Dear Scroobal,
Thank you for your insights again.
I understand what you mean about NSP's "historical background" but to me, history is to be made in our hands, rather to be the burden on our back.
Personally, I feel that the main reason for opposition's failure in making electoral progress for the past 2 decades lies in the Malay votes. 1988 and 1991 were exceptional years whereby the Malay community saw the need to assert their political voice, coupled with the dissatisfaction of the Catholics in 1991 which was related to the so call "Marxist Plot", opposition did put up quite a number of close fights in 1988 and making unexpected progress in 1991.
The PAP was so overwhelmed in 1991 that it began to make changes to their community policies and start to initiate a pro-active construction of community self help groups, particularly targeting the Malay community.
PAP has been quite successful in regaining the Malay ground since 1991. But one recent event indicates that there are some unhappiness in the Malay community over political representation. They were questioning openly in the Malay newspaper over the lack of Malay NMPs being nominated into parliament. This could mean quite a number of things of which I believe that the Malay community is not very satisfied with PAP's Malay MPs' performance in parliament. They are seeking alternative representation of their communal voice in parliament.
I do not expect to make any break through this time round but if I have the chance, I would like to lay the foundation for NSP to win future electoral battles in GRC by sending my Malay candidate into parliament as NCMP for a start. The rest, I shall leave it to the next generation of opposition candidates.
Goh Meng Seng
Don't be too pessimistic, it might just happen, my best wishes to you, Wai Leng, Salim and Kenn Sun.
I have to sit this one out.Maybe i wont be back. Need to rest.