Comments On WP That Will Get You Into Trouble With The Hooligans in WP Baru

[NamQiong]

Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workers'_Party_of_Singapore#2006_elections

WP’s performance since GE 2006 has been very disappointing. Besides making a few token speeches in Parliament, its leaders has done little or nothing to challenge the government or to promote political awareness and activism amongst Singaporeans.[ WP suffered a split in November 2006 when two CEC members left the party under contrasting circumstances. Its webmaster Goh Meng Seng was reportedly sacked after disgracing the party by engaging in mudslinging with a forumer in an internet forum which was widely reported in the media. Promising lawyer Chia Ti Lik resigned two weeks later following the CEC’s plan to impose gag orders on members posting in internet forums using their real names. Its Youth Chief Perry Tong next shocked the entire world by becoming the first politician in history to make a police report against his own supporter over some childish impersonation of his name in cyberspace.

The year 2007 would see WP’s support base being fast eroded with a series of inept performance in Parliament and public relations disaster. The two WP MPs in Parliament never dare to challenge the ruling party and was surpassed even by the NMPs and PAP MPs who dare ask very difficult and sensitive questions. When anger was boiling in the populace over the raise in CPF retirement age, Mr Low Thia Kiang asked the minister for state for home affairs Prof Ho Peng Kee why WP was not granted a cycling permit to cycle at East Coast ! At the International Bar Association Conference held in Singapore in October 2007, WP’s Chairman Sylvia Lim shocked Singaporeans by openly praising the PAP’s system as “fair and just”. In a interview with Straits Times later, Low Thia Kiang made veiled jibes at prominent democracy advocate Dr Chee Soon Juan as being a “mad dog”. This cause a serious backlash in cyberspace with many forumers condemning WP as a “Wayang Party” and a “pawn” of the regime. Social activist Mr Ng E Jay wrote in to the Straits Times Forum to criticize Low and WP. A week later during WP’s 50th year anniversary, posters were pasted outside the restaurant decrying WP as a “Wayang Party” with “no teeth” - a first in the history of Singapore.

WP’s persistence in refusing to form a coalition with other opposition parties to challenge the regime has caused a split within the opposition ranks. While Dr Chee Soon Juan has worked for the progress of democracy in Singapore tirelessly, his good work is undone by WP’s open endorsement, support and even praise of the system. An invitation by SDP to attend an election reform forum on 20 Jan 2008 was turned down. At the forum, ex-WP leaders Chia Ti Lik and Jufrie Mahmood slammed WP for betraying the trust of Singaporeans and committed fraud on the electorate by refusing to go against the regime’s will and wishes.

The current WP is a pale comparison to the past WP which is filled by strong, courageous and passionate leaders such as Mr David Marshall, Mr J.B. Jeyaretnam, Mr Francis Seow, Mr Gopalan Nair and Mr Tang Liang Hong. By lacking the courage and vision to pursue any form of meaningful reforms, WP seeks to ensure only its pathetic existence by feeding on crumbs left over by the regime. WP was able to win the largest share of votes during the last GE due to its positive protrayal by the state media as an “approved opposition” party which is cleverly used by the regime to ostracize voters from the SDP. More and more Singaporeans are seeing through the sham and are deserting WP at an alarming rate. Independent political observers said that if WP does not improve dramatically in the next few years, it risk become irrelevant by the next GE.

 

[i1u12]

u r a funny guy!
u talk so much about WP and u also said there will be trouble with WP hooligans. So which is which?

 

[NamQiong]

Singapore. Low Thia Khiang is a let down for the cause of democracy

It is unfortunate that Singapore produces opposition politicians such as Low Thia Khiang. I have known him for 6 years while I was a member of the Workers Party, and this much I can say for him. He does not understand what a constitutional democracy is supposed to be; not forgetting that Singapore is, or at least is supposed to be a constitutional democracy.

He is very good in Hokkien and Teochew oratory to Chinese hawkers and grocery shop merchants in Hougang who do not know any English. For him to tell them that such and such policies are good or bad; get their support and enter Parliament to merely argue on policies is what he does. He does not have a sound education in English, let alone any understanding as to what a democracy is supposed to be. In fact, it appears to me that he does not believe in democracy but rather in the style of the Chinese politburo form of government; where the Chinese have no fundamental rights and the rulers decide on rules and laws which they feel would move the country forward; with or without freedom.

To the educated freedom is fundamental. Without it, there cannot be progress in this day and age. In any case, most educated people do not want progress if it comes with a denial of freedom. Low Thia Khiang does not understand any of this.

I am referring to his interview with the Chinese language press which was published in the Straits Times Nov 1, 2007.

He says "the term opposition is a legacy of the western parliamentary system and I have never believed that an opposition party should oppose for the sake of opposing or to shoot one's mouth off". He is wrong. Opposition derived from ancient Greece, ancient China and even ancient India where debate was encouraged so that, through consensus the best idea wins, and the country wins and progresses. It predated western parliamentary system by ions. Secondly he is wrong in "saying western opposition parties oppose for the sake of opposing or that they shoot one's mouth off". I wonder were he got such ideas, or is he saying these things because it pleases the PAP?

He then says "Politics should be responsible politics". Surely that is so. Is he suggesting that anyone would want it any other way? And we have no problem with his statement that "Opposition should be a watchdog, not a mad dog". That too we all agree. Why mention this. Or is he trying to say that the SDP is behaving otherwise?

He seems to be stating the obvious. "It is not the job of the opposition here to offer alternatives to all government policies". Yes Mr. Low. Here too we all agree. This is obvious.

He says "While the ruling party has specialists to study and research various issues, the opposition lacks the resources to come up with alternative issues". But Mr. Low, the ruling party uses taxpayers money to employ specialists. Similarly, when the opposition form the government, they will too. This does not prevent you to speak for the people; to defend their rights and to further their interest.

The WP, he says is "unlike the opposition parties in the west who come up with alternative policies for everything". He is wrong. Not just in the west, but also in the north the south and the east; throughout the world; good opposition parties come up with alternatives where they see the need. Not for everything. The man is engaging in rhetoric and nonsensical rhetoric at that.

Mr. Low is supposed to not only challenge government policies but if necessary, to throw them out and form a new government and not just "to improve on government policies". If that is all that he believes the work of the opposition is; he should step down immediately and stop being a spokesman for the Peoples Action Party.

He says 'the opposition should not shoot its mouth off and offer alternatives and policies on a whim'. I agree entirely and may I add that to my knowledge, no one has yet in Singapore behaved that way recently. The problem is that the opposition, like his, is not saying anything at all!

I am astonished at Mr. Low's statement that the opposition "should not offer alternative policies before it has reached a certain stage, until they have reached the stage of being able to replace the government and that WP is a long way off". Believe it or not, he is suggesting that the opposition or his version of it, should continue waiting and let the PAP do whatever they want because in all areas, the PAP have more experience than the WP. Is this not the chicken and the egg scenario. If the opposition does not challenge the PAP, they will not get the experience. And since they do not have the experience, they should not challenge the PAP! Is there not something patently wrong in his reasoning?

And what is worse " He believes that his party is not prepared to challenge the PAP in the near future, and that it will take a very long time". In that case, why did he stand for elections under the WP ticket anyway. Has he not misled his people?

In a few words, this man has let down his people. The Chinese speaking kway teow man in Hougang food court may not be aware of this, but an English speaking college graduate knows this very well.

Whether he likes it or not, he should be told that Singapore is a constitutional democracy. In other words there is a constitution. In it, the people have rights. These rights are inalienable. It is not up to the government's discretion to provide it or not. It is mandatory. These rights are being trodden upon. Right of Freedom of speech is being trodden upon. Right of assembly is trodden upon. Lee claims Singapore is first world. First world countries have these rights.

And finally Singapore is not Guandong or Beijing. Hu Jintao may sit with his Chinese Parliament in deciding how and what rights shall be denied. If he wants Chinese style democracy, then he should go there. What we are supposed to have in Singapore is a constitutional democracy, which had it's roots in Ancient Greece. Singapore is an English speaking country. Not a Teochew speaking country. The laws of Singapore are written in the English language. He should know this by now.

Originating from the ideas of Aristotle and Socrates.

Mr. Low does not appear to know the principles of government, and appears to have no inclination or desire to learn it now. Very sad.

http://singaporedissident.blogspot.com/2007/10/singapore-low-thia-khiang-is-let-down.html

 

[OverTheCounter]

Singapore. Low Thia Khiang is a let down for the cause of democracy

It is unfortunate that Singapore produces opposition politicians such as Low Thia Khiang. I have known him for 6 years while I was a member of the Workers Party, and this much I can say for him. He does not understand what a constitutional democracy is supposed to be; not forgetting that Singapore is, or at least is supposed to be a constitutional democracy.
http://singaporedissident.blogspot.com/2007/10/singapore-low-thia-khiang-is-let-down.html

This is an excellent article by Gopalan Nair, one of his best!

Gopalan nair has absolutely DEMOLISHED Low thia khiang and exposed his lies, his deceit, his double-talk, his riff-raff.

The greatest WAYANG KULIT LTK thinks he can hide behind a veil of vague nonsense and pass off his cheap bullshit as being a moderate opposition.

In reality, LTK is not interested in providing any strong challenge to the PAP, but only in playing the role of an obedient poodle waiting for scraps to fall off the table of its Master.

LTK is no understanding of basic issues like democracy, what the Constitution provides, what it means to be a credible opposition, or even fundamental issues like the nature of parliamentary democracy.

At most LTK can hookwink uneducated Singaporeans into believing he is standing up for them and challenging govt policies on their behalf, but well read Singaporeans will have no problems seeing through his muddled and confused double-talk and his great pretense at trying to pass himself as a true opposition parliamentarian.

LTK is a fake, a wayang, a deceitful venal low life form charlatan with no political conviction of his own apart from trying to get a share of the PAP rule. He has no interest in opposing the PAP at all.

His WAYANG PARTY believes that the PAP laws are fair and just, when the PAP has detained its opponents under the ISA and have won numerous defamation suits against opposition leaders. His WAYANG PUKIS brag about voting PAP on their blogs, and when criticized, they offer no apology and say their "conscience is clear".

LTK is a dishonest and uneducated ill-bred charlatan who can even stoop so LOW as to criticize and put down the western parliamentary system just to bolster his own shoddy brand of wayang politics as being superior. LTK does not even know the history of parliamentary democracy, let alone able to criticize it.

The WAYANG PUKIS give so many lame excuses why they cannot do this or cannot do that, why they cannot offer alternative policies, when in fact opposition parties all around the world regularly offer alternative policies and propose intelligent alternatives. Just look no further than Malaysia. Look no further than what Anwar Ibrahim is doing.

LTK's vacuous assertions of "Politics should be responsible politics" and "Opposition should be a watchdog, not a mad dog", while being true statements in themselves, are in this context nothing but silly and childish attempts at diverting attention from the fact that the WAYANG PARTY has been seriously underperforming and not living up to the mark of a true opposition party.

LTK's lame, nonsensical and empty rhetoric may fool simple-minded voters, but will never fool educated Singaporeans who can spot cheap low-class bullshit when they see it.

The WAYANG PARTY is suggesting we should just vote for it even though it is not prepared to form an alternative govt even in 20 years. If the WAYANG PARTY is not prepared to challenge the PAP, they should just SAVE WHATEVER FACE THEY HAVE LEFT, EXIT THE OPPOSITION SCENE, and leave the hard work of opposition politics for real opposition parties like the Reform Party and SDP who are not only willing to provide a robust challenge, but also are prepared to work towards forming an alternative govt one day.

LTK is full of wishy-washy hogwash and cowardly antics that only serve to strength PAP's political hegemony and allow PAP to pass Singapore off as a sham democracy.

The sham opposition WAYANG PARTY is the greatest hindrance to democratic progress in Singapore.

My team and I will work very hard to DEMOLISH the WAYANG PARTY in the next GE.

 

[1tigerboy]

why you dont like WP ???

 

[1tigerboy]

read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore_Democratic_Party

 

[1tigerboy]

I do not understand why you dislike WP.
(as in you signature: The WAYANG PARTY is the greatest hindrance to democracy in SG. They must be demolished. A vote for WP only entrenches PAP's power and hegemony. SPOIL your vote if WP contests in your constituency, and stage a TOTAL BOYCOTT of the WAYANG PARTY.)

But to me they did well in the last election. I not supporter of them.... i do not stay over their area at all but i am impress with people voting them in Hougang at A (GRC) and also Ang Mo kio.

 

[OverTheCounter]

I do not understand why you dislike WP.
(as in you signature: The WAYANG PARTY is the greatest hindrance to democracy in SG. They must be demolished. A vote for WP only entrenches PAP's power and hegemony. SPOIL your vote if WP contests in your constituency, and stage a TOTAL BOYCOTT of the WAYANG PARTY.)

But to me they did well in the last election. I not supporter of them.... i do not stay over their area at all but i am impress with people voting them in Hougang at A (GRC) and also Ang Mo kio.

The role of sham opposition in a one-party state

Posted on July 17, 2008 by wayangparty
Suppose you were a doctor, and one day you diagnosed a young male adult with a malignant tumour. The only way to cure the patient was through major surgery. What would you do?

Would you just dish out some homely advice about having a proper diet, getting exercise, sleeping well, reducing stress in one’s life, and hope the patient gets better on his own?

Or would you immediately perform surgery on the patient and try to remove the malignant tumour once and for all?

Any qualified doctor would definitely answer that the patient must undergo surgery to remove the tumour. Just asking the patient to eat right, sleep well, would do nothing to cure him. He may end up dying from the tumour no matter how good a diet or sleep habits he adopts.

This is the situation with our local politics at this time. We have a sham opposition which is like a malignant tumour in our political body. It is making us unwell, and we may die a political death if we don’t treat it our condition soon enough.

The sham opposition I’m referring to is the Wayang Party. Why do I call it a sham opposition? It is because over time, we have seen that through its words and actions, it has no real intention of opposing the ruling party, but only making a show and pretending that it is opposing.

People may argue, but the Wayang Party often speaks up in Parliament and criticizes the government. How can you call it a sham opposition? Well, consider these instances:

• WP Sec-Gen Low Thia Khiang openly gave the PAP a passing grade in governance, and used the media to insinuate that other opposition leaders are “mad dogs”. This remark was made before WP’s 50th anniversary dinner in 2007.
• WP Chairman Sylvia Lim spoke in the IBA Conference held in Singapore that PAP’s laws are fair and just, and serve as a good benchmark for international standards. This is despite the fact that PAP has detained opposition leaders under ISA, people are denied freedom of speech and assembly, and numerous defamation suits have been won against political opponents.
• WP (joint) Organizing secretary Yaw Shin Leong openly bragged on his blog that he voted PAP and openly slammed opposition candidate Ling How Doong as a justification. When Yaw was hammered in cyberspace, he maintained that his conscience is clear, and never offered a single word of apology to his supporters.
• Low Thia Khiang frequently backs down when challenged by PAP MPs. He also remains silent on important issues. For example, when PM Lee asked LTK in Parliament if Wong Kan Seng should resign, LTK kept quiet. PM Lee then passed a sarcastic remark: “No answer. So I guess that settles the point”. By his silence, LTK made the PAP look good, and made the opposition look very bad. One wonders whether LTK is helping the PAP or helping the opposition.

The truth is that the Wayang Party only provides token criticism to PAP policies, but they never push through with their challenge, and back down when rebutted. The Wayang Party has praised the PAP on numerous occasions and even attacked other opposition leaders.

In 2001 after JBJ was bankrupted as a result of a defamation suit filed by PAP leaders, Low Thia Khiang held an AGM in which only 31 out of 60 cadres attended. JBJ was absent during this AGM, and LTK became the new Secretary-General of the WP. LTK’s appointment drew the ire of other cadres who considered the AGM illegitimate. A disgruntled faction, led by Goh Yew Chye, considered taking legal action to contest the legitimacy of the AGM. This event was reported by Agence France Presse, a report is archived here: http://www.singapore-window.org/sw01/010607a1.htm

Thereafter, JBJ resigned from the WP, totally disheartened at what had happened. It is clear that LTK had carefully orchestrated JBJ’s exit.

From that point onwards, LTK turned the WP into a Wayang Party, keeping it out of direct confrontation with the ruling party, but only providing superficial challenge and resistance. The PAP in turned has praised the WP for being a responsible opposition, and media coverage of LTK has frequently been positive even though LTK had not said anything of substance.

Why does PAP approve of WP? By having a couple of opposition in Parliament, the PAP can claim that Singapore is a democracy. In reality, Singapore is a sham democracy because the opposition in Parliament has failed to represent the constituents who oppose government policies. The fake opposition has allowed the PAP to claim on the international stage that Singapore is a first world democratic nation, but that is far from the truth. Till today, the PAP has full control of Parliament and is effectively a one-party state.

The presence of the Wayang Party legitimizes PAP’s rule and helps the PAP maintains its dominance and political hegemony. The opposition in parliament has been castrated.

The PAP in turn uses the Wayang Party to check on real oppositions like the Reform Party and SDP. The presence of sham opposition is the greatest threat to the growth of opposition parties who are genuinely interested in challenging the PAP rather than playing second fiddle to the PAP.

The Wayang Party is like a malignant tumour in our political system. If we ignore the fact that WP is a sham opposition, and only focus on voting in more opposition members to Parliament without considering the quality of the candidates, we end up achieving nothing, because the candidates we vote in will not challenge the PAP, but only help PAP perpetuate its rule. In the end, it is like telling a patient with a malignant tumour just to eat and sleep well, but not performing the necessary surgery to remove the tumour. The patient will die in the end.

The Wayang Party is the greatest obstacle to democratic progress in Singapore. We must be prepared to bite the bullet and perform the surgery to remove the Wayang Party first. Otherwise, our political system will forever be unhealthy, no matter how many candidates we vote into Parliament.

Some cyberspace fellows have asked, what can we do about the Wayang Party? There are a lot of things we can do:

• Stage a complete boycott of the WP. Avoid all their activities and election rallies. Do not legitimize their activities by participating in them.
• Spoil your vote if WP contests in your constituency, to send a strong message to both the PAP and WP that wayang politics is no longer tolerated.
• Support true oppositions like the Reform Party and SDP with your resources, manpower and money.
• Consistently criticize PAP policies even if the WP does not do so. Make it clear that the WP does not challenge the PAP at all.

Cutting the sham opposition out from the local politics scene may seem harsh, but it is necessary if we are to achieve democracy and political plurality in Singapore. We must each play our part and cooperate in this venture. Spread this message to your friends and colleagues. Tell everyone the truth about the Wayang Party and urge them to give their support to true opposition instead. Together, we can make our nation healthy again.

 

[kakowi]

being silent when someone asked you a question is a good thing...it shows you are considering the question

whilst i am not savvy enough to know if a vote for WP = a vote for PAP, i am savvy enough to know that these quarrels do not increase your standing in the voter's eye

in any case, a vote is for Singapore and the future we want, not WP, PAP, SDP or any other P

 

[thomas88]

.........My team and I will work very hard to DEMOLISH the WAYANG PARTY in the next GE.

You badmouthed so much on WP and finally ended that phrase. So may I know which team are you from as it seems to me like a rival hawker telling all customers not to patronise the other stall as their food is not clean.

 

[NamQiong]

You badmouthed so much on WP and finally ended that phrase. So may I know which team are you from as it seems to me like a rival hawker telling all customers not to patronise the other stall as their food is not clean.

 

[NamQiong]

Bro overthecounter,

check ur pm

 

[NamQiong]

why you dont like WP ???

 

[ILuvWP]

Workers' Party IS THE BEST! Opposition leader Low Thia Khiang is an able and good leader.

 

[mustpaycashhhh]

This is an excellent article by Gopalan Nair, one of his best!

[/SIZE]LTK is full of wishy-washy hogwash and cowardly antics that only serve to strength PAP's political hegemony and allow PAP to pass Singapore off as a sham democracy.

The sham opposition WAYANG PARTY is the greatest hindrance to democratic progress in Singapore.

My team and I will work very hard to DEMOLISH the WAYANG PARTY in the next GE.

Aiya you tok so much cock for wat? Evrytime u open your mouth my cock will be inside for you to suck.

U can try & demolish WP no problem. U think other pipper will just sit & do nothing to your pipper? No problem one. Opposition kill opposition dat's good for PAP. I heard dat some pipper want to say hello you. U better start to demolish as soon as possible ok? Don't let us wait ok?
LOL !!!