Source: TR EMERITUS
PAP activist: Hard to dislodge WP from Aljunied GRC
November 8th, 2014 | Author: Editorial
In the 2011 general election, Kaki Bukit ward was absorbed into Aljunied GRC after being part of Eunos, East Coast and Marine Parade in previous general elections.
It was a comfortable ward for PAP MPs and activists due to the many walkovers in past elections for some 20 years.
Its luck ran out when it was carved out from Marine Parade GRC to form part of Aljunied GRC in 2011. Aljunied GRC was then lost to WP.
Now, even as PAP redoubles their efforts in Kaki Bukit with community programmes, social assistance and other “sweet” schemes, PAP activists do not believe they are going to win back Aljunied GRC.
Ms Normah Ahmad, a PAP activist since 1980 and former chair of Kaki Bukit’s Women’s Wing, said, “Realistically, it will be a very tough fight to dislodge the Workers’ Party.”
She said that PAP must be more proactive in engaging residents as fewer instinctively turn to PAP for help.
Another activist, 27-year-old Jagathishwaran Rajo, who is with NTUC, thinks that the days of a high percentage of votes for PAP are over.
Mr Rajo, who studied political science in university, said that he was one of the few who spoke up for the PAP government in class, “It has become glamorous nowadays to be anti-government, anti-PAP and anti-establishment. My honours year thesis title was ‘End Of PAP dominance?’”
“We do have to think about whether the days of very high percentage of votes are over. After all, in developed countries, it is very rare now to get a majority. So, this is maybe the new normal – more debate, more contest, but also more new ideas,” he said.
However, Mr Rajo did not say if he bothered to find out why anti-PAP sentiments have become so popular or, as he puts it, “glamorous” these days, as compared to say, 20 years ago.
Mr Rajo is the YPAP branch chair in Zhenghua ward of Holland-Bukit Timah GRC.
Some PAP activists have noticed that people think they are bootlickers and do not like to be associated with them.
Joseph Lim Hak Moh, PBM, who runs a metal and hardware business, said [Link], “It’s quite sad when I want to drink kopi and people tell me ‘mai lah, pai seh’. They think we are bootlickers and don’t want to be seen associating with a PAP member.”
Whatever is the case, one thing is certain – there will scarcely be walkovers for PAP in future elections.
What do you think?
PAP activist: Hard to dislodge WP from Aljunied GRC
November 8th, 2014 | Author: Editorial
In the 2011 general election, Kaki Bukit ward was absorbed into Aljunied GRC after being part of Eunos, East Coast and Marine Parade in previous general elections.
It was a comfortable ward for PAP MPs and activists due to the many walkovers in past elections for some 20 years.
Its luck ran out when it was carved out from Marine Parade GRC to form part of Aljunied GRC in 2011. Aljunied GRC was then lost to WP.
Now, even as PAP redoubles their efforts in Kaki Bukit with community programmes, social assistance and other “sweet” schemes, PAP activists do not believe they are going to win back Aljunied GRC.
Ms Normah Ahmad, a PAP activist since 1980 and former chair of Kaki Bukit’s Women’s Wing, said, “Realistically, it will be a very tough fight to dislodge the Workers’ Party.”
She said that PAP must be more proactive in engaging residents as fewer instinctively turn to PAP for help.
Another activist, 27-year-old Jagathishwaran Rajo, who is with NTUC, thinks that the days of a high percentage of votes for PAP are over.
Mr Rajo, who studied political science in university, said that he was one of the few who spoke up for the PAP government in class, “It has become glamorous nowadays to be anti-government, anti-PAP and anti-establishment. My honours year thesis title was ‘End Of PAP dominance?’”
“We do have to think about whether the days of very high percentage of votes are over. After all, in developed countries, it is very rare now to get a majority. So, this is maybe the new normal – more debate, more contest, but also more new ideas,” he said.
However, Mr Rajo did not say if he bothered to find out why anti-PAP sentiments have become so popular or, as he puts it, “glamorous” these days, as compared to say, 20 years ago.
Mr Rajo is the YPAP branch chair in Zhenghua ward of Holland-Bukit Timah GRC.
Some PAP activists have noticed that people think they are bootlickers and do not like to be associated with them.
Joseph Lim Hak Moh, PBM, who runs a metal and hardware business, said [Link], “It’s quite sad when I want to drink kopi and people tell me ‘mai lah, pai seh’. They think we are bootlickers and don’t want to be seen associating with a PAP member.”
Whatever is the case, one thing is certain – there will scarcely be walkovers for PAP in future elections.
What do you think?
End Of Article
