Genuine Opposition Parties should UNITE!

[makapaaa]

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Coffeeshop Chit Chat - Genuine Opposition Parties should UNITE!</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=msgtable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="96%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msg vAlign=top><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgbfr1 width="1%"> </TD><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead vAlign=top><TD class=msgF width="1%" noWrap align=right>From: </TD><TD class=msgFname width="68%" noWrap>Fkapore <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>Apr-10 3:27 pm </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT height=20 width="1%" noWrap align=right>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname width="68%" noWrap>ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (1 of 3) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>31493.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>Opposition alliance will force openness and democracy

Posted by theonlinecitizen on April 10, 2010 5 Comments
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“If I were a citizen of Singapore, I would want to speak and vote freely. And this would be what I would demand from all political parties”, says Mr Hans van Baalen, Member of European Parliament and the current President of Liberal International (LI), the worldwide federation of liberal and progressive organizations and political parties.
Mr van Baalen, is in Singapore at the invitation of its LI partner Singapore Democratic Party for the Council of Asian Democrats and Liberals (CALD)-LI Mission to Asia titled “Fortifying Liberal Democracy and Partnership in the Region”.
“The parliament cannot be the ‘rubber-stamp’ of the government. For it not to be so, the opposition must be voted into parliament, so that they can question and also correct the government”, says Mr van Baalen.
“Singapore is an important country but it is not a free country; for the economy and politics continue to be under the dominance of the ruling party. Although Singapore looks much civilised from the outside, it does not have free and fair elections; and to force this to happen, the opposition, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and free citizens must work together”, he insists.
He believes that the opposition and independent candidates must find common platforms to work together. “The common objective of the opposition should be to challenge the dominance of the PAP (People’s Action Party).”
“Of course opinions and ideologies will differ between political parties. But to me the differences are not so big,” he continues. “The opposition alliance between parties and individuals, should work together to ensure that there are no walkovers in any constituency”, he says.
“The people should decide if they want a multi-party or two-party democracy, but my personal opinion is, a two-party system will be the most efficient, at least until Singapore develops as a mature democracy.”
Mr van Baalen then cited the example of Chile which is a multi-party democracy now, but it happened because in 1985 eleven opposition parties (with differing political ideologies) banded together against a strong-armed government led by Augusto Pinoche, to bring about a much needed change.
“Only this (opposition alliance), will force openness and democracy”, Mr van Baalen says. “If not, they (PAP) will fail to change”.
Mr van Baalen has also a “friendly advice” for the opposition in Singapore. “Look for forces of change within the PAP, especially the young leaders and work with them. This will be the beginning of a very good model for Singapore.”
Democracy is not chaos and it is not contrary to Asian values. This is a message the opposition has to continually and strongly emphasise to the electorate, believes Mr van Baalen.
Mr van Baalen says that he invited the PAP for a dialogue but was refused. “Never has any government refused us discussion. This proves that the government is very insecure. The governing party has got to change or loose significance”, he adds.
Mr van Baalen believes that the PAP should rightly be playing a prominent role to bring about change, but in the absence of this, only the opposition alliance can bring about the much needed change.
“To this end, Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats and Liberal International are always ready to help when asked. We will support the democrats for change”, he promises.
Report by: Ravi Philemon

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[kitkat]

Singapore is an important country but it is not a free country; for the economy and politics continue to be under the dominance of the ruling party.

“The people should decide if they want a multi-party or two-party democracy..

The opposition alliance between parties and individuals, should work together to ensure that there are no walkovers in any constituency”...

“Only this (opposition alliance), will force openness and democracy.... If not, they (PAP) will fail to change”

Will the SDP, WP, RP, SPP etc agree on this?

 

[SDPhopelessParty]

Will the SDP, WP, RP, SPP etc agree on this?

i agree only on this one >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Request for the SDP Chee siblings to maintain a low profile in General Election


Dear Sir,

At the time of writing this, the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) is known to be preparing for a General Election (GE) which is expected to be held within the few months. For the past 30 years the SDP has been active in GE. In 1991 it rose to prominence by winning 3 seats.

Since the 1990s, Dr Chee Soon Juan has continuously held the position of secretary-general in SDP. Dr Chee and his sister Ms Chee Siok Chin has tried to raise the profile of SDP by being more directly critical of the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP). This has resulted in the SDP being involved in a series of civil and criminal lawsuits.

Between 1984 and 1991, the PAP had seen its share of valid votes decreased from 78% to 61%. The actions of the Chee siblings had been to the advantage of the PAP. It had managed to portray the SDP and other critics as an assembly of hot-headed radicals. As a result, the SDP had been indirectly helping the PAP to win votes.

In the 1997 GE, the PAP reversed the decreasing vote trend by winning 65% of valid votes. In the 2001 GE, the PAP increased its valid vote share to 75%. In the 2006 GE, the SDP received approximately of 25% of valid votes in its contests. This was far below the 33% average for all opposition candidates.

Currently the SDP may be able to increase its vote share or even win a parliamentary seat due to apparent rising anti-PAP sentiments. It is essential the SDP should maintain contact with the masses through cool-headed rational discussion.

The Chee siblings had been associated with confrontational methods and this had almost certainly put off many voters. Therefore the writer urged the Chee siblings to maintain a low profile in the expected 2010 GE. It can still play a role as mentors to potential candidates.

With the large inflow of immigrants which are expected to more supportive of the PAP, this opposition would had to be very careful
not to give away any advantage to the PAP.



Yours truly,



Mr Chua Yuankai

 

[metalrover]

Bishan-Toa Payoh may likely see 3 cornered fight, with SDA-RP & SDP. Unless one of them abandon plans to contest there, it's unfair to SDP as they had been working the ground there for years...

 

[jw5]

Bishan-Toa Payoh may likely see 3 cornered fight, with SDA-RP & SDP. Unless one of them abandon plans to contest there, it's unfair to SDP as they had been working the ground there for years...

I don't think it's a question of fairness.
The party which has the greater chance of winning should contest.

 

[cleareyes]

Will the SDP, WP, RP, SPP etc agree on this?

There was once some form of cooperation. But that died when SDP winkhood WP out of Sembawang GRC in GE2006 and from then on, trust itself is thin.

U want all the opposition parties to work togather, be sincere, be trustworthy and be cooperative and not try to play people around.

No matter how SDP supporters try to defend what happened, SDP itself nolonger has the trust not just among many opposition supporters but on the ground as well. BTW, the new USD is not going to make things any different.

 

[Thick Face Black Heart]

There was once some form of cooperation. But that died when SDP winkhood WP out of Sembawang GRC in GE2006 and from then on, trust itself is thin.

U want all the opposition parties to work togather, be sincere, be trustworthy and be cooperative and not try to play people around.

No matter how SDP supporters try to defend what happened, SDP itself nolonger has the trust not just among many opposition supporters but on the ground as well. BTW, the new USD is not going to make things any different.

So if SDP stands against PAP in your constituency, who will u vote for?

 

[cleareyes]

Bishan-Toa Payoh may likely see 3 cornered fight, with SDA-RP & SDP. Unless one of them abandon plans to contest there, it's unfair to SDP as they had been working the ground there for years...

Did SDP really work the grounds in Bishan??? Just as in how they "work" the grounds in Sembawang?

SDA-RP has a better chance in winning than SDP will ever have. SDP comes in and PAP will still win.

 

[cleareyes]

So if SDP stands against PAP in your constituency, who will u vote for?

I do not think SDP has the ability anymore to come to my ward and if were to really happen, I will not vote for either as both does not serve my best interest or for the overall interest of Singapore as a whole.

 

[sadfcuk]

Did SDP really work the grounds in Bishan??? Just as in how they "work" the grounds in Sembawang?

SDA-RP has a better chance in winning than SDP will ever have. SDP comes in and PAP will still win.

Agree with you totally. Never really saw much SDP activity in Bishan/Toa Payoh.

 

[knightriderz]

So if SDP stands against PAP in your constituency, who will u vote for?

vote for sdp? Never... Traitors who go overseas badmouth the country. He shd learn frm churchill who for a part of his life was in e opposition.

 

[kingrant]

You appeared to be enamoured of Chruchill, but there's a book by Pat Buchanan called "Churchill, Hitler, and the Unnecessary War" which argued that the blame for the 2WW shld not be placed upon Hitler, but on Churchill. The author supported his claims with episodes from historical accounts where Churchill was shown up to be a lousy C-in-C, a lousy War PM because of his frequent ficklemindedness when he shld be resolute, strubborn when he shld be flexible. You shld try it. A thick book but worth while reading to get a diff perspective and contrarian view.

vote for sdp? Never... Traitors who go overseas badmouth the country. He shd learn frm churchill who for a part of his life was in e opposition.

 

[cleareyes]

You appeared to be enamoured of Chruchill, but there's a book by Pat Buchanan called "Churchill, Hitler, and the Unnecessary War" which argued that the blame for the 2WW shld not be placed upon Hitler, but on Churchill. The author supported his claims with episodes from historical accounts where Churchill was shown up to be a lousy C-in-C, a lousy War PM because of his frequent ficklemindedness when he shld be resolute, strubborn when he shld be flexible. You shld try it. A thick book but worth while reading to get a diff perspective and contrarian view.

i have to agree that the book is an interesting view on alternative views of the war.

 

[kingrant]

Well, that makes two enlightened souls to illuminate the darkness around here.

i have to agree that the book is an interesting view on alternative views of the war.