Dawning Of The Era Of Warring Parties

[Ramseth]

WTF, how you know i wear specs?

You're as blind as a bat and three blind mice without your specs.

Back to topic, in conversation with GMS...he proposes:

1. Voters must change mindset not to expect opposition MPs to take care of wards. They'd be naturally disadvantaged versus government MPs as they'd have less or no access to fundings other than SCC.

2. Town councils must be depoliticised and returned to HDB care as HDB owns the lands and the buildings, unless the government is willing to conduct separate elections for town councillors.

3. All MPs, opposition or government, ministers or backbenchers must concentrate on affairs of the state in Parliament.

 

[Tristan]

So what happen in Macau?

Ha! Ha! TKK, you're a riot!! Here "learned" people talking serious politics "Dawning of the era of warring parties" and there you go asking about what happened in Macau. And the other nutcase still insisting on what the venerable GMS thinks of Chee's letters, something no one gives a farking rat's ass about anymore! Ha! Ha! Too much!!! Very soon a bus driver will join in the serious debate...

 

[cass888]

Ha! Ha! TKK, you're a riot!! Here "learned" people talking serious politics "Dawning of the era of warring parties" and there you go asking about what happened in Macau. And the other nutcase still insisting on what the venerable GMS thinks of Chee's letters, something no one gives a farking rat's ass about anymore! Ha! Ha! Too much!!! Very soon a bus driver will join in the serious debate...

MS Goh, do you endorse or condemn chee's letters to MM Lee?

 

[Tristan]

MS Goh, do you endorse or condemn chee's letters to MM Lee?

OK. apart from being a nutcase, you are paranoid as well. Please read this:

The word paranoia comes from the Greek "παράνοια" (paranoia), "madness" and that from "παρά" (para), "beside, by" + "νόος" (noos), "mind". The term is used to describe a mental illness in which a delusional belief is the sole or most prominent feature.

 

[cass888]

OK. apart from being a nutcase, you are paranoid as well. Please read this:

The word paranoia comes from the Greek "παράνοια" (paranoia), "madness" and that from "παρά" (para), "beside, by" + "νόος" (noos), "mind". The term is used to describe a mental illness in which a delusional belief is the sole or most prominent feature.

That is why I refuse to acknowledge whether I endorse or condemn chee's letter to MM Lee

MS Goh, if you dont answer the question now, Tampines voters will make you do so. Do you want to drag down 4 other candidates with you in the process?

 

[Tristan]

MS Goh, if you dont answer the question now, Tampines voters will make you do so. Do you want to drag down 4 other candidates with you in the process?

Ha! Ha! Ok..Ok... next time bring along a loudhailer and whenever you see GMS showing his fat ass around Tampines, please shout into it: Mr. GMS. Tell me what you think of Chee's letters!!!!

 

[cass888]

Ha! Ha! Ok..Ok... next time bring along a loudhailer and whenever you see GMS showing his fat ass around Tampines, please shout into it: Mr. GMS. Tell me what you think of Chee's letters!!!!

Because I don't want to answer that question. I say endorse I alienate MM Lee's supporters. I say condemn I alienate the hardcore opposition. Oh I am so screwed.

I don't need loudhailer.

 

[Tristan]

Back to topic, in conversation with GMS...he proposes:

Before the venerable GMS "proposes" anything, may I suggest HE first try and get into parliament. Who the fark will consider any of his "proposals"?

Maybe the venerable GMS should start "suggesting" first instead of "proposing".

 

[Tristan]

I don't need loudhailer.

You need therapy.

 

[Thick Face Black Heart]

I don't need loudhailer.

Of course you don't need a loudhailer.

After all, empty vessels make the most noise. :oIo:

 

[cass888]

Before the venerable GMS "proposes" anything, may I suggest HE first try and get into parliament. Who the fark will consider any of his "proposals"?

Before he proposes anything, he should answer the question - does he endorse or condemn chee's letter to MM Lee

 

[scroobal]

Well put. Good stuff.

The best tactic for actually starting to win seats is not representation of national issues in Parliament. It's been proven to be convincing your targetted ward that you'll take good care of them and the ward. The reverse was how Seet Ai Mee and Ng Pock Too lost their seats to Ling How Doong and Cheo Chai Chen. They were given a chance when PAP MPs were too haughty and lofty for the residents' liking. They blew it and lost their seats back. Chiam See Tong and Low Thia Khiang understood that and kept their seats.

It's the confidence of the voters in your ward that you'll take good care of them and the ward that constitutes the mandate for you to speak in Parliament for them.

It's got nothing to do with the MP chairmanship of town council system. It's been this way all the while since original Westminster system. It's called a political base.

 

[scroobal]

The single biggest influence to an opposition candidate is exposure and that is highly dependent on the media.

This can be overcome by their contact on the ground which tend to take longer. Both Chiam and Low had overcome it in different ways. The media gave Chiam a lot of exposure because they never thought he had a chance. They spoke about his VW, his wife Lina campaigning etc. Then Chiam had luck.something he did not expect. He aimed for Howe Yoon Chong's ward - after the Howe report on the elderly , it became a target and Chiam got it.

Low had a bit of help. While the PAP was focusing on dispersing of Malays, he worked on the Teochews who were concentrated in his eventual ward and WP brand.

Now both Low and Chiam have excellent ground contact and despite the biggest bribe on political history of $180M for both wards including xmas gift on nomination day courtesy of the new PM. The voters did not budge.

After 5,000 voters precint and decentralised counting centres any advantage on targeting demographics is gone. The best tactics are

1) Work on PAP's bad policies and their gaffes which are there for the taking
2) Build a strong case around it
3) Create an identity of standing up to the PAP on such issues
4) Make yourself known via any media exposure.

Take the example of our "best criminal lawyer" . He is not particularly good in his field but he did something in mid-career. He always gave the media answers to anything on law. Name recognition helped bring business. He also chose to expand on sensational cases.

Subhas is now a household name for criminal law.

My guess is most candidates want to get into Parliament and talk as if they've become Ministers without taking care of their wards.

PAP has invented something for people like that. NMP and NCMP. No ward.

 

[aurvandil]

An interesting development ....

GRC MPs prepare for single-seat contests
http://www.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/image/20101022/ST_17940890.jpg

SENIOR Minister Goh Chok Tong is preparing the MPs in his Marine Parade GRC for the next general election, which will have more single-member constituencies (SMCs).

Three MPs have been identified who should get ready for the possibility of their wards being carved out of the GRC to become SMCs, he said in an interview with The Straits Times.

The trio are Mr Seah Kian Peng, Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim and Mr Lim Biow Chuan - all first-term MPs.

SM Goh also sees the possibility of his GRC being reduced in size to fewer than the current six MPs.

If so, it is likely to go down well with many constituents who feel their GRC is so big that they don't feel a sense of belonging.

But his continued presence is much desired by the residents, who take pride in having him lead the GRC, even as they lament that he scares away the opposition from contesting the constituency.

THREE first-term MPs in Marine Parade GRC have been asked by their team leader, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, to prepare for the possibility of standing in a single-seat constituency at the next general election.

They are Mr Seah Kian Peng (Braddell Heights), Mr Lim Biow Chuan (Mountbatten) and Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim (Kaki Bukit).

They were picked because their wards, sitting on the outskirts of the group representation constituency with six MPs, would be likely choices for carving out into single-member constituencies (SMCs), SM Goh told The Straits Times this month during an interview for a constituency report on Marine Parade GRC.

He said the trio were identified earlier this year at meetings he and his fellow Marine Parade MPs held to discuss the impact of changes at the next election, due by February 2012.

The discussions were prompted by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's announcement last year that the average number of MPs in a GRC, which is 5.4 now, would not exceed five.

PM Lee also promised fewer GRCs with six MPs and more SMCs. There would be at least 12 SMCs, up from the current nine, he added.

In the light of these changes, SM Goh said he told the MPs on his team that 'there would be at least a 50 per cent chance that Marine Parade GRC would be reduced in size to five or smaller'.

The other two MPs are Dr Fatimah Lateef (Geylang Serai) and Dr Ong Seh Hong (Kampong Ubi-Kembangan).

Singapore has four other six-member GRCs: Ang Mo Kio, Tanjong Pagar, Sembawang and Pasir Ris-Punggol.

The other nine GRCs are five-member constituencies. Checks with four MPs in the other four six-member GRCs found that none has had similar discussions on preparing to be an SMC.

SM Goh said the nature of the preparations for an SMC contest is no different from that put in by a candidate in a GRC.

The key is in the intensity levels, he added, explaining that the trio must visit more residents, identify and address municipal issues quickly, and hold more activities to connect with residents.

Said SM Goh: 'Once they know they have a chance of being a single (seat candidate), they've got to run a little faster, and a little harder.'

The selected trio told The Straits Times they have stepped up efforts in their respective wards and are ready to contest as single-seat candidates.

Kaki Bukit's Dr Faishal added that SM Goh also urged them to attempt programmes unique to their wards so that residents would feel more attached to them as their MPs. Two of the wards identified - Kaki Bukit and Braddell Heights - were closely contested when they were SMCs in the past.

In 1984, the People's Action Party's (PAP) Chew Heng Ching won in Kaki Bukit against Singapore United Front's Tan Chee Kien with 52.28 per cent of votes cast.

In 1991, PAP's Goh Choon Kang beat Mr Sin Kek Tong - then with Singapore Democratic Party - by getting 52.27 per cent of votes cast in Braddell Heights.

Asked how the selected wards would fare if they became SMCs again, SM Goh cautioned against speculating or going on past events, pointing out that there are new issues and voters at every election.

He also disclosed he has asked PM Lee to send a potential political office-holder to Marine Parade GRC at the next polls.

It was a request he had made as well in the 2006 polls because 'I would not be here forever'.

But PM Lee had told him then that other constituencies needed them more than Marine Parade GRC, which has no other office-holder apart from SM Goh, 69.

Said SM Goh: 'I am going on to 70. So I have asked him again to post somebody in Marine Parade GRC at the next GE, if possible. It will be part of the PAP self-renewal process.'

Mentoring potential office-holders is not new to SM Goh.

Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee ____ and Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Lim Hwee Hua were placed under his charge when they were fielded as rookies in Marine Parade GRC.

Mr Teo was a newcomer in the 1992 by-election and left in 1997 to lead Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC.

Mrs Lim was new in the 1997 polls and was moved to Aljunied GRC in 2006.

 

[Thick Face Black Heart]

Take the example of our "best criminal lawyer" . He is not particularly good in his field but he did something in mid-career. He always gave the media answers to anything on law. Name recognition helped bring business. He also chose to expand on sensational cases.

Subhas is now a household name for criminal law.

We need more mid-career professionals in the opposition.

That is why some time back, a few prominent civil society actors met to discuss strategy of roping people of similar station as Subhas in.

But it was concluded that unless the opposition first makes a breakthrough in Parliament, this class of candidates will tend to remain at the sidelines. Such is the nature of the situation the PAP has created.

 

[scroobal]

Yes and no. Agree on the mid level professionals. They want to stand but they are looking for organised support. WP is still better organised and more professional in bringing in people.

RP, NSP and SPP have their usual challenges an people tend to worry about the personalities of their leaders especially RP and SPP.

I suspect we will see some interesting faces in WP line-up.

The release of SMC might see some well heeled independents but I think some of these independents might actually be pro-government. Not that PAP put them there but those seeking some level of involvement.

We need more mid-career professionals in the opposition.

That is why some time back, a few prominent civil society actors met to discuss strategy of roping people of similar station as Subhas in.

But it was concluded that unless the opposition first makes a breakthrough in Parliament, this class of candidates will tend to remain at the sidelines. Such is the nature of the situation the PAP has created.

 

[Queen Seok Duk]

Take the example of our "best criminal lawyer" . He is not particularly good in his field but he did something in mid-career. He always gave the media answers to anything on law. Name recognition helped bring business. He also chose to expand on sensational cases.

Subhas is now a household name for criminal law.

Once upon a time, it was Edmond Pereira.

But the one who was really good at his trade who never really had to rely on the media PR was the late Palakrishnan.

I was told lawyers could pay a PR Company to help market his image in the media.

 

[scroobal]

Pala was the best. It was no surprise that Khoo Teck Puat hired him to defend his son. Sant Singh is the other. Leo Fernando comes to mind as well.

Once upon a time, it was Edmond Pereira.

But the one who was really good at his trade who never really had to rely on the media PR was the late Palakrishnan.

I was told lawyers could pay a PR Company to help market his image in the media.

 

[Goh Meng Seng]

Scroobal,

You are spot on again. However, sad to say, people are trying to "replicate" Low's and Chiam's success which is almost mission impossible because circumstances have changed. Even the usual door knocking exercise is losing its effectiveness due to change in population construct, on top of the lack of efficiency.

Goh Meng Seng

The single biggest influence to an opposition candidate is exposure and that is highly dependent on the media.

This can be overcome by their contact on the ground which tend to take longer. Both Chiam and Low had overcome it in different ways. The media gave Chiam a lot of exposure because they never thought he had a chance. They spoke about his VW, his wife Lina campaigning etc. Then Chiam had luck.something he did not expect. He aimed for Howe Yoon Chong's ward - after the Howe report on the elderly , it became a target and Chiam got it.

 

[Thick Face Black Heart]

The release of SMC might see some well heeled independents but I think some of these independents might actually be pro-government. Not that PAP put them there but those seeking some level of involvement.

Or perhaps seeking some form of legacy to avoid being labelled by posterity as "just another establishment man"?