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<TABLE id=msgUN border=0 cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD id=msgUNsubj vAlign=top>
Coffeeshop Chit Chat - Time for oppo to go big in the next GE </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>kojakbt_89 <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>Apr-26 7:32 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 19) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>32319.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>Time for the Singapore opposition to go for the juggernaut in the next General Election
April 27th, 2010 |
Author: Your Correspondent
OPINION
For far too long, the Singapore opposition has been campaigning on the need to provide some sort of checks and balances to the PAP in Parliament during every general election.
Though each individual political party has their own manifestos, they are more of academic interest since no single opposition party is strong enough to win the elections and form the government on its own.
That is precisely why the opposition has been a punching bag for the PAP for the last twenty years or so – it is too weak and divided to replace the PAP to govern Singapore.
Elections are about choosing the political party or coalition to govern the country and NOT having more opposition in Parliament to hold the ruling party accountable.
The opposition seriously needs a radical strategic rethink if it should continue its tried and tested method of convincing Singaporeans to put more opposition in Parliament to check on the PAP.
As the elections over the past decade have shown, the most credible opposition candidates besides the two incumbent MPs usually garner no more than 46 percent of the valid votes.
This shows that it is not enough for the opposition to swing the middle ground of voters over to them by harping on the need to have an opposition in Parliament.
Besides, the impending changes in the political system to put more non-PAP MPs in Parliament will probably dilute the enthusiasm among voters to vote for the opposition since they are guaranteed a place in Parliament as NCMPs anyway.
The opposition should and must go for the juggernaut this time and not restrict itself to playing the bridesmaid in order to stand a realistic chance of challenging the PAP.
It has to show Singaporeans that it has what it takes to govern Singapore and it has an alternative, bold and viable vision for the nation which is drastically different from the PAP.
To quote an example:
The voters are like an attached girl who is now pursued by another man. One has been her boyfriend for a number of years – the PAP. She hardly knows the new suitor who has expressed interest in her – the opposition.
In order for this outsider to win the heart of the girl, he must be prepared to give her much more than her current boyfriend can offer.
This man (opposition) should not be waiting for the girl (voters) to break up with her boyfriend (PAP) before going after her.
He should indicate his interest early, pursue her relentlessly, propose to her and tell her what’s in store for her in the future if she chooses him to even stand a fighting chance.
Similarly, the opposition must reassure voters and convince them that they are capable of doing a better job than the PAP before there can be a significant swing in votes to them.
Just harping on providing checks and balances to the PAP will not get the opposition anywhere – they will win at most 40 – 50 percent of the popular vote which is hardly enough to deny the PAP its traditional two-thirds majority in Parliament.
The girl’s heart is wavering due to the broken promises of her boyfriend. It is time for the suitor to go for the kill.
An increasing number of Singaporeans are getting peeved with the PAP – young Singaporeans are struggling to buy HDB flats and start families of their own, middle-aged couples are stressing themselves out to make ends meet and elderly Singaporeans are frustrated at not being able to withdraw their CPFs – the ground is sweet for the opposition.
The opposition has seen a number of qualified tertiary-educated professionals joining its ranks in the last few years including two former government scholars who became members of the Reform Party lately.
While the parties may be weak individually, they will have a credible, impressive and formidable team if they stand together on a common platform with the intention of forming a coalition government to replace the PAP.
There are three things the opposition need to do immediately:
1. Get all the opposition parties under a common coalition, e.g. the Singapore Democratic Alliance.
2. Use a catchy slogan which resonates well with the voters, e.g. “Singapore for Singaporeans.”
3. Draft a comprehensive common manifesto documenting clearly the changes in policies which will be made if the opposition were to come to power.
The next step will be to flood cyberspace with their campaign videos, manifestos and messages till they become deeply ingrained in the minds of the voters.
This is the art of propaganda: one, you have to repeat a message again, again and again several times before they can register and have an impact on your intended audience and two, the message must be consistent, catchy and conspicuous. Having too many messages from too many parties will only confuse the audience and dilute their strength.
We are now standing on the crossroads of history. The next general election will determine the collective fate of millions of Singaporeans who are born and bred here. The opposition must not let Singaporeans down again.
Go for the juggernaut and teach the PAP a lesson it will never forget so that it will not take Singaporeans for granted ever again.
</TD></TR><TR><TD> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
OPINION
For far too long, the Singapore opposition has been campaigning on the need to provide some sort of checks and balances to the PAP in Parliament during every general election.
Though each individual political party has their own manifestos, they are more of academic interest since no single opposition party is strong enough to win the elections and form the government on its own.
That is precisely why the opposition has been a punching bag for the PAP for the last twenty years or so – it is too weak and divided to replace the PAP to govern Singapore.
Elections are about choosing the political party or coalition to govern the country and NOT having more opposition in Parliament to hold the ruling party accountable.
The opposition seriously needs a radical strategic rethink if it should continue its tried and tested method of convincing Singaporeans to put more opposition in Parliament to check on the PAP.
As the elections over the past decade have shown, the most credible opposition candidates besides the two incumbent MPs usually garner no more than 46 percent of the valid votes.
This shows that it is not enough for the opposition to swing the middle ground of voters over to them by harping on the need to have an opposition in Parliament.
Besides, the impending changes in the political system to put more non-PAP MPs in Parliament will probably dilute the enthusiasm among voters to vote for the opposition since they are guaranteed a place in Parliament as NCMPs anyway.
The opposition should and must go for the juggernaut this time and not restrict itself to playing the bridesmaid in order to stand a realistic chance of challenging the PAP.
It has to show Singaporeans that it has what it takes to govern Singapore and it has an alternative, bold and viable vision for the nation which is drastically different from the PAP.
To quote an example:
The voters are like an attached girl who is now pursued by another man. One has been her boyfriend for a number of years – the PAP. She hardly knows the new suitor who has expressed interest in her – the opposition.
In order for this outsider to win the heart of the girl, he must be prepared to give her much more than her current boyfriend can offer.
This man (opposition) should not be waiting for the girl (voters) to break up with her boyfriend (PAP) before going after her.
He should indicate his interest early, pursue her relentlessly, propose to her and tell her what’s in store for her in the future if she chooses him to even stand a fighting chance.
Similarly, the opposition must reassure voters and convince them that they are capable of doing a better job than the PAP before there can be a significant swing in votes to them.
Just harping on providing checks and balances to the PAP will not get the opposition anywhere – they will win at most 40 – 50 percent of the popular vote which is hardly enough to deny the PAP its traditional two-thirds majority in Parliament.
The girl’s heart is wavering due to the broken promises of her boyfriend. It is time for the suitor to go for the kill.
An increasing number of Singaporeans are getting peeved with the PAP – young Singaporeans are struggling to buy HDB flats and start families of their own, middle-aged couples are stressing themselves out to make ends meet and elderly Singaporeans are frustrated at not being able to withdraw their CPFs – the ground is sweet for the opposition.
The opposition has seen a number of qualified tertiary-educated professionals joining its ranks in the last few years including two former government scholars who became members of the Reform Party lately.
While the parties may be weak individually, they will have a credible, impressive and formidable team if they stand together on a common platform with the intention of forming a coalition government to replace the PAP.
There are three things the opposition need to do immediately:
1. Get all the opposition parties under a common coalition, e.g. the Singapore Democratic Alliance.
2. Use a catchy slogan which resonates well with the voters, e.g. “Singapore for Singaporeans.”
3. Draft a comprehensive common manifesto documenting clearly the changes in policies which will be made if the opposition were to come to power.
The next step will be to flood cyberspace with their campaign videos, manifestos and messages till they become deeply ingrained in the minds of the voters.
This is the art of propaganda: one, you have to repeat a message again, again and again several times before they can register and have an impact on your intended audience and two, the message must be consistent, catchy and conspicuous. Having too many messages from too many parties will only confuse the audience and dilute their strength.
We are now standing on the crossroads of history. The next general election will determine the collective fate of millions of Singaporeans who are born and bred here. The opposition must not let Singaporeans down again.
Go for the juggernaut and teach the PAP a lesson it will never forget so that it will not take Singaporeans for granted ever again.
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