By Loke Hoe Yeong/ photo by Terry Xu
NSP rally at Choa Chu Kang Stadium, 3 May 2011
“Where were you in the past five years?” National Solidarity Party (NSP) candidate Ms Nicole Seah asked the PAP. “Why was help only given last week?” She was referring to recent cash handouts that Singaporeans received, and on the National Wages Council’s call for wage increases on Saturday.
These actions, coupled with PM Lee’s apology to Singaporeans earlier that day, was due to the pressure faced by the PAP during election campaigning, Ms Hazel Poa said in Mandarin. “This pressure has to carry on beyond the elections… with opposition MPs in parliament,” she added. “This is the national duty of opposition politicians.”
Speaking at their rally at Choa Chu Kang Stadium under the rain, NSP candidates were responding to news that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had said sorry to Singaporeans for the PAP government’s mistakes. At his lunchtime rally at Boat Quay earlier that day, PM Lee cited a range of mistakes from the prison escape of Mas Selemat to the Orchard Road floods, while also acknowledging his government had not done enough on public transport and in controlling housing prices.
“The PAP finally admitted its mistakes today,” said Mr Yip Yew Weng, to which the rally audience chanted: “Too late, too late!”
Concrete proposals: independent commission on ministerial salaries
Other hot election issues were also raised at the rally, supported by well thought-out proposals put forward by the husband-wife-team of Ms Poa and Mr Tony Tan.
An independent commission that decides ministerial salaries should be set up, said Mr Tan. “And civil servants should be paid more than the ministers – they are the ones who make things happen,” he added.
Mr Tan’s impassioned delivery of these proposals was met with an equally fiery response from the audience. He also spoke on the pressing need to further ensure social mobility and inclusivity, and on the PAP government’s oversight in not being sufficiently prepared to tackle overcrowding and integration issues in Singapore with the influx of immigrants.
“We must put pressure on the [PAP] government to get it right, especially when they don’t get it right,” he said.
Ms Poa raised issues on government subsidies and support for public services. The cost of living is controllable by the government, she said, and wages need to grow faster to keep up with inflation.
Greater effort must also be made by the government to enforce employment rules, she added, relating abuses by employers to under-declare their employees’ pay in order to obtain more employment passes – only to hire more foreign workers at an even lower pay.
The need for ministerial salaries to be pegged to the median salary of Singaporeans – and not on GDP growth – was also emphasized by Ms Poa and Mr Tan.
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they only come when they needed u……
http://www.temasekreview.com/2011/05/04/condo-resident-accuses-lui-tuck-yew-of-%e2%80%98trepass%e2%80%99-denies-hurling-vulgarities-at-him/
Space
it’s obviously a case of “ask not what you can do for your country, but instead ask what your country can do for you”.
…………
well spoken indeed
space ole boi..this moanin you awoken?
let see..leekingyou/son inc DEMAND we pay a ransome to live ere..right?
next..
the same father/son inc DEMAND the country pay them a ransack wages that in the whole wide world..nobody can seek legally..right?
………
biased 5 May 2011
@Neutralilty
You are not only voting for Nicole Seah, NSP have hide other candidates behind her.
…………..
as4u biased…OTHER nsp hidin behind nicole seah skirt?
who made the rulins? ahTIN perhaps?
and in YOUR statement..sm goh too is hidin under ahTIN’s loose button blouse?
so to sum it up..a malay warehouse assistant is a nobody nor qualified to be an MP?
wow ole woah..imagined britain/poland used to be run by 2 dirty coalminers and the 2 countries went black? worst of all
south africa a diamond cladded country was run by a criminal who stayed incaserated for 27 ears…south africa by now hav only coalminin perhaps?
I like to see a reform in our govenment system. One that is similar to US type. The citizens get to choose their representatives and these reps only service the people they represent and do not hold any position in any ministry. These band of representatives will be like an audit committee and has the duty to approve govenment’s policies and ministers’, PM’s and President’s salaries .
The govenment will be led by a president and he gets to choose his talents to head various departments. This way we ensure that policies are reviewed in the fairest way.
Currently our people representatives are also holding positions in the ministries, that makes it difficult for a minister to be unbiased when planning for a policy. There will be some kind of conflict of interest between party conformation and social responsible. I have no doubt that PAP’s every action is for the good of Singapore, but are they taking short cuts to acheive some goals? Do they have the right to choose who to sacrifice to acheive the bigger goal? If they are allowed to declare their own salaries, why can’t CEOs and Executives declare their own salaries too?
Again, I’m proud of Singapore and appreciative of the work of some ministers. I want these very experience professional to stay and lead the various ministries. but I also want an audit committee to check their work. The current “Party” system has served well for a few decades, but it is time to upgrade to a better system. I like my ministers and I truly want them to continue their work, but they cannot hold two jobs that potentially may cloud they decision and policy making.
@neutrality – just because he was the PM before? that’s a not a fair comparison. he had far more opportunities and support to ‘prove’ himself over the years. of course he looks better on paper. by all means, feel free to back up your point.
NWC recommendations is nothing if legislation dun give it any teeth.
i also can recommend things like perhaps some ministers should quit their posts cos they draw too much money, but would they?
let’s drop the MSK issue, has he been formally charged for terrorism related activities? the real issue should be why so long still not yet charge? how long are they going to take? a question of efficiency, competence of our security apparatus. if MSK is held to no end, doesn’t it smack of racial persecution? wrongful detention? irrational witchhunt?
the flooding issues are still good. so many years, so many drains & canals & results fall short? shows that you (PAP) can’t fool mother nature.
An independent commission that decides ministerial salaries should be set up, said Mr Tan. “And civil servants should be paid more than the ministers – they are the ones who make things happen,” he added.
I like the above comment; this could swing needy civil service votes for the Opposition. They have lived in the shadows of the exhorbitantly-paid Ministers.
Neutrality,
there are always some old folks who insist that the younger generation dunno anything, have not eaten as much salt (or SG) as them.
i personally feel that SM Goh is of a higher caliber than many alternative parties. but people like him is squandering his talent to fight under PAP’s banner. i took into account that he was with PAP since inception. where he stands defines his values. like all the other MIWs of today, they should be seen in that context- where they stand.
i wished SM Goh have chosen to step down this election. PAP today isn’t the same since he joined when he was young. surely he can chart that change on an every 10 year milestone?
of a super hero or super villian, which more powerful? that is the trick question.
We can all see that the Opposition Parties voices are working ……….
PAP is trying very hard on demage control for all their mistakes made in the past years by:
> admitting mistakes made by all the HIGHLY PAID Ministers
> say “sorry”
> looking into improvement on policies which they did not even want to listen to the general Singaporeans’ feedback
> etc…….. etc……..
With such a POSITION OUTCOME on the Voices from the Opposition Parties during this GE Rallies, it confirmed that we MUST HAVE alternate voices in the Parliament by the Opposition MPs (in tens of them).
Voting is secret and there is nothing to be fearful to vote opposition parties.
It is Action time….. Go for it……. Vote for the Future of every Singaporean and furture generation of Singaporeans ………..
@glimkc,
The present Singapore system which is modeled after the UK Westminster system of parliamentary democracy will be good if PAP realizes that fact that it is just a political party and not the de facto government. It has to realize that the way of the governance is now different to the years of 60s to 80s when we need a strong party to steer us through the rough times.
I am not sure if I will ever see an US style government system over here in my lifetime.
We need to take back Singapore for the Singaporeans. PAP has treated it as “Singapore Inc.,” it is a company for them to make money and not a country that they serve.
Seen in this context, you will understand why they behave the way they do – replace workers (citizens) with cheaper foreign worker because they are “cheaperer & betterer” to misquote one of our Ministers. They need the GDP figures to justify the high salary and bonus they pay themselves.
If the worker (citizen) gets old or sick, they are asked to go to Batam, Bintan or JB to “retire” (or die) there so as not to take up precious space in Singapore.
Old soldiers like me who has served the country 30 months full time and 13 years in reservist are totally forgotten. Used and discarded. Not uncommon to see our dear older uncles and aunties doing odd jobs and collecting rubbish to survive. The shame of it all is that the foreigners brought in by the PAP, compete with these aunties and uncles too – shame on them, able bodied Ah Tiong too.
Vote wisely this time : Say “NO” to another 900,000 foreigners – if you are not hit today, it doesn’t mean you won’t be the target tomorrow.
We have a chance this time to make a difference : if we don’t use it, we have 5 years to regret and not sure if we have another chance in another 5 years time.
Wake Up!! Think hard!! Vote Wisely!!
@somtam
@mice is nice
The NSP candidates are actually not bad, notably Tony, Hazel, Nicole & Spencer…not sure about the rest.
If any 2 or 3 out of these 4 were fielded in Tampines, and if I were a Tampines voter, I will definitely vote for them and kick MBT out.
But for me, SM Goh is a different proposition. He may have made some errors during his tenor as PM, such as allowing too many Indian immigrants in, but I much prefer him to be a representative of Singapore than LHL (who I think is a spoilt brat). Call me sentimental fool, but I’ve come to associate Marine Parade with SM Goh.
NSP has so much attention on Nicole Seah that we forget that they have a useless former MP in their team (Cheo Chai Chen). He won Nee Soon in the 1991 together with Ling How Dong, did nothing for the constituency and was duely booted out after one term.
Call me practical, the NSP team is a much weaker compared to PAP
kilo
Call me practical, the NSP team is a much weaker compared to PAP
…………
you pratical? you are the SAME istana a-team lacky dog
who you think condemn ling of the sdp?
YOU? it was YOUR master..leekingyou himself that guaranteed the temples will be intact in chongpang
you merely think all opposition supporters are blind or stupid?
Posted at
http://www.temasekreview.com/
PAP lacks human compassion, too much on economics…thank you for a job well done, PAP, but sorry you are no longer relevant…
in other words, mbt was wrong to not control the hdb flat prices.
I do not see the purpose of NSP asking MM Lee for an apology now. He acknowledged in March the comment in his book was oudated.
Dear Neutrality,
I beg to defer that you think SM Goh has the calibre of an an MP.
Look at the empty promises that he has made -Swiss standard of living , S’pore entering world cup 2011 etc etc.
He said that this GE shd be fair and clean . And he is the culprit that started personal attacks on Mr. Tan Jee Say and Nicole Seah. 2 days ago he even launched an attack on his own men,MBT, WKS & Raymond Lim . Now he is in hiding.
Do you call these the marks of a SM. Singpaore don’t need a SM. We r just wasting our tax payers money.
To Annoyed:
SM Goh put in many years of sacrifices. Yet people were believing in a few days those who did far less but are media savvy. I would get worked up too.
SM Goh achieved for Singapore the 1984 Swiss standard of living by per capita income, 4 or 5 years ahead of the promised 1999.
Nicole Seah’s “apology” showed that she can prove a point without enough consideration to national interests and global current affairs. With so many followers, sometimes in real-time, this is risky. She can remain a talent in advertising.
PAP only needs a few catalysts for better and faster changes, such as the likes of Tan Chuan Jin.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZZcyU5eG5g&NR=1
Promises After Promise(PAP)-Liers
Wolves in Sheep White skin
Be our voice for us from Tanjong Pagar
Neutrality, 5 May 2011
hmmm, i have come to conclude PAP’s strategy this election. pity, they should have known that mixing apples of varying grades & labelling the whole basket (GRC?) as AAA standard isn’t ethnical. its simply not fair to demand consumer buy that basket of apples on such grounds.
in the real world, just look at how cattle (mad cow), livestock (bird flu) & produce (melamine milk?) are distroyed because the threat of letting even a few “uncontaminated” 1s through puts a larger if not entire population at great risk.
i’ve said this in other articles in TOc b4, the selection process is questionable. do not blackmail consumers (the voters) to support such business.
SM Goh’s stature wouldn’t diminish if he know when to quit, on the contrary, it would have done him well to know that within PAP itself, there are people who take control of their own live’s & not let others decide. i also feel that he should have served as PM another few more terms, as long as there is no LKY to breath down on him…
maybe MM needed to undermine SM Goh’s spirit by calling him names- wooden, just in case SM Goh overshadow LHL? obviously he can!
my opinion only lah…
“We need to take back Singapore for the Singaporeans. PAP has treated it as “Singapore Inc.,” it is a company for them to make money and not a country that they serve.”
This is so dad. My conversation with a few “well educated” young graduates shows that they have been brain-washed and bought into the PAP’s meritocratic philosophy. They totally have no compassion for the lower income group, saying that these group have themselves to be blamed for their own miseries and that their children’s inability to secure a place in local universities is also their own doing, because they are not bright enough. They fully support PAP in everything they said. I suspect they are with the YPAP.
I don’t even get payouts or anything and I am not complaining even though I am still paying tax. Other countries, tax is super high and you don’t see the money again as it goes to lazy people who choose not to work and live on government welfare. Whatever is deducted from my monthly salary goes into my CPF which I can use to buy house, pay my children’s education or keep it for my retirement. I really don’t see what all this complaining is about. Perhaps everyone has lived too comfortable a life and just decide to complain for the sake of complaining.
Flame me all you want but believe that I am not from an “elite” group and I still need to support my parents and we live in HDB. I don’t earn that much but yet I am very happy and satisfied. I feel safe in this country and feel there is opportunity here.
Have you guys been to other countries? You have not hence that is why you are complaining.
Katharize,
can people complain for not being able to afford to go other countries to see things for themselves?
eh, why do you travel to other countries that are not as safe as S’pore? not sure why you would travel & pay to go to places that isn’t as safe.
rather vague,.. so what are you satisfied & happy with?