Then last night, my ex-landlord called me up and said, "Your polling cards are here with me! Please come to collect them, Voting Day is almost here." Apparently, as we had moved house only after a certain cut-off date, our old address is the relevant one for GE2011. That means we would be treated as Marine Parade GRC voters.
Sorry, Mr Low Thia Kiang. That means you just lost two votes in Aljunied.
Since I am now a Marine Parade voter, here are my thoughts on the Marine Parade GRC. Many, many people have been comparing Nicole Seah and Tin Pei Ling. The reasons are obvious. The two candidates are very similar in some ways, and very different in others. So they are a highly interesting pair to compare and contrast.
A lot has already been said about Pei Ling, so I won't rehash. All I want to say, after watching the videos and reading the news, is that she is not impressive. It's not just the youth. Even for a 27-year-old, she is not impressive.
I try to think back to myself when I was 27, where I was, and what I was doing. And I try to think of my colleagues and friends, in that age-group at that time. I honestly feel that Pei Ling does not compare well (and none of us were even trying to run for elections).
In fairness, I should add that most of my colleagues and friends in that age-group at that time were lawyers. Not only that, litigation lawyers. Effective communication was an essential skill, and so was the ability to make strong, persuasive, convincing arguments. You also needed to carry yourself with some gravitas. It was part of the job.
At that age, I was already appearing in Yong Pung How's court, doing criminal appeal cases (Yong Pung How was the former Chief Justice of Singapore). His extreme sarcasm and intolerance of incompetence was very well-known. CJ Yong had no qualms about butchering even senior lawyers with his brutally sharp tongue, if they did not prepare their cases well or spoke ineloquently in his court.
And I think that CJ Yong would have slaughtered any lawyer (metaphorically), if she had gone "I don't know what to saaaaay ..." and stomped her feet in his courtroom.
I am not saying that Pei Ling is very bad for a 27-year-old. I am saying that she is not impressive, for a 27-year-old. If you are 27 and you want to run for election, you have to be very impressive in how you present yourself. That's because you need to compensate for the disadvantage of your youth and perceived immaturity. But Pei Ling is not impressive. She doesn't meet the mark.
However, 24-year-old Nicole Seah is very impressive. I have seen the videos, the way she speaks and handles questions from the press. This girl has a brain, has a heart and speaks with sincerity, conviction and remarkable composure. Nicole isn't merely impressive for a 24-year-old - she is quite impressive compared to Singapore politicians of any age group.
Unlike LKY, Nicole even knows how to make a strong point, without sounding mean or vindictive. She doesn't say anything like "Go back to China, Chen Shao Mao" or "You will repent, Aljunied voters". Nicole is down-to-earth, authentic and friendly, qualities that I find quite appealing.
(May I add that in terms of looks, Nicole Seah is also much more appealing than LKY).
When I first told my wife about Nicole Seah, my wife was not convinced. Mrs Wang just groaned, "First we have a 27-year-old, now we have a 24-year-old. Things are getting from bad to worse." But I persuaded Mrs Wang to watch the videos of Nicole Seah in action. Eight minutes later, Mrs Wang changed her mind. She said, "Now I understand why people are talking so much about Nicole Seah. Because she is REALLY good."
And indeed, I read that as of today, Nicole has just overtaken Lee Kuan Yew, on Facebook, as the most popular politician in Singapore. (Based on the number of Facebook "likes").
Of course, the problem is that Marine Parade GRC is not just Tin Pei Ling versus Nicole Seah. If that was the case, Nicole would probably win 90% of the votes. And most of the remaining 10% votes for Pei Ling would probably be compassionate votes, given in the hope that that Pei Ling doesn't suffer any long-term emotional trauma.
Marine Parade GRC is more about Goh Chok Tong vs Nicole Seah. And of course, Goh is a PAP heavyweight. He has held numerous key appointments - Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Defence Minister etc, and of course, he has been an elected MP for Marine Parade for the longest time. If you want to talk about actual experience and stature, Nicole Seah cannot hold a candle to Goh Chok Tong.
So what rational basis can a Marine Parade GRC voter possibly have, to vote for NSP (Nicole) rather than the PAP (Goh Chok Tong)? Let me offer a few possible arguments. Not saying that these arguments are sufficient - every voter must decide that for himself (and I'm still undecided myself). I'm just laying out the reasons, for your consideration. See which ones make sense to you.
1. "The PAP is almost certainly going to win in Marine Parade anyway. But I will vote for the NSP, to give them a better percentage. This will send a symbolic message to the PAP, to show that I do not think well of their performance over the past 5 years."
2. "The GRC system is seriously wrong in principle, and the PAP has been using it for decades, to protect their weaker candidates (like Pei Ling) and give them a free ride into Parliament. I cannot agree with this. Although Goh Chok Tong deserves a lot of respect, I have to vote for NSP to show my displeasure with the GRC system."
3. "Even the most experienced PAP ministers are not as indispensable as they may appear. One might have thought that ministers such as Lim Boon Heng, Jayakumar and Abdullah Tarmugi are all essential, but this year they are stepping down and retiring anyway. Just like them, Goh Chok Tong may not be that absolutely necessary."
4. "Even if Goh Chok Tong loses, it's not like he died and Singapore lost him forever. They will probably redeploy him in some other new and important role. Such as the President of Singapore. Or the Chairman of the CPF Board. Or the CEO of GIC. Or the Special Advisor to Temasek Holdings. Or Singapore's United Nations chief representative, or something."
5. "I am not voting on municipal lines. I am voting on a national basis. I am more concerned about the country and its Parliament, than the question of who's going to clear my rubbish and build new playgrounds. And I think that what this country needs is more Opposition members in Parliament."
Let me know what you think, folks.
72 comments:
Fair to say that PAP will win Marine Parade GRC. The interesting part will be, by what margin?
I remember many years ago, a cakeshop lady ran against Goh Chok Tong and garnered quite a respectable numbers of votes that surprised many.
Now, that lady did not even hold an election rally or went around canvassing for votes. Not many in Marine Parade even knew who she was. What was the reason that she managed to do it against all odds? It is obvious that not all in Marine Parade think highly of Goh Chok Tong then. What will be the situation now? Hard to gauge.
Beside Nicole Seah, another opposition candidate, from WP, also impressed me and he is Pritam Singh, now still a relative lightweight, contesting in Aljunied GRC. But he is slightly older, at 34 and a lawyer to be. Do watch his performance on Youtube.
Marine Parade Voters need only recall that promises made by a very senior cabinet member have yet to be realized and unlikely to be achieved anyway. So, no point waiting or expecting him to deliver anymore.
Time for the Voters to test Nicole Seah, put her into Parliament and see if she will be as 'garang' in the Cabinet or it was just all show at Rallies.
I will say, Nicole Seah given the support, will not disappoint.
patriot
Hi Mr Wang
What are your thoughts about the rest of the candidates?
Since it's a GRC, its not simply about GCT vs NS, is it?
Lets be honest and say that the loss of Goh Chok Tong is not a big deal. He is transitioning to be another highly overpaid, inaccurate 'forecaster' anyway.
My personal view is that the real trade off here is between Nicole Seah and Tan Chuan Jin. Both of these new candidates are impressive and look like they will make an impact in Parliament.
Personally, I would still try to get Nicole in as Chuan Jin has a much higher certainty of getting in in the long term.
Kelvin
Mr Wang, what about a spoilt vote? It is to the PAP's advantage, but a high percentage of spoilt votes conveys people's frustration about TPL being allowed to get into parliament.
If GCT loses in Marine Parade GRC, the look on his face is worth paying S$600,000 for. No, scratch that - it's priceless!
http://www.mycarforum.com/index.php?showtopic=2663008I
Is this true...?
I think you are biased. No matter whether it's NSP or WP. You are just simply anti-PAP.
Mr Wang, problem is, voters like you may not be the majority.
And if this is the case in Marine Parade GRC, most likely it will also be in all GRCs and SMCs, except Hougang or even Potong Pasir. Because Singapore is small, urban and quite homogeneous in voter profile.
That's why in GRC system, it's either win big or lose big. This has obviously been very favourable for PAP in the past, even with "weak" candidates. And grossly unfair to the opposition with "strong" candidates.
And in the event that PAP lose seats, not only just lose a few but also will lose big, just like the opposition.
So the more pertinent question is whether for this round are majority voters ready to make the opposition win big? Which means by default PAP will lose big.
Remember, it is either win big or lose big on 7 May. And which side?
GCT thinks the majority of Singaporeans do not mind the high pay he and other ministers get. What does that speak of him?
Interesting how relevant it is today, this 2003 interview with Mr Ngiam Tong Dow.
http://www.facebook.com/notes/theonlinecitizen/i-suspect-we-have-started-to-believe-our-own-propaganda/395224663963
Well if the PAP insists on gerrymandering and using the GRC to entrench power, let's show them how this can be used against them. Vote NSP and by next election, either the GRC system is scrapped or ministers will personally vet thoroughly the other candidates running with him to avoid another TPL situation. Either way, we will have made our point loud and clear.
"GCT thinks the majority of Singaporeans do not mind the high pay he and other ministers get. What does that speak of him?"
Anon May 5, 2011 2:55 PM
The high pay for ministers started in 1994 and revise higher in 2000.
But every election since then majority voters voted PAP what?
Which means in a way the majority voters (Singaporeans)also do not mind the high pay lah, right or not?
So I think GCT has a basis for saying that, right or not?
Goh Chok Tong represents the past. He has done his part for Singapore and its about time he goes into retirement gracefully. (Note also that pegging of ministerial salaries to the private sector was introduced during his time in office).
Nicole Seah represents the future of Singapore - articulate and passionate youthful exuberance which we all want to see in the next generation of Singaporeans.
I think the choice is clear.
Gilbert, this is hilarious! One day Aljunied, next day Marine Parade. Fellow Singaporeans, I was particularly tickled by more than a few vignettes by S'poreans who claim they have never moved house but their constituency changed up to three times!
1. PAP changes goalpost.
2. GCT is chief striker along with LKY scoring own goals! I must say GCT has been the biggest blabberer this elections uttering the most unintelligible crap I have ever heard from a politician:
2a) We have a beautiful arrangement that voters should not disturb - Indian Prez, Chinese PM & future Malay speaker
2b) 1st world parliament plagiarized
2c) not commenting on others outside his ward but can't seem to shaddup about Jee Say
2d) Tin PL in trauma unit joke which fell flat and then he could not understand why; S'poreans were cheesed off by the blatant cronyism and then he makes light of it. Bad taste man. Etc. etc. You get the picture.
TPL was plucked from PMO lah; she's someone who surrounds hself with power
PAP mistakenly thinks just becoz someone can MC an event in two languages and is good at sucking up means this person will be good politician.
Nicole, on the other hand, is not only charismatic and dares ask PM pointed questions, she also reflects on her character traits and knows about her weaknesses, such as, getting too emotional. So I'm with Mrs. Wang on this.
GCT & co. deserve to be kicked out. Pritam had a good line in his rally speech. Something along the lines of: when young people (of substance) are given a chance to rise to the occasion, we'll all be awed by what they can achieve!
So go for it Gilbert. I have my own thoughts about YPHow. Let's just say thank god he's yesterday's story.
PEACE & LET'S ROCK THE VOTE!!!
A Tale of Two Friends.
I have two friends. One is avery PAP supporter and has been voting PAP since the beginning.
Being a staunch PAP supporter he is listening to Lee Kuan Yew and voting for the opposition:
""But we either believe in democracy or we do not. If we do, then, we must say categorically, without qualification, that no restraint from any democratic processes, other than by the ordinary law of the land, should be allowed… If you believe in democracy, you must believe in it unconditionally. If you believe that men should be free, then, they should have the right of free association, of free speech, of free publication. Then, no law should permit those democratic processes to be set at nought.”
- Lee Kuan Yew as an opposition leader, April 27, 1955.
Another friend is going to vote the "opposition" because he also has read Lee Kuan Yew:
“Please do not assume that you can change governments. Young people don’t understand this”
- Lee Kuan Yew on the results of the 2006 election.
As for me I am NOT GOING TO SPOIL MY VOTE. I AM VOTING FOR MY CHILDREN and COUNTRY and voting the "opposition" since I am influenced by Lee Kuan Yew's rhetoric.
How is it that two, three days before polling day, people are still finding out that they've been assigned to a different constituency that they had thought, and unaware that this was based on registered addresses at 1 Jan 2011? This information has been available from the elections website for ages! http://www.elections.gov.sg/online.html
We have good opposition candidates this time round, but none of them running for SMC. A dream team for a GRC would be Sylvia Lim, Chiam ST, Nicole Seah, Vincent Wijey and Tony Tan, then it would be a no brainer choice. Unfortunately, it's not. Perhaps another 5 years.
I have the exact same thoughts. Well, maybe not Reason 4, haven't thought of that.
i'm from MP GRC as well, and i must say, i've thought about all the reasons you've listed. i agree with all of them (to varying extents), but i think the single most important reason is number 5. personally, i feel that giving any party the super-majority in parliament is not healthy at all. u get things like GRCs (so obviously in partisan interests) coming out from a one-party dominated parliament. given the overwhelming dominance of the ruling party, i would tend to give my vote to the opposition as long as they are reasonably competent and, most importantly, have the heart for Singaporeans.
6. We would save more than 3million a year. What exactly is the SM's responsibility anyway?
I wholeheartedly agree with anon@3:03pm - Goh Chok Tong represents the past; Nicole Seah represents the future of Singapore.
That said, here is another reason to vote for NSP:
- We don't need another retired former PM in the cabinet. We have already got one very expensive forecaster in the walkover.
Seriously, Nicole may well be your future PM. (Never underestimate woman power!)
Vote wisely.
Dear Mr Wang
We may think that election matters like all important issues should be a matter of reasoned debate.
My generation of seniors are often seen as being scared of the government. There is reason. Let me not share with you incidents and examples because these can always be argued over. Let me share with you comments by Lee Kuan Yew. Here are some:
“Anybody who decides to take me on needs to put on knuckle-dusters. If you think you can hurt me more than I can hurt you, try. There is no way you can govern a Chinese society.”
- Lee Kuan Yew, The Man and His Ideas, 1997
“They say people can think for themselves? Do you honestly believe that the chap who can’t pass primary six knows the consequence of his choice when he answers a question viscerally, on language, culture and religion? But we knew the consequences. We would starve, we would have race riots. We would disintegrate.”
- Lee Kuan Yew, The Man & His Ideas, 1997
“If we had considered them serious political figures, we would not have kept them politically alive for so long. We could have bankrupt them earlier.”
- Lee Kuan Yew on political opposition, Straits Times, Sept 14 2003
“If I have to shoot 200,000 students to save China from another 100 years of disorder, so be it.” - Lee Kuan Yew evoking the ghost of Deng Xiaoping whilst endorsing the Tiananmen Square massacre, Straits Times, Aug 17, .
If this sounds very much like a bad scene from Infernal Affairs then you are right.
Today things are different. The PAP no longer dares to bully and threaten openly or punish one so blatantly. I personally believe the sacrifices of opposiiton members and democracy activists, many of whom have paid and suffered severely, made this possible.
HOWEVER, TOMORROW may be different. Vote the PAP in again without any opposition and we might all be in for a huge dose of the bad old days.
So if I vote I would vote because I no longer want to be bullied and to live under threats.
Many of my friends have immigrated. The government and the sociologists do detailed studies of why they leave. There is one compelling reason above all: many do not want tolive in a country where they are diminished and not respected as simple human beings.
you guys are droning on and on like vuvuzuelas..... Just vote Nicole. Voting in GCT, with his SM pay, in the logic of MBT is equivalent to raiding the reserves!
Do not underestimate the level of angst among voters this time round.
Do not underestimate the courage of the younger generation of voters.
Much of the goodwill and respect to the older generation has been squandered away through the PAP's arrogance and incompetence.
The message has finally gone through to the people -- there are 2 PAPs -- the old PAP and the new PAP.
The old PAP (before 1990) delivered, and housed 85% of the population with affordable housing. They are paid modest ad decent ministerial pay. And they brought Singapore from Third World to First World.
The new PAP comprises people who are inducted through the GRC system, who are motivated by money, and who are insensitive to the plight of the people.
Singaporeans are grateful and will vote for the old PAP.
But the new PAP???
I will stick my neck out and make a prediction - PAP will lose around 28 seats (Potong Pasir, Hougang, Joo Chiat, Mountbatten, Aljunied, Holland-Bukit Timah, Choa Chu Kang, Bishan-Toa Payoh and Tampines). And they might also lose Marine Parade and East Coast.
When I was in my 20s, I wanted to see the world and I don't mean Disneyland
Kudos! Mr Wang! I am voting in the Marine Parade GRC and I totally agree with your points even before this post!
Goh - super overpaid has been (makes stupid comment about sporeans not really caring about ministerial salaries - EARTH CALLING GOH CHOK TONG)
TPL - we rest our case
Fatima - dr. bland who reminds me of wallpaper
Chuanjin - generally a general in the wrong party
and seah who ???
versus
Nicole - she kicks butt
CheoChen - faced defeat & has political experience
Ivan, Spencer & Salim - unknowns? Shy but at least in a party that has a lot of hope and can outline policies for the new singapore (see tony tan & hazel poa's speeches)
choice is clear
In my view, there are a couple of meaningful factors that should sway voters against the PAP;
1. Does GCT's presence actually make a difference to the PAP's planned programs for roll out in Marine Parade? My view is No, it makes little difference.
2. With the voice that Nicole has garnered among the people, can a PAP majority Govt. afford to not let her be heard? I think the answer is no, she would definitely be a force to be reckoned with in Parliament. That being the case, she can only be good for Marine Parade GRC.
And,
3. Considering all the angst the people seem to have against the PAP, and TPL in particular, can we really afford to have such a mediocre person in Parliament, what might the repercussions be?
What I don't understand is, why is someone more electable (or more worthy of being elected) simply because he/she is a minister? What has GCK done for Marine Parade, or Singapore really - other than shepherd the country down the misguided path it is now on? We think "this guy is respectable" because of the position they are in - but they are in that position ostensibly because of the electoral system, which is the framework in which we are trying to decide who is more deserving of the position of power/respect. So to me it's a bit tautologous to vote for someone simply because they are a minister.
2. "The GRC system is seriously wrong in principle, and the PAP has been using it for decades, to protect their weaker candidates (like Pei Ling) and give them a free ride into Parliament. I cannot agree with this. Although Goh Chok Tong deserves a lot of respect, I have to vote for NSP to show my displeasure with the GRC system."
---------------------------
Mr Wang
Why is it that you cannot agree that the GRC system is seriously wrong but you will vote for NSP to show displeasure with the system?
I'm abit confused...
correct me if i'm wrong, but it is a common psychological trait to overweigh the negative points and underweigh the positive.
goh chok tong has been credited with introducing a softer approach to governance, and i thank him for that.
but the thought of tin pei ling earning $15k a month and representing singapore in the global arena makes me cringe.
"I will stick my neck out and make a prediction - PAP will lose around 28 seats (Potong Pasir, Hougang, Joo Chiat, Mountbatten, Aljunied, Holland-Bukit Timah, Choa Chu Kang, Bishan-Toa Payoh and Tampines). And they might also lose Marine Parade and East Coast."
The May 5, 2011 3:41 PM
If PAP can lose 28 seats, most likely they will also lose at least 70 or more seats lah.
In GRC system, it's either win big or lose big, no such thing as win only 20, 30 or 40 seats.
If you can win one GRC, you can also most likely win all GRCs and SMCs, for sure. Because Singapore is a little red dot only.
That's why it's either win big or lose big on 7 May.
Mr Goh should indeed be credited for gentler society but he quickly lost it after hanging around the PAP & LKY for so long and becoming like one of the hawks
There are so many ministers I can think of who are so dispensable:
wong kan seng
shanmugam
mah
vivian
george
swee say
hng kiang
khaw
wait, practically the entire cabinet. will we all suddenly collapse? No. Why? because, we singaporeans, we built this city!
"but the thought of tin pei ling earning $15k a month and representing singapore in the global arena makes me cringe."
Anon May 5, 2011 4:09 PM
Obviously you are not PM Lee or GCT. So does it matter whether you cringe or not cringe?
It is hardly a regret for Goh Chok Tong to retire. The only regret is that we will lose a good future leader - Tan Chuan Jin. he should have deserved much more attention this election, if not for Tin Pei Ling, who has snatched most of his attention (for the wrong reasons obviously). Tan Chuan Jin is humble and speaks well, and has his own views. He was a General, but does not show any air. The biggest pity and insult is for him to be fielded together with Tin Pei Ling.
"He was a General, but does not show any air. The biggest pity and insult is for him to be fielded together with Tin Pei Ling."
Anon May 5, 2011 4:25 PM
That's why GRCs are for. So that everybody can win. And therefore win big.
Sorry for the opposition lah, if they cannot use GRC to their advantage.
"Why is it that you cannot agree that the GRC system is seriously wrong but you will vote for NSP to show displeasure with the system?
I'm abit confused..."
-------
Sorry if that was unclear. Here's what I meant to say. One line of reasoning could go like this:
"1. The GRC is a bad system because weak PAP candidates use it to ride on the strong PAP candidate (eg Goh Chok Tong) to into Parliament."
2. I do not agree with the weak PAP candidates doing such a thing.
3. So even though Goh is a very, very strong candidate, I will vote for the Opposition."
As a Catholic, our Archbishop Nicholas Chia has told us to vote for the common good. I believed the common good means that those in the parliament must work for the good of the people and not for selfish reasons e.g. artifically boasting the GDP by bringing in more foreigners to make themselves look good. So my vote is going to the oppositions.
Marine Parade needs more help from you Mr Wang than Aljunied now. Your vote in Marine Parade could well be the clincher. Aljunied is as good as lost to the Papies. By a comfortable margin, if not a landslide.
Hey, Mr Wang,
the new appointment of GCT is now Senile Minister, and consider that, Nichole's team has higher chance to broke through that senility.
Dear Mr Wang,
To start with, I like Nicole Seah, dislike Goh Chok Tong and despise Tin Pei Ling and do not generally
think well of the PAP. But when I start to consider the rest of the 2 teams and apply standards like capability, likeability, character and sincerity, I'm not sure that the NSP team in Marine Parade is a clear winner. For instance, I have been told by a close associate that Tan Chuan Jin is a popular and respected person in the SAF. Then there is the question mark hanging over Spencer Tan's character, and I'm not too sure what to make of Abdul Salim Harun - call me a snob, but if the candidate is not outstanding in his career and cannot communicate well, I would prefer to see sincerity (eg Lina Chiam and her 30 years standing behind CST to help Potong Pasir residents) or at least relevance (eg the social work/community volunteer candidates).
For someone like myself who would love to give the opposition a chance, this is a major dilemma. Not only in Marine Parade, but also in Choa Chu Kang. If you want to talk about voting for the national good ie for the sake of having credible opposition in parliament - having credible and relevant candidates is even more important.
So, to the NSP which has been open enough to accept all kinds of defectors from other parties, please do yourself a favour and consider also their quality before fielding them as candidates. And if these candidates have some outstanding qualities, you still have 1.5 days until polling day to tell us exactly what qualities.
I think this is about voting for Singapore, or voting for PAP. Take it as a referendum on the system of democracy and governance, rather than a contest between candidates.
If you watch the debate between then LKY (supported by then DPM Goh) and Chiam See Tong (amongst others) on GRCs, it was sadly obvious that everyone in the room knew what was going to happen once they were put in place. Well, they've made their GRC bed, they can lie in it.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6NTRAOaIwU
I'd go for the first reasoning. That even though we know of PAP's sure (almost) win, we shouldn't make it too glorious for them. Have them win, marginally. Like 56% to 54%
"So, to the NSP which has been open enough to accept all kinds of defectors from other parties, please do yourself a favour and consider also their quality before fielding them as candidates. And if these candidates have some outstanding qualities, you still have 1.5 days until polling day to tell us exactly what qualities."
My question to you then what make you think for subsequent election, your vote won't be diluted by the foreigners which they are going to mass import ?
The most concerning question is that as much as we want to vote for PAP due to some outstanding candidates, we vote for opp party because PAP has abusing power and authority to amend constitution law to their advantages, and push through their own agenda regardless of citizens' concern. We have see that from time to time, and it is very possible that LKY (yes, this monster is still running the show, and please don't convince me otherwise) and his party will amend the constitution to fix the loophole that make it difficult for outstanding opp candidates of caliber like Chen Show Mao to be able to contest in next election.
Besides, do take note that this election is very different game as play by past election by PAP. PAP is obviously making use of foreigners to assist them to gain more vote in the future. Considering that gerrymandering is also here to stay as long as PAP exists, with mis-abusement of law and authority to trample on opp party, what is the chance that citizens have left any voice to speak for them ? Don't forget that this election could be Chia's last election, all the more we should grow democracy as much as possible by voting against PAP.
We already expose the kind of loopholes that will jeopardize the PAP system, and you think the LKY will give the opp party and the citizens second chance to create another opportunity of this kind currently.
No doubt that LKY is old and going away soon, but he still a ruthless and merciless monster today and it is yesterday, and his urge to destroy opp party has not waiver, and I doubt he change for the better even for his last breath. I really doubt he is going to repent for good.
If current government is running on wrong principle and fundamental as Mr Wang has stressed, we as citizens of Singapore has the responsibility to fix it by supporting the opp party has (how else do you want us to fix it?). It is time we as citizens fix the issue by voting against PAP rather than having the crazy-power old-man fix us in time and time again.
the question is "do the citizens still want to take the chance for PAP" ?
So which do you prefer ?
You might say that your vote might not meant anything, but remember heaven help those who help themselves. Do the right thing and leave the rest to heaven. Who will have forecast that heaven send rain to flood Ang Mo Kio and Bishan to make way for votes for opp party ? Did the old man forecast that and anticipate it ?
Do the right thing, and good thing will follow.
dear anon (4.53) also known as snob,
totally understand your feelings with regard to spencer & salim but a lot of the pap MPs were also nobodies once: backbenchers who only do & follow. A lot of thePAP MPs cant even make good speeches today after so much education & talk a lot of hot air.
as other sporeans have said so well here: take it as a referendum on PAP leadership or lack of; dividing spore & making our lives a living HELL.
The thought of the NSP candidates (running for the marine parade grc) Spencer Ng and Abdul Salim Harun each earning $15k per month makes me cringe.
Spencer Ng - Resigned from the teaching service one month after he was investigated for sending inappropriate SMSes to his female students!
Abdul Salim Harun - Warehouse Assistant. Graduated from ITE East. Took Part-time diploma in Retail management.
I don't like Tin Pei Ling, but I rather have her than the above two unknowns.
Spencer Ng and Abdul Salim Harun - MP of Singapore? *faints*
Nobody is indispensible and it's time to rejuvenate the Singapore political scene with some healthy discussion and debates on how this country should be run and how policies that will impact on the life of Singaporean should be formulated.
My choice is obvious. It can be any party but NOT the PAP.
"Spencer Ng - Resigned from the teaching service one month after he was investigated for sending inappropriate SMSes to his female students!"
If you believe so, then what's the saga for Steve Tan, the potential PAP candidate for election ? Is Steve Tan not still working for PAP now ?
Mr Wang, no brainer lah.
It was under gct stewardship that grc was enlarged to 6 members, ministers pay exploded, and i dare say the start of immigration ver 1.0.
And don't forget the OB markers nonsense against catherine lim
Anonymous (5.33PM)
"take it as a referendum on PAP leadership or lack of; dividing spore & making our lives a living HELL."
If NSP Spencer Ng and Abdul Salim win, then our lives will have a higher chance of becoming HELL!!
Consider that Spencer Ng has been cleared :
http://www.todayonline.com/SingaporeVotes/EDC110430-0000303/NSP-candidate-Spencer-Ng-speaks-out-against-online-allegations
Now did Steve Tan get clear or his sexual harassment has been moved on as usual to make PAP look good ?
You know how low PAP can go, and you still believe this party, and it speak volume of your judgement.
Excuse me, I am no PAP fan or supporter ok? If Steve Tan is running for my grc and his team mates sucks as well, then of course i won't vote for him lah!
Comparing the NSP team with the PAP team in Marine Parade. I have no other choice but to vote for PAP.
Replace Spencer Ng and Abdul Salim with Tony Tan and Hazel Poa, then it will be a different story.
I have no interest to know whether Steve Tan or Spencer Ng are cleared or not.
Steve Tan is not running for elections but Spencer Ng is.
Ok give Spencer the benefit of doubt that he is really innocent. SO??? He deserves to be paid $15k per month?? For??? :S
eh you all don't look down on ITE credentials lah
ITE people contribute as much to singapore as talk cock ministers
they also have something valuable: humility
have PAP ministers ever declared their wealth?
steve tan: did they come clean?
life offers no clear cut answers but history is full of examples of politicians who are super educated but flopped but also uneducated who succeeded
vote for change
"Excuse me, I am no PAP fan or supporter ok? If Steve Tan is running for my grc and his team mates sucks as well, then of course i won't vote for him lah!"
Which I say to you if you are selfish to vote for estate management rather than those that will speak for future of Singaporeans (dip Marine MPs speak for you on national level issue due to party whip ?) especially on dire time, I will stomp my feet and "I don't know what to say".
15k to peh ling? for ??? seah??? fatima? goh???
faint
Abdul Salim Harun ran against Lee Hsien Loong in AMK GRC in 2006, securing 33% of the votes. Not bad for a total unknown.
NSP will probably lose in Marine Parade, but it's good experience for this young team, and at the same time, it's good for Singapore that as many constituencies as possible are contested.
2 and 5 are the most pressing concerns to me, while 3 is somewhat important.
Hello? It's not about estate management ok. It's about the future of Singapore!
I cannot imagine Spencer Ng and Abdul Salim speaking in parliament, representing us as our MP!
If you say that it's for the greater good, that means you will also vote for that man with a parrot on his shoulder as our MP lah if he runs for your constituency. Wah, if all Singaporeans like you, cham already lor!
Do we really need SM GCT in parliament? TPL will just be implementing the seniors' orders, and i cannot imagine that she will speak for the people. How many of the PAP MPs do you really see anyway? Unless you go see them?
The last person I want to sail into parliament earning 15k mthly salary on part time basis is TPL
like mr wang, JUST SAY NO NO NO NO NO NO TO G G G G GRC.
Referendum on gee- ah- ruh - see
si liao la. Mati
how is the guy with parrot different from a whole house of PAP MPs just parroting the Lees????
Cham!
Just a tongue-in-cheek remark:
Seems like your German employer is quite relaxed these days...
Are you on leave? No legal fires to fight? No mortgage lawsuits to defend? :-)
Have a great polling day.
"f you say that it's for the greater good, that means you will also vote for that man with a parrot on his shoulder as our MP lah if he runs for your constituency. Wah, if all Singaporeans like you, cham already lor!
"
No voice, no dignity, no money, no talk, foreigner trampling on lesser mortals...
haha... we already so cham already, so what talking you ?
Ya lor, grc not so good lah, but Singapore is multi-racial country mah.
So next time, opposition parties must be smarter lah, get better candidates into the teams. Just imagine if your children's school teachers graduated from ITE only, you scared or not?
Singaporeans are after all very practical people, if you got no paper qualifications, you lose already lor.
This is the PM’s 2nd election. His first was 2 years after succeeding SMGCT. He inherits the Parliament including the two most talked about minister KBW and MPT. I believe he is trying to instill his style and also slowly moving out the old guards without causing a rift within the party. I am sure he is slowly making his moves to rotate the old fogies out. Give the man some time. Getting 20 oppositions into the parliament is not going to help our causes. Please my fellow Singapore; look at the other side of the coins. WRT oppositions, I worry a little bit now that the true color is out. Nicole Seah is stirring racial emotions now even without bring a MP. She is very popular now. If she was elected, can you imagine her raising the issues of Malay rights, or demanding apologies from garment to Singh population for being 1/3 as capable in school as the Chinese? What are we going to have on our hands? I guess for voters like us, what we wanted was for the garment to listen to our woes; instead, we mistakenly believed we wanted opposition to speak up for us. In the first place did the opposition asked us what we REALLY wanted? From records, we can see that the opposition has not brought up in the parliament anything that will help make Singapore more competitive (read – not a just a happier place to live in, if I wanted happy, I go Bangkok). Even after being in the cost reduction committee in ’92, Mr. LTK didn’t make any significant contributions to the final publication. I am upset at high HDB prices too but with every foreigner buying a HDB flat, there is a Singaporean family upgrading. If flats were sold within Singaporean, I am sure my mum’s 3 rooms in Redhill wouldn’t be 190KSGD now (30K plus when my dad bought it). With every foreigner in our companies, there is a real possibility that we are more competitive with the Malaysians or Taiwanese or Koreans. OK I don’t really think EVERY single PR or FT here now is needed. And for that, the garment needs to have a look. If the Opp have a silver bullet, lets see it (or lets hear it in DETAILS first before we buy off). The truth is there is no silver bullet. PAP just likes to find the scientific way out and ignore the human factors. I can see that if PAP doesn’t quickly, by this election end introduce a platform for common and frills-free feedback (the net chat was a good start!), same time next election, it will be adios PM Lee. But it would give me time to save up to buy gold. I suspect the boatman on that last boat out to Freedom wouldn’t take the worthless Singapore Dollars. Then all of us can kiss out cheap HDB flats good-bye.
people who say opposition must be smarter, just ask yourselves this:
is it easy to step forward as opposition in this country?
at least the opposition deserves credit for trying to assemble a team to fight nearly every ward
in spore, nobody wants to associate with opposition until now
it is therefore not a surprise that some candidates seemingly fall short
& don't rely too heavily on paper qualifications
our PM is cambridge but no life experiences and look at the policies they come up with?
those policies have affected YOU, already super cham
Marine Parade Resident,
You have told us your reasons lah. No need for anymore explanations. Vote who you want. That is your right and we will vote who we want. Life goes on.
"I am not voting on municipal lines. I am voting on a national basis. I am more concerned about the country and its Parliament, than the question of who's going to clear my rubbish and build new playgrounds. And I think that what this country needs is more Opposition members in Parliament."
-Author : Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wang
*Powerful words of wisdom.
Honestly, LKY has given the mandate, if you don't vote for PAP, you will live to regret and five years for you to repent. Given this option, i really think there is no other choice but to make PAP the minority. Granted that the opposition may not all be very experienced, but how else will they get the exposure and experience if not given the chance to demonstrate and prove their worth. In any case, it is better then "I don't know what to say"...... I am not an ingrate, i am appreciative of PAP works and contribution in the formative years of Singapore, however, it is time to move on and let other lead the way... talk about not enough talent to have 2 party...utter nonsense... if one as experience and respected as GCT resort to name calling, this has totally ruin my respect for the man.
Please do not spoil your vote, make the choice whatever it is, nothing can be worst then not deciding.
If i were anywhere in MP, Nicole is the clear choice for me.
to the person who said this is only PM's second election.
helo?
some leaders in the world are fired by the people after one round of elections if they make grave mistakes like letting mas selamat escape and then not fully taking responsibility for it. On top of that, dare to raise their salaries and give themselves fat bonuses
wake up singaporeans
do we get second or third or fourth or fifth chances at work if we screw up?
and yes, opposition has had to find people to put out on PAP's ridiculous rules that don't benefit singaporeans
look at us, now having to make unpleasant choices.
whose fault is this? PAP and their dumb GRCs
I would vote for NSP if for no other reason than to drive home the point that Singaporeans do not want candidates like TPL shoved down their throats via the GRC system. Losing GCT and saving Singapore $3m a year is a bonus.
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