So, Mr M S Goh, does the NSP endorse or condemn what the SDP has done?
You mean you don't understand what I say just now?
Goh Meng Seng
So, Mr M S Goh, does the NSP endorse or condemn what the SDP has done?
Sending a goon squad to arrest political adversaries at 4.30 am in the morning and locking them up for two decades without trial can hardly be described as a "political" victory. It's pretty much unadulterated thuggery in my books. The old fart's "knuckle dusters" comment was hardly a figure of speech. He used gang warfare that the Sicilian Mafia would be proud of.
My definition of a "political victory" is where political opponents go head to head in a campaign to win over the electorate. Lee's heavyweight political opponents never got that opportunity.
So the following letters from PM Lee to JBJ's sons is gracious?
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong wrote a condolence letter on the demise of JBJ, addressed to JBJ’s sons Kenneth and Philip Jeyaretnam.
PM Lee wrote that JBJ “used to engage in heated debates” in Parliament probably because “he and the PAP never saw eye to eye on any major political issue and he sought by all means to demolish the PAP and our system of government“.
PM Lee said that this “helped neither to build up a constructive opposition nor our Parliamentary tradition“.
Please read and re-read those UNDERLINED "consolation".
For me, Karma will find its way to go round. What you do unto others, others will do unto you.
Goh Meng Seng
Who care if lky arrested his opponent at 4.30 in the morning, he can have all of them kill if he want, sinkies will still grateful to lky for providing a secure and business friendly plc that bring us prosperity
No one is insinuating that LHL's letter is gracious. But what we are saying here is CSJ's letter lacks of humanity.
If you think that person is inhumane, you do not have to apply inhumane methods to him just because you hate him.
Hope you can understand what I meant and "i mean no ill will" :o
The issue is not about Singapore's prosperity. The discussion is about whether or not LKY's victories can be described as "political".
Karma will find its way. Even to those who deem themselves as taking revenge. It's a karma cycle.
Silverfox,
Politically, it is bad for CSJ to write that. But put it this way, if both of them are not politicians or public figures, would you still feel that the one being bullied all his life by his opponent is wrong to mock at his lifelong enemy when he is mourning? Think through carefully.
Goh Meng Seng
Karma only applies to Buddhist like GMS who is a believer.
Karma happens beyond religion. I am not a Buddhist but I know what goes around comes around.
Y GMS keep saying LKY have bad karmic reaction?
Politically or non politically,
Whatever it is, there is a time for people to grieve and there is a time for people to stamp their political points. And it is definitely a wrong time to raise all these issues on the pretext of a condolence letter.
.
If the letter is circulated widely, it will however be a revelation for many that MM Lee ordered the detention/repression of his political opponents.
Given SDP's positioning and CSJ's own experience, SDP stands to gain the most from this issue.
If you see things in this political light, then you will understand that the letter is simply a first step of a wider strategy against the PAP.
Dear Arun
Repression ? The collective memory of my parents who lived through the communist insurgency or who were students then knew the communist and their supporters sympathizers were no saints.
Most of us, heck even PAP ministers can see the difference between Vincent Cheng and hard core communist from the sixties. The more you lump cases together , the more you conflate in order to confuse , the more irritated voters get.
I as a voter do not care about LKY's legacy or what he did past tense, I only care for what his successors can do for me in the present. In the same vein I do not care about what LKY did to the communist, operation spectrum, Dr Chee, Dr Chee's dog or his sister. I only care abt what he can deliver for me today and tomorrow.
If he is going to campaign ard the theme of PAP repression etc etc etc , then he has lost the plot just as I was praising the SDP for excellent logistics and media management. Voters are selfish PERIOD.
Locke
With these letters, Chee Soon Juan and SDP just lost the only thing that they have which the PAP does not have: the moral high ground.
SIOW ah YOU! The old bastard was a crook and a traitor during the Japanese occupation! He ecen said those were the best years of his life! :oIo:
Singaporeans by and large do not walk on a moral ground. They are bread and butter issues first and foremost and secondly they would like to be seen as nice people.
CSJ is making at least two generations of Singaporeans know of the dirty deeds of LKY, the gecko and the PAP. At least two generations of Singaporeans do not know a lot about Singapore as they have been imbued with fascist propaganda from the PAP.
YOu may not agree with the letter or its timing but I am sure that you agree with its contents. No?
As a sec-gen of an opposition party, he should have separated what he wanted to said into 2 letters. 1 purely a letter of condolence and the other, how people were detained for years by LKY.
But like what I said earlier he is a great opportunist. The purpose of the letter is not to console (definitely not), but taking the opportunity. While LKY and his family are grieving, he wants to hurt them when they are saddest by bringing out all the "crimes" which LKY has done over numerous people over the years and illlustrate that while he has lost his loved one, many others because of him has lost their loved ones as well. And the most hypocritical part is "I mean no ill will".
It's like stabbing someone and then said, I don't mean it you know.
Of course, by separating what he wanted to said into 2 letters would not have this effect without hurting people at their saddest. CSJ achieved his revenge, not to bring out all these points, but for instant gratification. I pity those he brought into the contents of this very "condolence letter". They are the most innocent.
There are 2 major issues with the letters.
Firstly, the timing. Secondly, the mixing of the content - mixing the condolencences with LKY's past actions particularly the detainees. Even if there was an intention to express condolences, it has been totally negated by the latter part, even if the accuracy is not disputed.
Could he not have written about the latter part on other occasions, perhaps on the occasion of the national day of the last 10 years?
Sometime ago, we were just discussing whether CSJ has already lost the voters or whether he can make a serious comeback as an MP who could help the people and the country, if he listened and did the right things. He probably needs a miracle now.