The following is a letter from a member of the audience at the Face to Face forum
by Lee Wai Leong
The forum was packed, apparently there were over 350 people. There were registration counters and even sign language translators were present to help the hearing-impaired. Very well organised!
The huge turnout shows a real interest in real politics (as opposed to scripted ministers’ “dialogues”). But what did it achieve?
I think it was a waste of time for the audience, although many of them may not realise it.
It was a waste of time because of the themes chosen and the questions that were asked.
So what did we learn?
Economic policy
- Huge income disparity in Singapore in the last 10 years. Rich grew richer, poor had hardly any income growth.
- Productivity in Singapore sucks. GDP growrh all fuelled by workforce expansion.
- Policymakers out of touch with population. Gerald went further– they’re not out of touch, they know but they don’t care!
- The Govt is in a position of conflict of interest as the owner of 80% of the land, builder of flats and lender of mortgage financing.
- HDB flats are priced too high. We are now slaves to HDB. High flat prices suck up our CPF money, leaving us nothing for retirement. HDB subsidies are paper subsidies only. HDB makes obscene profits.
Civil Liberties
- All parties present oppose the ISA, and want to replace it with some form of anti-terrorism legislation.
- All want greater freedom of speech and assembly.
- Civil liberties are important for creativity and innovation.
- The media is an important institution, it must be independent and it must serve Singapore.
- Defamation laws must be changed.
- Wikileaks is funny.
Some surprises here though: All parties support conscription as a bedrock of a strong national defence, much to the consternation of the guy who posed the question. Another surprise– GMS still supports a racial quota for HDB flats, although he would increase it to 50%.
Political Issues
- Opp parties want to avoid three-cornered fights.
- People should vote opposition so that PAP will wake up.
- Politicians should be in public service to serve the public, not earn top $$$.
- People should come forward to join the opposition.
==========
So did the audience learn anything new to make it worth their while?
For anyone who has followed TOC or “opposition” politics actively, there’s certainly nothing new in the above. It’s a litany of what they think PAP has done wrong.
Without PAP’s presence, there was no engagement with the party in power, thus the “forum” amounted to no more than a bunch of anti-PAP people gathering to denounce PAP policies, patting each others’ back and cheering whenever some witty or sarcastic anti-PAP remarks were made.
In other words, it was really an “Opposition Supporters Anonymous” session.
Did we really need to spend four hours on that?
What it should have been
The moderator should have asked the tough questions:
- How many candidates will you be putting up for the next GE?
- Who are they? What are their names? Where will they be standing?
- Why can’t you name them now? What’s holding you back?
- How do you think you can win the election?
- Why should voters vote for your candidates (other than because of their dissatisfaction with PAP policies)?
- How will you guys make Singaporeans’ lives better if you only want to go in as opposition?
- Why can’t you guys cooperate? Why can’t you guys work together to defeat the PAP? By cooperate, we mean more than just avoiding three-cornered fights.
- Why is WP so aloof?
- Why is SDP so confrontational? We know you believe civil liberties are important, but this is not India in the 1950’s or America in the 1960’s, the public has no interest in joining your protest marches or holding candlelight vigils for the SDP martyrs who have been fined or jailed.
- Why is SF trying to revive Socialism? What does “putting control of essential means of production into the hands of the people” really mean? Nationalisation?
I think the above would have been far more absorbing than hearing what the parties have to say about hdb flat prices or civil liberties.
Don’t you?
HELP keep the voice of TOC alive!
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Interesting piece. But I think in the past 2 years SDP has conducted no protests and only been doing campaigning on the ground.
this article spells out very clearly why a majority of SGeans still think twice about voting opposition. the manifesto does not clearly or realistically spell out how they will be making life better should they be in power other than painting idealistic pictures. the majority of SGeans are well-educated, well-travelled, and well versed in geopolitical realities. confronting mr. goh in public over unaccounted funds to overseas nations, or pushing fluffy utopian ideals will not necessarily gel w most of us.
i hope this F2F gave the opp parties an idea of wat the populace wants from them before they become viable competitors to PAP.
“It was a waste of time because of the themes chosen and the questions that were asked.”
Since it was only through TOC that Singaporeans learnt of F2F, then it is safe to assume that most, if not all of them are regular readers of TOC. Thus, the writer does have a point: “For anyone who has followed TOC or “opposition” politics actively, there’s certainly nothing new in the above. It’s a litany of what they think PAP has done wrong.”
Since the questions were raised by the audience members, it is important to direct the rest of the discussion to TOC’s readership.
Personally, I feel that there is nothing wrong with asking opposition party members; it would certainly spur them on to higher heights. Otherwise we become exactly like the PAP supporters in their relationship with the PAP. And we will have PAP rule all over again.
Still, I think that the list of tough questions that the writer feels the moderator should have prepared should be taken seriously.
They were quite good questions, I must say.
I do find the questions wanting at times. For instance, “what do you think of civil liberties in Singapore?” Frankly, this kind of questions need to ask meh?
But I find that this proposed list of questions to the Opposition appears to be overly intrusive. For instance, “how many candidates?” Do you really expect the parties to lay their cards on the table for the PAP to find out? It would be most unwise for the parties to do so now.
As to J Leow’s comment, I think the same of PAP’s manifesto. In fact PAP’s manifesto tells me even less. The only difference is PAP has a track record of governing the country and the Opposition has none. May or may not be a good thing because we now have real evidence of how PAP intends to carry out their “promises”!
confronting mr. goh in public over unaccounted funds to overseas nations, or pushing fluffy utopian ideals will not necessarily gel w most of us.
confronting mr. goh in public over unaccounted funds to overseas nations, or pushing fluffy utopian ideals will not necessarily gel w most of us.
………………………….
that is what the opposition here for..to keep a check on all tr
The thing about it being a Q&A session for members of the public means that there is no control over what the public will ask.
I think the main thing we all learnt from the experience of this forum is that we definitely need more time for the opposition to really go more in depth!
Equally significant was the fact that some questions from the floor were not incisive enough to draw out more in-depth replies from the panelists.
After all, this was the first time the general public was treated to a political forum attended by all parties. (That is, all except the holiest-of-all…) If there are more of such forums in the future, I am confident that Singaporeans will learn to pose scintillating questions.
Personally, the forum gave me a golden opportunity to observe first-hand leaders of the various parties. For example, it was easy to see that that Dr Chee had been most unfairly slandered by the establishment.
DAMN SCREW UP
” This follows a ruling in November 2007 from Indonesia’s Commission for the Supervision of Business Competition (KPPU) which said it found Temasek guilty of engaging in monopolistic practices and anti-competitive behaviour in the country’s cellular market through two Indonesian telcos – Telkomsel and Indosat.”
Dear Lee Wai Leong,
Would you ask the same questions(1-3)to PAP? If not why would you expect the opposition to?
Dear Lee W L
At least the oppositions give attention to public concerns unlike PAP which brushes them aside. Anyway PAP is not doing better since they are not addressing most of these issues too.
Besides, they are so arrogant they did not bother to send a representative.
Perhaps it is better, for if they do attend the event, they would want a list of the questions and start censoring them before they give the ‘green light’ to attend.
It’s never a waste of time to see singaporeans get involved in their counteries affairs, it goes to show that this forum is a ice breaker like many more to come and hopefully things will be better for singaporeans with more opposition parties
It’s so easy to criticise the forum on hindsight. Why didn’t the author ask those questions during the forum?
Ah tan says if the PAP can say how many candidates they are putting forth, the oppositions should too! Izzit until now they cannot find the candidates? Are the candidates only interested when elections is called, like last yr? Pple like CTL hop here hop there then start his own gang…wat for?
This Lee Wai Leong must be from PAP!
Even PAP didn’t show their cards, introduce their new candidates… why would he want opposition to show their cards, tell PAP who are their candidates?
This forum is very good and all opposition parties have made very good points about policies… YES! VIEWS ABOUT POLICIES are MOST IMPORTANT because that’s what the ruling party’s NIGHTMARE!
Ruling party’s ruling baggage lies in POLICY DEFICIENCIES! This PAP dog is trying to shift the focus on OPPOSITION members’ characters! Look at the questions he tries to put forward and you know it’s just PAP’s usual tactic! PAP IS NOT INTERESTED IN TALKING ABOUT POLICIES BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEY HAVE SCREWED UP!
So Opposition please take note, YOU HAVE HIT WHERE IT HURTS MOST AT PAP! Keep up the good work! Ignore personality attacks! Victory will be YOURS!
They are not your ordinary neighbours, where you can run up and question and expect an impromptu answer.
I would want someone who can take time to think and come up with proper solution then just blow hot air.
Remember you are talking to people like Mr Chiam, an MP, Dr Chee & Mr Goh and etc. Men with experience in politics.
There was an agenda set, by TOC, they have to follow along that line and keep it short for all to portray themself and their party.
Anyway, this was the 1st time and they too, need time to gel and be able to articulate their stance.
Its easy to sit here and throw questions, but its much tougher to answer in a proper manner and come saying the right things.
Try the PAP ministers themselves, most need scripts. Thus, I hope people understand that it is politics you are talking about and understand the gravity of the issue, especially in Singaore.
I hope another event comes up soon.
At least it proves a point – not astroturfing as some would like to believe.
No show means PAp was trying to avoid answering awkward questions that were not scripted and prepared in advance. Since they could not answer, may as well turn turtle and keep quiet, which is their strategy of late.
The ruling Govt lately has a spate of bad luck the past two years, so many things happening which they could offer no answers. Silence is golden.
Maybe the three blocks of buildings, which represent three joss sticks offered for prayers at the Sands Marina,
is the cause of this bad luck. Worse still, there is a swimming pool on top of the IR buildings, representing water on top, an inauspicious sign, signalling drowning.
“I think it was a waste of time for the audience, although many of them may not realise it.”
No,not quite because this is one of the few times the opposition is seen together and they are united in facing a common opponent.
It remains for Singaporeans to support them.
The PAP has the whole machinery (media, police, judiciary, etc.) in their favour.
Hopefully against all the odds the opposition can get a few more seats.
before we have more forums,we need to unite.
oppo need to UNITE,to solidify themselves through SOLIDARITY among themselves and with all true blue singaporeans.
only that way could we,true blue singaporeans,reclaimour pride and dignity;our worth and waht really belong to us- our jobs,our homes ,our well-being…
*With reference to the article, every comment and up to last comment Orang Singapura*
The only thing I have to say (so far I keep my mouth shut) is for events especially any mass events, to be effectively engage the audience, the organizing at the beginning of the event (this event example) has to assess (not guess or assume) the audience whether how they familiar with TOC or any parties, in particular those did they even visit the web site or forum or manifesto and so on – just the show of hands from audience will do. And then the organizers are able to level up the quality of discussions.
In short, any mass events without assessing audience just same as a Yoga Instructor simply start the first lesson without assess the health condition and yoga experience of the participants.
Nevertheless the event (F2F) is still historically significant – the first step.
Just my 2 cents worth opinion.
Either the people take responsibility , overcome their freaking fears, wake up or now there is another option : wait for kookoo clock to kookoo!! Kookoo!! This option never was avail in the last many decades till now, thanks to the unchangeable law of nature. This force of change is unstoppable and is the balancing External force to balance the Ying n with the Yang and it’s what restores sanity back.
Agree with the writer. Obviously the opposition had not taken the opportunity to use this forum to present themselves to the public. Any forum with or without PAP participation must be taken seriously. Answers must be scripted and questions anticipated. Standards have to be set for each and every opposition speech, media release or reply. If the opposition wants to be taken seriously, they must take themselves seriously first.
Dear Wai Leong,
Ultimately, this is a forum, not an official Party interview. Get the platform right!
You want answers from Opposition. Why don’t you spend more efforts to ask those questions from the ruling party, which is dictating our miserable lives for the past 50 years?
To me, it is very simple. With past experiences, ruling party still screws up! So, with or without experience does not matter.
A change is due!
LWL sounds very much like a PAP proxy.
I strongly feel that if the PAP had the confidence to send a rep. he or she would have been thoroughly grilled by the participants. That the PAP chose to avoid the forum is a sure sign of cowardice and lack of confidence to meet the people on a level field.
Then it gets people like LWL to throw stones and try to justify his party’s no-show.
I am very sure we can all ask those very questions he posed and more, but does he or his master has the GUTS to meet us?
The gathering is an example of a GOOD move to get things rolling for the opposition. Also, I believe the opposition should not give away too much for that element of surprise (Sun Tze, 101) blow at the right and ripe time.
LWL
Why didn’t you ask those questions you suggested asking yourself?
Are you dumb?
Hope everyone can agree that the PM position will be reserved for SDP. All the opposition should not fight over this position and let Mr Chee be the PM in case PAP lost power this coming GE. One way is to create two DPM position with one reserve for WP and the other for RP. Once this arrangement is agreed upon everything will fall in place nicely. Bravo to the opposition, the feeling on the ground is advantage opposition this time round.
ABF 22 December 2010
Agree with the writer. Obviously the opposition had not taken the opportunity to use this forum to present themselves to the public.
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and without a doubt..when dr chee shout @ pap ministers..
WHERE IS OUR MONEY
he was sued…
so don’t says the oppositions didn’t tried nor do…don’t ever ever forget what tanglianhong did durin the open raillies..he too was sued..lost his home and had his spouse and daughter kicked out of belove singapoor to live amon the angmors…
GMS is nonsense and he will LOSE in Tampines. He forgets that Tampines is PAP Stronghold.
WP or RP, please go tampines and kick GMS out of his stupud SO CALLED RACE
Why must you talk bullshit, GMS is one of the strongest opposition candidates and during his walk around he has the support of many common people. Everyone knows he sold his HDB to continue his dream in politics.
Goh Meng Seng will be a potential minister if he is elected. Hope the opposition will agree to let him have the job of Mr Mah Bow Tan.
I agree; looks like they presented problems without offering viable solutions.