Walking the ground with the SDP
by Lynx Ng on Wednesday, April 20, 2011 at 7:55am
Had wanted to pen this down earlier, but fell terribly ill right after the event. Anyway, here goes:
As Palmer would say,"Standing room only."
After some misadventures, I was finally able to join SDP for one of their walkabouts.
"Why did you join the SDP?"
The brochures we were giving out.
Fresh from the SDP Promise event, volunteers boarded the chartered bus. En route to Bukit Timah Food Market, I was seated beside this lady who happened to be my friend's mum! (No prizes for guessing who.) I knew her husband prior to that, that her husband had been in SDP very actively for some time now, and asked how she came to support him. She admitted that initially, there were problems. Due to his political activities he lost a huge part of his lecturing income (school daren't continue to use him). This led to quarrels, expense cuts, and more quarrels.
The turning point
A crew of ordinary people.
Eventually, she told me, the turning point was when she went for service one Sunday. A guest pastor-speaker that day spoke of an incident in India, where the caste system is still very strong. A young girl of the lowest caste, being sick, rushed into the toilet that was for people of higher caste. When she was done vomitting, she came out. A crowd gathered and beat her till she was hospitalized. The pastor said that he realised then, that no matter how much charity he did, how often he help to feed the needy, it doesn't help if the country's system is the way it is. The next Indian girl in a similar situation might not survive a beating.
This led to her acknowledging that what her husband has been doing was right. She already knew it was the right thing to do, the courageous thing to do, but that day forth, she admitted and supported it. For in a sense, righting the wrongs of a bad government is social work in itself. It is interesting to note that Vincent Wijeysingha decided to join politics after having done his share of social work, for a similar reason - that you can help the needy more by fighting against bad policies.
On the ground, where the people are
It rained, but we did not stop.
It started to drizzle just as we started. I went to the washroom and donned a cheap red t-shirt (should have brought my own), with an SDP sticker on the sleeve. Was even warned that on the first wash the colour may dye other clothes. Heh. So there I was, not entirely sure if this means I am a SDP member, when my initial intent was more to observe than to participate this actively. The media cameras didn't help, either.
A funny incident happened. The char kway teow store auntie asked me what does that logo mean. I was going to answer when she said it must be some sports council team or something. The husband said in Hokkien, "It's one of the parties lah. They want us to vote." I struggled a little to translate SDP's wording to Chinese, then translating them to Hokkien within a span of 4 seconds.
Anyway, there were about 30~40 of us that day. There I met a new friend of similar age, who was at his first SDP walkabout as well. After a quick meal we joined the slowly-familiar faces to walk around the food market. I'm typically not a person who makes the first move to engage others in conversation, and this seemed rather intrusive for me, especially since people were eating. Then again, perhaps there is no better time, and the message was important enough.
Reactions to Dr Chee and the SDP
It was most interesting to see Dr Chee Soon Juan in action. He definitely has his work cut out for him. The Lees have bankrupted him. The local media demonize him and make him look like a madman. Heck, even when I reached home the same evening and saw the news, my stepmum said she didn't trust him. I asked her why, and she couldn't give a proper reason. It was media poisoning at its deepest.
Dr Chee chatting with supporters. Lady bought the SDP paper.
The Dr. Chee I saw that day wasn't mad. He actually looked tired before meeting the people, but sheer passion and the urgency of his mission kept him going. He approached each table with an unusual energy, but was never rude. (Except perhaps for when he asked 'Are you a Singaporean?'. If answered in the negative, he would thank them for their time and move on.) He wasn't xenophobic, but he wanted his efforts to count.
In any case, the ground reactions can be categorized into a few types. Apathy, interest, entertainment, and the occasional jovial support. Most were indifferent. Some felt that no matter how much the SDP did, how right they were, it can't change because the PAP has made it so. Some questioned his ability to effect actual change. Some asked if they will get more money if they voted for him. The people in this category was particularly off-putting, and also sad... because it means that the PAP carrot money is working for these donkeys.
Me and Dr. Chee.
And then there were those who stood up from their meal, grabbing his hand and thanking him for fighting for them. Encouraging him. Saying that they will vote for him. Some showed support by buying the SDP paper.
The SDP Paper
Dr Chee introduces one of his candidates.
I was initially surprised that they charged for the papers. $2. I understood that they definitely need money to campaign, but I have always felt that such information should be given free, since reach is more important than building campaign funds. I even suggested to one of them that perhaps they can sell other things (such as Danny the bear), but not the papers. On the ground, I realised that it actually worked.
People who supported their cause put money into it. The action of taking out their wallet, paying the money and reading the paper was symbolic, and it was edifying. I realised it would be harder to just ask money like the NKF, and much as they want to do good for Singaporeans, SDP isn't a charitable organization where one should give to out of pity.
Back on the bus
By the time we were done with the first area, I already felt the odds that the SDP was up against. They were ordinary men and women who felt that they had to do something, to stand up against a system where the rich grew richer at the expense of the poor. But the rich had so much power in Singapore, and would do much to maintain that power.
The new bloke I met earlier sat beside me and share with me his background. He had relations with Mah Bow Tan. When he was younger, he actually joined his parents for their pro-PAP activities. He shared with me that SDP's walkabout was far more personal and genuine. He contrasted this to a PAP walkabout, which was like an operation.
The emperor arrives
If a PAP MP visiting the area (which he is paid for to look after), it suddenly becomes headline news. More so if the MP happens to be a minister. Posters would be up way in force even before the actual walkabout. Like an emperor visiting the countryside, a whole entourage would surround the MP. There will be scouts who run ahead, picking and asking some individuals if they would like to shake hands with the MP. As if that wasn't enough, those who said yes were given a quick briefing on what to say to the MP. Handshake, a few words and a smile for the camera, and the entourage moves on.
More to go
Vincent and one of his 'fans'.
Soon, we reached our next area. The sky was beginning to darken, but still they pressed on with the same enthusiasm and energy (mine was beginning to deplete). This time round I walked closer to Vincent, who despite being Indian, spoke pretty good dialect. He spoke with a softer edge, and a few younger folks actually recognized him from the debate on CNA. What struck me was that even with the less savoury of characters (drunk, rowdy coffeeshop uncles), he was genuine in conversing with them. This was rather different from his poise when conducting media interviews where he spoke as if he has won. Most intruiging, and definitely one to watch.
Anyway, by the time we were done, it was already dark. As we gathered as a big group for one last debrief, someone asked, "Will we get arrested for illegal gathering?" There were some smiles and a few nervous 'uh's before Dr. Chee quickly dispelled it with "Now they don't care lah!". Some of the elder members were ready to head back to Public House to have a pint or two to round off the day. I went for coffee instead, my heart and mind heavy with these words which I have finally typed.
Come May 7th, the General Elections will happen.
I can only hope that Singaporeans will vote for a better future, rather than accepting the status quo.
The emblem for the future.
by Lynx Ng on Wednesday, April 20, 2011 at 7:55am
Had wanted to pen this down earlier, but fell terribly ill right after the event. Anyway, here goes:
As Palmer would say,"Standing room only."
After some misadventures, I was finally able to join SDP for one of their walkabouts.
"Why did you join the SDP?"
The brochures we were giving out.
Fresh from the SDP Promise event, volunteers boarded the chartered bus. En route to Bukit Timah Food Market, I was seated beside this lady who happened to be my friend's mum! (No prizes for guessing who.) I knew her husband prior to that, that her husband had been in SDP very actively for some time now, and asked how she came to support him. She admitted that initially, there were problems. Due to his political activities he lost a huge part of his lecturing income (school daren't continue to use him). This led to quarrels, expense cuts, and more quarrels.
The turning point
A crew of ordinary people.
Eventually, she told me, the turning point was when she went for service one Sunday. A guest pastor-speaker that day spoke of an incident in India, where the caste system is still very strong. A young girl of the lowest caste, being sick, rushed into the toilet that was for people of higher caste. When she was done vomitting, she came out. A crowd gathered and beat her till she was hospitalized. The pastor said that he realised then, that no matter how much charity he did, how often he help to feed the needy, it doesn't help if the country's system is the way it is. The next Indian girl in a similar situation might not survive a beating.
This led to her acknowledging that what her husband has been doing was right. She already knew it was the right thing to do, the courageous thing to do, but that day forth, she admitted and supported it. For in a sense, righting the wrongs of a bad government is social work in itself. It is interesting to note that Vincent Wijeysingha decided to join politics after having done his share of social work, for a similar reason - that you can help the needy more by fighting against bad policies.
On the ground, where the people are
It rained, but we did not stop.
It started to drizzle just as we started. I went to the washroom and donned a cheap red t-shirt (should have brought my own), with an SDP sticker on the sleeve. Was even warned that on the first wash the colour may dye other clothes. Heh. So there I was, not entirely sure if this means I am a SDP member, when my initial intent was more to observe than to participate this actively. The media cameras didn't help, either.
A funny incident happened. The char kway teow store auntie asked me what does that logo mean. I was going to answer when she said it must be some sports council team or something. The husband said in Hokkien, "It's one of the parties lah. They want us to vote." I struggled a little to translate SDP's wording to Chinese, then translating them to Hokkien within a span of 4 seconds.
Anyway, there were about 30~40 of us that day. There I met a new friend of similar age, who was at his first SDP walkabout as well. After a quick meal we joined the slowly-familiar faces to walk around the food market. I'm typically not a person who makes the first move to engage others in conversation, and this seemed rather intrusive for me, especially since people were eating. Then again, perhaps there is no better time, and the message was important enough.
Reactions to Dr Chee and the SDP
It was most interesting to see Dr Chee Soon Juan in action. He definitely has his work cut out for him. The Lees have bankrupted him. The local media demonize him and make him look like a madman. Heck, even when I reached home the same evening and saw the news, my stepmum said she didn't trust him. I asked her why, and she couldn't give a proper reason. It was media poisoning at its deepest.
Dr Chee chatting with supporters. Lady bought the SDP paper.
The Dr. Chee I saw that day wasn't mad. He actually looked tired before meeting the people, but sheer passion and the urgency of his mission kept him going. He approached each table with an unusual energy, but was never rude. (Except perhaps for when he asked 'Are you a Singaporean?'. If answered in the negative, he would thank them for their time and move on.) He wasn't xenophobic, but he wanted his efforts to count.
In any case, the ground reactions can be categorized into a few types. Apathy, interest, entertainment, and the occasional jovial support. Most were indifferent. Some felt that no matter how much the SDP did, how right they were, it can't change because the PAP has made it so. Some questioned his ability to effect actual change. Some asked if they will get more money if they voted for him. The people in this category was particularly off-putting, and also sad... because it means that the PAP carrot money is working for these donkeys.
Me and Dr. Chee.
And then there were those who stood up from their meal, grabbing his hand and thanking him for fighting for them. Encouraging him. Saying that they will vote for him. Some showed support by buying the SDP paper.
The SDP Paper
Dr Chee introduces one of his candidates.
I was initially surprised that they charged for the papers. $2. I understood that they definitely need money to campaign, but I have always felt that such information should be given free, since reach is more important than building campaign funds. I even suggested to one of them that perhaps they can sell other things (such as Danny the bear), but not the papers. On the ground, I realised that it actually worked.
People who supported their cause put money into it. The action of taking out their wallet, paying the money and reading the paper was symbolic, and it was edifying. I realised it would be harder to just ask money like the NKF, and much as they want to do good for Singaporeans, SDP isn't a charitable organization where one should give to out of pity.
Back on the bus
By the time we were done with the first area, I already felt the odds that the SDP was up against. They were ordinary men and women who felt that they had to do something, to stand up against a system where the rich grew richer at the expense of the poor. But the rich had so much power in Singapore, and would do much to maintain that power.
The new bloke I met earlier sat beside me and share with me his background. He had relations with Mah Bow Tan. When he was younger, he actually joined his parents for their pro-PAP activities. He shared with me that SDP's walkabout was far more personal and genuine. He contrasted this to a PAP walkabout, which was like an operation.
The emperor arrives
If a PAP MP visiting the area (which he is paid for to look after), it suddenly becomes headline news. More so if the MP happens to be a minister. Posters would be up way in force even before the actual walkabout. Like an emperor visiting the countryside, a whole entourage would surround the MP. There will be scouts who run ahead, picking and asking some individuals if they would like to shake hands with the MP. As if that wasn't enough, those who said yes were given a quick briefing on what to say to the MP. Handshake, a few words and a smile for the camera, and the entourage moves on.
More to go
Vincent and one of his 'fans'.
Soon, we reached our next area. The sky was beginning to darken, but still they pressed on with the same enthusiasm and energy (mine was beginning to deplete). This time round I walked closer to Vincent, who despite being Indian, spoke pretty good dialect. He spoke with a softer edge, and a few younger folks actually recognized him from the debate on CNA. What struck me was that even with the less savoury of characters (drunk, rowdy coffeeshop uncles), he was genuine in conversing with them. This was rather different from his poise when conducting media interviews where he spoke as if he has won. Most intruiging, and definitely one to watch.
Anyway, by the time we were done, it was already dark. As we gathered as a big group for one last debrief, someone asked, "Will we get arrested for illegal gathering?" There were some smiles and a few nervous 'uh's before Dr. Chee quickly dispelled it with "Now they don't care lah!". Some of the elder members were ready to head back to Public House to have a pint or two to round off the day. I went for coffee instead, my heart and mind heavy with these words which I have finally typed.
Come May 7th, the General Elections will happen.
I can only hope that Singaporeans will vote for a better future, rather than accepting the status quo.
The emblem for the future.
