Open Letter to Hougang Residents: People Power. Vote For Yourself, Your Family and the Future.
.by Mohammad Nizam Abdul Kadir on Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 12:34am ·.
"One of the reasons people hate politics is that truth is rarely a politician's objective. Election and power are." Cal Thomas
Dear Hougang Residents.
I was 9-years old, attending Xinghua Primary School at Hougang Avenue 1 when we had our first elections as Hougang SMC. I attended Kindergarten at En-Naeem Mosque. I was born in 1979 and moved into a new HDB flat my dad bought at the 12th floor of block 22, Hougang Avenue 3. I also attended Montfort Secondary School, which was in another ward, but Hougang is actually quite a bigger place, than the Hougang SMC.
When I was in Primary 3, Hougang SMC was carved out, and the first election took place where I stayed, in 1988, between PAP and WP. I remained in Hougang until I finally shifted out to Woodlands in 2000.
I had many great childhood memories, but one thing for sure, I don't remember Hougang SMC as a place that is extremely dissimilar from the rest of Singapore. We had buses to take, the Hougang Bus Interchange's MacDonald's would be our hang-out place. To me, at that age, I only knew PAP, through PAP Kindergartens that all my four elder brothers went to, except myself. Hougang was home, whether or not, it was PAP or WP that took care of us.
As a child I didn't notice the difference, but as far as I know my parents were keen supporters of PAP, they voted for PAP every election, until we moved out to Woodlands, and when I grew up and learnt a thing or two about politics, and it was then, that I thought PAP wasn't that good anymore. So I'll swing my mom over to my side, to vote for the opposition, and she did eventually, but cautioned me not to tell my dad. My dad was a staunch PAP supporter, as he saw how PAP made his life better, I supposed. Or was he fearful of PAP? Well I could never tell till today. I would tell my mom of the failure of PAP's policy especially the one on stop at 2, which she was penalized for having 5 sons, who she had to send all to NS, but she was lucky, all of us survived NS. And she would then vote for the opposition. PAP was a good party that took care of us. But I supposed our problems today are a result of the growth we achieved for the many years ago. That is why, my father saw the growth, while I saw the side effects of this growth.My parents' kampong friends all shifted to Hougang Avenue 3, we were all living in the same block, or a few blocks away. We played soccer every afternoon at an open field, my grandmother sold kueh at the void-deck, and made some money too by selling spices at the nearby wet market. Hougang was a very memorable place to live in, as a child and a teenager. There was no problem for me, on a local level. However, my parents' buddies are still there, their parents are there too, most are wheel-chair bound. They definitely need more facilities in that area today.
Yes, I agree PAP was unfair in not treating Hougang well. But this is politics isn't it? But to me, those times, WP won the Hougang SMC, I didn't really feel PAP was bullying us in Hougang, as I still remembered my mother would go to Lim Ah Pin Polyclinic, and took us along if any of us were sick. We were still happy with what we had, because those times were simple times, and we were not an ageing population yet.
Fast forward 20 years, Hougang is in a state that made Png say "Hougang is not for sale". Indeed, nobody would want to buy it, look at its state compared to other housing estates. I live in Woodlands for about 5-8 years, and I could see the vast differences, and to a new generation of Singaporeans, like me, it does matter. And to the old folks who are living there, it matters even more. Who is going to look after them?
Yes, Hougang seems to have been bullied by PAP, and they have sacrificed each time they voted for WP during the general elections of 1991, 1997, 2001, 2006 and 2011. I did my A Levels in Serangoon Junior College in 1997, to me it was quite a dilapidated JC compared to many other JCs, including National JC I attended for a short while waiting for my O Level results. I didn't understand PAP was the cause of such unfairness, but as I grew up, I was angry at PAP for doing this to my home town. They were bullying us.
So in the recent general elections of 2011, when Low Thia Khiang (who has won since 1991), decided to allow Yaw Shin Leong to replace him, so that he could contest for Aljunied GRC, which he won, I thought why not, since we've already been bullied, we may as well, be stubborn and not vote for PAP. And true enough, Yaw won. History was made in the same elections. We were all elated. WP MPs are now in parliament, 6 of them now! Democracy has arrived in Singapore. The people of Hougang and Aljunied have sacrificed for the rest of Singapore. I am so proud of them for that sacrifice. Because we really do need alternative voices in parliament.
Then, the unexpected happened. Yaw was sacked, and Hougang was without an MP, even though WP tried to help out in that area by taking turns with the MPs from Aljunied GRC. Yes, true, PAP also sacked their MPs, some even worse than Yaw, charged for crimes, like frauds, etc. However, like I mention, Hougang is the symbol of TRUE DEMOCRACY -- PEOPLE POWER. We should therefore be true to ourselves. Democracy is not about voting in WP no matter what happened. Then, we are no different from PAP. Yes, PAP made mistakes, but at the same time, 60% of the population are grateful for the good they bring to Singapore, my dad included. 40% of us have taught them a lesson by not voting for them. So who is going to teach WP a lesson? People power is about us, the people, telling the politicians, they better not FAIL US.
PAP failed us, and in the GE2011, we voted and showed to them what we feel. It was the lowest votes they ever received since independence.
WP failed Hougang residents, and in this By Election of 2012, we must also use our power as the people, in a truly democratic fashion, show them how we feel. We want high standards for our politics. If we are slack now, then, in the future, when PAP does something wrong, we will not have a reason to make them accountable as a people.
On top of this, as people with the power, we should also think about the benefits Hougang Residents can derive from Desmond Choo winning this time round. Let Hougang Residents get all the goodies for 4 years. And then come, GE2016, we decide again as a people. Hougang SMC may be dissolved. But so what? If truly the people have the power, and we are going to show it, then it doesn't matter, Aljunied GRC was won by the opposition right?
Furthermore, People Power goes beyond elections. We can show our might, not only through our votes, but through our actions, on a daily basis. We can send letters, emails, write on the walls of these politicians, and let them know how we feel. We can organize events to get the word out about things. There is so much we can do, beyond politics. Many great people who have revolutionized this world are not politicians. They are simple people who do extraordinary things.
People power in this by-election is about voting for people who can make our lives better, not only at national level, but also at the local level. We all have one vote each, and together, we become an invincible force even politicians cannot deny.
Do not vote for WP or PAP for this by-election.
Vote for yourself, your family and your future.
In the last election, the results were as such:
WP Yaw Shin Leong 14,850 votes (64.8%)
PAP Desmond Choo 8,065 votes (35.2%)
Majority 6,785
If PAP wants to win this, they will need to swing 6,785 people. Which I think is possible.
But knowing Hougang, many of the older folks aren't even aware of the politics in that area, including the friends of my parents who remain there.
My personal take is, WP should be punished, the same way we would like PAP to be punished.
Let's take democracy further. Let's show all politicians, the power lies in the people, not the political parties.
I hope from 26th May onwards, Hougang can be upgraded, my schools can be upgraded, the old folks get what they need, and Hougang can be a good home that I had when I was still a child there. Then come GE2016, we'll vote more alternative voices again into parliament. And perhaps, we'll give WP another chance to slap the government. But first, let's slap WP, as the people of this country, for not living up to their expectations. And by 2016, let's hope, they are all wide awake, these politicians. No mercy on them. We are their masters, not the other way round.
PEOPLE POWER! RISE UP!
.
