Scroobal,
I think you miss the point totally.
Each party will definitely want to secure their own interests but at what cost? The cost is the Nation's democratic progress and development. To put it bluntly, when a party goes to the extreme and only want to safe guard its own interests and lose sight of the bigger picture of political development, they are no different from PAP which will just change the electoral rules to their advantage.
While we condemn and criticise PAP for doing that, I think it applies as well to opposition parties which only want to be "spoiler" or just "selfish" in trying to deprive other opposition parties of the chance of winning, especially in the situation whereby PAP's dominance is overwhelming right now.
Ramseth has put it in a very frank perspective, the objective of WP in elbowing into MK is just to chope place, without any real intention of putting a serious fight to win. But in doing so, it deprives NSP of the chance of winning. NSP is ready to commit its top team, Team A to fight and try to win MK but WP is only interested in spoiling the chance of NSP and putting up a third rate team in MK.
There are other more alternatives like MP which has all the ingredients to become a good training ground for young candidates. Apparently WP is not really interested in finding the right training for the young candidates but actually making use of them to chope MK, spoiling and chase NSP away.
The reason why I kept MP as a hidden card is precisely because I know how WP works. WP is filled with many selfish individuals who cannot see the bigger picture and the urgency to deprive PAP the two third majority. They are the ones who put pressure and urging for such cannibalizing moves which benefits no one but PAP. They are even itching for 3 corner fights. And all these thinking are based on the dream of "Two Party System" which actually means that destroy all other parties at all cost.
Such mentally is detrimental for the whole opposition movement as well as the Nation's progress in democratic development.
If I have indicated firmly during the negotiation period that NSP is going to MP, most likely these people would scramble to try and fill a team in MP and insisting their right to do so. This is because MP is right at their doorsteps at Aljunied and EC which is more important for their future expansion while MK is really insignificant and immaterial for their future growth. You don't choose a 4 seat GRC instead of 5 for future growth. They decided not to contest MP basically of three reasons. First, they thought nobody would stage a serious claim and contest MP. Secondly, GCT is there and they thought he is very popular. Thirdly, since GCT would most probably retire by next GE (because LKY would make sure he do before LKY retires), they can wait till next GE to stage a real challenge there.
The only real reason why they chose MK is to be the "spoiler" to NSP which under partisan game plan, "nothing wrong" but in terms of the bigger picture, lack of responsible considerations for the Nation's interest of political development.
Well, admittedly NSP at that moment, doesn't have enough resources to play hard ball politics with WP but I have done my best to do a "coastal hook" on WP by keeping MP as the hidden card. From the perspective of "tit for tat", it is a "feeble" attempt to "retaliate" in put up a "block force" at MP to restrict WP's clear claim on MP and growth of its potential wins at MP along with EC by next GE. It is the only viable gamble and strategic move I could make to put a foundation for future bargains and negotiations.
Whether such strategic move is successful or not depends on many factors but at least one of the most important factor has been acquired, the grooming of Nicole Seah through MP who will become a significant player in playing this "block force" operations.
Yes, I do have a soft spot for WP because I was after all from it and I have hinted in a subtle way that they should go to MP so that it would be good for everybody. But no, such good will was totally ignored due to arrogance thus, the plan was carried out eventually. I am after all, the SG of NSP and I have responsibility to make sure that it will have a good foundation to start with. I was even willing to give up Tampines to Tony and Hazel, setting my foot in MP if they agree to the game plan, just to make sure that the block force works perfectly well. This is the worst case scenario but since WP is that "selfish" in safeguarding its own interests, so be it.
Tony and Hazel didn't want to go to Tampines but we still managed to form a MP team in the end. The consolation to NSP is that it managed to perform reasonably well in both Tampines as well as MP, better than the second or third rate WP teams (in relative terms). It is important for the MP team to perform well so that by the next GE, NSP will have more chips to lay claim. If everything else fail, the reasons will be open up for voters scrutiny on whether WP's insistence on contesting in MP and/or Tampines is reasonable and responsible or not.
The PE result is a silver lining for NSP. It actually shows that it is possible to split the votes of hardcore anti-PAP out from the middle ground. It would mean that if NSP is able to convince hardcore anti-PAP voters that what WP is doing would be detrimental to opposition growth, the results of 3 corner fight would be very closely split.
I believe WP leaders understand the implications of NSP MP team and the impact of Nicole's sudden growth in fame. I believe privately, they must be banging chests and wonder why I have sent a MP team at the very last minute even when NSP didn't lay claim to MP during the negotiation meeting. I have even laid the "trap" to get WP to say that it will not contest MP so that it could not go back against its words before I declare my MP team, the hidden card. I know they wanted to play hard ball in MK very badly, so badly that they would just insist that they are not interested in any place else except MK. But privately, I still hope they would change their mind so that I won't have to plant this seed of potential conflicts in MP for the next GE.
I am willing to open up this little secret of mine here just to make a point, you may have the best branding but don't always think that you could possibly elbow your way and bully others just because you have the strength. NSP may not have the same branding effect nor top tier candidates but it could well minimize losses while maximize strategic advantage through careful strategic maneuver.
To close this chapter, I would want to make sure that people don't get the wrong idea here. I am NOT against WP in particular but I am only concerned about the kind of mindset and direction that WP is heading with even its "insect members" harping such arrogant attitudes. I might have laid the seeds of leverage and bargaining for the next GE for NSP but I have no intention to destroy anybody. Soft persuasion will be useless to WP. The only way to get the points across is to make sure there are enough chips for NSP on the table for bargaining. I still hope that there will not be any 3 corner fights between NSP and WP next round.
If you think that after all these things I have done is for my own benefits, you are totally mistaken. I am willing to step down from SG post for a start. There will be other development in the pipeline and this will be announced later. I have done all these with no choice left and it is done with a heavy heart.
Goh Meng Seng
Frankly none of your arguments hold any water and WP certainly does not need any favours from you. Perspective is right - you are contradicting yourself.
WP or any party for that matter need not work out of your template. Instead of blaming everyone like SDP, you should knuckle down and work towards gaining a seat. The country is big enough.
I can't help but notice that you are starting spot fires. I am not sure what LTK or WP did but it must have upset you that your focus is no longer on PAP.
Lets face it no one is crying over what had occurred with Eric except you. Eric resigned. He was not asked to leave. Did he honestly think that he was going to be rewarded with a seat for loyalty.