End of the PAP Ride?

[scroobal]

SDP issues after all these years is not the PAP. It is the people of Singapore. SDP has struggled to get Singaporean's votes since the disposal of Chiam. All other opposition figures and parties except for some absolutely unknown and unheard independent candidates have outperformed SDP outright and after 2 election, it quite obvious that SDP can't carry the local ground. Forget the PAP.

Sylvia on the other has done extremely well during the GE and in parliament. She is the single biggest threat amongst the opposition candidates because of her incisive parliamentary performance.

You always had issues with WP and the day you claimed that one day Chee would become PM and Gandhi would become President is the day that I sincerely thought you were not on the same planet.

Fighting the PAP with their immense arsenal of unfair and one sided rules is one thing. Getting the votes of Singaporeans is whole different matter. If you can't get 30% of votes after hogging the limelight for 20 years, appears to many that it poor understanding of the ground, erroneous tactics and misguided strategy.

Harping on Sylvia Lim and imagining things far from reality is not going to help you or your course. The era of "WayangParty" labeling and tagging has not yielded results and will never will.

If you want to take on Tiger, you don't talk about his dick size, his libido, his little episodes, you start working on your swing, your chip, your short game and your approach. Instead you harp on things that doesn't help anyone or yourself.

Unfortunately SDP has attracted people like you who prefer to berate others but have nothing to show for yourself. The idea is get your house in order and find out what the people want.

Even if you are slow by nature and dense by choice, you would have realised that Sylvia has outperformed the majority of PAP MP. If you think that PAP MPs actually outdid her, you got to be smoking your socks.

By now you must realise that writing grammatically correct sentences is not a factor in the scheme of things. The only consolation is that it does show that you do get at least one thing right.

Stop making excuses for SL, CST and LTK's half-hearted performance in parliament. JBJ never had a research team at his disposal whilst in parliament. Sure he made mistakes but that never stopped him from going all out.

As for current opposition, look at SDP. They aren't making any excuses (e.g.: we aren't represented in parliament, etc) either and are far more vocal and active than any other opposition party.

SDP has commented thus far and i'm just talking about the past few days, on the effectiveness of WIS (link below) and on Singapore's liberal democracy.

http://yoursdp.org/index.php/news/singapore/4498-is-the-wis-effective-in-the-first-place

Can anyone point out when was the last time LTK and SL spoke out on WIS or for that matter liberal democracy? I'll leave CST out due to his health.

Just no more excuses ok?



-

 

[scroobal]

Yes. The sons did realise that he became incoherent in parliament and wanted him to be remembered for all the right things. Any son will do the same.

To me it's apparent, his sons didn't want him to stand for election again.

 

[GoldenDragon]

If you EVER hope to win the easy way, may I suggest you stand as a PAP candidate? Because ONLY PAP candidates can win elections merely by visitng coffee shops and MRT stations.

Problem is PAP doesn't want him. I dare suggest no other parties want him too. He had to start his own party.

 

[kukubird58]

Yes. The sons did realise that he became incoherent in parliament and wanted him to be remembered for all the right things. Any son will do the same.

hahaha......this brings up the follow-on point whether JBJ is doing the opposition cause as a whole, a dis-service by forming a new party; also probably against the advice of his sons in this case....

 

[Windsor]

I tend to agree with your summation, but as one who do admire his doggedness and a man if principles, I do pity him. A lion against a pack of jackals fighting for Singaporeans is how I remembered him, and I salute his bravery (or foolhardiness). My heart goes out to him everytime I see him in Parliament and I do wish that he would just decide that it is better to give up than fight against such odds. This man is a true son of Singapore and his name will be etched in our memories. I don't doubt his sons feel a 1000 times more what I, a stranger felt.

Yes. The sons did realise that he became incoherent in parliament and wanted him to be remembered for all the right things. Any son will do the same.

 

[yellow_people]

Sylvia on the other has done extremely well during the GE and in parliament. She is the single biggest threat amongst the opposition candidates because of her incisive parliamentary performance.

You must be dumb and daft to say that SL is the single biggest threat. She did well in 2006 as a relatively new face but her performance in parliament has been lackluster. The buzz and excitement she commanded from the electorate has long since vanished. SL and WP's chance of winning this time around in Aljunied GRC, is not to be fancied. If she was the "Single biggest threat" as you put it, the PAP would have set the dogs on her long ago.

You always had issues with WP and the day you claimed that one day Chee would become PM and Gandhi would become President is the day that I sincerely thought you were not on the same planet.

I ignore this and the rest of the hyperbole and put it down to your drug induced state.

Fighting the PAP with their immense arsenal of unfair and one sided rules is one thing. Getting the votes of Singaporeans is whole different matter.

Even if we assume and agree the PAP play fair when it comes to the vote count; having political opponents play by the rules set by the PAP has thus far yielded nothing. Things are looking a lot worse for the Confucian majority in 2011 then it was in 2006. The apologist is quick to counter we have only 2-3 opponents in parliament. It makes nary a difference if the numbers were 20-30 LTKs and SLs for the kind of half-hearted and reluctant performance will offer only false hope and no improvement for the lot. With the "milder and gentler" conservative opposition politicians; PAP will still be able to ram their policies through.

If you can't get 30% of votes after hogging the limelight for 20 years, appears to many that it poor understanding of the ground, erroneous tactics and misguided strategy.

This I agree with you. SDP's understanding of the ground is completely off tangent and I suspect they know this themselves. The kind of change SDP is proposing is to completely uproot the current political system. The type of change the Confucian majority want is cosmetic; i.e. - more of the "mild and gentle" conservative opposition through parliamentary process. Not sure what the point of it all would be though.

Even if a fluke election results; these opponents seize control of parliament (like how LKY's PAP came into control when BS boycotted elections) the end result would still be the same. The LTKs will maintain the status quo with some tweaking at best. It will be some time before Ah Beng realizes he's been had. The name may have changed but things will remain the same.

 

[Dreamer1]

You must be dumb and daft to say that SL is the single biggest threat. She did well in 2006 as a relatively new face but her performance in parliament has been lackluster. The buzz and excitement she commanded from the electorate has long since vanished. SL and WP's chance of winning this time around in Aljunied GRC, is not to be fancied. If she was the "Single biggest threat" as you put it, the PAP would have set the dogs on her long ago.



I ignore this and the rest of the hyperbole and put it down to your drug induced state.



Even if we assume and agree the PAP play fair when it comes to the vote count; having political opponents play by the rules set by the PAP has thus far yielded nothing. Things are looking a lot worse for the Confucian majority in 2011 then it was in 2006. The apologist is quick to counter we have only 2-3 opponents in parliament. It makes nary a difference if the numbers were 20-30 LTKs and SLs for the kind of half-hearted and reluctant performance will offer only false hope and no improvement for the lot. With the "milder and gentler" conservative opposition politicians; PAP will still be able to ram their policies through.





This I agree with you. SDP's understanding of the ground is completely off tangent and I suspect they know this themselves. The kind of change SDP is proposing is to completely uproot the current political system. The type of change the Confucian majority want is cosmetic; i.e. - more of the "mild and gentle" conservative opposition through parliamentary process. Not sure what the point of it all would be though.

Even if a fluke election results; these opponents seize control of parliament (like how LKY's PAP came into control when BS boycotted elections) the end result would still be the same. The LTKs will maintain the status quo with some tweaking at best. It will be some time before Ah Beng realizes he's been had. The name may have changed but things will remain the same.

You are either a PAP IB,or you are a stupid SDP fool.after watching u for a while

Either way,u are not a blessing for Dr Chee,if u are in SDP,u should be chased out immediately.

Opposition patrties should heed the kind advice of Singapore former top PAP spy

The Subtlety of Gutter Politics
Politics in many countries in the world where elections are held every four or five years to determine which political party should form the government of the day has one thing in common. The incumbent government will try everthing in its power to ensure its return to power in the election. So in the period before the election, the government can be seen to be offering sweeteners to potential electors in order to win their votes.

For instance in Singapore, reasonably-priced HDB flats are being built to deflect the ruffled feelings of potential flat-buying citizens who were intimdated by the frenzy of the overheated HDB flat market in terms of prices and availability. Another inducement is the upgrading of aging HDB flats both in the PAP constituencies and opposition wards. Currently, there is talk of the restoration of the employers' cut of the CPF to the workers. To complete the destruction of the opposition hope of ever coming close to capturing any PAP seats, whether single ward or GRC, will be the inevitable gerrymandering of electorial boundaries which will indicate how soon the General Election will take place. For the PAP it will be a case of head I win and tail you lose.

In spite of all these vote-catching preparations, it cannot be said that the PAP is not worried about the ground situation which is favourable to the opposition and is likely to improve with the approach of the General Election. The internet is full of exhortations to Singapore electors, especially the young voters, not to vote the PAP. The mainstream media is not overly friendly to the oppositiion but it can be assured of robust support from the new media, especially the redoubtable netizens.

Discomfited PAP leaders are scrambling to salvage the situation and to try to find a plan to break the spirit and solidarity of the opposition. Is it a co-incidence that a former president of the Reform Party chose this moment to pick up a quarrel with the secretary-general of the party Kenneth Jeyaretnam to present a sombre picture of disunity within the party? This is exactly what the PAP leaders hope to see happen to the opposition. Is this an act of providence to strengthen the hand of the PAP? Reform Party is the best bet to capture the Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC in combination with the Singapore Democratic Alliance. Is there going to be a domino effect on the opposition whether by providence or otherwise thereby snuffing out opposition chances in the General Election?

Whether by providence or not, the opposition, especially Kenneth Jeyaretnam, should tighten up their security to ensure that no mercenary is infiltrated into their parties to cause disunity. It is still not too late to do that now. There is a Chinese saying: To repair the pen after the sheep have escaped is not too late. (wang yang bu lao, wei wei wan yi)


http://singaporerecalcitrant.blogsp...-max=2011-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=32

 

[yellow_people]

Whether by providence or not, the opposition, especially Kenneth Jeyaretnam, should tighten up their security to ensure that no mercenary is infiltrated into their parties to cause disunity. It is still not too late to do that now. There is a Chinese saying: To repair the pen after the sheep have escaped is not too late. (wang yang bu lao, wei wei wan yi)

It was Kenneth Jeyaretnam himself, that chastised the opposition just a couple of days ago for keeping quiet about TOC's gazette. What mercenary and infiltration is Siew Wah Yoong talking about?

The Chinese saying about fixing the pen after the sheep have escaped sums it up very well on Confucian herd mentality. Reactive instead of being proactive.

What's the point in fixing an empty pen after the sheep have already escaped?

 

[yellow_people]

You are either a PAP IB,or you are a stupid SDP fool.after watching u for a while

Either way,u are not a blessing for Dr Chee,if u are in SDP,u should be chased out immediately.

Opposition patrties should heed the kind advice of Singapore former top PAP spy

I'm sorry you feel that way. Perhaps you can point out where I should stand corrected.

The SDP's strategy in a complete overhaul or uproot of the PAP type government through confrontational politics isn't popular with the majority voters and it is reflected in their poor showing in one election after another. On the other hand people are not happy with the PAP system either.

As a result you have the in-between. The WP/SDA/NSP/RP type moderate politics that PAP tolerates and with the voters inclined towards. It seems the PAP has encouraged it by expanding NCMP seats to a maximum of 9. However, it has yet to bear a single fruit or at the least a scale back or retreat by PAP on any front . I have seriously reservations this type of moderate opposition politics ever will. This is a reason why PAP encourages this manner of moderate politics.

 

[scroobal]

Excellent summary of his attributes. Anybody would have done the sums and given up but not JBJ. If he had not gotten Anson and shown that PAP is not invincible after all, I am not sure where we would be.

He had a very lucrative law practice and he sacrificed more than most. He could have stayed put and milked the system or migrated with his sons but he did not.

I mentioned this before in this forum long time ago. While passing High Court, noticed that JBJ was taking a break from his court trial at the side door. A man wearing a singlet and short and on bike came along and pushed a roll of $50 into JBJ's side pocket. I was told subsequently that it came from the stallholders of the Ellenborough Market. It became apparent that the people from the forgotten bottom were the most supportive. It was no surprise that Anson delivered while places like Tanglin and Holland were always PAP strongholds.

I tend to agree with your summation, but as one who do admire his doggedness and a man if principles, I do pity him. A lion against a pack of jackals fighting for Singaporeans is how I remembered him, and I salute his bravery (or foolhardiness). My heart goes out to him everytime I see him in Parliament and I do wish that he would just decide that it is better to give up than fight against such odds. This man is a true son of Singapore and his name will be etched in our memories. I don't doubt his sons feel a 1000 times more what I, a stranger felt.

 

[scroobal]

This guy is truly anti-pap but he has one massive hang-up. He can't reconcile SDP failure on the ground and spends his time taking it out of WP and SPP. This thing started before the 2006 GE and has never let up.

Instead of working with the SDP and getting them to connect with the ground and the people Singapore, he spends all his time talking about WP and SPP.

It like a school kid who failed his O levels and keeps blaming his classmates with good results for getting into bed with examiners.

You are either a PAP IB,or you are a stupid SDP fool.after watching u for a while

Either way,u are not a blessing for Dr Chee,if u are in SDP,u should be chased out immediately.

 

[scroobal]

Forget uprooting the PAP completely or even trying to get one seat. SDP challenge is to convince Singaporeans to cast votes for them. It is a serious problem and I doubt they have received the message. If SDP crosses the 30% mark in ward, people are going to be genuinely surprised. The battle that SDP faces is not with the PAP but the people of this country. Don't put the cart before the horse.

Constantly harping about Chiam and WP is not going to boost the image of SDP or anyone associated with them.

You might want to spend more time telling us what SDP is doing differently or going to do differently.

The kind of change SDP is proposing is to completely uproot the current political system.

 

[annexa]

For how many erections so many people predict they will lose. In the end they win more. So I predict PAP get 90% votes this time.

 

[yellow_people]

SDP challenge is to convince Singaporeans to cast votes for them. It is a serious problem and I doubt they have received the message. If SDP crosses the 30% mark in ward, people are going to be genuinely surprised. The battle that SDP faces is not with the PAP but the people of this country.

This is precisely what the PAP brigade wants the voter to believe - SDP has a credibility problem; SDP has serious problem. In other words, SDP has to conform (kowtow) like the rest of the opposition for it to be taken seriously by the voters. All this while maintaining a media blackout on SDP.

Despite having bankrolled CSJ; LKY even today has sleepless nights thinking about the likes of CSJ "No duds in parliament" he proclaims. Why is that so?

You might want to spend more time telling us what SDP is doing differently or going to do differently.

As for what SDP stands for, what it is doing differently; you can read about it on their website. At least it gets update every other day instead of once every 3 months. I don't need to spoon-feed those that genuinely wants to know what the SDP is up too; what its doing. Suffice to say, at least SDP leverages to the best of the ability the new media.

They were the first to organize pre-election rallies and they have also been active on the ground they intend to contest.

It is for the voters to decide if they would rather have conformist opposition represent them in parliament. But I doubt the SDP would bend over and compromise on its principles. Actually I'm thankful it will not conform as its the last truly opposition party remaining in Singapore despite its performances in elections. The rest have already sold out on their founding principles.

Like I said in a previous post, come for better or worse; there will be 9 opposition MP + NCMP when parliament is convened after the elections. Ah Beng need not worry about there been none or fewer oppositions in parliament. It is very likely SDP (as a result of its poor showing yet again) will not be among them. That is too bad. But if Ah Beng believes for one second, change is coming from these conformists who will kowtow to the PAP in parliament ; he fully deserves what's coming his way.

 

[lockeliberal]

Dear Yellow

The question is whether one seeks revolutionary or evolutionary change. By virtue of the opposition winning or making in roads, any opposition for that matter whether SDP RP NSP or WP, it forces the PAP to adapt.

Some of the SDP ideas have been copied by the PAP, and ditto the WP ideas as well. Does the PAP give credit ? Hell no, but I believe SINGAPOREANs as a whole benefit.

As long as the opposition wins, AH beng will win. It will not be revolutionary but it will be evolutionary.

The labels do not matter conformist non conformist, confrontational less confrontational. What matters is that the PAP loses votes in any manner.




Locke

 

[Forvendet]

The labels do not matter conformist non conformist, confrontational less confrontational. What matters is that the PAP loses votes in any manner.

Well said. Votes are to be won from PAP, not from each other.

 

[lockeliberal]

Dear Yellow

Another fundamental flaw of the SDP and its associates. It attracts dissidents and activists types all from the liberal end of the political spectrum. In any other western democracy they would have been the green movement, tree huggers, move on, etc but they would not have been flag bearers and leaders.

Liberals closet liberals exists, dissent exists even within the establishment which the PAP courts so assidiously through its tea parties.

However dissenters would take one look at the SDP and turn the other direction. That said and done I am glad that in this election from the WP and the RP, you will see people who should be part of the PAP machinery but who chose to be outside it.


Locke

 

[scroobal]

I am not sure if you can call them liberals or they are from the liberal end. Frankly I don't see a coherent ideology or a style that would be attractive to liberals.

The best that I can think of is confrontational and a firm style that attracts followers that are pretty much fed with the long wait for change. This would be the majority. There are however some fairweather kind and opportunists that turn up because SDP does not regulate membership or turn away people. Look at their "associates". Any political party would not allow the use of their party platform for antics and self serving agenda.

In fact, I suspect that Chee would be better off, if he was more selective and kept things small.

Liberal I doubt it

Dear Yellow

Another fundamental flaw of the SDP and its associates. It attracts dissidents and activists types all from the liberal end of the political spectrum. In any other western democracy they would have been the green movement, tree huggers, move on, etc but they would not have been flag bearers and leaders.

Liberals closet liberals exists, dissent exists even within the establishment which the PAP courts so assidiously through its tea parties.

However dissenters would take one look at the SDP and turn the other direction. That said and done I am glad that in this election from the WP and the RP, you will see people who should be part of the PAP machinery but who chose to be outside it.


Locke

 

[Dreamer1]

Forget uprooting the PAP completely or even trying to get one seat. SDP challenge is to convince Singaporeans to cast votes for them. It is a serious problem and I doubt they have received the message. If SDP crosses the 30% mark in ward, people are going to be genuinely surprised. The battle that SDP faces is not with the PAP but the people of this country. Don't put the cart before the horse.

Constantly harping about Chiam and WP is not going to boost the image of SDP or anyone associated with them.

You might want to spend more time telling us what SDP is doing differently or going to do differently.

Agree with you,although it is clear that SDP is gaining on the youth.

The sooner Dr Chee runs away fr supporters like yellow people,the better it is for SDP,opposition parties and for Spore!

 

[Dreamer1]

Dear Yellow

The question is whether one seeks revolutionary or evolutionary change. By virtue of the opposition winning or making in roads, any opposition for that matter whether SDP RP NSP or WP, it forces the PAP to adapt.

Some of the SDP ideas have been copied by the PAP, and ditto the WP ideas as well. Does the PAP give credit ? Hell no, but I believe SINGAPOREANs as a whole benefit.

As long as the opposition wins, AH beng will win. It will not be revolutionary but it will be evolutionary.

The labels do not matter conformist non conformist, confrontational less confrontational. What matters is that the PAP loses votes in any manner.




Locke

Locke

I agree with you on this one,completely!

A great post!