<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"></TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>31976.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>Five Reasons Why It Is Difficult To Dislodge The PAP From Power (Part 1)
April 20th, 2010 |
Author: Our Correspondent
By Gilbert Goh
I have read from many online blogs that the government may lose its grip on power with some even predicting it’s downfall during the next election.
Many also forecasted that the foreigner influx will be a serious enough issue to push many voters who are sitting on the fences all along to vote for the opposition. I beg to differ here.
Bread and butter issues have all along figure hugely on how the pragmatic Singaporean voters will vote. Voters will vote for the government if it can provide enough work for the whole population and the people feel well taken care of. Many have even exchanged some of their basic citizens’ right for the assurance of a comfortable living lifestyle. And why not?
Many older married Singaporeans – the traditional voting base of the PAP – have pragmatically reasoned that having a good job and a decent roof over one’s head is definitely better than getting all the democratic goodies that younger educated Singaporeans are craving for right now.
It is foreseeable that the post-65s voters will split down the line on who they will vote for during an election. The average older Singaporeans and stay-at-home housewives will likely vote for the PAP.
However, the current anti-foreigner sentiments have indeed weigh adversely against the ruling party. No one though will dare to predict that this will cause a vote swing large enough to allow the opposition to win any seats in the next elections let alone topple the ruling party from power.
Many Singaporeans, especially those in the vulnerable age group of between 40 – 60, have found themselves displaced by cheaper younger foreigners. From blue collared service staff in eateries to IT executives of multi national corporations, many Singaporeans have found themselves been made jobless by foreigners. Though globalization is always there and our country has welcomed foreigners all along, this is the first time that the invasion has been so massive and destructive. Incoming foreigner migrants have also caused public housing prices to shoot through the roof angering many Singaporeans in the process.
Employers will be merciless here and will not hesitate to fire our local workers if they can find cheaper better foreign alternatives. Professionals, managers, engineers and technicians (PMETS) now found that they have to compete with cheaper foreigners for jobs that normally belonged to the local workforce. If the opposition parties could shrewdly exploit this major grievance, the advantage is theirs to seize.
It is true that the foreigner worker factor will figure hugely on how the ruling party will fare in the next elections. Of course, on the other hand, the huge plus point for the ruling party will be the extra votes that it can anticipate to reap from the foreign-citizens. New foreign-born citizens will not want to bite the hand that feeds them and moreover all they have now is just thanks-giving for the ruling party who have given them a new lease of life in a first-world country.
The statistics of the most recent general elections in 2006 were summarized as follows:
The 2006 Singapore parliamentary general election was held on 6 May 2006. 1.22 million out of the 2.16 million eligible Singaporeans voted for Members of Parliament and elected their next government.[1] The People’s Action Party (PAP), in its first election under Lee Hsien Loong, won 66.6% of the overall votes and gained 82 out of 84 seats. The PAP returned for a twelfth consecutive term in office under the Prime Minister.[2] The general election was held under the first-past-the-post system. The parliament was dissolved by President S R Nathan on 20 April, three weeks before the election. On Nomination Day, the PAP gained 37 seats in divisions which were uncontested by other parties.[3] The main election issues included employment, cost of living, housing, transport, education, the need for an effective opposition voice in parliament, and the quality of the candidates. (Source:wikipedia)
I have listed five reasons why the PAP will continue to hang on in power even though it seems to have mess up a abit these days.
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By Gilbert Goh
I have read from many online blogs that the government may lose its grip on power with some even predicting it’s downfall during the next election.
Many also forecasted that the foreigner influx will be a serious enough issue to push many voters who are sitting on the fences all along to vote for the opposition. I beg to differ here.
Bread and butter issues have all along figure hugely on how the pragmatic Singaporean voters will vote. Voters will vote for the government if it can provide enough work for the whole population and the people feel well taken care of. Many have even exchanged some of their basic citizens’ right for the assurance of a comfortable living lifestyle. And why not?
Many older married Singaporeans – the traditional voting base of the PAP – have pragmatically reasoned that having a good job and a decent roof over one’s head is definitely better than getting all the democratic goodies that younger educated Singaporeans are craving for right now.
It is foreseeable that the post-65s voters will split down the line on who they will vote for during an election. The average older Singaporeans and stay-at-home housewives will likely vote for the PAP.
However, the current anti-foreigner sentiments have indeed weigh adversely against the ruling party. No one though will dare to predict that this will cause a vote swing large enough to allow the opposition to win any seats in the next elections let alone topple the ruling party from power.
Many Singaporeans, especially those in the vulnerable age group of between 40 – 60, have found themselves displaced by cheaper younger foreigners. From blue collared service staff in eateries to IT executives of multi national corporations, many Singaporeans have found themselves been made jobless by foreigners. Though globalization is always there and our country has welcomed foreigners all along, this is the first time that the invasion has been so massive and destructive. Incoming foreigner migrants have also caused public housing prices to shoot through the roof angering many Singaporeans in the process.
Employers will be merciless here and will not hesitate to fire our local workers if they can find cheaper better foreign alternatives. Professionals, managers, engineers and technicians (PMETS) now found that they have to compete with cheaper foreigners for jobs that normally belonged to the local workforce. If the opposition parties could shrewdly exploit this major grievance, the advantage is theirs to seize.
It is true that the foreigner worker factor will figure hugely on how the ruling party will fare in the next elections. Of course, on the other hand, the huge plus point for the ruling party will be the extra votes that it can anticipate to reap from the foreign-citizens. New foreign-born citizens will not want to bite the hand that feeds them and moreover all they have now is just thanks-giving for the ruling party who have given them a new lease of life in a first-world country.
The statistics of the most recent general elections in 2006 were summarized as follows:
The 2006 Singapore parliamentary general election was held on 6 May 2006. 1.22 million out of the 2.16 million eligible Singaporeans voted for Members of Parliament and elected their next government.[1] The People’s Action Party (PAP), in its first election under Lee Hsien Loong, won 66.6% of the overall votes and gained 82 out of 84 seats. The PAP returned for a twelfth consecutive term in office under the Prime Minister.[2] The general election was held under the first-past-the-post system. The parliament was dissolved by President S R Nathan on 20 April, three weeks before the election. On Nomination Day, the PAP gained 37 seats in divisions which were uncontested by other parties.[3] The main election issues included employment, cost of living, housing, transport, education, the need for an effective opposition voice in parliament, and the quality of the candidates. (Source:wikipedia)
I have listed five reasons why the PAP will continue to hang on in power even though it seems to have mess up a abit these days.
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