-fetched to even put an argument to say they do not admit grave blunders they made :
wrong population control + increasingly huge deviations in housing pricing vs salaries + utilization of mainstream media to over-glorify idea of housing as asset ownership + inability to attract and retain sufficient businesses and equitable employment opportunities to raise/ maintain standards of living + increasing tax payers’ burden through huge salaries vs world standards
=> falling TFR + prolonged and ineffective population policies
=> massive and poorly-controlled importation of foreigners + pro-foreigners vs locals measures + overly-compliant ruling party leaders
=> marginalised Singaporeans
There are of course other areas, where many others here are quick to point out, which includes lack of accountability over investments, culture that frowns on dissensions, lack of heart for people including over small disbursements for the most needy in Singapore etc.
So I encourage you to examine the premise that ‘the ruling party has built the country up’ more closely, without an equivalent critical look at the blunders created.
I have read the above article twice, and do not think it is possible to gauge entirely if the duo have a good grasp of the issues (assuming our ‘standards’ are similar). You may have a benefit over me since you have spoken to them, so perhaps, you can share how you arrive at the conclusion. There are a myriad of reasons why directions are vague, and we need to examine on a case by case basis whether it was due to their incompetence/ lack of capacity to handle the issues.
The fact remains that whichever party or non party we support, there are tradeoffs, and we just need to understand them when going forward.
49) Time for Change on October 17th, 2009 10.13 pm
For the next elections, when they throw money at you again, which they surely will, vote for the opposition and you will get to keep what they gave you. Vote for the PAPies and you will suffer in misery.
No matter how much they throw at you, just kick them out and not only that you people will be safe but also singapore will be a better place to live on then.
Dear Lim Han Mian:
I read your comments about Justin with interest, especially on the part in the commentary on reduced defense spending.
I am not sure if you are aware of the implications of “increased defense spending” in foreign diplomatic parlance. For example, imagine you are a foreign diplomat, say an ambassador to Indonesia. Just yesterday, your defense minister and Prime Minister approved a 10% increase in defense expenditure. How are you as a foreign diplomat going to relate this to your Indonesian counterpart. The fact remains that if we want to engage our ASEAN region, our increasing defense expenditure isn’t going to do the diplomatic game any good.
And secondly, there are ways to cut corners in order to reduce defense spending. I have written an article suggesting that SAF implement stay-out for personnel who are not on operational stand-by. They will save on meal provisions, logistics and general utilities. That is one way to reduce defense costs. And staying out actually has a beneficial effect on the mood and morale of our servicemen.
I have written an article that suggested the above way to cut defense costs on the Kent Ridge Common. However, I don’t think it is appropriate for me to link there. Because it sounds like a shameless plug! hahaha!
Sincerely yours
Justin and Nicole, you have set the benchmark! I hope there will be more JustinS and NicoleS emerging! It is time for a change. We are really tired of the mundane and nanny status quo!
I would like to offer another perspective of the often heard argument that the “ruling party has build this city state to what it is today” – the exacted cost on our society. The years of continued persecution of political dissents has created a debilitated parliament. The lack of robust debate has led to many blunders as mentioned by #70 kf. In the 70s and 80s when manufacturing was a key driver of our economy, a docile population was marketed as an advantage to fill the lines in the factory. Political stability and tripartism were often touted as the necessary pillars of growth – which translated to intolerance of political dissent and a compliant population. However, from the mid 80s our competitions such as Taiwan and South Korea were already moving ahead with political liberalisation as the demand of a knowledge base economy needed a greater engagement of a more creative and innovative society. Singapore did not keep up with the changes and chose to rely on elitist system. We are now seeing the cost of such blunder – we have many of best talents who opted out of this place because they find this place too suffocating so much so that we now have to be completely reliance on attracting foreign talents.
While we basked in the glory of the past 50 years of developments – history will be rewritten in the next 50 years. This is a time for transformative changes for our future. If PAP were to be allowed to be the monopoly of ideas then we will be a nation bankrupt of ideals.
I’ve always known that people like these 2 exist, just that there are too few of them. Even if you count all the TOC readers and informed youth who partake their knowledge of current affairs online, they still constitute a minority of sinkees.
If the PAP is still in power after the next elections, there will be a hellish future for sinkees. The PAP wants to turn sinkapore into a Monaco, with trappings for the rich from all over the world, and the economy will be geared to serve these rich investors, residents and capitalists. Why, sinkees won’t even have a place because even the jobs of serving these people will be outsourced to cheaper foreigners.
Hi All,
I have to say this is a refreshing and interesting political article, with a tinge of humour at the end! Keep up the good work!
It would be great for TOC to interview more youths from other parties. Why not interview the PAP Youth Wing too, so that we can have a good comparison? Of course provided Teo Ser Luck has to get approval from Lee Hsien Loong first.
Singapore need more articulate youths and middle-aged people to be in the Opposition.
Definitely these two are much more attractive than Lim Swee Say and Lee Bee Wah in terms of image and packaging.
.
Yea talk is cheap, let’s see some actions then.
So many other parties have youth wings, why is the TOC just publishing RP? What about WP Youth Wing and SDP Young Democrats? Is TOC promoting a trend of ‘Come support RP’? What about the parties that have been on the scene for so long? Never seen so much continuous support for them in the past.
So sick of the ‘Come support RP’ movement when no work has been done thus far!
Teo’s former colleagues in DHL were not impressed by his performance or any leadership at all.
But Teo was a p/t model during his undergrad days in NUS, this is lilely the reason that PAP uses his look as poster boy to attract youth.
Other parties should better recruit some Mr Singapore runner-ups :)
77) Denny Tze on October 18th, 2009 3.03 pm
“Yea talk is cheap, let’s see some actions then.”
Err….are you referring to the labour movement’s chief, Lim Swee Say, who has called on workers and employers to play their part in making the economy and workforce cheaper, better and faster.
But I don’t think this talk is cheaper lor, I guess it costs tax payer million dollars.
Yes, cut defence spending.
Channel the money into education and help for the poor.
I was a regular in SAF and I saw so much waste of manpower etc.
A could not be bothered approach.
I saw how the SAF officers work, only waiting for pension.
Saw many not so smart fellows in army.
I did not meet any scholar when I was in SAF. They were all promoted to the top.
No I think that all the talk from the RP fellows is cheap and so much promotion for them when they have yet done anything! We hear their talk and assume that great things is to come… wooohoooo.
So many youth wings from other parties doing so many things, how come lately it has all been RP RP and more RP? I don’t mind TOC promoting RP, but the sort of attention given to other parties hasn’t been as balanced. That is all I am lamenting about actually lar. Maybe you know, TOC can also write about the youth wings of other parties as well. I know that they might not come in ‘poster pin up’ quality but they have done so many things so far. WP Youthwing with their Youth Quake and SDP Young Democrats just beginning to strengthen. Maybe NSP also has a youth wing… you know all of these should also be given their share of limelight and TOC being TOC, should help to bring what these other groups are doing to our knowledge. You see, some people don’t know at all. Must help us understand what the other groups are doing mah.
Not right meh?
All I can say is both Justin and nicole has step up on the plate…and will be under public scrutiny from here on…beside the ISD of course.
Being a politician comes with the glare of the media lights…that’s the real test when you come under the limelight and not buckle under the pressure.
Nice interview…and yes it good to see young singaporeans sacrificing their time to try to make a difference in our homeland.
They won’t be under the radar of ISD lah, what have they done to ‘deserve’ that ‘badge of honour’ yet? Maybe in years to come if they take on an activist approach to things. Right now they have all been flaunting their qualifications and their ideals. Interesting to know, but the actions are more important.
Hi all,
rest assured that TOC has already contacted all relevant youth wings from the different political parties for interviews. As stated in the beginning of the article: In this first installment of our “Youth in Politics” series, we speak to Justin Ong and Nicole Seah from the Young Reformers, the youth wing of the Reform Party.
It is another matter if the youth wings want to be interviewed by us.
Being in a party youth wing doesn’t mean they will stand for elections in future… a party needs many people contributing in all fronts, not just the aspiring MPs. On a larger scale, every concerned citizen should be doing his part in small ways too, like telling friends about real sg problems, voting the right person, giving funds, volunteering etc.
70)kf, thank you for your comments. I would reexamine.
For sharing my encounter with one of them, I don’t think it is appropriate to discuss it in detail. I think they are both trying to do something. We should give them time. Only thing I could share is that the response from one of them to my questions was just not convincing for me to join RP. Its not that I expect them to know the details of policies. I am not well versed and don’t expect them to. But I just wanted them to share a view. However, I didn’t think their views were well-thought through and seems to have flaws even to a layman like me. I guess this comes with more knowledge, reading and experience. At this time, I am just not convinced they have got the leadership
87# June Tan,
You have to give them time to mature, they are part of RP and it is a team work. No doubt they have no experience because RP is new, it takes a few elections before they can become MPs unless you go by back door by joining pap in a walkover GRC.
81) Denny Tze on October 19th, 2009 12.32 am
No I think that all the talk from the RP fellows is cheap and so much promotion for them when they have yet done anything! We hear their talk and assume that great things is to come… wooohoooo.
well, I can say the same for Obama winning the Nobel PEACE prize. What peace has he achieved? Many people thinks the Prize was given to him to ‘pressure’ him to adopt less confrontational approaches.
If we were to use the same rational, we could say that TOC is helping these Youths to stay active. After all, it is easy to be fired up and lose all the heat in 5 mins (五分钟热度). But with an interview done, I think they have gained some ‘fuel’ to keep burning for a while yet.
I have just one question for everybody here who is rather anti-establishment. Should the opposition in Singapore start promotin how they can run Singapore rather than only be one of those coffeeshop uncle and complain about the PAP but offer nothing constructive in comparison?
I don’t see any semblance of workable long term policies being suggested by these opposition members. Sure it sounds great when you announce that you want to kick all the foreign workers out. But the question is, who then will take over the jobs of these foreign workers? And has anybody considered the long term financial implications if we impose a minimum wage system that many people want to implement?
So until I see viable policy solutions being offered by the opposition, then I have no choice but to continue supporting the current party that has some sort of solution and can run an entire country properly.
Non Partisan:
1. In an ideal democratice system, the oppostions should be a part of the establishment and the Parliament is one of avenues for robust debates on government policies. The role of the oppositions is to check the government and represent the voices of its constituents. They are in no position to provide policies because they are not the government and do not have the mean to effect any policies. Before PAP became the government, they did not spelled out their economic policies, they were busy shouting down David Marshall’s government and bringing the voices of the people, demanding for self governing.
2. Our current establishment is a travesty democracy found mainly in the third world countries. We have a dominant power bent on demolishing its opponents and even sabotaging elected oppositions in the proper running of their wards – refer to saga in Anson (formerly), Potong Pasir and Hougang over
3. Political parties broadcast their political ideals and beliefs via their Parties manifesto. This is a guideline to the kind of polcies they will be making if any of them would become the government. However, In an mature democratic election, we are not justing choosing the government but also oppositions – a MP that can best represent our voice.
Like to say that me feels comforted to see our youths coming in to involve themselves with the wellbeings of the Country and its’ people.
May more of our youngs come to participate in the Nation Building.
patriot
RP, WP and SDP, pls put your steps in sync…
and do some public forum, Justin and Nicole may be young, let them go through scrutiny and toughened.
Obama was confronted by a voter “Plumber Joe” Obama was cool and steady in his reply though he did not get the data right, still that built up trust in him in voters’ eyes
PAP have been recruting single minded grads who joined Young PAP for opportunities, they have no space for personal thinking cos they boss want a tightly controlled mindset and theme.
U can see that LKY is not confident that LHL can survive free competition in PAP, so he makes sure all recruited candidates share his mindset, we can see that many parrots PAP MPs are molded that way
RP, SDP and WP must allow your people to have brains and souls.
Come out to meet aunties, uncles , ah beh, ah sor early,
90) Non-partisan on October 19th, 2009 2.02 pm
Your post is mainly about long term planning… and nothing I see of current PAP policies show that they do the same.
HDB price rise is not sustainable.
Influx of FW will have huge social implications.
Cheaper workers decreases the need for improving productivity.
You think these 3 are examples of long term planning? In fact, your focus on having replacement for FW shows how short term you really are.
Baccarat, yes, opposition need to be in syn. It is best to come into some alliance. Right now, everyone is going in different directions. YOu can’t divide and conquer because the base is too small for opposition. No choice, you need to combine forces. RP’s membership is still low and it would be sometime before they become formidable. But if they combine with two or three others, it would certainly strengthen their base. Don’t do it half-hearted like SDA, giove full commitment.
I also notice your comment about TSL in DHL. I happen to be his staff about two rungs below. Not sure who you spoke to but he is a good leader that took care of us in the middle level. That’s only the good thing I would say of PAP people since I know.
Lim Han Mian want to be mentor for Justin Ong and Nicole Seah ???
it is a great and relief sign of these 2 young and coming politician. keep it up and all the way not just for us, it is also for your loved one as well and more importantly for the beloved singaporean fellows.
bravo, RP!
Re: (94)
Dear Lenny,
My colleague’s husband used to work in DHL ( perhaps he was your colleague too)
His comment was that TSL were very active in community activities, much budget allocated to that, remember the DHL ballo near Beach Road ?
But his business direction is simply follow the HQ and EDB, any creativities during his tenure, probably not
It is true that he was nice to staff, you can see that PAP is using him as a PRO to young people.
Can TSL being a nice man does any difference to PAP’s many failed policies even if he wanted to do ? we got the answer in heart.
97) Political Salesman on October 19th, 2009 5.47 pm Ape-Man Where are U. your Right Hand Man get arrested in the Tamil Tiger Plot, …. those people with shit on their eye came to support & join Rubbish Party.
Hello
let’s agree to disagree, why scold others as such, we all went thru same education system and born in this island, don’t have to be so vulgar !
Will you be rewarded by PAP of writing this attack ? The queue is long for claiming rewards, you better starting lining up over night.
Or u can join PAP grassroot !
I commend both of you for stepping out of your comfort zones. But why RP? I hate to see you waste your talent. The strength of a political setup is as good as the conviction of its top leader.
Perhaps you are too young to know that your KJ has never been seen alongside his father in all the years of his struggles against the PAP. He was never around during the numerous battles that his father fought. Neither in Anson nor in Cheng San.Not even the the court rooms.He spent most of his life overseas, enjoying the good life of a hedge fund operator. He didn’t care two hoots about what was hapenning to us lesser mortals.
If at all, he should have at least emerged when his poor daddy were still alive and kicking. He should have under studied his daddy. He was not even present when the old man launched the RP. If he had’ the media would not have missed reporting it .
Politics, especially in Singapore’s context, demands more than just being the son of his father. It is definitely not enough by just going round telling people that “I am the son of JBJ and I have a double degree in economics.” Many politically concious Singaporeans would in turn ask him “so what?”
But don’t get me wrong Justin and Nicole. I fully support the opposition and have been doing my part in my own way to promote alternative views. I have been around long enough to witness the political goings on. I just want you both to put these questions to him. You can then size him up and decide whether you want to be led by this ‘Johnny Come Lately.’
Baccarat,
obviously you have not been following the opposition news. WP Youth Wing has been holding public forums since last year (Youth Quake). SDP Youth Wing are starting to strengthen with younger faces coming forward, and they are going out to meet people already with the sales of the party papers. You can follow the news on their websites.
Hang Jebat,
I agree with you.
If JBJ is alive right now, he will never allow for some things to happen, some people to be kicked out of the party and some people to flaunt their qualifications first before any actions have been seen. This RP, the way it has become, is a mockery to the legend of JBJ.
Justin: “I was attracted to both Kenneth Jeyaretnam’s academic credentials and technocratic clout”
Justin, PAP has let us down because of those qualifications of their candidates so far. Those scholars knows nothing about grassroots, thats why so many bad policies.
Hope Kenneth is different and as good as his father, more down to earth.
We have to look for people who are really committed to our people our country like the first generation leaders except……