Is the Workers' Party too quiet for Singaporeans?

[Sideswipe]

I

Interesting enough, majority of those who commented were disappointed with WP's lack of voices in various issues. Some even stated categorically that they may just spoil their votes if WP stands in their wards.

Some even mention Yaw Shin Leong's choice of voting PAP as the reason of their disappointment and spoiling their votes.

Peasants are sometimes naive - how vocal they expect WP to make when they gave them just 1 seat in Parliament. LTK is Hougang MP for Parliament for, not Singapore Oppositions Voters for Parliament. No other WP candidates are elected into Parliament. ( NCMP doesn't count ) so LTK as the leader of WP is responsible to Hougang residents only.

If you gave WP 10 seats in Parliament, different story all together. I guarantee confirm LTK and gang will be more vocal X 5 louder than CSJ.

Seriously, Yaw Shin Leong' voting for PAP is treacherous to the opposition camp and the 33% voters.
He is probably thinking of portraying himself as a rational thinking politician who can vote beyond party lines if the need arises. But he just ended up looking like a idiot.

 

[scroobal]

Maybe it explains why Low is not confident in allowing his people to speak in a forum. I suppose with the lack of resources and in this climate, one has to be cautious. I also do realise that its YWP.

Maybe if the likes of Choon Yong were to engage in one of the many internet forums, he might have a better understanding of what people feel, what ticks etc.

I remember that my first foray into the Internet in sg.soc.culture etc, I realised then that Singapore politics revolves heavily around HDB, followed far behind by the next important thing - CPF. I never bought a HDB flat and had no idea what was going on. I made it point to know more.

Dear Scroobal

You will have to excuse Choon Yong :_)) These are I believe his pet topics and pet concerns of course some opposition politicians not only CY have not realized fully that what is one's PET concern might not necessarily be an electoral concern

Locke

 

[scroobal]

I agree with you on Yaw and it will continue to be an albatross around Low's neck. I however do not agree with the noise level tied with the number of seats in parliament. In fact, one needs to be louder to get more seats. There has to be presence, there has to be a raised profile and there has to be sense of being able to take the stage effectively in parliament.

There are so many safe yet strong topics even if raised rhetorically will make an impact. A good example is for WP to state publicly that they going to talk to Singporeans and find out how bad the job situation is for Singaporeans.

how vocal they expect WP to make when they gave them just 1 seat in Parliament. LTK is Hougang MP for Parliament for, not Singapore Oppositions Voters for Parliament. No other WP candidates are elected into Parliament. ( NCMP doesn't count ) so LTK as the leader of WP is responsible to Hougang residents only.

If you gave WP 10 seats in Parliament, different story all together. I guarantee confirm LTK and gang will be more vocal X 5 louder than CSJ.

Seriously, Yaw Shin Leong' voting for PAP is treacherous to the opposition camp and the 33% voters.
He is probably thinking of portraying himself as a rational thinking politician who can vote beyond party lines if the need arises. But he just ended up looking like a idiot.

 

[Wang Ye]

I remember that CIA yearbook missed out WP altogether but had SDP and SDA. The latest one does not mention LOw but Sylvia as leader. Thats really poor form.

That is really bad.

 

[Ramseth]

Dear Scroobal

You will have to excuse Choon Yong :_)) These are I believe his pet topics and pet concerns of course some opposition politicians not only CY have not realized fully that what is one's PET concern might not necessarily be an electoral concern

If it's alright to have Myanmar as pet topic for some, I don't see what's wrong with having global climate change as pet topiic for others. Diffferent strokes for different folks and it's up to the voters to vote.

Anyway, Choong Yong should grow some political antenna; he should have expanded his concern about food suppy to include and focus on price, always a politically useful pet topic for any anyone.

 

[Robert Half]

Someone better tell Low that meet and greet is not a strategy. Its an appetiser at best.

You saw him walking around with his WP members in East Coast GRC selling WP newspapers recent Sunday

 

[Perspective]

Someone better tell Low that meet and greet is not a strategy. Its an appetiser at best.

Politicians are known never to listen. That might be an indication of decisiveness but we can also say it's from a hard ear.

For that matter, we're all flawed humans voicing our opinions. Can see why I have never approached things as 3rd party from a critical angle, only an analytical angle. Perhaps the only one. Some would say it's soft. Then again, the story goes on.

 

[IR123]

Worker Party has 1 + 1 = 3% of seats in Parliament.

How much noise do one expect WP to make?

Life is not complicated. The peasants have already sent out the straightforward messages through their votes last GE that they don't want the oppositions in Parliament by voting in the PAP MPs in all contestable constituencies.

Thus why should the oppositions make so much noise? The peasants have already tell them frankly to shut up.

You want the Oppositions, Vote them into Parliament. We all rejected the Oppositions every GE then expect them to do check and balances in Parliament with just 2 MPs and robust, engaging discussion, debate with peasants outside of Parliament after being defeated and humiliated every GE.

Send them to Parliament, the only place that matter for politicians.

grumble about LTK?
Did any of you voted LTK in? most likely no.
LTK is directly answerable to only Hougang residents as he is their MP. As the leader of Worker Party, he is not answerable to any of us since none of their candidates are elected into parliament. Even if you vote for WP last GE, it's useless too as in a plurality voting system - defeated votes are wasted votes. our votes mean nothing in defeat.

These arguments describes LTK but not an effective opposition leader.

Perhaps it is time for more effective leaders to come forth?

 

[scroobal]

Locke keeps telling me that. Only those with big egos can form and run political parties. And you are right that they never listen.

Politicians are known never to listen. .

 

[scroobal]

He has held on very well and as an MP, he did better than JBJ. JBJ strength was fighting the impossible, Low gave it stability and allowed members voice and therefore a share in the franchise. Both JBJ and Marshall were very similar.

What Low needs is a good communications strategist. Someone with a singular focus of raising the positive profile of WP and its members. I suspect that he thinks that it has to be someone professional from outside and might not realise the strength he has within the party.

These arguments describes LTK but not an effective opposition leader.

Perhaps it is time for more effective leaders to come forth?

 

[Goh Meng Seng]

If it's alright to have Myanmar as pet topic for some, I don't see what's wrong with having global climate change as pet topiic for others. Diffferent strokes for different folks and it's up to the voters to vote.

Anyway, Choong Yong should grow some political antenna; he should have expanded his concern about food suppy to include and focus on price, always a politically useful pet topic for any anyone.

There is nothing wrong to have a variety of pet topics for those who eventually took the plunge into politics. But I guess Choong Yong has similar problems as many of us have, mixing civil activism with political activism.

Interview by TOC, which is no doubt an important alternative media in the net, is a great opportunity to carve out his political path which may lead to electoral politics. This would mean to position himself or make his positions known in a resonate ways to the voters' most immediate concerns.

Goh Meng Seng

 

[popdod]

They need to overhaul their website.

Learn sthg from SDP.
interactive & engaging.


:( :o :(

 

[scroobal]

Yes, the website as well the uniform. Its looks like its seen better days. Get some bright, decent colours, zipup top etc. Both not appealing.

You get the impression from the website and uniform that they trying hard not to get noticed. The young votes are very important.

They need to overhaul their website.

Learn sthg from SDP.
interactive & engaging.


:( :o :(

 

[Robert Half]

Yes, the website as well the uniform. Its looks like its seen better days. Get some bright, decent colours, zipup top etc. Both not appealing.

You get the impression from the website and uniform that they trying hard not to get noticed. The young votes are very important.

In today society.. young Singapore Citizens do not like democracy & prefer a one party ruler.

 

[jw5]

He has held on very well and as an MP, he did better than JBJ. JBJ strength was fighting the impossible, Low gave it stability and allowed members voice and therefore a share in the franchise. Both JBJ and Marshall were very similar.

What Low needs is a good communications strategist. Someone with a singular focus of raising the positive profile of WP and its members. I suspect that he thinks that it has to be someone professional from outside and might not realise the strength he has within the party.

In my opinion, Low and the WP have a very important role to play in furthering democracy in S'pore.
There is always room for a "not so noisy" opposition which makes pointed arguments against government policy now and again and who are seen to be dignified. What is important is that he and the party need to understand their limitations and keep recruiting willing talent into the party, otherwise they will just fade into oblivion eventually.

 

[scroobal]

Agree with you.

In my opinion, Low and the WP have a very important role to play in furthering democracy in S'pore.
There is always room for a "not so noisy" opposition which makes pointed arguments against government policy now and again and who are seen to be dignified. What is important is that he and the party need to understand their limitations and keep recruiting willing talent into the party, otherwise they will just fade into oblivion eventually.

 

[Perspective]

If it's alright to have Myanmar as pet topic for some, I don't see what's wrong with having global climate change as pet topiic for others. Diffferent strokes for different folks and it's up to the voters to vote.

I don't think I have mistaken when people drummed up the death penalty issue and want to give 'advice'. I can say death penalty issue is also not as fat as some people think it to be 'cos unlike other issues it is given based on a criminal conduct. Issues that ring are those that are out of your individual control, such as living costs and environment.

You can refuse to smuggle drugs or murder to earn the death penalty but you can't refuse to live in a house, take transport or die when the world ends in 2012. So what 'advice' would some people want to give.

 

[JavaMocca]

With state media covering the PAP and YPAP making so much noise on the Internet, the silence from WP is quite deafening, using a well worn cliche. No discussions, no debate and I guess little profile outside cyberspace.

Maybe its time, for Low and the CEC to mature and allow WP members to take part in robust and engaging discussion and debate with netizens in their private capacity and as thinking and assertive individuals.

Its such a shame that the Net which the PAP has difficulty controlling is not capitalised. Look at the SDP - first class presence on the Net, constantly in the face of Netizens and not everything said is right or acceptable by the general public.

Anyone else feels the same.

Personally, I do not encourage any political party members to have an individual internet presence, especially those who are somewhat internet savvy, because they are the ones who will most likely throw caution to the wind. The only acceptable web presence should be restricted to their own official website, where an official spokesman for the site will field questions and answers and post discussion topics, etc,etc. Using social media like Facebook, it should be controlled and again, the party line must be consistent and not left to each member to make comments and then say it is his own comments and nothing to do with the official stand of the party he had joined.

In any case, when there are issues worth debating and discussing on, there is this thing call anonymity on the internet. Thereafter, further the topics officially away from the internet and in the real world, where the real politics, engagement and solutions are.

What is deafening is the silence of the opposition parties on issues that mattered to the public and raised by netizens. What I like to see is the opposition parties taking it up off the internet and bring the topics further in the real world. Until the internet is ready to embrace the real world legally and fully, politicians should not use the internet to champion real issues, for the internet is merely an appetizer and not the main course.

 

[kingrant]

Personally, I do not encourage any political party members to have an individual internet presence, especially those who are somewhat internet savvy, because they are the ones who will most likely throw caution to the wind. .....

In any case, when there are issues worth debating and discussing on, there is this thing call anonymity on the internet. Thereafter, further the topics officially away from the internet and in the real world, where the real politics, engagement and solutions are.

What is deafening is the silence of the opposition parties on issues that mattered to the public and raised by netizens. What I like to see is the opposition parties taking it up off the internet and bring the topics further in the real world. Until the internet is ready to embrace the real world legally and fully, politicians should not use the internet to champion real issues, for the internet is merely an appetizer and not the main course.

Agree with you that Opp parties should hive off some of the substantive issues to the real world and throw their weights behind them and venture their official positions. Right now, it is as we are talking to a wall without as much as an echo, even when we are at times shouting at the top of our voices. This is rather disappointing. SDP rails and rants on their own agenda, and even if on a tangent, is not so bad. At least you know they are still alive. For the others, the cannons are rather silent and all life seems ossified behind their web pages to varying degrees.

On the other hand, there are well-known SBForumers recognisable from the Opposition who express their opinions openly without being inconsistent with their Party's, which is good.

Yet there may still be others who would like to use the SBF as a sounding board or post as a Devil's advocate before picking up any nuggets for the real world. Such shld be welcomed.

It may be that the PAP is already prepared to array their whole arsenal against anybody taking them on, esp the Opp. taking up the cudgels and charging at their windmills.

 

[scroobal]

Agree with you on your 3rd paragraph on the deafening silence by the opposition important issues.

I do however feel that one dismisses the internet as a valuable communication platform and forum at its peril. It just too valuable to ignore. Merely using it as a homepage cum webite is not enough.

The younger generation rely heavily on the Net for practically all their needs including finding out the trading hours and location of the nearest KFC.
They enagage in debate and discussions on various forums and there is a tremendous appetite for it.

Maybe if our opposition members undergo some sort of training on handling the Net with the appropriate safety measures, it does help. One thing is for sure, your comments won't be slanted by the state controlled media. Imagine a member of the PSC and yet they can slant the interview with no respect. Thats how the State media treats the Public Service Commission.

I do remember GMS correcting comments and interview he has given to the Media and he uses the Net now more effectively than before.

In essence, the danger and the opportunity cost of the Opposition not engaging the young voters and net savvy elder voters are real. More so when the State Media is the only available broad based communication media.

When I see Low and WP going on walk-abouts and shaking hands, my impression is not that the WP has deliberately chosen this cautious path but more likely that PAP has channelled the WP to use this path without the latter realising it. And we all know WP stand on its members enagaging Singaporeans on the Net.

Personally, I do not encourage any political party members to have an individual internet presence, especially those who are somewhat internet savvy, because they are the ones who will most likely throw caution to the wind. The only acceptable web presence should be restricted to their own official website, where an official spokesman for the site will field questions and answers and post discussion topics, etc,etc. Using social media like Facebook, it should be controlled and again, the party line must be consistent and not left to each member to make comments and then say it is his own comments and nothing to do with the official stand of the party he had joined.

In any case, when there are issues worth debating and discussing on, there is this thing call anonymity on the internet. Thereafter, further the topics officially away from the internet and in the real world, where the real politics, engagement and solutions are.

What is deafening is the silence of the opposition parties on issues that mattered to the public and raised by netizens. What I like to see is the opposition parties taking it up off the internet and bring the topics further in the real world. Until the internet is ready to embrace the real world legally and fully, politicians should not use the internet to champion real issues, for the internet is merely an appetizer and not the main course.