It is such arbitrary use of power and the disregard for the rule of law that has, in the eyes of many Singaporeans, eroded the moral standing of this Government.
The party claims that it derives its power from regularly held elections. Again, Singaporeans are able to see that the victory did not come from free and fair electoral practices but rather through the control of the mass media, the giving out of monetary packages just before polling, the threat of HDB upgrading, the use of lawsuits, the curtailment of the campaign period...
When moral legitimacy expires and the people don't trust those who rule over them to act in their interest, trouble is seldom far away. And when these same persons in authority ride the high horse and indulge in name-calling, the antipathy grows.
If circumstances deteriorate, the threat of force – and even the use of it – cannot win the cooperation of the people. The most fundamental lesson that any student of politics learns is that without the people's cooperation, a government is defunct.