Kenneth Jeyaretnam
The Reform Party
At his confirmation hearing before the Senate on 2nd February 2010 the new US ambassador-designate to Singapore, Daniel Adelman, was asked by the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Jim Webb:
“The Economist Democracy Index ranks Singapore as 82nd in the world in terms of democratic development, below neighbours such as Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. Reporters Without Borders ranks the country 133rd out of 175 for press freedoms. What is your view in terms of whether and how the United States should engage Singapore on these other issues?”
His response was as follows:
“My view is the United States must engage Singapore on these issues. You identified the area where, quite candidly, Singapore needs the most improvement if it were to live up to the ambitions Americans have for democracy. Make no mistake, currently Singapore is not a multi-party democracy, and I intend, if confirmed, to use public diplomacy to work towards greater press freedoms, greater freedom of assembly and ultimately, more political space for opposition parties in Singapore to strengthen Singapore into a multi-party democracy.”
Not surprisingly this was not reported in the ST online today which reproduced only the ambassador’s speech which focused primarily on the closeness of ties between Singapore and the US.
The Reform Party welcomes the ambassador’s statement that he will use public diplomacy to work towards a genuine multi-party democracy in Singapore. As measured by several independent and objective indices such as the Economist Democracy Index as well as the Freedom House report, Singapore does not qualify as a democracy in the generally accepted sense of the term. At the last election nearly 50% of the electorate did not get a chance to vote because, due to the government’s efforts to raise barriers to entry, there were no opposition candidates in those constituencies. In the remainder of the constituencies over 33% of the electorate voted for the opposition but the result was only two opposition MPs out of 84, or only 2.4% of elected representatives.
The Reform Party has effectively changed the mindset of Singaporeans and demonstrated that the opposition can attract high-calibre individuals, that the opposition can put forward credible policies (so credible that the government has now adopted many of them), and that the opposition can one day be entrusted with the government of Singapore without adverse economic repercussions. As a result Singaporeans can perceive the current one-party dominance giving way in the not too distant future to a genuine two-party system with both parties alternating in power. This has happened in much of the rest of Asia, in particular in Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and Indonesia.
We urge the government not to be half-hearted or timid about embracing the need for reform in Singapore and not to swim against the tide of change in Asia. Just as they appear to have incorporated many of our economic proposals in their new economic strategy, the Reform Party calls upon the government to follow up by adopting the political reforms we have been advocating. We detail below some of the important ones:
- Abolish the GRC system and return to SMCs (after all if the government can quietly admit that their economic policies of the last ten years have been wrong they can admit that the GRC system is a failure)
- Remove the restrictions on freedom of expression and repeal the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act allowing a genuine independent media to flourish.
- Remove the restrictions on the activities of political parties and reform the Political Donations Act
- Make the Elections Department independent of the Prime Minister’s Office.
- Reduce the absurdly high level of deposits required to be an election candidate which undoubtedly contributes to the high number of walkovers.
- Remove the draconian restrictions on freedom of assembly and peaceful non-obstructive protest.
- Reform the laws of libel and slander to allow much greater latitude to “fair comment” or place a cap on damages and costs that can be awarded.
________________________________________________
Oh , that’s such a great piece of news. I am so happy and i really look forward for such an event to come in the parliament.
Oh best is make that papaya govt who has been so arrogant and s
see their own citizens no up, will be overthrown out and the minister multi-million dollars will pay back to all the singaporeans proportionately as those ministers dont deserves all this multi-million pays. They are just bunch of lazy , incompetent nuts.
Oh please , faster let such things happen. Singapore really need a BIG CHANGE! I meant it. A BIG CHANGE!
Oh all opposition parties, its time for all of u stand united together to boot all those papaya minister out from the cabinet!
Actually I’m pretty sure I read it in the Straits Times. Go check it out yourself.
I agree that we need greater press freedoms, greater freedom of assembly and more political space for opposition parties. But I personally feel that this is our internal affairs. If we want to do it, it should be done by Singaporeans.
hello dk
dun be too restricted. sometimes its best to let the western countries who have a better understanding of what true democracy is as we sg ppl have never truly goes through all these like the rest of the outer parts countries have beeb doing.
Afterall, who knows by letting the western forces to engage, it may be a blessing in disguise to all singaporeans. Wouldn’t that be nice? i for one put up my two hands welcome them to engage as long as my fellow people can finally be set free by this dictatorship regime country!!!
can’t wait for now liao…. haha…
Why must Reform Party or any other party ride on a foreign agency?
Money and Greed is written all over the faces of the PAP government. They will do anything to keep themselves in power. Care for the ordinary citizens is the last thing on their mind. The people of Singapore and the opposition parties are helpless to fight this authoritative and dictatorial govt which has absolute control over everything here.
I hope the US embassy will work with the opposition parties to level the playing field. Most Singaporeans will welcome that. Who cares about foreign interference as long as the foreigners do the right things like removing all the undemocratic laws that help preserve a party in power . The US should also help install democratic principles specified in the Universal Declaration Of Human Rights endorsed by the United Nations . Without the help of a Superpower, it is extreme;y difficult to dislodge a party which has increasing become incompetent to manage this small country and yet tries all sorts of unfair means to remain in power. If this is not rectified, Singapore will sink into oblivion and total ruin.
With PAP in power, I cannot see a future for ordinary citizens of Singapore. Many will leave the country including my children, Singapore will be taken over by foreigners who will make this country their home, no thanks to this totally incompetent govt .
No matter what happens, Singapore and Singaporean should be master of our own destiny, why should we ever be subjected to influence from a nation like united states and allow them to poke into our affairs. They should look at their own backyard. Yes, they have progressed and now has a black african president, but remember, not too long ago, black and white American can be on the same bus, but yet be treated unequally. What does it shows, all nation needs time to progress, there is no reason why Singapore doesn’t need that inifinite amount of time to do so. Reform party has just lost my vote even when I am so desperate to vote for an opposition party. Reform party, would you allow an outsider to poke into the affairs of your own children’s life? I really hope that I will be able to vote in the next election, and honestly, I cannot wait to cast my vote to support the opposition so that there would be the element of check and balance in our political system., but I would never vote for an opposition party that would allow outsider to interfere with our lives.
I think the US government has a pretty bad track record of implementing change/prevernting ‘adverse’ change in any country. For those who need a refresher, let me just say the following
- Korea in the 1950s
- Vietnam in the 1960s
- Afghanistan (2xs!)
- Iraq
- Pakistan
- Israel/Palestine
God save us from Mr Adelman! I’ll protest outside the US embassy if he became the US ambassador to Singapore!
“God save us from Mr Adelman! I’ll protest outside the US embassy if he became the US ambassador to Singapore!”
See you there
Anyone @ Feb 8, 2010 22:18
What is a tiny dot compared to those countries you mentioned. This is chicken feed to the US. Poor thing. You must be a very miserable soul staging outside the US embassy. Thousands more will be outside the Singapore Embassy in the US. May Obama have pity on your tiny red soul and give you a Grean Card.
Sorry, I mean Green. Honest mistake.
I agree that we need greater press freedoms, greater freedom of assembly and more political space for opposition parties. But I personally feel that this is our internal affairs. If we want to do it, it should be done by Singaporeans.
Yes as most would prefer that our internal affairs are better to be dealt with by our very own singaporeans, the problem is: how do we the very local bred citizens going to do anything when the present system got all of us with hands and legs tied up? with almost all our entire cpf life savings of the citizens being manipulated so badly that they are almost not there anymore, yet there is nothing one can be do much to seek justice to that matter. We welcome a foreign superpower representative not here to tell us what we should, however, having the present of such representative to speak up on behalf for the affecting citizens is still a good start and not a bad idea either. Of course those who are pro ruling party would naturally be against this idea fearing that this can eventually dig up more things that are hidden away from the people, and that is a very sad things indeed.
tiredsingaporean,
” But I personally feel that this is our internal affairs. If we want to do it, it should be done by Singaporeans.”
you seem to ignore Apathy?
and the definition of Unique.
as well as Self Interest.
tiredsingaporean, well said, I share the exact same sentiments and more. Bravo !
When foreign business publications like the AWSJ & the Far Eastern Economic Review (FEER) got banned in Singapore for reporting litigious articles against the dynastic famiLee, listen to this classic:
“It is a privilege and not a right for foreign newspapers to circulate in Singapore”, said a spokesman for the ministry of information, communications and the arts.
Now we have the “US government” making such a factual statement, do you think Singapore will also daring daring Ban the US ambassador? Haha. No way. The MIW will tuck their tails behind themselves and will LL keep silent ; and will probably release some spin doctor stupid statements like:
“We will work towards fostering a better understanding between 2 allies and will look forward to closer working relationship in the years ahead. Blah Blah..boo hoo hoo !”
Hello ambassador designate, Adelman, dun forget we have 84% of our people’s trust lei you know. Dun pray pray. Huh? Who told us? Ask your relative Edelman lor! :P
Singapore MIW are elite cowards and they only respond to a few things:
a) Threats to losing their power
b) Lose Face. Being globally embarrassed.
c) Money. Pay well and you can do as you please.
But, giving them credit, they came very close to borders many a times, wanting to emulate the tyrannic ways of the Myanmar junta and N.Korea and China. But sadly, their thick skin failed to ease the reality check that they, like self manufactured s.h.i.t, can never be any of these true pure brat royalty. Why?
a) Singapore dun have any resources like oil & precious minerals like Myanmar. The junta knows it has vast precious resources. It has no fear.
b) Singapore is peanuts compared to N.Korea. They have a nuclear BOMB !
Oops, But wait. I forgot. Singapore now wants to consider building one too !!! …Err..I mean “nuclear plant”. Copy copy lion city rat..I meant cat..meow. Zzz
c) China IS well, China. The world needs China, not Singapore.
So, you see, whatever the US or China says against Singapore, Singapore will now LL kena sai (like s,h.i.t as usual) tolerate. Sure one. Just you slowly wait and see. Meow ;)
As long as not enough political candidates step forward for election under the Opposition , many may continue to be DisEnfranchised.
In my humble view, as long as opposition leaders can get enough talents , they will win many more seats as what the people want even since 2 elections ago is put more opposition members into the house. 33.3% said so but there was lack of candidates.
Its very obvious that as long as more step forward, more seats will be won because of the existence of critical mass.
So, opposition leaders must not fail us. If you fail to recruit enough, you fail to win more seats. guranteed.
@tiredsingaporean
“But I personally feel that this is our internal affairs.”
I totally concur with you on this. However I welcome his words to wake up Singaporeans so that they can be empowered and inspired to make that much desired change.
“yet there is nothing one can be do much to seek justice to that matter.” Well, with the new media to relay Mr Adelman’s message, the tide may just be turning.
But yes, to set the record strait – I do not desire many US policies in Singapore.
//R2D2
You are too late.
LHL has brought in many of their policies.
It shows how politically immature the Reform Party could be. No politician in his or her right mind would support a foreign land to go against his own country and fellow citizens. Absolutely inconceivable! Loyalty has gone to the dogs! What a BLOODY SHAME!
@ My Views
“No politician in his or her right mind would support a foreign land to go against his own country and fellow citizens.”
Are you talking about PAP? Oops, they are not foreign; they happen to be our ruling govt now
The US is not well known for their human rights record. They should mind their own business. We are not in the stage of Burma or N Korea, where the citizens if they are really for change, cannot come together and make this change. The problem we have here is apathy. We dont need a foreign body to tell us what to do, especially not the US.
As to the Reform Party welcoming this, this is surprising and disappointing. Are they not able to make this change without any help from the US? There is already some ground support in Singapore, especially now with the new media where they have more exposure, and access to the peole.
Look at what the US did in Afghanistan, with Saddam Hussein in Iraq who they claimed has weapons of mass destruction, and eventually found out to be untrue, and life goes on for them in the US but they leave the countries they are supposed to help? in a mess. They usually pick on countries which pose a threat to them economically like China and friendly to the ones with the same human right abuses, if they are towing their lines.
The US should clean up their own act before trying to clean up other people’s act. Why is there a sudden interest in our small city state. We should not tolerate any interference from what’s his name US ambassador and be beholden to them for their interference in our country.
“Look at what the US did in Afghanistan, with Saddam Hussein in Iraq who they claimed has weapons of mass destruction, and eventually found out to be untrue, and life goes on for them in the US but they leave the countries they are supposed to help? in a mess. They usually pick on countries which pose a threat to them economically like China and friendly to the ones with the same human right abuses, if they are towing their lines.”
And, presto! Who supported them? We only have ourself to ask.
An issue to ponder upon;
Ruling Party here will still garner enough brownie votes in the 2012 elections, if it ever materialises.
At the current rate of PRs becoming citizens, the 1st gen citizens v the local bred ones would amount to probably 1:2.5 by 2010. Whom do you think the 1st gen citizens will vote for? Coupled with the support from the majority of pre 65ers, the ruling party will still maintain the majority of votes.
PAPA is smart huh?
“At the current rate of PRs becoming citizens, the 1st gen citizens v the local bred ones would amount to probably 1:2.5 by 2010.”
That’s precisely what the US wan’t to avoid. They don’t want Sg to become a province of PRC. Should that happen, will they end their support for us? Think about it, no more advanced weaponry from them to maintain superiority over our neighbours.
btw my gang wants to make donation to this website. How do we do it. We are Singaporeans based overseas. Not far, but far enough to make it a hassle. Is there a way?
Actually the responses we see here puts us in light of a typical autocratic government (ex. Iran, North Korea) (for eg. mess with internal affairs, US should clean up own act) But in ths case the statements are made by PAP IB.
The US is surely smart enough to know that the concept of the PAP IB and that those comments do not represent the voices of the Singaporean majority in this day and age.
They also know that the PAP is a small fry in the light of other dictators and needs to kiss a bigger despot’s ass to remain in power.
If you want a more balanced sample do also read the comments on Temasek Review.
Hi Solaris
Thank you for wanting to donate to The Online Citizen. It is much appreciated.
You can do a paypal here: https://www.paypal.com/sg/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_flow&SESSION=lU6OvpeTE0vwGdtTIKSYYb88itc5aaCCCFN6pLeJeXtCtINbB_IYYnawbd0&dispatch=50a222a57771920b6a3d7b606239e4d529b525e0b7e69bf0224adecfb0124e9b5eb2336391e7cbed125f6c5bdaf8a1cdeb9b6b1b7e42e65e
Or, you can do a wire transfer to our bank account number: 656-4-100904 (OCBC, Thomson Branch).
We cannot blame the citizenry because they never have experienced true multi-party democracy.
What is interesting to me is that all these years, opposition or alternatives have highlighted this concern but took it at face value. What shocks me is the comments of the Ambassador of the world’s mightiest nation in terms of technology and influence and military might.
Because of this, I sincerely like alternative media to interview Chief Editors and Statisticians if not senior political writers of the MSM for their views on the ambassador’s assessment.
USA very solid. They got CIA , FBI and Apollo 13 and men who landed on the moon. USA the land of the Free.
Hi Ravi,
may i assume that paypal singapore need not disclose the names of donors? What sort of people works in paypal who can access such data, if at all?
cheers.
The later the election is held, does it mean coincidentally, the more new citizens , PRs and their members?
CNA news very multi-award winner wor, they say. Why not invite CNA to interview themselves about Press Freedom and the various rankings? All under mediacorp is it? i no no.
Mind you, can he succeed in his endeavors? I have great doubts! As we all jolly well know that this bunch of despicable miw will practice their usual contemptible counter balance tactic liken to engaging China’s support to fight off the US’s “threat and pressure”! At the same time, “provoke” sycophantic domestic-supporters to fend off the US’s public diplomacy’s “democratic attack”! Just look at the state-media’s forum page and anti-US or simply anti-occidental culture’s comments posted on the blog! Anyway, this is just the minority vocal individuals to put up the show that Singaporeans are apathetic, antipathy and indifferent to democracy!
How to have two or three or multi-parties system, as all political parties are not allowed to receive overseas/abroad political donations, at the same time with local glcs, civil services, domestic businesses and charity organizations are all under the “IRON-GRIP” of the million-dollar miw hence, where can the feeble opposition parties garner enough financial strength to content this bunch of million-dollar nerds? Money talks especially in this mercenary country!
Enticing and coaxing is another despicable tactic this bunch of contemptible wrenches of the miw is capable of. In not time, this newly appointed US ambassador will be bought over to stand with the “host” of the country that he has been posted to. How much can a person do (even he is the ambassador of another country) in a foreign land when all jurisdictions and criminal prosecutions are under the purview of the domestic government? This is coupled with the support of huge numbers of sycophantic dogs whom cream and milk off the state coffer by buttering up to the despicable million-dollar miw!
I do not pint too much hope on the US’s foreign policies especially to Singapore as history has proven that money politic will make all the talks and, diplomatic nerds liken to the ambassadors of respective countries will sooner or later butter-up to the host country to gain domestic convenience of accesses to resources!
So get ready to be betrayed by this “potential ingrate” who proclaims so loudly even before his inauguration to promote democracy under the pretext of public diplomacy!
Time will tell whether he will live up to his words! By the way, it is a good start for the democracy to be prospered and the harbinger of the doomsday for the authoritarian and dictate politic!
Please see this page for donations: http://theonlinecitizen.com/2009/07/lend-toc-a-helping-hand/
Come on, Netizens. Wake up and start living in the real world of the PAP. Tell me. how are you going to fight the current govt? Write something adverse about the govt and it will not be published. Try protesting alone in the street and you will be arrested. You will be lucky if you do not end up a bankrupt or end up in jail without trial.
In both world wars, many countries were liberated by foreign allies. So was Singapore, when the US bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki to end the war. So if the Americans decide to liberate us from the tyranny of a dictatorial govt through peaceful means and influence, why not? Even if there is a war between us and our neighbors, our NS army can only hold out until the United Nations and other foreign powers like the United States step in to stop the war. So be realistic.
I fully support the Reform Party’s approach to this issue.
I worry that people may use the reason that the US is seemingly trying to interfere the domestic issue to distract people from the real issue which is the world rankings and press freedom.
As long as someone has a point, we should keep our minds open and look at things from neutral perspective and if there is improvement to be made, if criticisms are valid, we should have the EQ to admit it and improve on it.
If a person cannot accept valid criticisms, what kind of person is he?
Dear Ravi,
the link only shows the account number and bank name.
My question is can the donation information be leaked? who can access this info? If you can assure this, more will donate . Is it that small amounts will not be checked? Is it that large amounts will be checked?
pls kindly enlighten.
Thanks and nice day.
Hi Sukumblong
All donations to TOC will be in strictest confidence. We will not reveal the identities of ur donors. Thank you for considering TOC.
Thank you very much for the reassurance.
I am jobless now but intends to donate whatever i can, once i found a job, just to make myself feel better . I have always felt very helpless that seems like there is nothing i can do to help the alternative make progress.
sg has changed so much since the last election that i am feeling insecure about my future due to drop in confidence.
i think its worth donating. I have benefitted a lot from reading your articles since TOC was established. People pay and pay for newspapers. $1 for saturday copies. Compare that and we can easily see that its worth donating to TOC. Its the least we can do.
if talents do not step forward, all the supporter votes will mean to nothing if there is walkover due to no-contest. There is a critical mass of supporters. What is lacking is a few more good men and women. i do not blame singaporean talents completely because they have not experienced.
Herring
Feb 9, 2010 19:14
As long as someone has a point, we should keep our minds open and look at things from neutral perspective and if there is improvement to be made, if criticisms are valid, we should have the EQ to admit it and improve on it.
If a person cannot accept valid criticisms, what kind of person is he?
Yes, I totally agree with you. However, alot of singaporeans have still not awaken from their sleep after getting so used to it by only believing what the govt controlled shitty time and when comes to having external interference, they start to behave as if they are here to rob us, stupid right? as a matter of fact, the people that feel most threatened are those MIW because they are afraid to have a super power representative to represent the many who are most affected by the present policy and yet so helpless.
I too am behind the Reform Party on this one. When your hands and feet are all tied up, you definitely need someone to free you before you can begin the first step. Contrary to the brainwashed belief, we did not become what we are entirely through the effort of PAP. The British transformed Singapore from a fishing village to trading post in the 19th century. It was already a flourishing nation (by regional standard) by the middle of the 20th century. I believe we would be just as successful regardless of the political landscape, maybe even better if it had not been a one-party government. Hong Kong is a good example.
About the new Citizens being naturally supportive of the PAP, I used to have that notion too. After some pondering, I think they (the PAP) should not pop their Champagne bottle just yet. First of all, these new Citizens are fortune seekers and not loyalists. They are also exposed to and/or educated on the concept of a multi-party government and will want to see that being realized. Especially so for those coming from China who, in the first place, came because they want a change and want to live in a democratic society.
I agree with Winston’s view that the new citizens do come from a more multi-party system.
This experience and knowledge follows them.
The new citizens may out of gratitude to be here to show respect and appear to be supportive of …. But we will never know in future how their decision can change.
I believe they are a different breed than the usual singaporean simply because of their background.
As long as it no longer is as promising as they initially thought, i am sure their decision will change. Its my view that it is precisely fortune and prosperity that they hope to get which is why they come here, at least for most of them.
How can singapore survive with decline of USA?
I wonder. u know ah? u tell me lah. wait for wat? hahaha. LOL
singapore surely can thrive with multi-party system.
some sympathisers may argue that there are multi-parties already : PAP, RP, SDP, WP , NSP etc. But only WP is in parliament with 2 votes out of over 80 which means effectively….. you fill in the blanks.
No wonder I agree with USA ambassador.
I wonder will he be having tea, coffee or crab chillie?
hee hee.
I think most Singaporeans, and the ambassador included, do not grasp the reality of the Singapore political situation. In my mind, I do think that if any intelligent person were to study Singapore’s political situation carefully, he would come to the conclusion that democracy is not in the agenda of the ruling party – neither is nation-building or the concept of economic progress based on equality.
These are terms the democratic world wants to hear in order to accord Singapore a status which is beneficial for trade and wealth. And guess what? The leaders of Singapore give them what they want. It is not that difficult to manipulate such figures. Just hire the best statistician. Then wealth begets more talent and more wealth.
It is clear that whatever the western world – insofar as it still holds the power to confer wealth to a small country like Singapore – deems to be important, this small country will always make herself favorable in its ranking.
But the reality is far from this. The reality is that Singapore is no more a country – let alone a democratic one. If you consider the fact that one machinery has control over all aspects of society and economy, and this machinery will only share its monopolized wealth with those who support and vote for it, then this is a clear indication that not even any earthly power can thwart it. This is even worse that a dictatorship.
Why is it that Singapore’s GDP is one of the highest in the world when it’s people are not benefiting from this wealth? Do you really think they are practicing the principles of Adam Smith? Please. I don’t think the Singapore government has much admiration for western principles or precepts. They may study in the best schools in the west. But if their intention is not to serve its nation, then the knowledge can be misused.
Singapore is a rich country but its elderly do not have the means to care for themselves in old age and are forced to work in public eating places as cleaners and dish-washers. Don’t believe? When you arrive in Singapore’s Changi Airport, look who is sweeping the airport and clearing your plates.
The wealth is not tricking down. This can mean only one thing. The nation has been exploited by a select few who supports the system.
Before the next election, the constitution will be changed to allow for a few hundred thousand foreigners to vote the ruling party in, again. on the pretext that Singapore need more babies because of its aging population. But the truth is not because the population is aging but because well-to-do Singaporeans are migrating.
But in a recent Q&A with some university students, the senior minister said that he has no choice but to allow foreigners into Singapore (but no one suspects that they will become voters in the next election) because Singaporeans failed to produce babies. Really? I find it really weird that this university, which claims itself among the top 100 universities in the world did not produce a student to ask why Singaporeans are migrating and hence the shortage of babies or why are Singaporeans who stayed behind are not producing.
Well said Zng, that is exactly what I am thinking too. When those MIW said something, it always meant another in their own agenda, usually alot to do with either their money making policy or its own party’s interest. Tell me till today does the ERP system improve the traffice flows as they claimed ? or should I say the more gantries are causing more and more problems to the traffic flows, and still they are increasing the entry rate slowly but surely, and expanding these milking machines islandwide (the one at Toa Payoh lorong 8 is unbelievable) if this is not extortion, then what better words to describe it?
you people can protest and shout all you like but what happen next? they just keep collecting their billions out of your pockets, it happened many many times already since LHL took over PM office till today. If singaporeans still do not want to stand up and be united, then goodluck to you people, enjoy your modern slavery days to you and your childrens.
Dear Ravi, you have mistaken my statement on donation, what I actual mean is international/global donations and not domestic donations.
As I have repeatedly mentioned in my comments that the despicable million-dollar miw have almost controlled close to ALL domestic businesses, glcs, civil servants, etc, so where can the ordinary main-street-men find the resources to donate to TOC!
Mind you, look at sdp leader csj, when he first aspires to join politic as an opposing voice, his supervisor in the idiotic university advised him to join the ruling party and not the opposing voice. Due to his defiant and non-compliant in insisting in join the opposition party, he was subsequently dismissed from his service to the university on the pretext of misappropriation of research fund of S$300 over dollars to send his wife’s phd thesis for overseas endorsement!
With this type of precedence, who else in Singapore dare to donate openly to the opposition parties without the fear of possibly in tarnishing his career especially if he is under the employment of state-services?
In short, before the opposing voice can be successful in its endeavors, its supporters and donators already perished into ashes and diminished to the universe!
Hence, in a smart and articulate way is to rely on overseas/abroad donations and supports to enhance the financial strength of the opposing voice, my dear but, at the moment, existing laws prohibit the opposing voices to receive overseas/aboard donations other than domestic one! So, in order to succeed should the opposition parties garner strength to change the political donation laws urgently?
If the PAP govt doesn’t call elections by 2012, can the US engage? By Singapore law elections must be called before that date. Is it an internal affair afterall?
Whatever RP wants, its only a dream.
Whatever we say here means nothing, whatever we want means nothing when you DONT WIN ANY seats. I reckon the oppositons need to jointly work together and win 2 GRCs at least and put some REAL VOICE into the tightly controlled and ruled political system.
Dont take things too lightly, the government is taking GRC and every seat very seriously and for those weak links, they will have surprise strategies to ensure the swing of votes in their favour. So the oppositions have better scrutinise their strategies and every move and their candidates to avoid similar screw ups in the past elections.
We need to throw out some of these ministers who simply dont listen and have full of excuses – affordability, means testing, oil prices dont correlate blah blah. And also for those who lost 58B of our money. Need to send a strong message to this time or be screwed for another 5 years.
stupid yankees! i dun need a foreigner to poke their nose in our domestic affairs! get lost and go and poke your nose in your stupid country’s financial woes!
oh yes. and stop giving stupid excuses to wage war on others! get your blardy ass back to where you belong and give others the peace that are rightfully theirs!
That Ambassador-to-be may say any he wants in his own turfs about Singapore.But when he arrives to our shore,diplomatic protocol has to apply,that includes his right to free speech or else he might be sent home by the PAP.
In any event, as much as the US ambassador, or Jim Webb, or Barack Obama would like to see Singapore become a more normally functioning multiparty democracy, this will always take a back seat to the interests of big business lobbies (the big banks, the oil companies, big pharma etc.) and to a lesser extent, the big trade unions in America.
Should interview him and post it here. Asked him why Singapore needs cooling period for PAP media to do last minute campaigning while alternative parties and netizens are silenced with stiff law. Is this a fair election, let the UN judge the unfairness of election in Singapore and have full coverage about this issue here prior to election day. Hope to open the eyes of Citizens why PAP felt so insecured & immatured.