Lim Suat Hong
PAP election scare tactics are a fact. If you vote in opposition, your flat prices will slump; your estate will disintegrate into slums. We have heard this refrain often enough, trotted out at every election by the men in white.
What concerns me now is what a friend shared with me during a rally which speaks of how fear of the stick is emerging on the ground in other areas.
Among the people he had met was a 23-year old art student who did a three-month internship programme with the Ministry of Education and was encouraged to apply for the Art Education grant (local or overseas). It comes with a bond but is a good deal – tuition/allowance/fees – the whole package. He believes the ballot is secret but is still one per cent unsure. The student’s words were: “Better not take chances, call me paranoid, if you like, but I don’t want to risk my chances.”
He is also concerned about Internet surveillance and has stayed away from political commentary on Facebook and blogs, any indication that would give away his political leanings while waiting for his interview should the committee run an online check.
Then there is the self-starter who is in his 20s, a graduate from Shatec hoping to further his culinary career with a Lee Kuan Yew grant.
And finally there is a Peoples Association kindergarten teacher in her 40s who is grateful for the opportunities which she has been given with only O levels.
Sponsored by the PA she got a diploma in early childhood education followed by a Masters. She does not agree with how PAP kindergartens are run, but will vote PAP because she feels both beholden and is worried about her rice bowl.
Three encounters with people with different hopes and dreams but who all share one thing in common – fear. The two younger ones are fearful that when it comes to the awarding of scholarships and grants, committees given a choice of two candidates of equal standing will apply the upgrading “principle” of the PAP and pick the candidate who expresses support for them.
I don’t know one way or the other whether this is true or whether the interview questions will touch on political leanings but given the modus operandi of how the PAP government works, it is plausible. And it would certainly be foolhardy to go to interviews expressing discontent with the system. These are two young people who have come this far because of their hard work and they have and will take responsibility for the conduct of their own lives. I wish them wisdom. The teacher with her credentials should have no problems finding work with private kindergartens unless she is bonded. The question of breaking her rice bowl does not really arise and maybe she should just wait it out till the bond is over.
But all three need not fear the ballot box, it is where they can truly express their hearts and head and hopes. Our votes are secret. And this explains why and how it is so http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/05/your-vote-is-secret-dont-be-afraid/
To this group of people, or anyone who is looking for financial assistance from the powers that be and feel that voting with your head and heart will diminish your chances, think of it as a handout – the same way the “care and share” package which is in your accounts today is a handout. It comes once every five years and it may look good, but think how hard you have worked, how much we have all already paid for this package and ask yourself: can you really afford to pay the “true cost” of this package which comes with a PAP government which has increasingly lost touch with the ground, made monumental losses to our reserves, totally miscalculated the YOG budget, allowed a dangerous terrorist to limp out of Singapore and have basically run out of ideas and now stand on morally shaky ground?
And some final words of encouragement from the experience of one Mr Joshua Chiang: “I always believe that it may be a good thing not to be so dependent on the government so much. I gave up on Media Development Authority (as funding for my projects) after some time and it really made me more creative and less risk-averse.” I believe Joshua is now the business manager of TOC, one of many hats he wears.
For more TOC news about the general election, please visit our GE website as well. Click here.
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Tan Chuan Jin said : “can you translate that into action on the ground – which is something that we have done.”
Tan, are you referring to or including the INFLUX Policy?
Am I wrong that even you people have admitted the influx needs to be tweaked and people are unhappy.
So, BG Tan Chuan Jin, I will vote against you. Trust has to be earned. Respect also.
is it a carrot & stick or a high speed hamster wheel?
BG Tan Chuan Jin said “…Ideas are important but all of us have ideas, rhetoric – all of us have that…”
So, honorable BG sir, I small fry. What rhetoric are you talking about?
what is the construction cost of HDB? why the people still don’t know despite countless questions raised by Opposition and concerned neutral citizens?
Do you know? If you know, why not inform the People?
How much is the total Loss? Do you know? Either you know or you don’t right?
So, is the Reserves in good health? Yes? If so, how do you know?
Impress us with your answers. If can I vote for you. As simple as that. What is the point of rhetoric? I agree with you.
Let those in fear continue to suffer, let those who fear-not bring out the wiser and less sufferings to those still living in fear.
Once election is over and the polling result is out, let’s us all stand hand-in-hand in prayer for the success of opposition and prove to the world that Singaporeans are not daft but full of courage and intelligence. Let us pray that Singaporeans are not what PAP wanted to be – a fearful serant to PAP and not the other way.
However if the polling result proved dismal and PAP continue to wield its full power, than Singaporeans truly need foreigners to replace us, because we have provened to the world we people are made of useless morons, whose heart is weakened by PAP, whose mind is sold for a few stick of carrots, and choose a life that brings out the worse in them and for them. Only than I will not think twice emigrating from this sad place and never look back at pro-PAP voters again and they are not worth a salt to me my fellowmen.
If someone gives you a grant or aids in lieu of alleviating your financial burden and you truly benefited from it, shouldn’t you be thankful?
Wouldn’t you be happy that the someone you have chosen can be your voice in Parliament?
There are enough good people willing to stand up and be counted.
Election is like Employment, you (the boss) elect (employ) someone to represent you. If he is good and delivers the promises and serves you well, fine. If he fails to make the mark, then you have a choice (to, or not to, change).
If you have benefited from your Rep, why change?
If otherwise, you have a choice. It is unkind for anyone to take advantage and benefited from someone yet ‘sacking’ him for a job well done; right?
Win some. loss some. Be wise and fair!
Fear. Quite ironic, right? As adults, we tell our children that we should stand up for our rights at home, in the workplace and society at large. But we become cowards when election time comes around and the “fear” of voting against the PAP sets in. We compromise on the very values that we preach to our children. We are cowards and should be ashamed if we don’t uphold these values ourselves.
How long does the carrot and lollies satisfy your hunger for the privilege “reward” of a condemned future under the hands of failed tyrannical rule?
Vivian has been asked if Dr Ang will continue to serve in government advisory boards but he leaves it to the committee.
This is sad as the govt has valued Dr Ang’s experience in the past but when he switches to opposition camp, the advice he rendered is no longer valid.
There are people who wish to participate and give feedback in the hope of a better Singapore. Should we be given the stick just because we cannot agree with PAP policies on high HDB prices, pace of foreign influx, casinos, etc?
End of the day, any party which forms the government will have to answer to the electorate and we don’t show preferences.
YES, ALL MANUFACTURING COMPANIES ARE GIVEN SUBSIDIES FROM DAY ONE TO COME HERE, TAX FREE HOLIDYAS TOO, WHO IS PAYING, TAX PAYERS OF COURSE, IT CANNOT BE FROM LKY’S POCKET OR LSS’S POCKET,
BUT DOES THE TAX PAYERS BENEFIT, THINK……
WHY ARE THESE COMPANIES IN ALL KINDS, CALLED FDI, NEEDING SO MUCH OF SUBSIDIES Of ALL KINDS AND TAX FREE STATUS FOR 10 YEARS, WHY,
THE CEO’S ARE DOING THEIR JOB, HELL NO, MILKING THE ISLAND NATION, AND THEY CLAIM THEY DON’T HAVE A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD, HOW CAN THEY SAY THAT WHEN SO MUCH OF SUBSIDIES ARE GIVEN, IT JUST SHOWS THEY ARE NOT “UP TO IT” AND THEY WANT HIGH CEO PAYOUT, CHEAPEST OF LABOR, NOT SINGAPOREANS BUT CHEAPEST.
TRY SLAVES !!!
IT JUST SHOW, THAT THESE COMPANIES WILL NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE IT ANYWHERE IN S.E.A, WITH STRICT LABOR LAWS IN INDONESIA, THAILAND, WHY NOT TRY CHINA, INDIA, CEO’S…
IT JUST SHOWS OUR MINSTERS ARE DUDS, PLAYING ALONG THIS LINE,
SLAVE TRADING IS THE NORM HERE, AS LEVIES ARE COMING IN BY THE MILLIONS AND BILLIONS, FOREIGN LEVY OF ALL KINDS, INCLUDING MAIDS….
AND YOU BLAME PARENTS FOR NO BABIES, YOU MEAN YOU WANT YOUR BABIES TO BE SLAVES..?
DID YOU VOTE FOR THESE DUDS ???
I SURE DID NOT SINCE 1986………..
AND I SURE WILL NOT ……….!!!!!!!!!!!
DUDS=DAFTS
DAFTS=DUDS
Trouble is, ONE person had made our life so fearful after what he DID to the dis-senting voices and opposition and used our courts to “KILL” the person’s(ALL HUMANS ARE FREE SPIRITED) spirit and will to live. So, today, we have a nation of young that has no fight, no challenge, no imagination and that ONE person and his stooges claim, “our young must be apathetic to politics”, what a contradiction.
Trouble is the sing dollar appreciate too fast and furious. Is it good for us, you better think. Hot flow of money into any economy, closed or open, is not good as it destabilize all things.
Our trade with malaysia is more on, concrete, sand, granite, and granite sand and compared to food, chicken, vege, eggs, pork, its this trade of building materials, that brings in the bacon for the gov, in selling of land, condo cost and fees of all kinds to gov coffers. This trade is larger than the food cost all singaporeans consumed DAILY, since day one, look at HDB from 1973 onwards.
The nation has lost christmas island because of some despot,LYH, imagine if we have christmas island, our army, navy and air force cost can be saved in the billions, instead of going to australia, new zealand, taiwan, south africa for training.
LIKE SOMEONE SAID.
“BUT, DO WE REALLY NEED AN ARMY IN THE 21ST CENTURY, WHY NOT HAVE A FEW A BOMBS AND LET THAT BE A DETERRENCE”
DOES ANYONE WIN A WAR IN THE 21ST CENTURY, ONLY THE DESPOTS WOULD WANT TO GO TO WAR IN THE 21ST CENTURY.
Imagine if christmas island is with us, our fishery can be develop, farming of all kinds can have huge potential, and recreation too. One can imagine the kind of things one can create there.
But then, we have voted in duds, with no imagination and that cost us aplenty. We have many malaysians chinese and indians and they say, “LKY is our saviour, he’s very good”, and these people have been taking away our jobs and depressing our wages, creating inflation of all kinds, but never wanting to take up citizenship, why, is the jobs not good enough for your children, the ones you have taken away from locals, the HDB that you have stayed, 10-20 years, not good enough for your retirement, the buses, mrt ????
As if this ONE person wants to show or prove to Mahathir, “look, we have created jobs and save your economy”, “your unemployment data figures IS LOW DUE TO US giving jobs to 600,000 malaysians”
It’s this ONE person that SAID, singaporeans are difficult, daft, has no spike, not hungry. This ONE person looks at us, all singaporeans as a BARRIER to his GLORY.
Now, do you want to give him your vote ??
Opposition members are also Singaporeans. The use of the carrot and the stick are more suited to Third World countries where pork barrel politics is prevalent. It is divisive and bad for nation building.
When the playing field is level, the political party with the better ideas should be voted into power to serve the citizens and to be the guardian of the country. The GRC system promotes cronyism and nepotism. This can be seen in the PAP’s failure to recruit good quality people.
I find it hilarius that American foreign policy has created Osama into a tyrant, religious freak, terrorist and the whole world just love it, any similarity here to the PAP and the opposition.
Don’t you all see the FAILURE of American foreign policy.
Who is Osama, a nobody, but made out to be somebody, a terrorist, what irony.
Can anyone win a war in the 21st, 22nd century, please use your head.
Does anyone wants to CONQUER a “BARREN” place called singapore and have to feed it’s people, provide electricity and clothe the people,
THINK !!!
because it has a world port, airport, business centre ???
THINK…..
because after the war, NOTHING, will be left.
Would you want to rebuilt after the carnage,
THINK…
PROPAGANDA is very real, as it will make believe everything here is VALUABLE, when it is NOT.
Local citizens have been degrading into
toothless animals domesticated by decades of total control of GEs by MIWs.
Think about the basic significance of our
voting right.
What values do you want to pass on to your children, the same degradation and Fear
365 days a year our daily lives are ruled and dictated by MIWs, are they the same as the old guards – A BIG NO!
I trust the opposition from how they have
been consistently voicing for us. Learn from them and live and exercise your rights, don’t behave cowardly.
The next GE the MIWs will not need your votes as your votes would have been greatly diluted during the coming 5 years.
What you should fear is the TOTAL power that the MIWs are determined to hang on to!
This election, I have decided to never buy another MSM newspaper. NEVER. Until a opposition wins.
I feel so sad reading the MSM. I am not impressed by their tactic.
The PAP may have done somethings right, in the PAST. But this does not mean people should continue to IGNORE the wrong policies and core issues adversely affecting the people.
Why do educated citizens continue to vote for them when they know they do not know many important things like :
HDB construction cost.
Land price.
Investment losses.
Influx rate and infrastructure capacity issue.
Do you such citizens only care about yourselves and not the plight of the numerous opposition supporters?
Are you insistent on having LOPSIDED Parliament?
If everyone is puts Self-Interest over the interest of the country and all its people, then are you not a population that has no sense of comraderie, compassion and conscience?
Are you praying to Money?
What is your Value System?
Can we unite in times of War?
Can we fight the enemy as one or join the enemy to save our own lives?
My dear fellow Singaporeans, do not fear. Scholarships, Rice bowls, To hell with them. You can get those too if you vote the alternate parties.
The men in white can do it, so can others.
Where in the world would you find ruling party using threats, scare tactics and dirty tricks (except communist country).
Is this the Gangster party that you like to bully you forever into what they want and not to see to your needs?
Vote for opposition and vote out Gangster-ism.
p
If otherwise, you have a choice. It is unkind for anyone to take advantage and benefited from someone yet ‘sacking’ him for a job well done; right?
…………..
cared to share which part is welldone for a simple task bein paid to YOUR REP
with the highest wages…
name me 5 good deeds..
now talkin bout sackin
when YOUR mployee is been caught sleepin a few times and even let foreigners to come in plunder/kill/xscape
would you still mployed him?
so where is YOUR brain today?
in your karchng perhaps?
i urge every singaporean to watch the video on Michelle Lee’s speech at Clementi rally for Holland-Bukit Timah Grc.
She spoke my heart on many issues and totally identify with us singaporeans.
Bear in mind you are human being, you are Singaporean, you are not an animal. You have your own feeling & opinions otherwise you are not much different with Singapore zoo habitat, they also have nice environment with home upgrading every few years. Any domestic issue such as grow & share scheme with daily expenditure debate which is part of your life only. It doesn’t represent your whole except your next generation. Wake up , emotional vote, no regret.
look at grant, scholarships, & all govt financial assistance this way, the govt should be proud to have identified the cream-of-the-crop & gave them a boost to represent S’pore in their chosen field. this should be the S’porean 1st treatment that will inspire future generations to excel, reach for greater heights.
its a great dis-service to S’pore if any political party choses people who further their selfish goals.
now, where do i apply for a grant to study the negative effects politics have on productivity?
This article is so true, a lot of my friends say they work in the civil sector must vote for them.
Can’t deny them their rights.
If our people is happy with whining every 5 years before our government hear us, then I to respect their decision too.
I am not too worried about the next election in 5 years time.
1) Cost of living
2) Medical cost
3) Housing prices
These will be back to “haunt” them again in 5 years time regardless those people are true born singaporean or new citizen, we are stuck in the same vicious cycle of 1), 2) and 3) and our government will only address it every 5 years with new carrots or sticks.
Those who voted for them please stay healthy if not you will be ask to stay in JB, earn a good salary to keep up with the rise in cost of living and not sacked due to our FT policy, good luck.
@Titiana
Titi r u at TOC or TR now? Ur hp something wrong? Can’t get thru’.. Tomorrow teachers’ meeting? What time? Pls reply
Hi everyone,
As a civil servant, I was told by a key personnel in the management that our boss told us not to share our political preference. And she told me she just wanna remind me as I have been posting a lot of comments on the Elections on FB, and those under my charge have access to read my posts.
Even as a civil servant, aren’t we just another Singaporean? I serve Singapore, not PAP. I uphold democracy (as said in our national pledge), honesty and all the good values which sadly the ruling party is not earning. My colleagues kept very quiet on FB because they are all afraid of their rice bowl. But secretly, some told me that I can help drive the change in Aljunied GRC because I reside there.
If I can’t openly uphold good values, then what kind of role model am I as a civil servant?
@Hibiscus
Lost my hp…
@2pm mtg… Cya
Using fear directly or indirectly to govern and win votes are akin to straw houses in the three little pigs fable. It is based on a weak foundation and will one day collapse. Just wait and see.
I don’t understand why Singaporeans just accept that if they vote for opposition, they are foregoing upgrading. Upgrading is a national policy, and every resident is entitled to it. If a particular party is blocking the upgrading for residents, and if the residents suffer for that, who is the cause? Isn’t there something that can be done to right this warped thinking that upgrading is a “carrot” when the lack of upgrading is actually a “stick” which shouldn’t be existing in the first place?
If I tell my son: “if you listen to me, I will let you attend primary school. Otherwise, no education for you.” It is wrong of me to withhold that entitlement, because attending primary school is her right (under the Compulsory Education Act), whether he listens to me anot.
Real fear or not it depends on the level of involvement.
1. Voting for opposition is definitely secret and safe.
2. Next up is being a nameless, silent opposition supporter. Also quite safe.
3. Then it is being identified as a pro-opposition blogger, supporter etc. Safe if you are not beholden to the government, i.e. MOE scholarship, teacher, civil servant, SPH journalist.
4. Last level is to be an opposition candidate. Anything you say may be used against you in lawsuits. Must follow the ridiculous laws to the letter. Definitely if you are in civil service your promotion prospect is gone.
Be AWARE of new MPs pass their BILLS 2U
a) Energy Sector-Sale of Spore Power etc.Why the new MP from this sector?
b) Finance – New MP is from MAS,Why is he being voted into as MP?
c) Defence Sector–New MP why is our defence spent increasing?
We need a LOUDER opposition to STOP them to pass more unknown bills to SPOREAN