Kelvin Teo
When a brave soul ventures to reform a difficult system and makes an inroad, the system will evolve to impose greater barriers and obstacles that the reformers must overcome. It is like Neo who is trapped in a titanic struggle with an ever evolving Matrix. So what’s next? Well, either swallow the blue pill and join the Matrix or continue the struggle. A simple choice between the blue or red pill.
There appears to be a flurry of activity after an interview with the Youth wing of the Workers’ Party was published on The Online Citizen. The first two paragraphs pretty much sum up the sentiments of the Workers’ Party youth wing members towards the party’s founder, Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam (JBJ).
It seemed a little unfortunate for these younger members to associate JBJ with “unrestrained election rally speeches and rambunctious attacks on the PAP government” and the target of a “bevy of defamation suits”. Unfortunate because this is really a microcosm of what JBJ went through and it is a case of missing the woods for the trees.
For starters, the first question that should be asked is what it means to be opposition or to support the opposition’s cause. Is it about a mere token presence with minor disagreements on certain issues or is it something bigger? Can we consider an opposition that agrees with the status quo set by the ruling party and works within set limits, albeit with minor disagreements, a real opposition?
Debatable, no? So, do we consider a party that challenges barriers and red tapes to the limits more of an opposition as compared with one that works within status quo? Arguably, yes. Sure, some may not agree with unrestrained election rally speeches and passionate verbal attacks on the PAP government” but it can be argued that such tactics allowed JBJ to make inroads. Arguably, this could be JBJ’s style that established himself as a cult personality which won over the voters.
And he had the results to speak of – winning the Anson by-election and his subsequent re-election during the 1984 elections to become the first opposition MP. However, the reformer is locked in a struggle with the system he wants to reform, and hence, the system evolves to make things harder.
The rise of JBJ as the first opposition MP also saw the evolution of methodologies adopted in dealing with individuals deemed too ‘troublesome’ by the system. The olden days saw the prevalent use of the Internal Security Act (ISA) to clamp down on those who dare to oppose. It successfully clipped the wings of Barisan Socialis, but the rise of JBJ was too meteoric that it made the prosecution by ISA out-dated.
Furthermore, the use of ISA to prosecute JBJ will have wide-ranging ramifications that includes sparking an outcry that will not reflect well on the ruling party. Hence, the need for the system to evolve too and its new focus – legal and judiciary actions. Thus, JBJ’s term as opposition MP wasn’t a smooth ride as expected.
Following the 1984 elections, JBJ was brought down by a series of charges and fines which he claimed were politically-motivated. Two months after his 1984 re-election, he was charged for allegedly mis-stating his party accounts. Initially, the senior district judge Michael Khoo found JBJ innocent of all charges save for one. However, the Chief Justice ordered a re-trial and JBJ was guilty of all charges. JBJ was to be expelled from parliament and disbarred.
JBJ subsequently appealed his disbarment to the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, which duly reversed the judgement of the Singapore district court, noting:
Their Lordships have to record their deep disquiet that by a series of misjudgements, the appellant and his co-accused Wong, have suffered a grievous injustice. They have been fined, imprisoned and publicly disgraced for offences of which they are not guilty. The appellant, in addition, has been deprived of his seat in Parliament and disqualified for a year from practising his profession.
Their Lordships order restores him to the roll of advocates and solicitors of the Supreme Court of Singapore, but, because of the course taken by the criminal proceedings, their Lordships have no power to right the other wrongs which the appellant and Wong have suffered. Their only prospect of redress, their Lordships understand, will be by way of petition for pardon to the President of the Republic of Singapore.
Thus, JBJ made inroads in his appeal, but as the saying goes, a difficult system will simply evolve to create more barriers. The following year, the system abolished Privy Council appeals. The use of defamation suits instead of ISA also represents the system’s increasing sophistication. This made JBJ, with his style of unrestrained election rally speeches and passionate verbal attacks on the PAP government an obvious target.
True enough, JBJ was sued for defamation. Following his election as a Non-constituency Member of Parliament in 1997, he faced a total of eleven defamation suits. He was bankrupted and disqualified from participating in the elections. What was the larger picture that these youths from the Workers’ Party are missing out on?
Simple, the titanic struggle waged by JBJ against an ever-evolving system that he sought to change. When JBJ won, the judiciary and legal machinery came down hard on him. When JBJ appealed to the Privy Council in what seemed to be meting of justice, the appeal was abolished the following year.
When the ISA method of prosecution was too crude, the machinery evolved legal and judiciary mechanisms. And JBJ was at the receiving end of the stick. Those defamation suits, imprisonment, fines and abolishment of Privy council appeals are the system’s responses to the inroads that JBJ have made. We may talk of testing OB markers today, and the biggest among all testers should undoubtedly go to JBJ, who tested the political machinery to the limit.
Thus, let’s revisit an earlier question – what constitutes an opposition? Is it about minor disagreement and preserving status quo or about striving to change the system? Some may say that keeping to status quo is akin to agreement with the definitions, conceptions and vision laid down by the ruling party, and that isn’t remotely considered opposition by any standards.
As for the choice between the blue pill or red pill, it is fair to say that JBJ has taken the red pill. So, what is the colour of pill that the Workers’ Party youth wing has chosen? Hopefully, it is not the color of their uniforms.
Kelvin, your following statement gives the false impression that the Youth Wing of WP made such remarks about JBJ when it was Terence Lee who wrote them in his article (http://theonlinecitizen.com/2009/12/milder-but-more-credible/).
‘It seemed a little unfortunate for these younger members to associate JBJ with “unrestrained election rally speeches and rambunctious attacks on the PAP government” and the target of a “bevy of defamation suits”.
Did the interviewees made such claims or was it simple Terence Lee’s interpretation?
sgcynic: “Did the interviewees made such claims or was it simple Terence Lee’s interpretation?”
If the WP youth wing did not make such claims word-for-word, why was Terence Lee’s interpretation so strong? So they said some things with equal meaning?
Dear sgcynic:
I have reasons to believe that Terence’s interpretation resonates with those who have interacted with the likes of the younger WP members. There is truth in asserting that the younger generation of WP, and the whole of WP wants to tread the path different from that of their founders.
The part about treading a careful path to avoid law suits is true.
Sincerely yours
1) sgcynic on December 25th, 2009 1.44 am
Is this a distraction to conveniently forget how and why WP abandoned JBJ? The WP Youth Wing will not contradict the WP CEC.
A well written article.
JBJ spoke for a lotta people
Fair comment.
It is brave for the WP Youth Wing to tread a new path. For a political party to be dynamic, it must dare to be different. WP Youth Wing has shown that they dare to make the difference. OTOH PAP has yet to do so. Well done, Workers Party.
where JBJ was bankrupted , the biggest losers are Singaporeans.
Kelvin’s article is a great synopsis of “how Singapore crushes dissent”. I got hold of a book, titled “Lee’s Law” by Chris Lydgate, a journalist who has written about Singapore for The Times of London, The Guardian, The Economist ad Asiaweek among others. This is a valuable study of JBJ, what he stood for and his legacy for Singapore – “championing universal values of decency, fairness and transparency against the so-called “Asia values” of hierarchical order, submissiveness, and censorship imposed by the PAP government. This is indeed a good read for the young people aspiring for political change in this regressive environment in Singapore.
“We may talk of testing OB markers today, and the biggest among all testers should undoubtedly go to JBJ, who tested the political machinery to the limit.”
Agree to disagree here. The biggest tester of OB markers should be CSJ.
JBJ still drew lines in carrying out civil disobedience acts himself, and I don’t mean peaceful street protests are necessarily bad.
He made it easy for MIW to crucify him.
He did sometimes say things that were legally, in English law, defamatory. MIW were more sensitive souls than UK politicians.
And lest we forget, in 2001 he did not make sure that his forms were filled in correctly.
And on the issue of PAP breaking the polling station law, he messed up big time. He asked the wrong legal question.
Besides “Lee’s Law” by Chris Lydgate, there is also ‘The Hatchet Man of Singapore” by JBJ himself. The latter offers a behind-the-scenes look at the court proceedings of the defamation suits brought against JBJ. It’s like a John Grisham novel. Except there’s no happy ending.
Both NOT selling at an major bookstores.
But you can get them on Amazon. Or Powells.com – http://www.chrislydgate.com/leeslaw.htm
You can borrow Hatchet Man from most library branches. Interestingly, Lees Law only at Lee Kong Chien Reference section at the National Library.
Or can get at Select Books Pte Ltd if it still exists.
SELECT BOOKS Pte. Ltd.
19 Tanglin Road #03-15
Tanglin Shopping Centre
Singapore 247909
Telephone: (65) 6732 1515 Fax: (65) 6736 0855
E-mail Contacts
Orders: orders@selectbooks.com.sg
Inquiries: info@selectbooks.com.sg
Check out both books. But read them on a cold day.
‘Cos your blood with boil.
Red+Blue=Purple
i am sure WP ate the purple pill
This writer likens Singaporeans to the society living in the matrix movies. This is simplistic and difficult to fathom. Nobody in Singapore is being coerced to vote for the PAP. Many still equate PAP=Successful Singapore and Opposition Party=?. There are many factors involved why they chose the PAP. Among many reasons why people voted for the PAP are it’s success in maintaining stability in economy, governance, race relations and security. The type of governance promoted by some opposition parties leads to political participation by the masses such as free speech, mass rally and also a more outspoken workers union. This is in a totally different hierarchy where many Singaporeans except for the minorities are not willing to commit themselves into. The two most pressing issues the opposition can rally the people to it’s cause are the influx of foreigners and also the stagnating wages suffered by many Singaporeans. The votes will only come if they have the remedy to these issues.
Before we discuss what constitutes an opposition , let us examine some first principles that I hope political writers can think about.
Words like “opposition” and “opposition party” carry basic assumptions, they shape readers’ perceptions and thus should be used thoughtfully.
I feel that “opposition” and its related phrases should not be used as :
1) it connotes an inferior party vis-a-vis the ruling party, as its assumed role by virtue of its name is to oppose, and not come out with constructive ideas;
2) A widespread belief by Singaporeans that there is no “quality” candiates in the “opposition” camp, that opposition equals “unqualified” people due to the pervasive propanganda smears perpetuated by mainstream media;
3) By calling it an “opposition”, we are already damning it to playing second fiddle, of being 2nd rate, of lacking vision in trying to be the next ruling party.
Maybe the best is to use the party’s name like the Reform Party or SDP. You see it in the media in America and Britain, they seldom call the minority parties the opposition. It’s either just Republicans or Democrats, Conservatives or Labour or Green. In Taiwan too, it’s either the Greens or the Blues.
Using the word “alternative party” connotes a half-ready party, so it is not ideal as well.
Botttomline : the party whose leadership and youth members consider their role to be “opposition” in vision, scope and practise, I consider them to be truly “worthy” of the opposition label, a co-opted wayang party, which surprisingly forms the acronym WP.
We should not be too hard on the younger generation of alternative parties. By joining alternative parties, these group has swallowed the courage pill to battle in the front line with PAP – especially when many opposing heros have died before LKY. During LKY & JBJ time, blue and red pills are clear to choose but as time goes by, such extreme color is no longer valid.
The next generations of alternative parties should take certain does of red and blue pills to balance the system:
Maintaining racial and religion harmony – take PAP blue pill
Make friends with foreign countries – take PAP blue pill
Dissassocaite Supreme Court from PAP – take JBJ red pill
Stop the needless influx of unskilled foreigners – take JBJ red pill
Make Singapore cost of living affordable – take JBJ red pill
Dissasocaite Straits Times from PAP – take JBJ red pill
Sack HO jinx for being a failure – take JBJ red pill
Dimantle the matrix set up by PAP – take JBJ red pill/
The youth wind of WP should concoct a dose of purple pill based on the above ingredients.
When alternative parties formed a new governtment, it will be administratively easier for them to keep the generally approved PAP policies rather than change and revamp for the sake of opposing – thus draining their own resources to manage. The youth wing should focus on what people on the ground generally dissapprove: high cost of living, influx of foreigners, high jobless rate. high GST and official “legal” corruptions with mutli businesses and directorship.
My take, don’t take either the blue or red pill!
I dunno what pills I should take. But my wife, she taking the birth control pill.
There should be another option not to take any pllls. Not even protein or vitamin pills. Authentic,drug free natural strength and independent thoughts are most potent in the long run all the time.
SG Sinner –
when and if PAP no longer becomes the ruling party, I would love dearly to designatel them as the opposition party.
Am I deluded? I would say yes if these bunch of YWP continue with this mindset of forever contended to be an opposition voice which I think they cannot do well enough given the system mention by the writer.
But then, they are going to be granted by the ruling party to play that “opposition” role albeit more significantly in disguise. It doesn’t matter as WP has become LKY’s kind of opposition – timid and docile and I would add gutless.
I would advice them to quit SIngapore politics as 1) they are wasting their time and 2) SIngaporeans who want real and positiive changes do not see the need for them.
However if they are in it for the compensation like CHiam See Tong in his latter years, then I understand.
Kelvin, there is nothing wrong in asserting that the younger generation of WP wants to tread the path different from that of their founders but it is a different thing to say that WP associated JBJ with “unrestrained election rally speeches and rambunctious attacks on the PAP government”.
And WP has passed the test among all the other political parties of the ruling party as the kind of party that PA like. It is their kind of party and because of that they will be given tokens in the next elections to placet these increasing bunch of disenting voters.
The likelihood of a GRC would be on the table if WP can demostrate their loyalty and that would most like be in Eunos GRC. Not to worry about George Yeo’s cabinet position, it’s all taken care off.
Better to give the 8/9 MP seats promised by PAP PM to a lackey party we can control than to give it to others that they can possibly win via votes.
After all they garnered the most audiences in the last election campaigning and they haven’t have a clue how to advance themselves given that situation.
Quotes from Morpheus, a refresher :
“The Matrix is a system, Neo. That system is our enemy. But when you’re inside, you look around, what do you see? Businessmen, teachers, lawyers, carpenters. The very minds of the people we are trying to save. But until we do, these people are still a part of that system and that makes them our enemy. You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inert, so hopelessly dependent on the system, that they will fight to protect it. “
And the WP Youth Wing remains silent to date despite the uproar over the statements they made. Very telling indeed of them being non-defensive, mild mannered and non-combative. They just walked into PAP’s trap. I wonder when WP Youth Wing will ever find a way out of the trap.
#21,
well, their style have given them continuous wins for HG ward only if we exclude JBJ’s past victory.
So the question is with this style, can they win multiple?
recall that in past several elections, the crowd turn out was AWESOME but only resulted in 1 win and its not a GRC but a ward.
Their style have proven can secure HG ward in the past but not more than that.
So, i wonder how they will fair in the coming election?
Sama sama? not much change?
Ahem. Lets see. Can someone, anyone, tell me just one issue the WP Youth Wing has spoken up on?
Just one?
I don’t think they spoken up on anything meaningful. For the current youth wing president to criticise JBJ is a shameful act, which remind me of the WP’s visit to JBJ’s funeral. Looks like WP members were crying crocodile tears.
WP is not even a watchdog. If it is, it is a watchdog with its tail between its legs. And you know what a great compliment that is.
Useless party.
“Did the interviewees make such claims or was it simply Terence Lee’s interpretation?”
The interviewees have thus far remained silent. This bunch of oppo wannabes cannot even deny or defend their position. As had be said earlier, they want to be in politics but are prepared only to play “masah-masak”.
We are actually witnessing the making of future LTKs – darling of the PAP.
Be political and defend or deny your position. Otherwise join a social club.
In the mean time the “wayang” continues – unabated.
My advise to those who yearn for alternative voices, for the betterment of our future generation, support the more serious alternative. I am sure you will get your money’s – ops, your votes worth.
@ gutless and everyone,
Based on the definition of opposition politics as being co-opted politics , It would be to label Reform Party and SDP as political parties or alternative parties, and WP as an “opposition” party.
The ills of co-opted politics, co-opted politicians and a co-opted collective mindset are too many to enumerate here, but let me share a black humour story about co-opted ills.
When interviewed, the leader of a political party gave a good grade to the long record of the ruling party. Seconding his leader’s opinion that the ruling party was good, his subordinate party member – running for MP in another ward – voted for the ruling party’s MP candidate instead of the candidate from an opposition camp !!
One another day, this “opposition” party leader was left dumb, speechless and fearful in Parliament when challenged by the PM to comment if he felt a minister should take responsibility and resign over an escaped terrorist.
Does it make a difference to the hopes and aspirations of Singaporeans wishing for REAL CHANGE if this “opposition” party wins more seats in the next election ?
Like leader, like follower. Right now, this party’s rank and file is infested with co-opted fear, as evidenced by the interview of its youth members. I for one will not be attending any forthcoming rallies nor vote for this type of co-opted mindset.
Bottomline : Between the devil and the deep blue sea, I would rather choose the lightning that I know will strike me dead sooner or later than the hammer that hoodwinks itself and others that it is a lightning killer.
Kelvin, you forgot in the end Neo chose to work with the machines to bring about peace between humanity and machines.
The moral of the story was humanity need the machines and vice versa.
As much as I hate PAP, I do not wish it to be destroyed. I just want a two or multi party system and both sides can balance one another.
The main aim is that PAP and opposition must work hard to serve us, the citizens, not the other way round.
Think about it. If you are JBJ in the 80′s, what would you have done after winning the election? Sit in the paliment and keep quiet? In hope that PAP would one day desolve itself into thin air?
Note that most WP youth are from the 80′s generation, what do they know about JBJ struggle? Without JBJ, they would not even have WP to begin with. Have some respect for the founder. It is the least you can do, whatever pills or path you have decided to choose for your future. For start, maybe the WP youth should read more (from outside source) of Singapore past.
Politic is not for people who like to test the water and in hope there will be a change eventually. You got to earn it with your skill and brain. Know that every second or minutes you hold, means more Singaporean will suffer in unfair policies. However, your courage to involve in Singapore is still very much admirable and inspiring.
I think Kelvin Teo had made a very good point and hopfully it will paint a clearer picture that whatever path JBJ choose to walk in the past, PAP will not make it a easy one for him. There is bound to have a “title” reserved for JBJ somewhere in the PAP pockets.
And finally, I would still agree with Kelvin that it is JBJ who tested the OB markers to the extreme. Just like ISA had expired on JBJ, law sue had expired on CSJ because it is no longer effective at this point of time. Moreover, CSJ has foreign backing which make it more like a walk in the park as compared to JBJ himself.
I think the more debatable topic that someone here can start with is:
- If WP is to win the next election big time, the million dollar question would be, will they make a difference?!
- How will they solve the housing, medical, transportation, birth rate, foreign talent issues?!
You want to be a politican? Think about these questions first and have a solution for this when you won the election. Then we can start to see the end of PAP. If you hope for a fair play and non-confrontation? Join a social club like what the above had mentioned.
What constitutes an opposition? In Singapore’s unicameral parliamentary system where almost anything can be done by an Act of Parliament that requires only a simple majority vote, the opposition’s main role is to standby to form the alternative government.
There are many who mistakenly believe that an opposition can function as a check on the government of Singapore by vigourously disagreeing. If you believe any opposition can “hold the government to account”, etc., watch and see how a majority vote can make most laws no matter who asks what. Even the Republicans in the US Senate know that a 60 vote majority can pass the Senate version of the legislation, no matter how united and vociferous they are with 40 seats opposed to it.
For an opposition to become capable of forming the alternative government, the most important thing is to win more seats. This will allow it to attract more followers, supporters, members and candidates. This is exactly what happened in the last GE in Malaysia. When that day comes and the opposition is stronger, then it can truly challenge the governing party.
WP has declared two goals: One, to form an alternative govt. Two, to win a GRC.
Now, for a party which says it wants to be an “alternative govt”, being “mild” is no way to go. I certainly do not want a “mild” govt.
Two, to win a GRC, WP probably is thinking of adopting Low TK’s strategy when he won hougang in 1991 – keep low profile, walk the ground, etc. But winning an SMC is different from winning a GRC and it calls for a different strategy. But certainly not one which is “mild”.
But as one of the commenters pointed out, the important point is this: If WP wins more seats, will it make a difference? I do not think so. They will just stick to raising “safe” issues, make a speech and that’s it.
In fact, I have a feeling that WP leadership is afraid of a “freak” election result where more of their members get voted in. Low TK will then have to deal with fellow WP members who’re also MPs. So, I believe that secretly Low TK is comfortable with the status quo – he as MP, Sylvia (who is under his thumb) as NCMP and the rest just follow his lead.
This is what I see. There is no one in WP who dare to challenge Low TK. And Low TK, with $14,500 each month, does not want to rock the boat for fear of attracting trouble from the PAP.
In the end, like I said before, it’s better to spoil your vote if it is a contest between PAP & WP. Whoever wins makes no difference.
Dear Btan:
Actually I don’t believe that JBJ wishes to destroy the system. I think it is more like reforming or re-programming the system from the IT parlance.
Sincerely yours
“How will they solve the housing, medical, transportation, birth rate, foreign talent issues?”
As a new person being hired, you go through everything there is in these areas and then you COME OUT with the right solution. You need real information before you can come out with any proposal or solution.
Any likely proposal based on presumptions or speculations beforehand may result in wasted effort.
Do not be conned by the need to have solution first without knowing the deeper underlying causes.
Do you still remember OTC’s request ?
It is ridiculous to be “mild” to the point of not raising any substantial issues – education, CPF Life Scheme, public transport, influx of foreigners, Means Testing for HDB and hospitalisation, organ donation compensation, aging population, lower birth rates, public housing prices, town council funds, GIC, Temasek, etc etc..
So many issues.
WP SILENT ON ALL OF THEM
Their excuse? Being “mild”.
Instead, the president of the youth wing talks about food security. My god. Look around you. Is that what S’poreans are worried about? Look at the number of food courts, hawker centres, coffeeshops, supermarkets, etc.. Are S’poreans worried about “food security”??
This is why when you keep silent and be “mild” you do not know what S’poreans are worried about. You talk about food security. May as well talk about outer space debris.
WP does not find it necessary to engage anyone – except the few people they meet when selling their hammer newspaper. They are absent on the Internet, they do not conduct public forums, they do not organise activities, etc..
They’re so “mild” that they’ve become a useless social club.
And even here on TOC, with so many comments posted about the issue, WP members are all absent. All silent.
NOT A SINGLE ONE OF THEM HAS COME TO SPEAK UP.
Maybe they’re all busy having BBQs.
This is what Yaw Shin Leong said last year in his blog post which he revealed he voted for the PAP candidate Teo Ho Pin:
http://yawshinleong.blogspot.com/2008/05/vote-for-other-side.html
“The interesting question perhaps would be, if a WP candidate is to offer himself/ herself for election in the constituency I reside, will I vote for this WP candidate? Partisan considerations will certainly weigh heavily in my considerations. Having said that, ultimately this WP candidate has to convince me that he/ she has what it take to better serve the interests of our country and the constituents to win my vote.”
I pity his WP candidate who not only has to convince Singaporeans at large to vote for him, but he also has to convince his own WP members to vote for him.
LOL!
This is so incredibly funny and sadly dumb at the same time.
Looks to me that the WP and all its members are lost and confused and do not know who they’re fighting.
This is what happens when your secretary general announce proudly to the whole world that he is “proud to be compared to the PAP”.
Here’s the difference between WP under JBJ and WP under Low Tk.
WP under JBJ:
Whether we agree with his methods or not, we all knew what JBJ and WP stood for.
WP under Low TK:
We are still trying to find out what they stand for – after 8 years of WP under Low TK.
8 YEARS!
The only three things I know about WP under Low TK is this:
1. He is proud to be compared to the PAP.
2. His organising secretary, who led a WP team in AMK GRC, voted for the PAP.
3. His president of the WP youth wing is more interested in food than anything else and is proud to be “mild”.
Vote WP? What for?
I do hope that in trying to be mild and avoid defamation lawsuits, the WP doesn’t lose its ideals.
For all the negative light cast upon JBJ and CSJ on the form of their engagement, the substance, the ideals they espouse are those any reasonable citizen would want to have, such as individual freedom, right to hold public servants accountable and promotion of debate.
In contrast, avoiding defamation means playing by the rules of the ruling party in political speech, since what is offending to the ruling party here may well be acceptable political comments elsewhere. Does the PAP Party Whip now extend into the WP as well? If you are willing to censor and ingratiate yourself to achieve political power, what depths would you not plumb when in power and that power is threatened?
As for credibility, what does that mean to you? For me, a credible person is someone who inspires trust. His audiences believe he means and feels whatever he says, and that he has his facts right.
In what glaring way has JBJ and CSJ been shown to be less credible than the present slate of opposition members, or for that matter, some of the PAP members? Did JBJ and CSJ intentionally lie to Singaporeans? Did they knowingly suppressed information? Did they ever misrepresent their motivations for their deeds? Did they ever promise one thing and do the opposite? Did they ever present far-fetched explanations?
For those advocating to spoil vote, please do not waste your precious opportunity. A spoilt vote is not counted in the total winning percentage.
E.g. If 25% votes are spoilt, 45% voted for PAP, 30% voted for WP/SDP/RP/SDA/etc. PAP announce that they got a solid mandate of 60% (i.e. 45 / (45 + 30) * 100 %), when in actual fact they have less than 50% of the individual voters’ support.
Thus, whether you like WP/SDP/RP/SDA/etc, just cast your vote to them if you want to hit at PAP’s overbearing arrogance. If you cast a spoilt vote, you’re just falling into PAP’s scheme of hoodwinking Singaporeans’ about their overwhelming mandate through the current election rules.
http://www.thereformparty.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=32&Itemid=45&lang=en
“The Reform Party was formed on 3rd July 2008. The newest political party in Singapore, it was founded by the late Mr. J. B. Jeyaretnam, the “father” of the Opposition in Singapore. His struggles against authoritarian government are familiar to most, if not all, Singaporeans. Through his sacrifices he showed Singaporeans that democracy and the freedom to choose was their birthright and that government should serve the people, not the other way round.
Mr. J.B. Jeyaretnam sadly passed away on 30th September 2008. However his legacy to the nation, the Reform Party, is strong and committed to carrying on with the work he started.”
–
I remember the old reform party website has more write up on Mr JBJ’s history and some youtube videos. It would be good if a more complete history of the founder of the party be found on the party’s new website, before he is forgotten by the people. His vision for the party was very inspiring, fighting for the people’s rights. The new reform party lacks that fire and anointing.
To be fair and clear, I do not advocate spoil vote. Give the opposition a chance to prove themselves (how bad can the situation be worst than now)? Give yourself a chance to bring that little light of yours into change for Singapore politic and governing system. WP going to mild or not is beside the point. The focus should be whether they are capable of solving the nation problem and get the country back to it’s right path.
If that failed, I believe WP will not see the daylight on the following year election to come.
#39 says: “E.g. If 25% votes are spoilt, 45% voted for PAP, 30% voted for WP/SDP/RP/SDA/etc.”
What happens if 75% votes are spoilt?
Let’s question the root cause of PAP’s electoral system that is maintained to “fix” the opposition and “engineer” the election results by a PAP department. Low and Chiam are the facade to show that there is parliamentary democracy in Singapore.
Dont’t tell me the voters in Potong Pasir and Hougang are the only enlightened electorate in the entire Singapore to repeatedly vote for the opposition?
Without an independent elections commission and a free and pluralistic media, let’s not talk about voting for the opposition in a PAP-controlled electoral process. It only helps to perpetuate the continuing stranglehold on power by the PAP, a greedy and corrupt bunch of oppressive and exploitative goons.
We should not blame Terrance or the WP youth wing to having such an impression on JBJ’s political style.
The impression is a lie propagated by the PAP controlled meia in Singapore. In fact many of our friends and relatives have this impression.
The impression is a lie promoted by the PAP, because the PAP ministers and MP could not handle the tough questions of JBJ. They had to resort to unfair to using spreading of misinformation by the Starits Times, law suit and a judiciary sympathetic to the PAP.
Time has proven JBJ to be correct and that Singaporeans have been taken for a ride by the PAP. They are now worse-off than ever before.
Anyone in opposition politics is to be credited with bravery to better the living conditions and help remove the plight the Singapore people are in because of the PAP policies favouring the rich, powerful and well-connected.
“The impression is a lie promoted by the PAP, because the PAP ministers and MP could not handle the tough questions of JBJ. They had to resort to unfair to using spreading of misinformation by the Starits Times, law suit and a judiciary sympathetic to the PAP.”
Isn’t it worse now that such lie is furthered “promoted” by the present WP on its former secretary-general, and used as a valid excuse for its silence and inaction?
Anonymous #44.
It would help that the the youth wing of WP realise that their view of JBJ is a misconception through reading the Straits Times and watching TV news.
When JBJ was in parliament, he wasn’t cowed by the presence of LKY. In fact LKY could not answer many of the questions put forward by JBJ. At that time the (TV) media showed some of the parliamentary debate that took place between the two of them. The rest of the PAP MPs were quiet like mice. (Nowadays, the media would not broadcast parliamentary sitting because in most sitting more than 50% of PAP MPs are absent)
At this juncture the opposition in S’pore can’t afford the luxury of in-fighting and bickering over words. They should present themselves as a credible political party against the PAP. Tehy should represent the interests of S’poreans at heart.
They should stop or slow down the manipulation of the populace by the PAP for personal economic gains.
The great man JBJ was the person who gave me a glimpse of hope about humanity. Else , i would have migrated .
Now, as he is gone, i wonder who can replace him to keep our dreamz alive?
Dear Kelvin
I would say that my ideal political party would be positioned somewhat in between the SDP and the WP of today.
Getting crushed by the system is not an option in building a party that seriously challenges the PAP hold on power, However neither is being milder till credibility grows such that viable opposition and numbers is handed to one as a xmas present.
Locke
Dear Kelvin
We also have to remember JBJ’s flaws and his first primarily like CST was their inability to grow a party and movement beyond that of the man who founded and led the party
Locke
The key is to understand what JBJ’s style of politics in his opposition to the discretionary interpretation of the law:
http://www.pathsnottaken.qut.edu.au/pdfs/Michael_Barr–JBJ.pdf
#45 ((It would help that the the youth wing of WP realise that their view of JBJ is a misconception through reading the Straits Times and watching TV news.))
Another interesting point to note is that the so-called youth wing leaders are appointed to their positions and not elected. Who appointed them? Your guess is as good as mine!