People Association - its orgins and purpose

[eremarf]

Good information, thanks Scroobal. I knew about the historical PA but the updates of their work since 1993 is very interesting. (I venture that the historical PA also received support because life was improving rapidly back then - the PAP undeniably improved the lot of Singaporeans in the past - but that's not so clear today anymore.)

A friend of a friend is working for the PA. We talked about why the PA does not make opposition MPs the advisor (but instead makes the losing PAP candidate). He sincerely believed that the PA could not count on the opposition MPs to do justice to the PA's programmes. That makes sense only if the PA's programmes included as its goals the furtherance of PAP-specific interests rather than broad national interests.

In any case, the PARTISAN nature of the PA's activities, against the PUBLIC nature of their funding, should be a big Singapore issue in future. It's absolutely undemocratic and if you believe in democracy (in practice, not just in name), then you should speak and stand up against it.

 

[watchman8]

Oh yeah,almost forgotten,the trinity,the Father,the Son and the Holy Goh.IF the greedy and corrupt MIW are sincere in containing sharp fluctuations and aberrations in property price increases leading to property bubble,they should not have allowed PRs (Non-Singaporean Citizens) to buy HDB flats and they should not have deliberatly cut down the supply of HDB flats to singaporean citizens and they should not have colluded with the developers/bankers to push up property prices to extraordinary heights and allowing the developers/bankers to earn abnormal or extraordinary profits.

Yes, the pump priming of sg properties was the work of LHL and his merry men. After LHL took over, he was too keen to one-up woodland old man. He wanted to show the world that he rose to PM position by his own hardwork and talent, and not his dad's help. First was to pushed for casino, in which George helped him. Then to limit land release and new hdb flats while opening fully the FW tap with MBT to hold the fort.

 

[metalmickey]

People really need to use their common sense. Imagine that you are a university graduate with an engineering degree and you are asking your staff to organise lunch packs and transport to a rally site where the PAP is holding a rally. You then send an email to all the Grassroots leaders in your area seeking support and attendence figures. For some mysterious reason you do not do the same for other political parties that are contesting the elections. Are you telling me the engineering graduate cannot put 2 and 2 toegther and come out with 4.

In 2011 in the midst of the elections, a grassroots leader leaked the email from a PA GRO doing just that.

On one hand it is true that all these packed lunches are pretty undemocratic and subverting the proper process of democracy.

On the other hand who ever goes to PAP rallies anyway.

 

[scroobal]

Bro, In the old days, PA had 2 distinct roles. The fight against communism and to house ex-communist detainess and providing them an income was one. But more importantly they made sure that all races had their fair share of spotlight in terms of organising various cultural events. They did both very well. Sports started to bloom, HDB estates had vibrant activities for the young and old.

There is a merit in the argument that a stat board should deliver the elected Govt agenda and therefore an opposition MP involvement is not desirable. In fact it will be counterproductive. There is howeveractually no need for any MP, PAP or Opposition to be involved. In fact my guess is that people would readily participate if politics was off limits in PA. The role of an MP is to represent the people in Parliament not thru a Stat Board.

In the Westminster model, all MPs are given an allowance to rent space and staff to hear the issues of the constituents. The Govt does not provide this. It is fair system that applies to all elected MPs whether their party is in power or not.

Sadly PA has become a brothel. It is now the facilities department for the PAP MPs only. It is also the campaign and resources arm of the PAP.

A friend of a friend is working for the PA. We talked about why the PA does not make opposition MPs the advisor (but instead makes the losing PAP candidate). He sincerely believed that the PA could not count on the opposition MPs to do justice to the PA's programmes. That makes sense only if the PA's programmes included as its goals the furtherance of PAP-specific interests rather than broad national interests.

In any case, the PARTISAN nature of the PA's activities, against the PUBLIC nature of their funding, should be a big Singapore issue in future. It's absolutely undemocratic and if you believe in democracy (in practice, not just in name), then you should speak and stand up against it.

 

[Kohliantye]

View attachment 8419

The People's Association is now more hip and full of chio bu.

Why Orways Mee Hor. Like that no good leh. My larling no want I like dat leh. How can I allow the Botak to put his left hand on my shoulder. Preese lah.

 

[winnipegjets]

The Opposition MPs should push for transparency in spending by the PA. The auditor general should be asked to provide a report on the PA.

We need to see how the PA is abusing taxpayer's money.

Let this be an issue in the next election.

 

[eremarf]

Bro, In the old days, PA had 2 distinct roles. The fight against communism and to house ex-communist detainess and providing them an income was one. But more importantly they made sure that all races had their fair share of spotlight in terms of organising various cultural events. They did both very well. Sports started to bloom, HDB estates had vibrant activities for the young and old.

There is a merit in the argument that a stat board should deliver the elected Govt agenda and therefore an opposition MP involvement is not desirable. In fact it will be counterproductive. There is howeveractually no need for any MP, PAP or Opposition to be involved. In fact my guess is that people would readily participate if politics was off limits in PA. The role of an MP is to represent the people in Parliament not thru a Stat Board.

In the Westminster model, all MPs are given an allowance to rent space and staff to hear the issues of the constituents. The Govt does not provide this. It is fair system that applies to all elected MPs whether their party is in power or not.

Sadly PA has become a brothel. It is now the facilities department for the PAP MPs only. It is also the campaign and resources arm of the PAP.

Great suggestions - so we have a bunch now... let me try to list them out

1. De-politicise People's Association.
- cannot assist political parties in elections (provide labour, food, funds, etc to political parties)
- cannot assist political party agendas outside of election time (remove the role of Advisor, have only civil servants on the staff)

2. Former People's Association functions that PAP has used in the past and will require in the future, but which other political parties don't have access to currently, should be allocated from the public budget for MPs and their staff. Similar to the UK system, and also the US system (elected politicians have budgets for staff there as well - though their problem is that budget is so small compared to the political donations they can get from moneyed interests). This will help level the political playing field to some degree.

Most parties won't be campaigning on this issue for a while yet (not a bread and butter issue right? Singaporeans tend to be so "practical" and also short-term view), but when they do, at least SBF readers will have some idea which policies are good to support or not.

 

[kingrant]

Actually, it depends on where/constituency you are contesting. There will be large middle-class wards such as Tanglin or Bukit Timah, for which bread and butter issues may not be grist for the mill, but for which ideals and concepts will appeal. Therefore Opp parties have to learn to be flexible and choose tactics that are ward-centric.

Most parties won't be campaigning on this issue for a while yet (not a bread and butter issue right? Singaporeans tend to be so "practical" and also short-term view), but when they do, at least SBF readers will have some idea which policies are good to support or not.

 

[eremarf]

Actually, it depends on where/constituency you are contesting. There will be large middle-class wards such as Tanglin or Bukit Timah, for which bread and butter issues may not be grist for the mill, but for which ideals and concepts will appeal. Therefore Opp parties have to learn to be flexible and choose tactics that are ward-centric.

I think those rich people are also very bread and butter. But in their case it's more like truffles-and-caviar issues. Y'know. First World Problems. They vote for the policies that improve their material lot in life (e.g. less off-days for maids, more cheap labour for their businesses, no capital tax, no estate tax, lower income tax, less taxes generally - since they can afford all the education and healthcare and stuff, etc). And the keyword is "their". Not other people's.

But I would be delighted to be proven wrong.

 

[Conqueror]

Sorry Hor

He sincerely believed that the PA could not count on the opposition MPs to do justice to the PA's programmes. That makes sense only if the PA's programmes included as its goals the furtherance of PAP-specific interests rather than broad national interests.

I had knew this nong, nong ago when they wear the 超级白 super white coloured uniforms. Tsk! Tsk! Tsk! Shame on them. Liars ! PAP and PA are all liars !

Simeh ! Ancient PA got give olden days people better lives meh ?

 

[Conqueror]

More Pics Of Ancient PA

Above boh white lay. This one below is Lee Snr talking to the crowd using the PA as a guise ?

 

[eremarf]

Re: More Pics Of Ancient PA

Awesome pics bro. Thanks for sharing some history.

You can't really say "PA made life better" because PA is controlled by who? PAP right? So you can only say - the old-time PAP made life better for Singaporeans. So I am a bit grateful to the old PAP people (who mostly are dead already). But I also grateful to the Malayan Communist Party for scaring PAP, so that PAP care for people ah boh people end up support MCP. So, also must thank MCP. And also must thank MCP for making the British kancheong and faster handover Malaysia and Singapore to local government.

Both MCP and PAP also quite violent and nasty - so it's quite sad. MCP like to bomb things and assassinate people (but mostly in M'sia). PAP like to imprison people without trial, and whack the Chinese-educated jialat jialat (which is my mother and father so I a bit tulan). So I call it quits lah - both did good things and bad things.

 

[Kohliantye]

Re: More Pics Of Ancient PA

And also must thank MCP for making the British kancheong and faster handover Malaysia and Singapore to local government.

Bro, thanks for your submission.

However, I would humbly like to state that the real reasons why the British decided to leave Singapore and Malaya for good has nothing to do with the MCP, which was a menace to society from the very on-set and did not enjoy popular support from the masses.

The killing of the British High Commisisoner to Malaya by the MCP (Declaration of Emergency) and the manner in which these saboteurs (these was the word used in those days before the entry of Osama Laden) killed and maimed innocent people, children included, did not in any way led to a hasty retreat of the British colonialists.

The Japanese Invasion of Malaya and Singapore and the manner in which the British fled these territories left an indelible mark on the minds of the locals who were subjected to severe brutalities by the Nips. The locals therefore lost respect for the "invincible ang-mors". hereon, these people were viewed as cowards. How can one rule when one has lost respect from the people they rule over?

In fact, the British had already wanted to leave Malaya and Singapore for good as the war in Europe had drained their wealth and on the local scene diminished their standing in the eyes of the locals.

David Marshall could have been given the independence of Singapore. But he was not an ambitious man. The others, who came later managed to get Singapore and proclaimed themselves as the "champions" of the local people.

Another contributory factor was that at the end of WW2, many Nations started clamouring for independence. The presence nationalists leaders and the massive support the masses had for them started the journey of independence of many a Nations in South East Asia and the Middle East.

The Indians, led by "a half-naked fakir" (famous words of Churchill describing Gandhi) had the full support of Lord Louis Mountbatten. The British Empire was in debts and it's economy in tatters. It was crumbling from the East of Suez.

The Indonesian independence and then Malaya, accelerated Singapore's independence.

The MCP (Chin Peng and His Tiongsan Gang) did not in any way made the British leave Singapore.

It was the circumstances mentioned above.