Ko Siew Huey / Picture by Han Thon
In the latest episode of a public wrangle that has been playing out over the media, the Worker’s Party (WP) staged a vigorous defense of their vision of a “First World Parliament”.
Minister for Home Affairs and Law K. Shanmugam and Member of Parliament (MP) Indranee Rajah have criticized the WP for failing to identify the unique qualities of their model and suggested instead that their real intention is to block constitutional amendments and policies that they disagree with.
In response, WP Chairman Sylvia Lim said that their concept of a First World Parliament had already been clearly articulated at the launch of their campaign slogan, and that the latest remarks by the PAP members were made to confuse Singaporeans about the WP’s intentions.
She went on to reiterate what a First World Parliament should do:
- Scrutinize policy and ensure transparent implementation of legislation
- Hold government accountable for its actions
- Ensure an alternative government made up of parties with the necessary experience can be formed in the event that the ruling party fails
- Represent a mandate from diverse interests in society
- Ensure amendments to bills and the Constitution are not bulldozed through without proper debate
Referring to the Oath of Allegiance taken by Members of Parliament in which they promise to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution”, Ms Lim said that for any proposed amendments, “opposition MPs would have the duty to oppose them if they were made for partisan advantage.”
“Our track record will show that we are a pro-Singapore party,” she said. “You will see that we don’t just block any policy or any amendment. In fact we exercise our objections quite carefully only when we feel that there are legislation or constitutional amendments that are detrimental to national interest.”
On the challenge issued by Education Minister Ng Eng Hen for the opposition to give voters a real choice at this coming elections by forming an alternative government, WP secretary general Low Thia Khiang said that whether Singapore eventually adopts a two party or multiparty system is entirely up to the wishes of voters.
“It is not for the PAP to decide. Neither is it for the WP to decide. It is for the voters to decide. You must always remember that. I think the PAP is being very arrogant to ignore the will of the voters in an election,” he said.
Rebutting Dr Ng’s other point that the current system already allows for alternative voices in parliament and that by voting for the opposition, Singaporeans may unintentionally weaken the government, Mr Low was quick on the draw.
“I suppose it’s typical PAP,” he said. “They want some… noises in parliament but they do not want representation of people. They also don’t want Members of Parliament with the mandate to articulate the wishes and the voice of the people.”
Mr Low made the distinction between having a strong government and a strong system of government: “Strong system of government means that if the government fails, you have another government to be able to take over. That would give you more political stability and a more secure future than depending on one government.”
Employing a metaphor to illustrate his point, he said: “Like a car you need a spare tyre right? [If] You want to depend on four tyres and one punctures, that’s it, you can’t move.”
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Read TOC’s report on the candidates introduced at the media conference here: WP introduces latest slate of candidates.
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pappies already forgotten their initial aim… that’s to serve people as public servant… now is totally reversed…
Assume the PAP is a S’porean and the opposition FT. In the words of our ministers, we need spurs to be striked on the S’porean to make him better. A correct proportion of opposition represntation, regardless of their qualifications, should be around 35% in order to check/ balance as well as keep the ruling party fresh and ready with good ideas, which sad to note when compared to the founding fathers of S’pore is only a pale shade.
PAP are asking questions that any OTHER parties dont have to reply.
We are VOTING these “NEW govt” to be our SPOREAN voice and ear and they will make changes for SPOREAN from taxes on COE, ERP,SP services to land cost etc.
PAP should answer to the many questions:
a)Loss of reserve money from where?
b)State land of Sporean why link PAP is bidding it above market value?
c) We should be questioning PAP why, why why
d) WDA public transport to” benefit workers” with in house training are these traineers SPOREAN or PRC drivers.Dated 21 APril 2011 TODAY
e) 13 April 2011 page 4 on rental wait for 2 years.Ask MP or HDB how many units within the rental b;lock are to SPorean and where are the rest rented to as in BLK 29 Havelock road as example.etc etc
the people should just remember a golden rule, do not trust those who are out to sow confusion.
a good leader must be able to think straight, even under great pressure. that is what our firemen have been trained to do. if even our firemen can do that why our “dear leaders” cannot?
too strawberry?
It would be cleaner, more impressive if the oppositions wear all white and only distinguish themselves with the party badges instead of putting on all the stupid looking colors. And no, this would definitely not confuse singaporeans..
Workers’ Party is a very sound party and even they counter attack they attack the opponent party as a whole unlike PAP they like to pick on individual !
Oh I love WP , weeee !
Khaw Boon Wan launches S$500m renewal plan for Sembawang GRC
so can Mr Khaw tell us how is he going to fund the renewal plan?
if the town council does not have 500million, where is the money going to come from?
I don’t understand why WP makes more sense than PAP.
I think it is better to vote for those who make better sense.
Well, since PAP has imported so call FT to form 40% of our population and plans to import more, we should similarly do the same to “their” parliment – 40% seats to the ALternatives and add more if the % of foreigners continues to go up. It will spur them to work harder and cheaper.
The Workers’ Party said it wants to ensure accountability and to prevent Parliament from becoming a rubber stamp for policies.
Low Thia Khiang, Secretary-General of the Workers’ Party said voters must decide how Parliament should evolve.
If this long term goal is achieved. ??? ??? ??? “Singaporeans should feel protected that there is actually a group of people out there who have the power, if necessary, to block the constitutional amendment if it’s made for partisan advantage.”
Question for Singaporeans: Is it better to have checks and balances than to wake up in the morning and find one million aliens in your midst?
wah for a moment..i though pap ministers goin to says…
all this newcomers come ere to earn easy money of $13,500/month doin NOTHIN
^to block constitutional amendments and policies that they disagree with^
isn’t that what an opposition party goin to do/vote on?
so what did the pap MPs really do in parliament? beside sleepin/scratchin their nose/karchngs…
the PAP rhetoric defies logic. To thimk highly paid Ministers can talk gibberish.
even layman like me can understand and endorse the WP manifesto and aims for a democratic evolution in our country.
highly paid lawyer minister and surgeon cant understand or put forth a “better ‘ or Equal Democratic Vision.How shallow has PAP descended to or will?
It is electioneering and attacks are expected either way. Both sides are working the public. The onus this time on certain issuses is on the incumbent who have the task of explaining the divergence in growth and wages for common man. However I do think some of the singaporeans out there are hoping for more in terms of more detailed engagement of the Incumbent. The issue on housing should not be one of placating the public with solutions that benfetits some in the short term. Pegging to median income is a good attempt but would not solve the issue as it contradicts asset enhancement. In fact it may even lead to greater distortion.
The party has at least clarified the issue on First World Parliment rather obliquely and with prompting. They should have more confidence in the maturity of the public. Stating it directly will offend no one at least the public as the Incumbent has already been engaged the day you start competing. The public can at least see what they are opting for in event of the choice for checks.
PAP’s defense is getting weaker each day. I hate to see them talk. Full of crap. Utter crap. They are really taking voters for granted that’s why PM Lee needs to remind them that voters are the master. We do not wish to be any master, just not a slave.
here is the proof of what we been more awaken of the problematic and money suck policies : our democracy ranking in the world is quite low :
http://www.pressrun.net/weblog/2010/11/singapore-gets-1-out-2-for-democracy-in-un-report.html
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Singapore gets 1 out 2 for democracy in UN report
Posted on Monday, November 8, 2010 by Abhijit
Singapore does not get full marks for democracy in the 2010 United Nations Human Development Report, which gives it one out of two for democracy. The report explains: “0 is nondemocratic, 1 is democratic with no alternation, 2 is democratic.”
Singapore also has the least free media among the 42 most highly developed countries and territories in the world, according to the UN report. It gives Singapore 45 for press freedom. A higher score means less press freedom, it says. Norway, the most developed country, gets 0 for press freedom. Second-placed Australia gets 3.1, third-ranked New Zealand 3 and fourth-placed United States 4 for press freedom.
UNDP report
You will find these scores under the Empowerment category. The report looks at various issues including health, education and security.
Singapore is ranked 27th on the 2010 UN Human Development Index behind several countries in Asia-Pacific: Australia, New Zealand, Japan (ranked 11th overall), South Korea (12th), and Hong Kong (21st).
Singapore’s education level is also relatively low compared with other highly developed countries: 59.1 per cent of the population aged 25 or more has at least a secondary education compared with 87.3 per cent in Norway, 73.4 per cent in Australia, 67.9 per cent in New Zealand, 89.7 per cent in the United States, 71.9 per cent in Japan, 75.3 per cent in South Korea and 62.7 per cent in Hong Kong.
You can download the full report by clicking here on the United Nations Development Programme website.
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1. Higher education: Singapore and other countries
2. Singapore emigration and immigration compared with other countries
3. Singapore 27th on 2010 UN Human Development Index
4. Immigrant share of population biggest in Gulf, Hong Kong, Singapore
5. Gini coefficient: Income gap in Singapore and elsewhere
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2 Responses to Singapore gets 1 out 2 for democracy in UN report
1.
Kelvin says:
Tuesday, November 9, 2010 at 12:29 pm
I think local government banned the download page already…hahaha… i clicked on the link here and was redirected to the page and it kept trying to load but the page doesn’t come up. So basically one is unable to access the PDF documented report.
*
Abhijit says:
Tuesday, November 9, 2010 at 2:16 pm
I don’t think download has been banned. Try again later. It’s a big document which takes time to download. It’s interesting reading. Don’t forget the report lists Singapore among the 42 most highly developed countries, ranked 27th on the Human Development Index.
Dark side of the force can never defeat the righteous way of a true Jedi knight. Begone Sith lords! We are joining the true light of the force!!!!
For parliament session that goes on TV, here’s my understanding:
a. All questions raised are scrutinize and carefully selected
b. Ruling government then activate the whole ministries who then request information from the statutory board
c. Answers are scrutinise by the ministries and approved as the answer to be given
d. Set the stage and a show is enacted to show democracy in Singapore when PAP know at the end of the day… they will pass it.
The PAP are getting out of control and too arrogant. Their substance is not to sef-reflect but to condemn other ideas as PAP felt that they are the elite. How arrogant have this become? Well, naming a hospital after a person name just because he donated 100 plus millions when Singaporean money of more than 1 billion counts for nothing given Khaw response when questioned.
I think I have had enough of PAP using Singaporean money to threaten Singaporean (upgrading, no future with opposition, no more reserves etc etc)
I, a Singaporean, urge all my fellow Singaporeans voters to give PAP a good thrashing come 7 May.
I am just wondering why the incumbent is sowing confusion and misdirection. It should be pushing its own manifesto, selling it to the people, getting the people to support its programs. I would like to wish them best of luck in this endeavor.
To the opposition, I think the best strategy is the same. Concentrate on your own manifesto, justify it, sell it and get the people to endorse it. The more you address PAP’s tactics, the more the people will be misdirected. You already have the moral high ground…. you are not doing this for the money!!
Stephan Xue
You already have the moral high ground…. you are not doing this for the money!!
…………
for the past two erections includin this 1…
my kakis(some who really really hates me for what i am) alway asked me
why don’t you stand as a independent for erections…
i replied..
who is goin to sponser me?
YOUR private limited company(p.s. this is a REQUIREMENT decree by leekingyou himself) and the deposits?
no picture no sound…
~PERIOD~ ~SIGH~ as well
i die i also must pay..if i get hot..i hav to migrate..do i looked liked tanglianghong?
If Singapore Gracious Movement is to succeed the leaders of Singapore must set good examples by not attacking their opposition personally but put forward their facts and rational argument. Will the Chairman of Singapore Gracious Movement speak up if either party resort to ungracious behaviour? Otherwise how do you expect us lesser mortal to follow.
of cos this is PAPies standard operadii, if you cannot convinced them, confuse them!
William Toh 24 April 2011
If Singapore Gracious Movement is to succeed the leaders of Singapore must set good examples by not attacking their opposition personally but put forward their facts and rational argument
…………..
leekingyou would had answer..let MY people from nathan nair and sons talk to you pupils and we TAKE ALL of your property from there…wife/daughter can chose to migrate..afterall they(the opposition’s families goin to be homeless)
I STAND CORRECTED
The way PAP tried to handle WP’s intention shows that PAP itself has no immunity and feel insecured. PAP is worried that they may not have the luxury to implement partisan politics like they did before. In fact, there were many policies that were anti-Singaporeans that violated national interest. Unfortunately due to one party system, such policies were bulldozed without any objecting voices, 82 members were “Aye men/women” leading to what Singapore is today – low productivity, not yet a country, still dangling in aspirations mode.
I feel safe if WP can have enough votes to vote against policies detrimental to Singapore future development. This is voting for Singapore, not PAP. Voters have to decide which to vote.
I believe many people on the ground are questioning the PAP government’s existing policies. This is the power of the internet. They are able to question and of there is the thundering silence from the PAP.
Now I would like to encourage the opposition to put their visions forward on the internet (not on their websites but on a neutral website) and allow the internet community to question and then they defend….. it would increase the pressure for the PAP candidates to defend what I believe is an increasingly undefensible position.
Don’t mudsling the other party nor address the mudslinging by the other party…. promote what you stand for so that the people can rally behind you
Correct me if I am wrong. HDB is supposed to up keep and make good all the external of all HDB units even there is no upgrading at all. HDB’s duty in Singapore to make good and upkeep all corridors, the drains, carparks, driveways, road kerbs, land scape all round including painting every few years. For resident who knows PLEASE ENLIGHTEN.
Maybe Minister should enlighten. I am referring to the Oath of Allegiance taken by Members of Parliament in which they Promised to Preserve,Protect,and Defend the Consitution.
WARREN BUFFETT HAS VERY HIGH REGARD FOR SINGAPORE SAYS JP TAN
THE JOB OF NATION BUILDING IS MUCH TOUGHER THAN THAT OF WARREN BUFFETT. HENCE JP TAN SALUTES MINISTER MENTOR LEE KUAN YEW, SENIOR MINISTER GOH CHOK TONG AND PRIME MINISTER LEE HSIEN LOONG FOR GOVERNING SINGAPORE WITH UTMOST BENEVOLENCE AND EFFECTIVENESS.
MP are public servants – not ‘tow kay’
(one MP introduced his ‘successor’ as ‘new tow kay’ in Radin Mas)
HDB is for Singaporean – not PR
Go back to the basics!
The PAP should stop dictating to the voters and opposition parties that the opposition should conduct its business according to PAP’s terms. Let the opposition parties remain just that not affiliates of the PAP
Yes!!! well said :
“It is not for the PAP to decide. Neither is it for the WP to decide. It is for the voters to decide. You must always remember that. I think the PAP is being very arrogant to ignore the will of the voters in an election,” he said.
The lines of argument put forward by the papies are increasingly illogical and irrational, and getting worse by the day. They could be easily seen as being put forward MERELY for the sake of discrediting the oppositions and is COMPLETELY BEREFT OF ANY SUBSTANCE. They come across as a desperate bunch of individuals bent at casting the oppositions in the worst light possible, even if they have to put a forward lame reasoning which insults the intelligence of an average Singaporean.
Their reasoning, when paraphrased, could go something like this:
When faced with option 1 or 2, if option 1 is taken by the opposition the papies response will be, ‘Why not take option 2? Option 2 very very good, what? So you are stupid, stupid, stupid! You are lousy, no good!’
Just follow NEH’s response to LTK.
to jptan
The pap government can be very very good or very very bad, depending on which side of the coin you look at.
It has never been disputed that from the point of view of entrepeneurs wanting to make a quick buck and exit, milking the advantages of a country at the expense of other issues irrelevant to them, then the pappies are world best government. Look at Sands Casino big boss, he would have said the same thing as Warren Buffet investor-banker extraordinaire; and togethery they would offer heaps of praises for LKY, the casino brings him unprecedented profits, of course LJY and co. are world best.
Switch camp, and imagin yourself to be ordinary aspiring Singapore citizen. Just take a sample of the on-line vitriol and you can understand the sentiment of people who are ruthlessly suppressed, people who are deprived, people who are displaced, people who are muzzled and not allowed to speak up.
It is only in Singapore that the Leader can openly declare its citizens as stupid, speak openly to the world expounding the virtues of foreigners, and convert 40 percent of the country into a mix jumble of races from foreign lands, and the governemtn feel very good about these actions.
THIS IS POTENTIAL TIME BOMB in generations to come. North Indians don’t get along too well with south, Beijing type chinamen dont get along too well with non beijing types, the minority local malays are caught in between with no increase in their race type in the own country of birth. The list goes on. The already fragile, non-homogenuity of the nation is being increased by PAP, and the chances of division and internal strife among races are really high and could tear apart the nation. Instead of consolidating, the PAP government is diluting and systematically breaking the precious bond within the country, in the name of “increasing GDP”. PAP sold the soul of the nation to money and the devil.
One glaring testimony of the failure of Lee Kuan Yew, is that he has never been put up for Nobel Peace Prize. You said that LKY ruled Singapore with “utmost benevolence and effectivness”, for 50 years you would probably say. Yet in the eyes of international panel, in reality, our strongman LKY pales insignificantly compared to real men like Nelson Mandela, who was awarded the Nobel Prize.
Finally the overwhelming failure of the PAP can be clearly seen in cyberspace. The number of pap supporters who are genuinely concerned with the party, and try to debate on its behalf, are less than five. I have been on socio-politcal websites for two years now, and i have only come across about five of them. Even so, each time i debate with them on an intellectual basis, they would disappear after some time in defeat. Because there is no case to support PAP any more.
YOU KNOW IT, I KNOW IT.
JUST DO IT.
zero
Khaw Boon Wan should be arrested under ISA for using religion to defened allegation that he wants S’poreans who cant afford healthcare here to go to JB.
It is a dangerous precedent if the govt allows this
Khaw has clearly crossed the boundary. Is the PM going to do what is right?
Very sooon singaporeans will be consumed by foreigners, given the hint that the PAP will continue to bring in more foreigners after the election (in the chinese forumn, the PM tells singaporean ‘cramp a bit never mind’.)
We have to vote for Opposition to help us curb this, and Worker’ Party has been very realistic and address Singaporeans’ concern, while the PAP is ignoring the severity of this Burning issue.
Praise be to PAP, the benevolent, the strong, the incorruptible, the righteous and the wise.
You folks do realise that by voicing out your treasonous opinions here, you are not only betraying the country. You are also ingrates. Ingrates to the very hand that fed you and guided you till now.
For the last 50 years, Singaporeans folk had no problems with the PAP until the rise of the opposition poison. This poison has infected our society and caused people to be in a mad frenzy. We must everything within our power to stop this opposition poison once and for all.
The opposition is not fighting for the betterment of Singapore, the opposition is trying to destroy Singapore. If the opposition gets into power, Singapore will be burned to the ground. Chaos and anarchy will be everywhere. Investors will fly out from Singapore before you can shout “WAIT, DONT GO”.
To prevent all this from happening, the first step we must do is to openly declare our love and loyalty to PAP. Our loyalty and love must be without question and hesitation. A slight hesitation means you are not a true blue Singaporean and you wish Singapore to be destroyed.
We must put our country first at all times. How do we do that? Ensure that PAP receives 100% mandate.
Let us all do PAP and Singapore proud. Stand behind them. Be part of Singapore.
Say no to alternative representation.
Say no to freedom of speech.
Say no to anarchy.
Say no to multi-party state (an extremely dangerous and volatile situation)
Thank you.
Many now have more confidence with the Worker’s Party thn the stupid PAP simply because Workers’ Party actually addresses our problems and see the interest of Singaporeans, and treat us as ‘people’
PAP has demonstrated themselves to be doing things for their personal gains in disguise of what they say future of singapore.
@TheReasonableOne
Praise be to PAP, the benevolent, the strong, the incorruptible, the righteous and the wise.
You folks do realise that by voicing out your treasonous opinions here, you are not only betraying the country. You are also ingrates. Ingrates to the very hand that fed you and guided you till now.
For the last 50 years, Singaporeans folk had no problems with the PAP until the rise of the opposition poison. This poison has infected our society and caused people to be in a mad frenzy. We must everything within our power to stop this opposition poison once and for all.
The opposition is not fighting for the betterment of Singapore, the opposition is trying to destroy Singapore. If the opposition gets into power, Singapore will be burned to the ground. Chaos and anarchy will be everywhere. Investors will fly out from Singapore before you can shout “WAIT, DONT GO”.
To prevent all this from happening, the first step we must do is to openly declare our love and loyalty to PAP. Our loyalty and love must be without question and hesitation. A slight hesitation means you are not a true blue Singaporean and you wish Singapore to be destroyed.
We must put our country first at all times. How do we do that? Ensure that PAP receives 100% mandate.
Let us all do PAP and Singapore proud. Stand behind them. Be part of Singapore.
Say no to alternative representation.
Say no to freedom of speech.
Say no to anarchy.
Say no to multi-party state (an extremely dangerous and volatile situation)
Thank you.
: hmnn, is it that voicing our opinion we are betraying the country, nope it is not the country but the party which changed their policies towards non-pro people? then why are you voicing out your opinion here, because you are betraying the people that trusted the once trustable gov?
the pap have been too powderful and also arrogant and too greedy although they have serve us well before year 1990s, after grc is created democracy is completely destroyed as feedback system is twisted to their advantage and we wont know what is happening. anyway, where is our cpf and reserves and retirement ages, our poor taxi drivers most of them have to work like slaves for more than 12-16hours daily(dont take retirees in taxi line for statistics), where is the work life balance
loyalty to pap is not the way as you sure they 100% ok most of the time and also their policies 100 right?, loyalty to our country is better rather than to any party, if we dont vote for them they tell us it screwed up because of the fact we didnt vote for them, then all the more they deserved to go out… malaysia is a good example, where the ruling party woke up abit more to serve the people after opposition captured 5 out of 11 states.
say no to no democracy(includig flawed grc where it would harm us much more in long term)
say no to no freedom of speech(cos it would lead us to not able to think properly and saying properly for our own rights if we dont use our brain for too long.)
say no to no anarchy?(it wont cause anarchy, it give competition to ruling party and also it will grow our democracy from teenager to true adults.)
say no to no multi-party(this will give ruling party everytime raise price and no consultation with the people for important policies at all, and no check on our reserves, and dont be surprised one day you wake up, your children tells u it is very hard to survive in singapore, then you come and be waken, too late by then)
we are not just physical slaves, we are mental slaves of housing debts, high education costs, erp, coes, bills, taxes, food rising costs, medical costs, unemployment problem(do you really think unemployment is 2plus % only, how many dont find jobs already, how many migrated, etc).. the best part is that they dont whip us, we have to work and work and work till 80 years old in future. still not sure how to get our cpf and we can age and die gracefully? This is the scariest part..
we really trust the tradition medias like straits time, today, tv and radio? consider this carefully, the only way to true democracy is to propagate and make non-tradition media like internet and internet phones more popular and accessiblem, which is happening now)
foreign investors will not leave us, we got to be resilent and also depend on ourselves not just ruling parties, look at malaysia and taiwan, did the investors leave? doubt so..
it is the cost and safety and good infrastructure of doing business that make a company decide usually.
ThereasonableOne, You sound like you are cynically on our side…. opposite from the MIWs. Good job in making us all want CHANGE even more.
If I’m wrong then you’d better book a ticket to Myanmar or North Korea real quick.
@s.
How can I be betraying the people when I am actually speaking up for them? Fighting for their interests and their future? For the record, I am voicing my opinions for the people, not against the people.
You see powerfulness and arrogance in PAP. I see strength and resoluteness in them. On the contrary, GRC enhances democracy to the next level because non-majority races can now be voted and put into parliament. What assurance do you have for non-majority individuals to be voted in without the existence of GRCs? Practically zero. GRCs have made the playing ground fair.
You are only a slave if you make yourself to be one. We are in a progressive nation and each of us has a stake in this nation. PAP is the beacon of light that brings us closer to the path of success. The opposition is the fog the clouds your vision and sidetracks you to the path of destruction. If you are a responsible citizen, with a reasonable and logical mind, surely you wouldn’t consider even voting for any opposition party.
Let me relate the current political situation to Star Wars. The PAP is like the Jedi, mighty, wise and with strong moral convictions. The oppositions are like the Siths. Like the Siths, the oppositions seek the destruction of the republic through secular means. They want to be voted in and their reign of destruction will begin.
The fear campaign is on. PAP ministers are “warning” Singaporeans of a freak election result, some warned of property depreciation, some warned of inestros running away. Then they dished out using taxpayers money hundreds of million to promise redevelopment and upgrading at the various GRCs and constituencies just weeks away the GE. Prok-barrel politics.
Hi,
I like to play the role being a NEUTRAL Political Observer. I shall be non-partisan as long as parties cannot put COUNTRY over PARTY and PEOPLE OVER GDP.
WP’s 1st world parliament is excellent except that it missed out an important point which I like to include:
A 1st world parliament should include a 1st world citizenry with a democratic MINDSET.
Why? The INPUT the Parliament comes from the PEOPLE. The Parliament should not exist without input & mandate from the people.
The People should be EDUCATED with a new Mindset.
Having academic Education or law degree does not mean a thing about knowing what is the right MINDSET for a 1st world Parliament and Democracy and Country. Case in point , many lawyers have not voiced up against the flaws of the system. Why? Could it be Self-Preservation? Kia? Nurtured wrong way? Can a communist country with communist mind have a lawyer trained too? Just to illustrate my point. We already know and see that Academically Educated people are plenty in singapore and precisely this lot, many are APATHETIC. This means, they KNOW what is going on because its COMMONSENSE to know there are many problems. BUT! they CONSCIOUSLY SELF-CENSORED in such a way that they IGNORED and ABANDONED their basic Duty as a Voter, as a Democratic CITIZEN to voice up. There is no COMRADERIE. There is no EMPATHY for the fellow citizens. Singapore is well known to be a cold society where hdb neighbors are cold towards each other.
This ISOLATION and SELF-CENSOR has resulted in a DIVIDED society where each is an island. When Divided, you are forking Copnquered.
The Extreme influx is not seen anywhere in the world. In the guise of globalisation and use of flexible english, the people can even Accept such INFLUX without a public protest. Every morning citizens cramped into the MRT and buses full of foreigners. They accept. Accept in a pathetic way. They do not like being ‘raped’ of their spaces but somehow, do not know how to voice up. So, they suffer in SILENCE. A Daft does not know he is. A bird brought up by a human without ever seeing another bird does not know it is a BIRD. It Believes it is a human.
The Biggest problem with Singapore is not the System.
The Biggest problem with Singapore is SINGAPOREANS. The True Blue singaporeans and not the new citizens who are different. But i am not saying they are good or bad, just different.
Nurturing. Culturing.
We need a new Team of Educators to Restructure the entire National Education from ground Zero.
Its commonsense that the People should be held Responsible and Accoutable for this sorry state.
This, is the Political Inconvenience and we do not see WP or any party daring to mention what is politically undiplomatic.
We need a check on Every party , whichever it may be, because the People may not be Wise.
Both Pap & Shit Times not only confuse Singaporeans but divert attention to minute, useless things. Now the PaP says no increase in GST to 10% in the next 5 years. Singaporeans, see what they did after the last election. Increased GST from 5% to & 7%. Yes, after election over when they got majority they can do anything they want. Increase to 10% GST. And then they will give you reasons. Like, oh during that time our economy is doing well, but now not good so must raise to 10%. Typical PaP strategy. Please don’t fall for it.
And read this linkhttp://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/showthread.php?t=2682088
I don’t disagree with the WP on the 5 points it has raised on what a First World Parliament should do. But if I were asked what I consider to be a First World Parliament, I would start by replying that it is a Parlaiment comprising First World PARLIAMENTARIANS.
The next logical question would be: What then are First World parliamentarians? My answer: They are members of the House who will be constitutionally accountable. This is what has been so sorely lacking Parliament after Parliament in Singapore despite, as Sylvia Lim points out, ‘the Oath of Allegiance taken by Members of Parliament in which they promise to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution”’. With their dominance in every Parliament, the PAP government has always conducted themselves as a House – both the Executive and the Legislature – that refuses to believe that they are governed by the Constitution. Indeed, the Constitution is informally called “the government’s government”. But the PAP government has always acted as if it should be unimpeded by the Constitution.
However, we are not going to have a First World Parliament if the processes that PRECEDE the election of First World parliamentarians isn’t first addressed. If we did, the only conclusions we would draw is that the entire POLITICAL SYSTEM which includes the ELECTORAL SYSTEM, must themselves first meet the standards of a First World political system, including a First World electoral system, that produces the First World parlaimentarians in the first place. This would mean a political and electoral system that not adheres to the letter of the law, especially constitutional law, but the spirit of constitutional law as well. If the spirit of constitutional law, and in particular Article 12 – “equal protection under the law” – had been imbued in our parliamentarians, particularly PAP ones, we would not be seeing anywhere near as much of the unfairness and injustices against the opposition parties to begin with. We would also not have seen the many unconstitutional rulings by the judiciary in the countless politically-motivated court cases brought against opposition politicians.
Because First World parliamentarians respect the Constitution that governs them in their legislative and other conduct; they observe the rule of law.
All opposition parties have basically been saying the same thing all along. The WP has just been explicit about it this time by using somewhat unconventional language. (Another example of the WP’s use of unconventional language in this article is “alternative government” in place of “government-in-waiting”.)
I think low tk has answered hen in the most concise and politically correct manner.
With all these aspersions cast by these overpaid ministers, why none of them took up the challenge by opposition for a debate?
Surely they would have been given an answer outright. Surely they are all grown up men capable of handling the opposition face to face.
If they can’t, then IMO, they dont deserve their pay.
Regarding K Shanmugam’s, Indranee Rajah’s and Ng Eng Hen’s challenges to the WP, I cannot remember who among them it was who challenged the WP to point to one example of a First World Parliament that they believe the Singapore Parliament should emulate. (Indranee Rajah was described by Alex Au as “dangerous” in a recent article, a charge I am in full agreement with.)
Make no mistake: That person was laying a trap for the WP because they hope to unleash a xenophobic response by Singaporeans if the WP had indeed responded to the question. The PAP has always been known to exploit societal weaknesses such as racism and xenophobia to score political points; the national interest is the furthest thing from their minds when they do so.
Except for Japan, all other full fledged first world countries are Caucasian-dominated ones, even though Hong Kong, S Korea and Taiwan – their legislatures in particular – approach first world standards, though not sufficiently enough. Thus if the WP had provided a model that they feel Singapore’s Parliament should emulate, it would have more likely than not been a legislature of a Caucasian-dominated country. That would have stoked the resentment that is never too far from the surface of Chinese Singaporeans in particular: “Why should we be like the whites when we are from a more ancient and superior civilization?”
The WP would then have been left scrambling to do damage control instead, but the damage to the WP would already have been done.
In light of my post above in which I asserted that a First World Parliament is one that is constitutionally accountable, I would ask these question:
Is it only Caucasians who are bound by their Contitutions and accontable to them? More pretinently, is it only Caucasians who have the capabilities for it?
The second of the questions above is especially important because it betrays the true thinking of the PAP government: They believe that non-Caucasians are incapable of reponsible conduct while in government, and if you have scritinized Lee Kuan Yew’s previous statements alluding to them, you cannot but agree with my observation.
The PAP insults the intelligence and capabilities of all non-Caucasians, and along with it, Singaporeans.
what the PAP did to cheng san, eunos and now aljunied is blatant cheating. the fact that they do it repeatedly and with impunity, they have no right to claim any moral authority. I, for one, will not allow the PAP to manipulate my vote. all the best to WP.
@TheReasonableOne
I feel that your views are dangerously myopic. Your usage of English is superb, but sadly your statement bears little substance nor sense. While you strongly advocate support for the ‘whites’, i think you fail to address why? All you have done is wildly gesticulate the motives of the opposition, which is detrimentally flawed.
I think you fail to comprehend the emotions of most Singaporeans as the ‘whites’ are doing now. Do you think anyone has that many excess resources to oppose for the sake of doing. The people feel oppressed, betrayed and drained. Nobody is trying to undermine the achievements of the ‘whites’. What the people of Singapore want are alternative voices, an alternate realm of governing as opposed to now.
And i utterly fail to comprehend how not showing support to the ‘whites’ equates to acts of treachery. The ‘white’ are but a system in place to facilitate the betterment of the lives of Singaporeans. Our loyalty should be towards Singapore, our home. Perhaps you should look for different sources before you make any of your prejudiced judgement, not the straits times nor your social studies textbook, as it seems to me that you are gravely misinformed.
Lastly, i would like to beseech all Singaporeans put forth your courage as the people of the ‘Lion city’ and do what is right for this country, for our home.
Good day.
Catergorically rebutted.
WP is sounding very strong, I hope they work exceptionally hard to turn it into votes. There must be no stones left unturned, no grass patch uncovered.
I hope we do not get another dissapointing result needing 5 or 6%.
Its work, work,& more work and every vote counts.