Hey Look! ST Journalist Criticising the PAP
March 1, 2007
Why PAP MPs should go beyond cheerleading
By DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR, Chua Mui Hoong
WHAT is the role of a People's Action Party MP in a PAP-dominated Parliament?
The question came to mind yesterday, as yet another PAP MP rose to his or her feet to sing the praises of this Budget and this Government, for the second day running.
Mr Wee Siew Kim called Budget 2007 generous and forward-looking. Dr Fatimah Lateef declared that nowhere else in the world would anyone find a Budget so full of 'love' and 'compassion'.
Is the PAP MP's role to be a cheerleader for the Government? Maybe part of his role is to spout and defend the rhetoric of the excellence of the PAP government. This, after all, is a democracy with competitive political parties vying for votes.
But too much self-praise by the PAP is off-putting, even if Budget 2007 has won deserved accolades, even from non-partisan observers, for boldness and generosity.
22 comments:
Hong Kong just announced their budget yesterday. S'pore's so-called "goodies for the poor" budget is, at best, pernurious.
To share the wealth of a HK$55 billion surplus. The Hong Kong Govt is handing out a HK$20 billion(SDG$4 billion) package that includes tax rebates of up to HK15,000 and rate waivers(properties) of up to HK$5,000.
A HK$20 billion (SDG$4 billion)package handout for the people for the coming year 2007! Now that's a handout! Not the miserly budgeted handouts (with some distributed over 5 yrs) as praised by our PAP MPs.
Just read the papers about the 63 year old cleaner with $12,000 in medisave and special account. I wonder - if she loses her job or decides to retire - and need money desparately, can she take it out of medisave / special account? If not, isn't that criminal? Could someone explain?
Chua Mui Hoong the sycophant has done enough bootlicking so once in a long while - something like 1 out of 100 articles - she gets tasked to write something a little less sycophantic.
"Fatimah Lateef declared that nowhere else in the world would anyone find a Budget so full of 'love' and 'compassion'."
Muhahahahaha!!!
Give PAP a break you. They are the best thing to have happened to Singapore (2nd only to MM Lee's birth into our world of course).
She is just pretending to criticise because if you read carefully, there isn't much substance to substantiate why PAP MPs shouldn't applaud the Budget. She didn't point out what it is in the Budget that does not deserves praise.
So, the only motive I could think of is that she is trying to win over supporters with her supposedly anti-PAP stance. Much like the LWL stunt with PY, if you ask me. Just wayang only.
As for WSK, he wouldn't dare not to sing praises after the tornado his precious elite daughter WSM has stirred up just months ago.
She's upset because they're stealing her ricebowl as cheerleader-in-chief. If they all lick PM's boots then what will she end up having to lick... ...?
Chua Mui Hoong playing the routine 'good cop, bad cop' game with the PAP establishment again.
How impartial of thee Miss Chua! I'm sure Singapore's press freedom ranking will improve by leaps and bounds very soon.
Molly said...
"Fatimah Lateef declared that nowhere else in the world would anyone find a Budget so full of 'love' and 'compassion'."
Muhahahahaha!!!
March 1, 2007 1:03 PM
---------------
Unfortunately for the rest of us, it isn't really funny because Miss Big Ears wasn't attempting at satire and neither was she brown-nosing with reckless abandon (maybe just a little bit).
I think she sincerely believed what she said. We're screwed.
I too think that there is lack of substance that MPs raised, except a few. If it goes on like this, it isn't a useful session and wasted the taxpayer money. I am not convinced that there is a need to raise GST. I would expect more MPs debate the raise, not just looking at the adequacy of offset package against the raise and accept it is 'fair'. Don't forget most are just short term help and will diminish quicker when inflation kicks in. I would also expect MP to scrutinise individual ministry budget requests in the later sessions for justification. Some of the grand government building reminds me of wasteful expenses that uncovered by former MP Tan SK.
Aiyah! Why make the budget so complicated? Taking a bit here and there and then giving a little back and then take some more back again.
Why don't they just keep it simple and follow the western style welfare state. The Scandinavian countries have generous welfare payments and yet we do not see mass unemployment there. The bottom line is that most people would choose to work if possible. Most people will not resign from work just for the sake of receiving welfare payment.
Some may abuse the system but this could be keep to the minimal as safeguards can be put in place. For example, by random auditing etc.
Just keep it simple. The main point is just to help those people who are genuinely in need.
It is difficult to create a sense of community or to build a bond with the people if the government is overly calculative. Further, our government has got business interest in every conceivable business both locally and around the world, what is the big fuss about putting food on the table for some very desperate families out there. This budget is so PAP in the sense that it wants to help but actually "sort of want to" thing.
Call it baking good karma, be a good Samaritan, be noble or whatever. Life has enough problems of its own, why have policies that make life more difficult for others?
Apathetic (soon) Singaporean
I couldn't help myself laughing when I read that the PAP MPs singing praises of this year's budget as one full of compassion & love.
May I ask where is the compassion if one is asking for something in return in the form of the GST increase ?
The way I see it, whenever they give something, they will surely take back something. It's just a matter of who they are taking from and when they are taking it back. The bottomline is it has always been a win-win situation for the Gahmen & the ruling elite.
Take for example, why is it that the Gahmen need to increase GST by 2%. By the same implication, it is really illogical for the Gahmen to say "we won't be able to pay for the Workfare Schemes/Progress Packages if we don't increase the GST by 2%".
The GST increase was unnecessary. The funds could have come easily from the surplus funds or from the various new sources of income or even from savings from unnessary spending. Just look at how much public funds are wasted every year eg. ever increasing defence spending (even when there is no real threat of war from neighbouring countries), unlimited funds for spending in biomed research (it appears that we may be taken for a ride by the FT) & the massive losses incurred by Temasek (someone must have been fooled into paying that kind of price that Thaksin is asking and yet it's amazing that until now, no one is held accountable yet).
May I call upon our PAP MPs to stop treating us like fools ?
Ms Chua wants MPs to do more than cheerleading. She wants the MPs to sing songs and dance merrily to celebrate the fact that nowhere in the world, they are paid handsomely to "represent" the people, they are so protected (20 years for assault on MP), they get to agree with each other, they can say things that do not mean anything, they can sit down and doze off, and they can get to wear white shirts and pants.
'love' and 'compassion'
'generous and forward-looking'
* sounds of gagging from the void deck *
The Lord giveth with one hand and He taketh with t'other. So doth Chua Mui Hoong it appears.
Brainstorm. I think I'll write a piece accusing PAP MPs of fawning obsequiousness.
Oops. Musn't rock boat, could crack rice bowl, y'know.
Oo-er. Better end on a sycophantic note just in case.
'deserved accolades, even from non-partisan observers, for boldness and generosity'
* sounds of gagging from the Internet *
"Fatimah Lateef declared that nowhere else in the world would anyone find a Budget so full of 'love' and 'compassion'."
May be LHL or Tharman pasted some heart shape stickers in the report and use the words "love" and "compassion" a lot in their writings.
From TODAY (2 March 2007)"THE JOY OF SIMPLICITY" quote: . . . said Mr. Shanmugaratnam as he shared with the House the winning entry from Raffles Junior College student Daniel Ong for the Budget essay competition"
What? PAP so out of idea they have to get college stdents to write essay to praise the budget? I thought these things only happen in North Korea??! Maybe I was mistaken.
What's new about the Chua sisters anymore? Ms Chua and her sister Lee Hoong (ex-ISD, mind you) have been playing out the "good cop, bad cop" routine for years.
Sorry, but if Ms Chua wants to sound convincing, she should start writing with more conviction.
If I will to dance, I will dance naked in front of PAP gahmen with my asshole pointing towards them.
These gahmen always claim welfare is bad, but then how much these gahmen getting in salary ??? With so much money every month, these gahmen could buy their own welfare easily. It seem like welfare is bad for people but it is good for gahmen and PAP because they are elite and cream of countries, therefore treat diferently.
So please, Mr PAP and GAHMEN, stop giving us bullshit and crap. We been treated as moron for far too long.
So when will the gov ever stop exploiting the nation's ppl for money ??
If gov want money, I be glad to burn million dollars of HELL $$$ for them to enjoy, and of course, that's included 7% GST.
Fatimah Lateef = Mother Love of Singapore ?
How much $$$ gov pay her ? Why not give her peanut pay and see if she still talk rot.
Wah, so generous. I thought 1 peanut = SGD600,000.
Our budget is by no way considered as generous.
Firstly, the 2% increase of GST is already taking away 2% of all disposable wealth from people staying in Singapore, Immigrants and citizens alike. Employed and unemployed alike.
Workfare is not logical in this sense as the only handout are to those who are working. What about those citizens who are retired, schooling and otherwise unemployed due to various factors which are uncontrollable?
Moreover, the cost of housing is increasing. Look at the latest "indicative prices" which the HDB are giving for the newest Balloting system. S$300,000 at least for a Five room flat in Bedok area. As compared to the prices a month ago it has gone up magically by 25%. Indication that the government wants more money in addition to taxes.
Although not announced in the budget, within the next quarter, there is indication that the MPs and minister's pay would be on the rise. Hence, in order to earn this pay rise the probablity who be to bootlick the current budget which will be the source of funds to the pay rise.
Watch and see....
My 2 cents worth
It is full of love and compassion in their mouths and pockets and nothing in their hearts! Sweet girls and gentle guys and anything but kind!
Post a Comment