<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>LauZoeTay <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>6:32 am </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>(17 of 20) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"></TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>49100.17 in reply to 49100.16 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD id=msgtxt_17 class=msgtxt>Great rebute by Cheryl Chan at SatayClub.
http://satayclub.net/2011/04/who-is-george-yeo-kidding/
WHO IS GEORGE YEO KIDDING?
Posted on April 29, 2011 by satayclub
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George Yeo, the leader of the PAP's team in Aljunied, has hit out at the WP for 'acting against the spirit of democracy' by fielding all its big guns there
By Cheryl Chan
Political Correspondent
Foreign Minister George Yeo has lashed out at the Workers’ Party for acting against the spirit of democracy by fielding all its top guns in Aljunied GRC, where he is the leader of the incumbent team of PAP MPs.
In an incredible tirade, Mr Yeo said that the WP was forcing Aljunied voters to choose between their own self-interest and the opposition cause, adding that this was creating an “emotional dilemma” for his residents. He further charged that the WP has yet to produce any plans on how it intends to improve the lives of residents in Aljunied.
“It’s an emotional dilemma for many people,” said Mr Yeo in an interview with The Straits Times. “I get many people writing on my Facebook wall who feel very uncomfortable about this. They said, because of this, even if they vote for the WP, please do not feel that we have anything against you. I find that it’s against the spirit of democracy.”
Exactly who does Mr Yeo think he is kidding? The ruling PAP has been acting against the spirit of democracy for decades, having gone to enormous lengths to skew the political playing field. In fact, the odds are so unbalanced that voters have never really had a choice other than to accept the PAP as their government. Now that the WP has taken a huge step out of its comfort zone in an attempt to offer the residents of Aljunied a real alternative choice, Mr Yeo says they are subverting the spirit of democracy. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to tell that this is hypocrisy of the highest order.
First of all, the GRC system in itself is against the spirit of democracy because it diminishes the voters’ right to choose their own candidates. It has allowed weaker, unproven candidates an easy ride into Parliament on the coat-tails of seasoned political veterans, some of whom would stand next to no chance of winning an election on their own merit. Former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong has admitted as much, saying that if not for the GRC system, candidates might be unwilling to come forward and join the PAP, since they would not be assured of victory.
The presence of the WP "dream team", headlined by Low Thia Khiang, has clearly rattled Aljunied incumbent George Yeo
A perfect example of this just occurred a few days ago – on Nomination Day, a complete unknown was introduced as a last-minute substitute in Tanjong Pagar GRC, and became an MP just 24 hours later thanks to the PAP team winning by walkover. Dr Chia Shi Lu is now an official representative of the residents of Tanjong Pagar, and he was ‘elected’ before even being saying a word to the media, without a single vote being cast.
Does Mr Yeo think that this is in line with the “spirit of democracy”?
Let’s not even begin to go into the incessant gerrymandering of electoral boundaries, the constant smear campaigns against opposition candidates, the use of state funds to entice voters with municipal upgrading schemes and the spate of defamation suits that have been filed against vocal opposition politicians in the past two decades – the latter being the reason why Dr Chee Soon Juan is unable to contest under the banner of his own SDP at this election.
Are any of these things consonant with Mr Yeo’s idea of the “spirit of democracy”?
If he thinks that having an opposition party fielding a strong team is undemocratic whereas the PAP’s heavy-handed and quite frankly unethical tactics are not, then Mr Yeo must truly be living in cloud cuckoo land.
Mr Yeo is simply unaccustomed to the idea that he actually stands a realistic chance of losing his seat – which is an unfamiliar prospect to just about every PAP minister, seeing as they have never really faced a real contest. His latest ramblings are a sign that he might be losing his composure under pressure, because even he himself ought to know that no one would take his comments seriously.
The spirit of democracy is all about giving people a choice. And the WP has chosen to take a massive risk – which could yet see them completely wiped out of Parliament – just to give people that choice, something which has been denied them throughout more than 50 years of uninterrupted one-party rule.
–
The author holds a degree in political science from the National University of Singapore and works at a leading multinational research firm.
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http://satayclub.net/2011/04/who-is-george-yeo-kidding/
WHO IS GEORGE YEO KIDDING?
Posted on April 29, 2011 by satayclub
<!-- .entry-meta -->
George Yeo, the leader of the PAP's team in Aljunied, has hit out at the WP for 'acting against the spirit of democracy' by fielding all its big guns thereBy Cheryl Chan
Political Correspondent
Foreign Minister George Yeo has lashed out at the Workers’ Party for acting against the spirit of democracy by fielding all its top guns in Aljunied GRC, where he is the leader of the incumbent team of PAP MPs.
In an incredible tirade, Mr Yeo said that the WP was forcing Aljunied voters to choose between their own self-interest and the opposition cause, adding that this was creating an “emotional dilemma” for his residents. He further charged that the WP has yet to produce any plans on how it intends to improve the lives of residents in Aljunied.
“It’s an emotional dilemma for many people,” said Mr Yeo in an interview with The Straits Times. “I get many people writing on my Facebook wall who feel very uncomfortable about this. They said, because of this, even if they vote for the WP, please do not feel that we have anything against you. I find that it’s against the spirit of democracy.”
Exactly who does Mr Yeo think he is kidding? The ruling PAP has been acting against the spirit of democracy for decades, having gone to enormous lengths to skew the political playing field. In fact, the odds are so unbalanced that voters have never really had a choice other than to accept the PAP as their government. Now that the WP has taken a huge step out of its comfort zone in an attempt to offer the residents of Aljunied a real alternative choice, Mr Yeo says they are subverting the spirit of democracy. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to tell that this is hypocrisy of the highest order.
First of all, the GRC system in itself is against the spirit of democracy because it diminishes the voters’ right to choose their own candidates. It has allowed weaker, unproven candidates an easy ride into Parliament on the coat-tails of seasoned political veterans, some of whom would stand next to no chance of winning an election on their own merit. Former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong has admitted as much, saying that if not for the GRC system, candidates might be unwilling to come forward and join the PAP, since they would not be assured of victory.
The presence of the WP "dream team", headlined by Low Thia Khiang, has clearly rattled Aljunied incumbent George YeoA perfect example of this just occurred a few days ago – on Nomination Day, a complete unknown was introduced as a last-minute substitute in Tanjong Pagar GRC, and became an MP just 24 hours later thanks to the PAP team winning by walkover. Dr Chia Shi Lu is now an official representative of the residents of Tanjong Pagar, and he was ‘elected’ before even being saying a word to the media, without a single vote being cast.
Does Mr Yeo think that this is in line with the “spirit of democracy”?
Let’s not even begin to go into the incessant gerrymandering of electoral boundaries, the constant smear campaigns against opposition candidates, the use of state funds to entice voters with municipal upgrading schemes and the spate of defamation suits that have been filed against vocal opposition politicians in the past two decades – the latter being the reason why Dr Chee Soon Juan is unable to contest under the banner of his own SDP at this election.
Are any of these things consonant with Mr Yeo’s idea of the “spirit of democracy”?
If he thinks that having an opposition party fielding a strong team is undemocratic whereas the PAP’s heavy-handed and quite frankly unethical tactics are not, then Mr Yeo must truly be living in cloud cuckoo land.
Mr Yeo is simply unaccustomed to the idea that he actually stands a realistic chance of losing his seat – which is an unfamiliar prospect to just about every PAP minister, seeing as they have never really faced a real contest. His latest ramblings are a sign that he might be losing his composure under pressure, because even he himself ought to know that no one would take his comments seriously.
The spirit of democracy is all about giving people a choice. And the WP has chosen to take a massive risk – which could yet see them completely wiped out of Parliament – just to give people that choice, something which has been denied them throughout more than 50 years of uninterrupted one-party rule.
–
The author holds a degree in political science from the National University of Singapore and works at a leading multinational research firm.
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