Tin Pei Ling saga ¡®awakens¡¯ Singaporeans to flaws of GRC system
April 6th, 2011 |
Author: Editorial |
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Beleaguered PAP newbie candidate Tin Pei Ling has unwittingly stirred the political consciousness of Singaporeans following her ill-fated induction into politics with many neutrals and even PAP supporters protesting against her being fielded in Marine Parade GRC.
Though the state media has deliberately chosen to ignore the genuine concerns of Singaporeans at Ms Tin¡¯s candidacy, the ¡®noise¡¯ generated by netizens continue to grow.
Many Singaporeans are aghast at the thought of Ms Tin entering parliament on a ¡®free-ride¡¯ after which she will get a monthly 15K allowance as a part-time MP, courtesy of the ¡®generosity¡¯ of Singapore taxpayers.
More importantly, it opened the eyes of Singaporeans to the flaws of the GRC system which helps the PAP to send undeserving candidates into parliament without fighting a single electoral battle.
As an example, the recently retired Associate Professor Koo Tsai Kee had been a MP for twenty years without contesting the election once as his GRC helmed by PAP strongman Lee Kuan Yew is always a walkover.
An online petition calling for Ms Tin to be fielded in a SMC has garnered more than 2,500 signatures in less than two days. (http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/tinpeiling/)
Below are some comments posted by neutrals and PAP supporters:
Samantha M. De Silva:
¡°This is a clear signal that the GRC system is not the best tool in the electoral system to serve the people. It is not Ms. Tin¡¯s youth or inexperience that is the issue here; it is her inability to give even mildly intelligent responses to questions like ¡°What is your greatest regret in life?¡± and what her views on current policies are (she had nothing to say). She had perfectly good opportunities at her unveiling (and since) to defend herself and show us that she has some fresh ideas to bring to the table. Instead, we get fluffy comments such as her compassion for elderly based on the fact that they remind her of her parents (and that is different from the rest of us how?). Not a whisper about policies, either. So much for fresh perspectives from young candidates. The failure to field Ms. Tin in an SMC will prove to Singaporeans that it is time for the GRC system to go, once and for all.¡±
Lum Lai Ling:
¡°30 years of my life, I¡¯ve never been more interested in politics than I am now. Though I had never voted and probably will never vote (given where I lived ¨C Toa Payoh), I do feel rather strongly that allowing Tin Pei Ling, a young and not exactly-the-MP type candidate going into politics in Singapore is really a joke. To be roped into PAP as one of the youngest candidate ever, there must be something in her that is one-in-a-million. Unfortunately, this is not the case. When I do find myself smarter and more politically correct than she is, yet slogging my guts out in an office job drawing a pathetic 20% of what she will be getting, I feel sorry for myself and Singapore at large. What is PAP thinking when they chose her? All these just seems too dubious and the last thing we need is to have a political scandal as like many other superpower countries! Do not let the Singapore that MM Lee painstakingly built get ruined in the hands of immature and ignorant youngsters like Tin Pei Ling!¡±
Sean Tan:
¡°Me and my Family have been supporters for PAP for many years now. I am 28yo myself and seeing some one who is younger then me being possibly on the parliament due to a collective effort and being a ¡°free rider¡± does not sit well with me. Where is the meritocracy and democracy where people are chosen to be leaders by the people based on individual¡¯s credentials on success in whichever field/ industry which they had succeed in? We as voters should have a choice on helping the nation decide on potential future leaders and be able to trust them in their positions. I am signing the petition based on individuals, i just want to see a more transparent system where MPs credentials are validated by the people instead of just by the ruling party. Potential leaders should serve time and allow the people to familiar with them before given such an opportunity. Younger generations cannot associate themselves to politics unless they get to at least see/ hear them; especially when these future leaders would directly be the people in power representing them for decades to come. ¡°Nothing personal, its just business¡±
¡±
It is highly unlikely that the repressive PAP regime will listen to the feedback of Singaporeans and field Ms Tin in a SMC. After all, they are ¡®deaf¡¯ to all criticisms.
With public discontent and anger at the PAP at an all time high, it remains to be seen if the ¡®Tin Pei Ling¡¯ effect will cause it to lose votes and even Marine Parade GRC.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCJXt_y2_Gg
Beleaguered PAP newbie candidate Tin Pei Ling has unwittingly stirred the political consciousness of Singaporeans following her ill-fated induction into politics with many neutrals and even PAP supporters protesting against her being fielded in Marine Parade GRC.
Though the state media has deliberately chosen to ignore the genuine concerns of Singaporeans at Ms Tin¡¯s candidacy, the ¡®noise¡¯ generated by netizens continue to grow.
Many Singaporeans are aghast at the thought of Ms Tin entering parliament on a ¡®free-ride¡¯ after which she will get a monthly 15K allowance as a part-time MP, courtesy of the ¡®generosity¡¯ of Singapore taxpayers.
More importantly, it opened the eyes of Singaporeans to the flaws of the GRC system which helps the PAP to send undeserving candidates into parliament without fighting a single electoral battle.
As an example, the recently retired Associate Professor Koo Tsai Kee had been a MP for twenty years without contesting the election once as his GRC helmed by PAP strongman Lee Kuan Yew is always a walkover.
An online petition calling for Ms Tin to be fielded in a SMC has garnered more than 2,500 signatures in less than two days. (http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/tinpeiling/)
Below are some comments posted by neutrals and PAP supporters:
Samantha M. De Silva:
¡°This is a clear signal that the GRC system is not the best tool in the electoral system to serve the people. It is not Ms. Tin¡¯s youth or inexperience that is the issue here; it is her inability to give even mildly intelligent responses to questions like ¡°What is your greatest regret in life?¡± and what her views on current policies are (she had nothing to say). She had perfectly good opportunities at her unveiling (and since) to defend herself and show us that she has some fresh ideas to bring to the table. Instead, we get fluffy comments such as her compassion for elderly based on the fact that they remind her of her parents (and that is different from the rest of us how?). Not a whisper about policies, either. So much for fresh perspectives from young candidates. The failure to field Ms. Tin in an SMC will prove to Singaporeans that it is time for the GRC system to go, once and for all.¡±
Lum Lai Ling:
¡°30 years of my life, I¡¯ve never been more interested in politics than I am now. Though I had never voted and probably will never vote (given where I lived ¨C Toa Payoh), I do feel rather strongly that allowing Tin Pei Ling, a young and not exactly-the-MP type candidate going into politics in Singapore is really a joke. To be roped into PAP as one of the youngest candidate ever, there must be something in her that is one-in-a-million. Unfortunately, this is not the case. When I do find myself smarter and more politically correct than she is, yet slogging my guts out in an office job drawing a pathetic 20% of what she will be getting, I feel sorry for myself and Singapore at large. What is PAP thinking when they chose her? All these just seems too dubious and the last thing we need is to have a political scandal as like many other superpower countries! Do not let the Singapore that MM Lee painstakingly built get ruined in the hands of immature and ignorant youngsters like Tin Pei Ling!¡±
Sean Tan:
¡°Me and my Family have been supporters for PAP for many years now. I am 28yo myself and seeing some one who is younger then me being possibly on the parliament due to a collective effort and being a ¡°free rider¡± does not sit well with me. Where is the meritocracy and democracy where people are chosen to be leaders by the people based on individual¡¯s credentials on success in whichever field/ industry which they had succeed in? We as voters should have a choice on helping the nation decide on potential future leaders and be able to trust them in their positions. I am signing the petition based on individuals, i just want to see a more transparent system where MPs credentials are validated by the people instead of just by the ruling party. Potential leaders should serve time and allow the people to familiar with them before given such an opportunity. Younger generations cannot associate themselves to politics unless they get to at least see/ hear them; especially when these future leaders would directly be the people in power representing them for decades to come. ¡°Nothing personal, its just business¡±
It is highly unlikely that the repressive PAP regime will listen to the feedback of Singaporeans and field Ms Tin in a SMC. After all, they are ¡®deaf¡¯ to all criticisms.
With public discontent and anger at the PAP at an all time high, it remains to be seen if the ¡®Tin Pei Ling¡¯ effect will cause it to lose votes and even Marine Parade GRC.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCJXt_y2_Gg
