Andrew Loh, Main Stories, Ravi Philemon, Top Story - Written on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 12:53 - 82 Comments
Rubbish? Look who’s talking
Andrew Loh & Ravi Philemon
“Come election time, they talk a lot of things, which is rubbish… This is a government which chooses its MPs very carefully; test them out before they become ministers. That’s why it is working. The present ministers can last ten years…”
That quote is by Minister Mentor (MM) Lee Kuan Yew, as reported by Channelnewsasia here. He was referring to the opposition parties and defending his own People’s Action Party (PAP).
On first impression, one is inclined to disagree with the MM. After all, the local media is hardly fair in reporting the issues which the opposition parties bring up during the elections. Indeed, the media here gives overwhelming and comprehensive space to all things PAP during the hustings. And also, despite MM’s boast about the credentials of his PAP MPs and ministers, it is a wonder why none of them is considered good enough to be the next Prime Minister. And as one recalls, it was MM Lee himself who termed the 25 new PAP candidates in the last General Elections “second tier” candidates.
As for the system working, which is presumably what MM Lee was referring to, this is arguable, at best. Singapore has the second biggest income gap in the world, the huge influx of foreigners is an issue we’re still grappling with, housing prices are placing public housing out of reach for many, our birth rate conundrum remains, and we have a problem looking for the next Prime Minister. These are just some of the more serious problems we’re facing.
One would therefore take MM Lee’s words with a pinch of salt. In any case, it is expected that the man who helmed the party for several decades would praise his own party and colleagues. It is politics, after all, and the next elections are not far away.
But on closer inspection, the MM might not be all wrong. If you have attended opposition parties’ election rallies, you would have heard some truly outrageous ideas and suggestions in the speeches by some opposition candidates. One example would be a speech by the chairman of Singapore People’s Party (SPP), Mr Sin Kek Tong. At a rally in Potong Pasir in 2001, he (in)famously called for “free 24-hour parking all over Singapore”, if one remembers his words exactly. He also asked for all trees along the expressways to be “chopped down” because drivers could not see the blocks’ numbers.
It was hardly an impressive speech, especially from a party chairman. You could almost feel the crowd cringe as the words came out of his mouth.
And then there was Mr Wong Hong Toy, a candidate from the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) in the last elections. At a speech at Woodlands Stadium, he spoke in the local dialect, Hokkien. It was an unbearable speech to listen to with all his ranting and nothing else, it seems.
Having said that, it is not only the opposition candidates who “talk a lot of things, which is rubbish”, but the Peoples’ Action Party’s (PAP) candidates too are guilty of being facetious. Blogger Gayle Goh wrote on her blog, i-speak, after listening to PAP candidate, Ms Penny Low, in a Pasir Ris-Punggol Group Representation Constituency (GRC) rally: “She is one scary woman! She kept yelling at the crowd anti-SDA things, trying to rouse them into some sort of fervor. ‘SDA people in their trucks go round and round and round! No direction! Round and round…What can they do for you?!’, etc… I am very scared of her now…I kept imagining her chasing after her kids with her rattan cane.” (Source: Institute of Policy Studies.)
Another blog, Singapore Election Watch, wrote of a PAP candidate who spoke at a rally describing the opposition parties as terrorists; they come and strike every five years and disappear. “In fact they hung their posters in the middle of the night”, the candidate supposedly said.
Of course, these were not reported in the local mainstream media.
Ironically, it was MM Lee himself who “rubbished” the elections in 2006 the most by his unstinting focus on the so-called James Gomez saga. MM Lee led the charge that Mr Gomez had lied about having submitted a particular election form to the Elections Department. Words such as “cheat”, “liar”, and “dishonest” were used by the MM to describe Mr Gomez. It culminated in charges being leveled by MM Lee at the leaders of the Workers’ Party as well, namely Mr Low Thia Khiang and Ms Sylvia Lim.
It wasn’t until the later part of the 9-days’ hustings that the Peoples’ Action Party realized that Singaporeans were tired of the daily diatribe against Mr Gomez by MM Lee and his PAP colleagues. Only then, did the PAP decide to focus on the issues of concern to Singaporeans – but it all came too late and Singaporeans were, quite rightly, upset at the way the elections turned out.
It has been said that the MM’s antics cost the PAP – and the Prime Minister in particular – some votes. In the end, MM Lee’s behavior did not do much damage to the Workers’ Party’s fortunes, apparently. Mr Low Thia Khiang won his Hougang seat with an increased majority, giving him his highest share of the votes since he won Hougang in 1991. The Workers’ party turned out to be the best-performing party among all the opposition parties. But perhaps most satisfying to the party was the Aljunied GRC result. Mr Gomez was part of the WP’s Aljunied team – and it garnered a respectable, some would say impressive, 44 per cent of the votes. Ms Lim eventually became a Non-Constituency MP.
The more important point perhaps is it really doesn’t matter what MM Lee says about the opposition. The 2006 General Elections showed, as it did with the WP, that if a party focuses on the real issues and holds firmly to its integrity, it can achieve respectable results.
Ms Chee Siok Chin, a member of the SDP’s Central Executive Committee (CEC), when asked by The Online Citizen to comment on MM Lee’s latest remarks, said MM Lee resorts to name-calling “so that real issues then take the back-seat”. “SDP”, says Ms Chee, “has been advocating minimum wage, retrenchment benefits and CPF related issues since the 2001 elections.” SDP’s manifesto shows that it has also championed various other issues, including the adoption of a Singaporean first policy, smaller classroom sizes, as well as the doing-away of streaming at the primary 4 level.
Mr Lim Bak Chuan Desmond, the Assistant Secretary-General o f SPP says, “There are three main issues that my team had brought up (in the last elections) – family values, maximizing opportunities for all Singaporeans and the building of a compassionate society.”
Most notable perhaps was the Workers’ Party, which had the most comprehensive election manifesto of all the parties in General Elections 2006. The little booklet titled “You Have A Choice”, which was sold at all the party’s rallies, contained quite a list of ideas and suggestions. The speeches by the candidate too were focused on important issues such as means testing for hospitalisation, the growing income gap, the GRC system and an ageing population.
Certainly, these were no “rubbish” issues, as MM Lee would like us to think.
At the end of the day, the MM can say what he likes. But if he hijacks an entire election for an agenda which to most Singaporeans is of no consequence, Singaporeans will see through it. What should be of concern to Singaporeans is that while the opposition candidates who made those atrocious remarks and speeches during the elections did not win Singaporeans’ support, the PAP candidates who did are, however, now Members of Parliament.
———
Related posts:
82 Comments
“I hope before he leave this world, we can give him an amazing gift…”
Rubbish can only be housed in a rubbish bin. That is the best gift a rubbish can get.
A well-balanced article, Andrew and Ravi.
I cannot help but feel that the “if you are not with me, you are against me” approach by MM Lee (or PAP) is way over-due, and may I dare to speculate, will not even last till the day he had passed away. This is especially true with the huge influx of foreigners (call them new citizens, PRs, etc.) who grew up in environments where civic-obedient is not a norm, and whom has no intention to make Singapore their permanent home.
Thus, I would view that the moderate approach adopted by the mainstream opposition parties is on the right path, where it appears that their short term goal is not to take over (also due to the immaturity of Singaporeans’ political consciousness), but to continue challenge the existing policies and offer alternative voices.
If anyone wants to know the inner political thoughts and strategies of This Old Man, who up till now still cares more of party interest instead of national interests, who still refuses to let go the reign of power, go read Machiavelli’s “The Prince”, especially the political thoughts on governance and the strategies.
If anyone wants to know how to counter Machiavelli, go read and learn from Sun Tsu’s “Art of War”.
“And also, despite MM’s boast about the credentials of his PAP MPs and ministers, it is a wonder why none of them is considered good enough to be the next Prime Minister. ”
Hey Andrew and Ravi,
you put it like this , how can people rebut you?
Welcome back Andrew!
Go work by Ravi as well.
This website is just what a mature democracy needs. Balanced views across the board; calling a spade a spade, regardless of it being fair to the ruling party/opposition or not. And since there’s been no libel suits being flung at it, I suppose all that I read here (sans the ‘comments’! haha) are ‘truths’.
But what strikes me most is that when I read this thriving website, I feel that all the people of a feather are not standing alone, and that choosing the minority does not make me a pariah. I can only wish that for a better reach, this website is translated into Mandarin, Malay and Tamil, so that all of us will vote with our eyes wide open the next time the circus comes to town.
Ops…he forgotten to look at his own backyard, full of rubbish too.
[i]Come election time, they talk a lot of things, which is rubbish… This is a government which chooses its MPs very carefully; test them out before they become ministers. That’s why it is working. The present ministers can last ten years…”[/i]
indeed totaLEE talkin rubbishs!!!
you leekuanyew is the world longest livin overpaid minister..please show us your PRESENT ability? you know you are b ein paid no less than $3000 per day! how many ole men liked you can fetched that kind of wages? have you ever tried to work for YOURSELF and pay yourself $3000/day? if you needs further proof/votes..try limsiasuayed…he also minister what…
“Come election time, they talk a lot of things, which is rubbish… This is a government which chooses its MPs very carefully; test them out before they become ministers. That’s why it is working. The present ministers can last ten years…”
What a wonderful quote by a Senile Oops.. I mean Senior PAP politician. The Government chooses the MPs and not the People’s Action Party that chooses the MPs. No wonder all our MPs are Government representatives and not People’s representatives to the Government.
Good article guys….
Seriously, the PAP had no issues to raise in the last election except about James Gomez…..I wrote in a forum, why the PAP was devoid of ideas….
Since the election we have seen so much of problems in Singapore….like FT’s and housing problems for locals…..jobs….and much more.
Looks like they were devoid of ideas after all and just trying to escape….highlighting something small.
I hope and think most Singaporeans have realised that PAP is not up to mark and it is time for a change….at least to show these guys that We Singaporeans want some real responsible people in charge.
They will be there out to act again, this time around but I hope people see thru it and put in some oppositions in.
Who can argue Sylvia Lim deserves to be there. Let’s put her there for our sakes.
We should not let down good people. Tell your friends.
” In the end, MM Lee’s behavior did not do much damage to the Workers’ Party’s fortunes, apparently. Mr Low Thia Khiang won his Hougang seat with an increased majority, giving him his highest share of the votes since he won Hougang in 1991. ”
I look at it differently.
I suspect LTK could have won by an even larger landslide had the Gomez issue not been made so big. Its just a pitty LTK did not win by an even wider landslide.
Albin the monako white elephant
#6 “…translated into Mandarin, Malay and Tamil…”
I support this idea.
The older generation who know not how to read english need to be given the chance to be educated by articles found on the net.
Being illiterate of english, these of course do not or could not access the internet.
Translation can be quickly done by google translator and the likes found free on he net. Human effort still very much needed as the tools are not perfect yet.
Its a TOOL. Singaporeans post 65′ers also not experts in mandarin. They can use these tools to get quick translations for individual words and terms. This can speed up translating blogs into ethnic languages.
The next step is to get the old generation to log on. Print them and show it to them.
The key is not to overload. Only THE MOST important things to bring across.
For example : why allow walkovers to deny people of voting chance?
How accurate is such a form of election? To me i must say very accurate. But you may be surprised many i talked to do not feel so.
We need to ask the old people too.
Who Really knows How Many support who when not all get to vote?
Why need walkover in a small city that rumor has it , its not even a country???
I am so confused and overloaded by info.
He still need to be around as our PM is useless.
… the PAP candidates who did (talk rubbish) are, however, now Members of Parliament.
And let’s not forget, some of them are also $,$$$,$$$ Ministers and still talking rubbish in Parliament, in their public speeches and everywhere else.
Seems like this guy appears more frequently in dah news than our friend the pm?
“Seems like this guy appears more frequently in dah news than our friend the pm?”
PM not popular then use old fart to buy supporter’s vote. What to do ? Grandmother and grandfather, aunt, uncle who still live in make-believe world still believe his fart can bring them happiness.
he’s not talking rubbish…he is THE RUBBISH!
[ .. since he said something along the line that he will rise from the grave if PAP lost or something…]
I’m sure he expects to be paid per diem.
There are 84 parliamentarians in the Cabinet, yet the people are bombarded by no more than 6 of them, namely: MM Lee, PM Lee, SM Goh, Lim Swee Say, Khaw Boon Wan occasinally Lim Boon Heng with threats and sweet talks. The rest seems like sleeping parliamentarians who only know to adulate and say aye to the afore-mentioned 6. They are selected by the Ruling Party no doubt but many are not elected by the electorates, they are in cabinet through the back door riding on the backs of their senior members.
Most of our present parliamentarians are in there for their remunerations, perks(bonus, pension etc), in short; iron ricebowls which others have no chance to even smell.
Singaporeans either got brainwashed, threatened or bought over in the past, however there is awaking of the lot who cannot deny the reality they are witnessing now. Amongst the common sights we are seeing with our own eyes are feeble old folks working as cleaners, security guards, coffeeshop serving staff and the many depending on collecting trashes and RUBBISH for survival. Such sufferings of the folks cannot be allowed to widen or be caused to widen by policies that benefit only the elites.
It is not that MM Lee is not awared that Singaporeans are suffering, it is just that he thinks that many of them(Singaporeans) are lazy and stupid. MM Lee likes elites and spend his times only to look out for them, he has no time for the plebeians.
The people must also be awared of their own standings in the eyes of our leaders, how they are rated by the leaders. If one knows that You matters not in their(leaders) eyes or that Your wellbeings are less important then the money and power they enjoy, then one should know or realize ones’ future ahead.
MM LEE MAKES ONE THING VERY CLEAR, HE SELECTS ONLY THE ELITES AND HE LIVES WITH THEM AND ONLY THEM(the Elites). The Commoners do not deserves his attention.
patriot
Thank you Andrew Loh & Ravi Philemon,
It’s laudable that your article is asking the people to consciously evaluate the quality of our politicians. It’s about time too. Never mind PAP vs non-PAP, Government vs Opposition, Elite vs Non-elite, incumbent vs challenger, status quo vs change. Now is the time to focus on substance rather than form.
So far, the standard of politics in Singapore is pretty abysmal. It is up to voters like us to raise it by voting for quality.
I propose a tentative hierarchy of qualifying requirements in which political candidates must satisfy before they can get our votes:
Priority 1: Candidate must respect the electorate and sincerely want to work for the welfare of Singaporeans.
Priority 2: Candidate must have a good understanding of politics, especially the concept of democracy.
Priority 3: Candidate must place duty and service above his own personal enrichment and his own party’s interests.
Priority 4: Candidate must have some feasible new ideas.
Priority 5: Candidate must NOT have a record of dictatorial tendency, unfair behavior and dishonesty towards our citizens.
If we are mindful of these criteria, we can vaccinate ourselves against the usual distracting, deceiving and obfuscating tactics of politicians come election time.
Okay, guys and gals, please feel free to add or change the above criteria as you see fit. Maybe my 5 priorities are all hare-brained. Are you willing to give it a go and discuss and refine it? Perhaps at the end of the day, TOC can adopt and present a final set of criteria to the people of Singapore and persuade all to vote according to its requirements in 2012.
I hope the Editor of TOC will consider this proposal.
Yes, speaking of the ministers. Someone should write an article regarding Ng Eng Hen’s claims that more people are taking Higher Chinese because of their successful programs. More like more people are taking higher chinese because there are more people from China nowadays and Higher Chinese can serve as a substitute for English.
I agree with the suggestion. Therefore, I have added another 3 priorities as listed below:
Priority 1: Candidate must respect the electorate and sincerely want to work for the welfare of Singaporeans.
Priority 2: Candidate must have a good understanding of politics, especially the concept of democracy.
Priority 3: Candidate must place duty and service above his own personal enrichment and his own party’s interests.
Priority 4: Candidate must have some feasible new ideas.
Priority 5: Candidate must NOT have a record of dictatorial tendency, unfair behavior and dishonesty towards our citizens.
Priority 6: Candidate must have the willingness to take ownership and responsibility for his/her own mistakes and blunders and not put the blame onto the citizens.
Priority 7: Candidate must NOT be beholden in anyway to certain existing political figures so much so that he/she is unable to make his own judgment and decision for the good of the citizens. (Example: he/she has some dirty linen being known and held in the hands of that somebody and could be used to influence, coerce, or threaten him/her into submission to tow the line.)
Priority 8: Candidate must declare their personal and family (spouse) assets or at least reveal the total assessable income as submitted in his/her last income tax returns. (Just like in the US where the Presidential Candidate has to declare his/her and his/her spouse’s income of the previous year.)
Of course, the final list will have to be readjusted, reworded, rephrased and fine-tuned for greater acceptance.
This is a superbly written article. Kudos to the writers.
As for LKY’s comment, well, we voters have to prove to him who is the real rubbish in the upcoming elections.
Exercise your rights possibly for the last time befor LKY goes to his grave. Show him we have seen through his rubbish talk by voting in more than 10 opposition MPs into parliament and hand to him the bittest defeat of his political life.
That much he deserve from us.
Overshadowing Own Son Leadership
A very well written article – logical, sensible,insightful, truthful and frank.
Well done Andrew Loh & Ravi Philemon. Keep it up, TOC!
I think we have heard the MM said many things over the last few days, and also over the last 50 years. We are now in a very good position to make our assessment, judgment and conclusions of whatever he has said, saying or will say. We all know him too well. If not, then we must all be sleeping, complacent or totally devoid of any intelligence.
We shall answer him when the time is ripe.
aiyoyo
everyone go green;
waste (rubbish) recycle..
路遥知马力！
aiyoyo
Vote in only 10 opp MPs? enough or not? they got 82 leh! I think at least 30 good and talented ones should send the rest of those useless MIW crawling back into their shell and take cover. Don’t you people observed in every parliamentary meeting, at least 70% of the 82 MPs look exactly like painted poster lying on their seats, some motionless, makes one wonder if they are still alive or dead!
Oh I forget! a couple of them are just ‘parrots’ of the carribeans.
Best part, you can’t even find a RUBBISH bin in Singapore these days!
If we are to compare what PAP promised Singaporeans in the past elections
a)”SWISS Standard”,
b)”More good years”,
c)”Globalisation brings prosperity to Singapore”
d) Free trade agreement means more jobs for S’poreans
and what the SDP said:– (“SDP”, says Ms Chee, “has been advocating minimum wage, retrenchment benefits and CPF related issues since the 2001 elections.” SDP’s manifesto shows that it has also championed various other issues, including the adoption of a Singaporean first policy, smaller classroom sizes, as well as the doing-away of streaming at the primary 4 level.’ )
It is obvious that the PAP government policies have failed miserably.
LKY its you and your MPs who are talking rubbish and farting through your mouths. Bad smell indeed.
It is obvious that the PAP government policies have failed miserably.
Funny thing happens in singapore politics, you get promoted and rewarded with millions for introducing failed policies!
The key disadvantage to the opposition is the media. However talented and bright they may be and however good their ideas are, they are hardly heard by the masses. People like us who come to a political forum are still a minority.
Someone’s got to think up a brilliant idea to spread the opposition’s words. Fast, economical and wide. Maybe a radio station broadcasting from abroad. Anyone remember `Zoo’ Radio broadcasted from Batam?
Mr Yamamoto, this LKY cannot leave this world just like that ! He must pay for this Sin Policy “STOP AT TWO” has murder 1/2 million of “Innocent & Defencless” foetus. They’re our past generation Brother & Sister. If he can’t pay in his life, His family member has to foot this Bill.
10/11/09
Todate none of the PAP Ministers and MPs have live up to the expectations of Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew since Goh Chok Tong was made PM (he said Goh was his second choice), I doubt those new faces will ever live up to his expectations also…….let us see. Now, we cannot say we don’t need Opposition MPs in Parliament, infact we need at least Five (5) if we can come next bGeneral Election, better 10 and give the PAP Ministers and MPs a run for their money.
Regards
Andrew Chuah
Yes! the ministers and MPs maybe good as what MM Lee said. But………many things on the ground were covered up by their helpers / volunteers…..
If the MP and ministers don’t go to the ground by themselves, there are many things they do not know. They will only know the good things which report by their helpers.
My sincere advise to MM Lee / PM Lee/ Ministers / MPs……………………..
Don’t be surprise to lost many votes because of the ” special performance” by some of the RC and CCC members.
Why I dare to say that? This is because I am on the ground.
LHL said that he can only handle 3-5 Opposition MPs.
Since his salary (S$3.8 million p.a.) is 6 times that of President Obama, we should, therefore, vote in at least 6 times 5, i.e. 30 Opposition MPs.
If he can’t handle 30 Opposition MPs, then he should reduce his salary (as well as all his ministers’ salaries) to one-sixth of the present scale.
Take so much pay, yet cannot solve problems. Still got the cheek to boast best this and best that.
Extraordinary talents? Always pushed the father in front to speak on his behalf when there is a big problem. What kind of a leader is that?
This incident happened at MM Lee’s GRC :
http://happyangelclub.wordpress.com/
We found a highly decomposed body…
Posted by: happyangelclub on: October 19, 2009
* In: All articles-| YouTube
* 3 Comments
Venue : Blk 123 Bukit Merah View （at the below unit)
Date: 17-10-2009 (Saturday)
Time: 8.30pm
There were Three Cases happened in this Block within A Month. Why?
It was very sad to see the Lonely Elderly Deceased without Pride and dignity.
I have been writing some related articles and feedback to some govt. agencies since Year 2004. Do we have a better way to stop this kind of tragedy?
Click to the Comment for more related articles.
Specially thanks to the Tan’s family for their donation of rice and can food to the elderly. If we do not distribute the ration home by home at this block , we will not be able to find the decomposed body.
Pls click here for more discussion at REACH:
Pls click the below link for more photos :
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=A3F2618277EC5651&page=6
Happy Angel – BMV Blk 123 – 17-10-2009 Photo Shoot
Happy Angel – BMV Blk 123 – 17-10-2009 Photo Shoot
This happen at MM Lee’s GRC
http://happyangelclub.wordpress.com/
We found a highly decomposed body…
Venue : Blk 123 Bukit Merah View （at the below unit)
Date: 17-10-2009 (Saturday)
Time: 8.30pm
DSC02369
There were Three Cases happened in this Block within A Month. Why?
It was very sad to see the Lonely Elderly Deceased without Pride and dignity.
I have been writing some related articles and feedback to some govt. agencies since Year 2004. Do we have a better way to stop this kind of tragedy?
Click to the Comment for more related articles.
Specially thanks to the Tan’s family for their donation of rice and can food to the elderly. If we do not distribute the ration home by home at this block , we will not be able to find the decomposed body.
Pls click here for more discussion at REACH:
Pls click the below link for more photos :
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=A3F2618277EC5651&page=6
Happy Angel – BMV Blk 123 – 17-10-2009 Photo Shoot
Happy Angel – BMV Blk 123 – 17-10-2009 Photo Shoot
#13: He still need to be around as our PM is useless.
But, as #17 rightly pointed out: … he is THE RUBBISH!
So pathetic we are, having to choose between useless and RUBBISH. Time to look outside the PAP box for better choices.
82 people for parliament for this little red dot. overkill you say?
I think the election is really coming soon, maybe next year after Chinese New Year.
LKY has no regards for the opposition. The James Gomez saga spoke tons of his arrogance to call James a cheat, a liar and what not. It certainly cost PAP many votes and though WP lost by gained 44% of support.
I wrote a personal email to George Yeo after the results and pointed our why PAP had lost though they won the GRC. GY thanked me for my ‘insight’. What a farce! hahaha. Come this election, I strongly believe that WP will win Aljunied GRC if the boundary are not redrawn and WP can put up and head the ward with Sylvia Lim.
LKY, with his total control has no qualms to belittle opposition candidates. As I will always said, PAP has many backdoor MP who got in by walkover and riding on the
bandwagon of the bigger guns.
Opposition should not utter rubbish to the electorate. Sin Kek Tong as chairman, made a fool of himself when he said to have 24 hour free parking and chopped of all trees. How can he be so naive and also the chairman of SPP. Please act with responsibility. Singaporeans are no fools. Present a strong manifesto for the electorate to vote you in.
Come now, the sentiments are more favourable to the opposition with PAP making one blunder after the other, viz the Temasek Holding debacle and the reinstatement
of daughter-in-law Ho Cheng and the indiscrimate influx of FWs, the rising prices of public housing and the high cost of living. All negative points of contention.
We have decided enough is enough. We must vote PAP out if we all can unite as one; failing which we must vote more opposition voices in parliament to break the monotonous tone of parliament and the authoritarian rule by PAP’s law by their own making. Draconian !!
“This happen at MM Lee’s GRC
http://happyangelclub.wordpress.com/,”
wwowww, TOC should take note of this blog. So many photo but none show the MIW and MPs. Are those expensive clowns afraid the elder people give them “baptism of fire” just like certain lesser mortal give to a pathetic MP ? Oh… I forget our elites are more busy making money. No time for parliament, let alone attending to lesser mortal.
Found this too in the blog. Interesting !
MP’s Volunteer shouting in Public / 议员的义工当众漫骂
“By Jane Lim 5-10-2009
Recently, I had reported some cases, awaiting the associate agency and in charge person to improve the quality services for the needy groups in our society.
Yet I had received very strong feedbacks in positive and negative,. Some people are trying to stop me to service the needy elderly in the area. A grassroots volunteer confronted with unreasonable scolding in the public.
Are the Elderly happy with my services? Let’s us let the Elderly say for themselves.
*Is it Right for the RC / CCC Volunteers to Shout at Other Group of Volunteer in the Public?
* if the Volunteer who is arranging for Meet the people section shout in the Public with scolding tone, how can he/she be helping the Residents?
*What kind of qualification do the volunteer of the meet the people session need?
I have no choice yet need to report to the police to prevent further hurt to the elderly.
(Note：Police Report No. D/20091004/2061 / Thanks NCSS and PA have show concerned and responded to my previous reports. )”
Jane,
http://happyangelclub.wordpress.com/
You have a very touching blog on caring for the elderly. Can you request to TOC for write-up to create awareness for your blog so that more people will know of such effort and willing to land hand and money to the elderly ?
I guess the GE is around the corner. It is an opportune time for opposition parties to visit the past strategies and find out what would attract votes and what would not. Discard the strategies that did not work in the past to enhance the chances. So far, 5 opposition members had been elected to Parliament and valuable lessons had been learnt. Learn from their experiences and avoid the pitfalls. Hope more oppositions would be elected this time round to challenge the incumbents. Cheers!
.
Chopping all the trees along the expressways is questionable.
But 24 hour free parking is possible what, at least for all HDB carparks.
That is my take.
40) Singapore Short Stories on November 10th, 2009 11.47 pm
“I think the election is really coming soon, maybe next year after Chinese New Year. ”
I believe you are right. Every indication point towards it. They will probably open up a few stations on the Circle Line to increase the ‘feel good’ factor even more. And they will probably throw some money at us.
Of course, they will take back the money ten times over after the elections and increase GST to 15%.
Time for Change.
GST increased after 2006 elections.
http://theonlinecitizen.com/2006/12/ensure-gst-increase-of-2-truly-benefit-the-people/
http://singaporemind.blogspot.com/2006/11/gst-increase-to-7-to-help-poor-old.html
I agree election coming soon. The market at AMK BLK 341 is currently under renovation. It is a rather new market yet the town council decided to reno it. Which I believe is indirectly ‘trying to buy votes’. This ward belongs to the son of LKY.
37) Jane on November 10th, 2009 10.31 pm
Jane, good work.
I always wonder why in Singapore, the ordinary Singaporeans such as Jane, is doing more for the needy and the elderly than the PAP government.
All those self-serving fat white cats will only think of ways to squeeze very single cent from us through increase GST, increase electricity tariff, etc. They increase their salary by more than 50% but only increase the allowance on welfare assistance for the needy by $30 per month. They prefer to gamble away our money by the millions and billions by Temasek Holding, GIC, Town Councils. This current PAP government is really a joke.
To: 44) Utopia
Thank you for visiting https://happyangelclub.wordpress.com
You may continue to visit the blog for latest update.
Mr TooLang: I’m going to put a bet with U. GE is not around the corner.Nowsday with internet tools. A lot of exposure has service.PAP is in a Panic. Now they’re just disguise to test the ground. Registar Office is not ready & boundaries has not been finalise. Don’t give to much sensitive comment where YPAP can study for ideas.
44) Toolang
Agree with you. As Otto Von Bismarck said “Only a fool learns from his own mistakes. I prefer to learn from the mistakes of others”.
TO: 50) FriedKwayTiaoWithHum
I like to conduct motivational elderly programme at the void deck of their blocks because most of them have weak legs to walk far away from their block.
The programme were conducted with the great help of the volunteers and donors. I am just doing a little things only. Am happy to see them to stay cheerfully even they are alone.
Let’s cheer for them and cheer for ourselves.
Click on the left down :”older entries” on that web(http://happyangelclub.wordpress.com/), you will be able to view more event reports and photos.
Click on the Blog Roll -Happy angel-Video, you will be able to view 7 pages of the videos.
(http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=A3F2618277EC5651&page=7)
No doubt over the past forty over years as the government, the PAP has made Singapore from a third world country to that of a first world country. But there is no need for MM to brand all oppositions as “rubbish”. Agree, there are indeed some ..rubbish oppositions.. but there are some excellent opposition politicians too. MP LowTK and MP ChiamST are good examples. Hence, by branding all the oppositions parties as ..rubbish..indicates how arrogant and snobbish the PAP can be.
Just to correct an errata.
Singapore doesn’t have the second highest income gap in the world. It only has the second highest GINI amongst a group of “advanced economies” identified by the magazine Business Week with data obtained from the UN.
The same set of data extended to more countries indicates, for instance, that our neighbour Malaysia has slightly higher GINI. There are many other countries with higher GINI than Singapore.
The conceits of our leaders came from the many many years of pampering from the citizenry and we have to admit that they(leaders) are spoilt by us.
Do admit that we, the people, have behaved foolishly and allowed ourselves to be led by the nose all these years and only realize that we are trapped now.
Though it is too late, we are still able to let the leaders know we have realized that we have been nose-led to nowhere; we are lost, so to say. We have no nation though the aspiration for it remains, we have first world status but, everyday we have charities begging for money. Our old folks believed in the Leadership and today they have to wash toilets, clean the tables or rummage RUBBISH bins for survivals.
patriot
Come election time, and we will see if the best candaidates as MM lee had mention will still be in the line up….Lee Bee Wah, Wee Siew Min, Cynthia Phua, and a host of gaffers..all aclaimed as the best??
Woohoo! Sounds exciting!
Let’s vote in at least 10 Opposition MPs this time round!
If we can do that, I am 100% certain PAP will become very very conscious of all the decisions it made with respect to the quality of life of the citizens.
10 Opposition MPs will jolt the PAP up..
10 opposition is just about right to consider a win. That means at least one or two GRC. Well, if Aljunied has been redrawn again, then we know PAP is playing dirty tricks again.
@30) tiredsingaporean on November 10th, 2009 8.45 pm
Aye, that will be the legacy of Singapore….
59) btan .The people have to be cooperative to vote in the oppositions, otherwise no matter what we said or complain in cyber space is of no use. It is the people that have the power to overthrow the govt. If the people are daring, then MM lee will follow the footstep of Howard, the Australia PM who was voted out after 16 years in helm.
57) Merobok
we must not forget mp Charles “Angel”.. immortal world…
Yep! Certainly a lot of rubbish in the zero integrity shitty times recently.
Mr. Peanuts has been mentioning about how much he love the QUITTERS from other countries.
Wonder how many of the elites’ offspring have joined the ranks of QUITTERS from Sinkapore.
NS for ALL—-no free loaders!
Just to add-on to Priority 4:
Priority 1: Candidate must respect the electorate and sincerely want to work for the welfare of Singaporeans.
Priority 2: Candidate must have a good understanding of politics, especially the concept of democracy.
Priority 3: Candidate must place duty and service above his own personal enrichment and his own party’s interests.
Priority 4: Candidate must have some feasible new ideas…to make the leap onto another progress curve – the attempted leap onto a knowledge-based economy as we can see with Lim Suay Suay’s CBF statement and the high dependency on cheap(er) foreign labor to remain cost-competitve – is a failure.
Priority 5: Candidate must NOT have a record of dictatorial tendency, unfair behavior and dishonesty towards our citizens.
Priority 6: Candidate must have the willingness to take ownership and responsibility for his/her own mistakes and blunders and not put the blame onto the citizens.
Priority 7: Candidate must NOT be beholden in anyway to certain existing political figures so much so that he/she is unable to make his own judgment and decision for the good of the citizens. (Example: he/she has some dirty linen being known and held in the hands of that somebody and could be used to influence, coerce, or threaten him/her into submission to tow the line.)
Priority 8: Candidate must declare their personal and family (spouse) assets or at least reveal the total assessable income as submitted in his/her last income tax returns. (Just like in the US where the Presidential Candidate has to declare his/her and his/her spouse’s income of the previous year.)
As time goes by more and more new citizens.
Who knows, scarly one day more new than native?
That is not a scifi scenario right?
There is only 1 way out.
Time is running out.
Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.
Lee Kuan Yew, Legislative Assembly 27 April 1955:
“But we either believe in democracy or we do not. If we do, then, we must say categorically, without qualification, that no restraint on any of the democratic process, other than by the ordinary law of the land, should be allowed… If you believe in democracy, you must believe in it unconditionally. If you believe that men should be free, then they should have the right of free association, of free speech, of free publication. Then, no law should permit those democratic processes to be set at nought, and no excuse, whether of security should allow a government to be deterred from doing what it knows to be right, and what it must know to be right…”
Lee Kuan Yew, December 1976:
“I can’t understand them (the crackpots)… they come at election time and they say, ‘Vote for me.’ What for? They say, ‘for democracy’. What is democracy? ‘So that I can shout in Parliament.’ What are they going to shout?”
Which of the above should we believe? I’m confused.
To Qoute some….
” let us up turn the down turn ”
” we must work cheaper, faster, better ”
” you want have 3 meals a day at the coffee shop, food court or restuarant ”
” he is a person with no integrity ”
” lower bus fares may mean GST to be 10%….do you want..??? “
he is said its all rubbish of the opposition talk during election.
let’s see who is more RUBBISH as what are happening below:
1. u create your onw committee team and bounary line and make it almost impossible for opposition to participate.
2. u r the only one who can and will easily sue them when alleged defamation made against u in order to put them for good if declared bankrupt.
3. u help yourself and yr lackeys high pay (highest in the world) and produced ‘RUBBISH RESULT’ on the expense of the public.
4. u hang on the power and a lousy loser and remain till the day u r dead though u claimed that you must be raised when u smell problems or rubbishs created by your so called own idiots.
5. who else….anyone care to add in??
so now, who is talking?
Exactly, look who is talking rubbish.
As Lucky Tan pointed out, most if not all of his prediction has been rubbish. Starting from “We are in the Golden Period”, “Asia will aviod recession”, and now the 3% growth. Nothing but pure highly paid for rubbish
just to name a few rubbish MIWs like WKS, MBT.
they really ought to get kicked out for their grave mistakes..
let’s give our MM a huge present for this coming election..
Confuscius always said: The Countryman who is old already and reluctant to step down is a thief to this Country
Confuscius always said: A countryman who is old already and reluctant to step down is a Thief to this Country.
I remain convinced that sg will CHANGE after LKY.
Its interesting that i see mm more in the news than pm.
who is more super star than him?
pay him $3 million to talk rubbish ?? Singaporeans are so generous.
no choice, he have to keep talking and talking cos he is now face bwteen the devil and the deep blue sea whether to save his beloved son and daughter-in-law or to save his legacy he spend all these years to finally realised what he gets in return now.
@61) Moe Gan Thai on November 11th, 2009 8.56 pm
[[59) btan .The people have to be cooperative to vote in the oppositions, otherwise no matter what we said or complain in cyber space is of no use. It is the people that have the power to overthrow the govt. If the people are daring, then MM lee will follow the footstep of Howard, the Australia PM who was voted out after 16 years in helm. ]]
Cyberspace is not this mystical place where no one from the real world ever goes there and return.
Cyberspace is a place where people from the real world goes in and comes out all the time.
So the idea of voting for opposition comes from cyberspace, let’s say. Those who agrees with it, will then influence their family and friends who do not frequent cyberspace. Everyone do their part, do a viral marketing.
Explain to those offliners why we need to vote for opposition. And then watch the magic results.
If we just grouse among ourselves here, then yes, nothing will change.
Change has to start from us first. Do something.
opposition is very afraid, understandably so.
it’s still better off talking rubbish than to get in trouble.
defamation suit works one way.
Alright! Stop talking so much.
Just do the right thing,
use your Rights to
vote yourself out of oppression.
Seek your own freedom and happiness.
You don’t get freedom when You worship
someone who have been lording over
You all these years. You have to bring
yourselves, your families, your associates
to your senses. You cannot afford to be
numbed skulls anymore.
It’s now or never to have your say.
patriot
78yrs old elderly was hurt on Bus 145
Opposition have no money. Want to vote also cannot.
Have votes also cant vote, cos ur ward is uncontested again.
Sg is doomed liao wor.
Recently Temasek, HDB, DBS all selling bonds to raise billions. And SPH overpay for a HDB shopping mall. They are laudering their money now, to raise funds.
For years a nation like sg been doing some heavily laudering, and now our money is so big and unsustainable even though we have no natural resources. The only way to raise big money is sell flats, properties and land and then speculate in it, and then sell it again.
Know why USA is in crisis now? Their property market burst, even though their houses are not as expensive as ours. Once our market bursts, it will expose all the laudering and that we have no real cash.
I only worry that speculators will attack Sg just like 1997. That is why, our gov been raising alot of funds now and keep selling shares.
But, our reputation aboard is now so sully. When other banks and companies overseas heard of Temeask and GIC, or know that a company is affliated to it, they will immediately, what, buy and sell again?
Yes, sg is not holding to shares for the long term now but is now like a speculator too, sell fast.
No wonder, the trust level is so low.
Once Opposition get voted into power, things they need to do in order of importance:
1. Reduce Ministers’ salaries by half and set a cap for the max salary drawable.
2. Divert 20% of the nations’ reserve equally into all Singaporeans who has been Singaporeans for at least 10 years.
3. Expose the total amount of deficit incurred during the finanical crisis. Fire those accountable.
4. Provide affordable housing.
so basically this article is saying that the WP never spoke any rubbish and is the best opposition party?
Leave a Reply
Uncategorized - Jan 15, 2010 10:12 - 126 Comments
It is affordable – Mah Bow Tan
More In Uncategorized
- Rebutting Law Minister K Shanmugam
- Challenge of communication
- TOC & Talk Politics hold successful Year in Review forum
- “Live” from Post Museum – TOC’s Year End Review
- The Fajar Generation
Uncategorized - Jan 15, 2010 10:12 - 126 Comments
It is affordable – Mah Bow Tan
More In Uncategorized
- Rebutting Law Minister K Shanmugam
- Challenge of communication
- TOC & Talk Politics hold successful Year in Review forum
- “Live” from Post Museum – TOC’s Year End Review
- The Fajar Generation
I hope before he leave this world, we can give him an amazing gift…and what will that be? the chance to resurrect, since he said something along the line that he will rise from the grave if PAP lost or something…