This deserves its own thread -- PAP at the treshold

[Thick Face Black Heart]

From Fook Seng:

there are things that even the PAP cannot control and that is the mood of the people and how they vote. Even within the parties, the PAP, the WP or the SDP, many things cannot be controlled by the top leaders. BE PE 2013 was a very good example within the SDP.

I am sure, it is very disturbing for the PAP to suffer three consecutive defeats to the WP: Aljunied, BE HG and BE PE. Except for HG, the other two are both landmarks, not only for losing but for the manner that these were lost.

It is for these reasons that the PAP now have to swallow wounded pride to review core principles in their policy making. Although appearing very limited and slow to most people, they are trying to tackle the FT issue without causing an economic backlash.

There are also initiatives to try and arrest the cost of living issue with the new housing policies, at the same time solving a few other issues along the way, like the issue of singles and divorcees and surprise of surprises the TFR issue by facilitating the married couples to be housed earlier.

I also see a much belated attempt to grow the local enterprises with the SME schemes but this could already too late.

The transportation issue is a harder nut to crack and probably would have to wait for 2030 to have it finally settled. The first step to me, is the shifting of the control from car ownership (COE) to road usage and that will come around the time of the next GE with the introduction of the GPS system. With that PAP will not have to answer why the only the rich can buy a car but not the poor.

More need to be done to bring down the cost of living further (and all these somehow are related to property cost) so that consumerism and domestic economy can develop into another engine of growth instead of just relying on export sectors which are extremely volatile.

Whether all these changes can bring about a turn of luck for the PAP it is very difficult to tell. The fence sitters might possibly swing back but the longer trend of voters wanting a strong effective second, maybe a third voice, will continue to grow.

If the PAP continues to lose popular votes and seats, I can't see why internal problems like what we see in SDP will not crop up in the future. These are people solidly behind the Party.

 

[Fook Seng]

I have one thing to add. It is not easy to reverse past bad policies without incurring collateral damage. It will take time and this opens up a window of opportunity for others to take advantage of.

 

[Thick Face Black Heart]

I have one thing to add. It is not easy to reverse past bad policies without incurring collateral damage. It will take time and this opens up a window of opportunity for others to take advantage of.

SMEs will be the first to rebel. They are so used to pro business policies that they have structured all their operations around it.

 

[zhihau]

It is not easy to reverse past bad policies without incurring collateral damage

am interested to see concrete changes in the education system, they had generated a whole generation of serfs

 

[Summerbee]

SMEs will be the first to rebel. They are so used to pro business policies that they have structured all their operations around it.

I am afraid there are no big changes to existing policies. So far these are all very minor tweaks. The media hyped up the manpower curbs which are not really significant.

 

[winnipegjets]

I am surprised that you did not mention the displacement of local PMETs by foreign PMET. I would think this is one of the core issues that the PAP has to address or pay a big price.

 

[Summerbee]

I am surprised that you did not mention the displacement of local PMETs by foreign PMET. I would think this is one of the core issues that the PAP has to address or pay a big price.

I agree with you that this is an issue. However most Sporean PMETs I know, they complain and complain alot then on election day all go vote for papayas. GE 2011 less than 2 years ago, so really its the wish of the people.

 

[Bigfuck]

I have one thing to add. It is not easy to reverse past bad policies without incurring collateral damage. It will take time and this opens up a window of opportunity for others to take advantage of.

Yup, when you take short cuts, this is what you pay. If it is a not in my backyard policy like MNCs do, it does not matter, as you never stay long where you shit and eat. Our Leegime forget to realize that ivory towers are next to the place they eat and shit and they also shit in the towers. If they are forced to review their policies with a slight bit of depth, most of their fake scholars will realize how stupid they are as they cannot comprehend the full extent of the possible implications and they will start to blame past fake scholars for the screwup. I am already prepared that what they do will screw up. Nothing short of a 10 year well planned and integrated policy execution with lots of coffer expenditure will solve this. It takes that long. And in the process, all the old wounds of all they have hurt will breakout which as very unnerving consequences. The fact that errant fake scholars and MPs are unlikely to get punished (Includes Woody) is going to create the worst kind of resentment possible.

 

[Satyr]

am interested to see concrete changes in the education system, they had generated a whole generation of serfs

This is the thinking behind the educational system:

"The educational system is designed to create an elite class and the rest. The elite are trained to lead. The rest are trained to be followers. On no account should followers be given aspirations to anything like leadership. So-called meritocracy is subservient to this. A class system will become entrenched but this cannot be helped."

Do you think that anything will change ?

 

[zhihau]

Do you think that anything will change ?

hehehe... honestly, yes :p:p:p

 

[Thick Face Black Heart]

I agree with you that this is an issue. However most Sporean PMETs I know, they complain and complain alot then on election day all go vote for papayas. GE 2011 less than 2 years ago, so really its the wish of the people.

It is incumbency factor and the image that only the PAP can deliver economic goods. That is why it is so important for the opposition wards to show they can manage their town councils well and get their act together. Even though unrelated to the economy and job creation, it shows a level of seriousness and competence in the face of tough odds. The more the opposition shows that it can deliver, the more confidence the PMETS will have try out the alternative.

You have another bunch of Ling How Doongs, James Gomez, Ng Teck Siongs and Kenneth Jeyaretnams, and no one will vote against PAP for fear they are exchanging a lemon for something even worse.

 

[metalmickey]

I agree. In a sense, the fate of the PAP is already sealed, because the shit emanating from the bad policies of the past has yet to fully unravel. There is more shit ahead that they cannot change the course of in the meantime.

One of the worst things is the high cost of living and the high property price. Because of that, locals will (rightfully) demand a higher wage. Without that, you can pay a local guy $2-3000 a month and he will still be comfortable. Without that, you can run a business and be relatively well off without worrying about the rent. The rent is what sucks the life out of the economy, and also it makes the Singaporean economy uncompetitive with the rest of the world.

But if you try to deflate the property bubble, you would seriously piss off all the current property owners. You cannot solve the problems without pissing people off.

The PAP has to solve the problems. But it also has to solve all these problems while losing power in parliament. It has to want to solve all these problems. Those people who will stand to lose most from the PAP changing directions are also those people who are most closely associated with the PAP. This is why it has never been easy for the PAP to change, no matter how much pressure there is to change.

In a way this is why the WP has to look like moderates. They have to say to the PAP: look, we're coming in, we're going to take the seats around you, we're going to squeeze your balls a little. But we're not going to be assholes and oppose for the sake of opposing, we're not going to stop you from doing the right thing. We're not going to create legislative deadlock. We're going to be the right kind of opposition in Singapore.

 

[Fook Seng]

am interested to see concrete changes in the education system, they had generated a whole generation of serfs

I quite agree. Our own scholars (I am taking a broad meaning for this) are meek and lacking in confidence and hardly able to fight for their own rights e.g. in a job interview, they don't exude the confidence required for the job although they are actually better than the FTs.

 

[zhihau]

they don't exude the confidence required for the job although they are actually better than the FTs.

bro,
there's a high possibility that they are torn between giving the politically correct answer versus their own answer based on their personal beliefs.
oops, do they have a mindset of their own in the first place?

 

[Thick Face Black Heart]

You're leaving out something: PAP hubris. That's the internal gridlock they face, which is not caused by any opposition party. The "we know best" mentality, the view that singaporeans are economic digits meant to serve their higher purpose, well that's what holding back change. Only way to shake that hubris at its roots is to make more inroads into parliament.

The PAP has to solve the problems. But it also has to solve all these problems while losing power in parliament. It has to want to solve all these problems. Those people who will stand to lose most from the PAP changing directions are also those people who are most closely associated with the PAP. This is why it has never been easy for the PAP to change, no matter how much pressure there is to change.

In a way this is why the WP has to look like moderates. They have to say to the PAP: look, we're coming in, we're going to take the seats around you, we're going to squeeze your balls a little. But we're not going to be assholes and oppose for the sake of opposing, we're not going to stop you from doing the right thing. We're not going to create legislative deadlock. We're going to be the right kind of opposition in Singapore.

 

[metalmickey]

That is the usual explanation for the PAP's behaviour - the "we know best" mentality. But what if it were something worse? What if the PAP's purpose were to serve the interests of the businesses, rather than the people? Then it is no longer a matter of "hubris". They are fucking us because that is what they intended to do all along.

 

[andyfisher]

Yeap winnipeg, I also anticipate that this is a major issue seeing as how more and more PMETs are FTs.

I am surprised that you did not mention the displacement of local PMETs by foreign PMET. I would think this is one of the core issues that the PAP has to address or pay a big price.

 

[Thick Face Black Heart]

That is the usual explanation for the PAP's behaviour - the "we know best" mentality. But what if it were something worse? What if the PAP's purpose were to serve the interests of the businesses, rather than the people? Then it is no longer a matter of "hubris". They are fucking us because that is what they intended to do all along.

For what it's worth, Goh Meng Seng once did a back-of-the-envelope calculation of the sum of all the PAP's (familee, cabinet ministers plus MPs) financial interests. Came up to around $100 billion. That a helluva lot of money to protect for their sons and daughters, so yes, I believe they serve their business first and foremost, and Singaporeans second.

 

[TracyTan866]

I have one thing to add. It is not easy to reverse past bad policies without incurring collateral damage. It will take time and this opens up a window of opportunity for others to take advantage of.

to reverse bad policies, the first step for the pap to do is to honestly admit the mistake

 

[aurvandil]

We are actually way past the point of no return. Nothing that the PAP does now can change what will happen in 2016/2021.

On admitting mistakes, LHL "honestly" admitted making mistakes during GE 2011. He promised to make changes. In the 18 months since GE 2011, Singaporeans have seen him break one promise after another. The final straw was the publication of the 6.9 million White Paper. To many Singaporeans, this was the biggest betrayal and destroyed what little credibility he had left.

The PAP will lose their two thirds majority in 2016 and most likely fall from power in 2021. Whether they want it or not, the Opposition are going to find themselves in power by 2021.

to reverse bad policies, the first step for the pap to do is to honestly admit the mistake