[h=2]Is the Workers’ Party keeping a low profile?[/h]
November 13th, 2012 |
Author: Contributions
This is the question which is uppermost in the people’s
mind, especially Workers’ Party (WP) supporters. The Party was so prominent and
active during the last General Election that it was no surprise when it swept
like a tropical storm the redoubtable PAP team from the keenly- contested
Aljunied GRC. The Party continued to show its prowess in capturing the Hougang
SMC in a subsequent by-election. Since then and of late, the Party seems to be
resting on its laurels and is seldom heard of on the internet, much less in the
PAP-controlled mainstream media.
So much was expected of the Party’s star MP Chen Show Mao that apart from a
recent charitable distribution of mobility aids to senior citizens of his Paya
Lebar ward which was given publicity by pro-opposition websites but, as
expected, ignored by the MSM, we do not see much of the display of his
formidable talent which contributed greatly to the defeat of the reputable PAP
team in Aljunied GRC in the last GE. In fact, he has been so quiet that his
supporters could be excused for not noticing his existence.
Quite rightly, the WP cannot expect the MSM to give it the kind of publicity
that they accord to PAP ministers and MPs. But then the social media has been
quite generous in giving publicity to its activities as often as they occurred.
In fact the social media has been giving wide publicity to activities of
opposition parties as a matter of routine. However, there has been lesser
reporting of WP activities by the social media of late, especially since the GE
and Hougang by-election, probably because there was little activity to
report.
The WP is being looked upon as the vanguard of opposition parties, as it has
the largest number of MPs in Parliament, by progressive Singaporeans who want to
see a sea-change in the PAP-dominated political landscape of Singapore. The
scarcity of WP activities is hardly conducive to its leadership role to bring
about this transformation GE2016 is not too far off and now, which is as good as
any time, is the right moment for the WP and other opposition parties to work
the ground earnestly to make a real impact on the electorate in order to replace
the PAP government, if possible, but nevertheless to at least capture a few more
GRCs in the next General Election in 2016. Like the well-known Chinese saying:
The gale of wind sweeps away the fallen leaves (狂风扫落叶, together they can sweep
away the arrogant, if not decadent, PAP.
The prerequisite to such a magnificent political objective is unity among the
opposition parties to face the formidable electoral machinery of the PAP. It is
a gigantic but not an impossible task for the opposition parties, but first
they, especially the WP, must sink whatever political differences they may have
in the larger interest of the public sympathetic to them to forge an
indispensable united front against the PAP in the next GE in order to break its
political dominance. Up to now the prognosis is favourable to the opposition and
the WP and other opposition parties should not let this golden opportunity slip
through their fingers. They should double their effort to ensure and improve the
favourable prognosis when GE 2016 comes around.
WP may not agree with the assessment that it is not politically vigorous of
late but it is hoped that WP will take it in the spirit in which it is made to
spur it out of any complacency.
.
Yoong Siew Wah
Mr Yoong Siew Wah was the Director of Singapore’s Internal Security
Department (ISD) from 1971 to 1974. Before his stint with ISD, he was the
director of the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB). The SPH book “Men
in White”, alleged in page 441 that Mr Yoong was asked to quit CPIB in 1971
after he was “suspected” of using his personal influence to assist his friend Mr
Francis Seow, then the ex-Solicitor General of Singapore in a case. Mr Yoong
rebuked the allegations as baseless on his blog. He is now retired and blogs at
http://singaporerecalcitrant.blogspot.com/
.
mind, especially Workers’ Party (WP) supporters. The Party was so prominent and
active during the last General Election that it was no surprise when it swept
like a tropical storm the redoubtable PAP team from the keenly- contested
Aljunied GRC. The Party continued to show its prowess in capturing the Hougang
SMC in a subsequent by-election. Since then and of late, the Party seems to be
resting on its laurels and is seldom heard of on the internet, much less in the
PAP-controlled mainstream media.
So much was expected of the Party’s star MP Chen Show Mao that apart from a
recent charitable distribution of mobility aids to senior citizens of his Paya
Lebar ward which was given publicity by pro-opposition websites but, as
expected, ignored by the MSM, we do not see much of the display of his
formidable talent which contributed greatly to the defeat of the reputable PAP
team in Aljunied GRC in the last GE. In fact, he has been so quiet that his
supporters could be excused for not noticing his existence.
Quite rightly, the WP cannot expect the MSM to give it the kind of publicity
that they accord to PAP ministers and MPs. But then the social media has been
quite generous in giving publicity to its activities as often as they occurred.
In fact the social media has been giving wide publicity to activities of
opposition parties as a matter of routine. However, there has been lesser
reporting of WP activities by the social media of late, especially since the GE
and Hougang by-election, probably because there was little activity to
report.
The WP is being looked upon as the vanguard of opposition parties, as it has
the largest number of MPs in Parliament, by progressive Singaporeans who want to
see a sea-change in the PAP-dominated political landscape of Singapore. The
scarcity of WP activities is hardly conducive to its leadership role to bring
about this transformation GE2016 is not too far off and now, which is as good as
any time, is the right moment for the WP and other opposition parties to work
the ground earnestly to make a real impact on the electorate in order to replace
the PAP government, if possible, but nevertheless to at least capture a few more
GRCs in the next General Election in 2016. Like the well-known Chinese saying:
The gale of wind sweeps away the fallen leaves (狂风扫落叶, together they can sweep
away the arrogant, if not decadent, PAP.
The prerequisite to such a magnificent political objective is unity among the
opposition parties to face the formidable electoral machinery of the PAP. It is
a gigantic but not an impossible task for the opposition parties, but first
they, especially the WP, must sink whatever political differences they may have
in the larger interest of the public sympathetic to them to forge an
indispensable united front against the PAP in the next GE in order to break its
political dominance. Up to now the prognosis is favourable to the opposition and
the WP and other opposition parties should not let this golden opportunity slip
through their fingers. They should double their effort to ensure and improve the
favourable prognosis when GE 2016 comes around.
WP may not agree with the assessment that it is not politically vigorous of
late but it is hoped that WP will take it in the spirit in which it is made to
spur it out of any complacency.
.
Yoong Siew Wah
Mr Yoong Siew Wah was the Director of Singapore’s Internal Security
Department (ISD) from 1971 to 1974. Before his stint with ISD, he was the
director of the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB). The SPH book “Men
in White”, alleged in page 441 that Mr Yoong was asked to quit CPIB in 1971
after he was “suspected” of using his personal influence to assist his friend Mr
Francis Seow, then the ex-Solicitor General of Singapore in a case. Mr Yoong
rebuked the allegations as baseless on his blog. He is now retired and blogs at
http://singaporerecalcitrant.blogspot.com/
.
