GMS to leave NSP (as correctly predicted in SBF)

[Goh Meng Seng]

Record straight and Ramseth had said it out, WP called the bluff.

If NSP is not serious about MK, it would not have committed resources to help to distribute rice and food items way before GE2011. Of course, when NSP has better candidates, we immediately set to put up the best candidates once available to contest MK.

Contrary to what Ramseth has said, that is REAL commitment to contest and win MK. The same cannot be said about WP because they are just calling the bluff just as Ramseth has pointed out. Well if that is the way WP works with politics, calling the bluff to waste the opportunity to try and cut down PAP's monopoly power, so be it. That rest the case.

Goh Meng Seng

 

[brocoli]

Record straight and Ramseth had said it out, WP called the bluff.

If NSP is not serious about MK, it would not have committed resources to help to distribute rice and food items way before GE2011. Of course, when NSP has better candidates, we immediately set to put up the best candidates once available to contest MK.

Contrary to what Ramseth has said, that is REAL commitment to contest and win MK. The same cannot be said about WP because they are just calling the bluff just as Ramseth has pointed out. Well if that is the way WP works with politics, calling the bluff to waste the opportunity to try and cut down PAP's monopoly power, so be it. That rest the case.

Goh Meng Seng

why did you blink unless you think WP candiates are better... same reason, you bulldozed RP out because you and KJ both think your candidates are better than his

 

[Thick Face Black Heart]

Self-pity (by David Herbert Lawrence)

I never saw a wild thing
sorry for itself.
A small bird will drop frozen
dead from a bough
without ever having
felt sorry for itself.

 

[Ramseth]

WP natural targets after GE 2006 were B-TP and Tampines. Meng Seng, you were still on the area committee then you know better than me. Both were given up half-way after lots of groundworks when CST announced contesting B-TP and you announced you're contesting Tampines. Not enough compromise and face given?

WP works on just calling bluffs? Once again, you know better than me. There's no such thing as everyone gets everything their way everytime everywhere.

 

[skponggol]

Politics is also about an art of negotiation, compromise and getting the best deal out of things, not just going around to try and bully others while in actual fact, doesn't really benefit anyone except the common foe. To disregard other people's interests and existence in playing this game, you will be planting the seeds of massive failures in future.

Goh Meng Seng

This is NOT how NSP had treated RP wrt Radin Mas, Pioneer and CCK....

Where is your so-called "negotiation, compromise and getting the best deal out of things, blah,blah,blah...." ???

Instead, we have NSP "going around to try and bully others while in actual fact, doesn't really benefit anyone except the common foe."

Your bullying tactics to small and weak party like RP is a total "disregard other people's interests and existence in playing this game, you will be planting the seeds of massive failures in future."


宁我可负天下人 , 休叫天下人负我.
Simple translation: I'm entitled to screw everyone but no one is allowed to screw me.

 

[scroobal]

Not sure what transpired but what is written below suggest a deep sense of resentment. This has been going on for sometime but it seems to get worse. The general theme or assertion is that WP is not playing fair. It's pointless bitching about this for this long and the argument is becoming circular. If you felt strongly about MK, then you should have stood your ground and let the voters decide. I am sure you knew that you would be crucified if you carried on with MK.I have told you before - you have a tendency to mix up what are core values with issues. You cannot be obstinate on issues. The image that are you are painting is that WP is the problem and its consuming you. You started GE2006 very well. First off, you had a good strategy in going for a minister and it did work. There was also good publicity, media interviews and forums etc. You walked out of WP because you could not differentiate between core values and issues. It is a costly mistake. With age, one would have expected you to learn from it. You have good attributes but it's the application that will drag you down.

People tend to harp about how good the performance of WP or opposition as a whole but they have never stop and think in spite of all the hype, there are still 60% of Singaporeans voting for PAP in general. Apart from that, we now know from PE that there are 35% hardcore PAP supporters as well even though we have went through a hot GE back in May. It would also mean that there are 25% of middle ground voters voting for PAP in spite of HDB, Public Transport, flooding, overcrowding due to FTs etc in GE2011. In spite of the super heavy weight team WP puts up in Aljunied, one MP, one NCMP, CSM and Pritam, there are still 45% of people voting PAP, which also means that minus that 35% hardcore, there are 10% of middle ground voters still unconvinced of WP's quality team. All indicators here do not give a rosy picture at all for opposition and there must be something missing somewhere. In fact I am not that optimistic of achieving great wins in the coming GE, especially so with the high possibility of massive 3 corner fights. 3 corner fights aren't really optimistic for WP either. Imagine that you have two MPs and CSM, you only get 54%. If there is a 3 corner fight, even the lesser party gets 5% and lose their deposits (well even DL gets 4%!), WP isn't going to win at all. Now, is WP going to send a teams with similar strength as LTK, Sylvia and CSM add together to fight in those potential 3 corner fights? Well, if WP is just contented to fight a losing game, so be it. Never mind about not wining more GRCs which are actually good battle ground, as long as it gets "better" results than the other opposition party, nothing matters. Then I would say that's really foolish to start with. Politics is also about an art of negotiation, compromise and getting the best deal out of things, not just going around to try and bully others while in actual fact, doesn't really benefit anyone except the common foe. To disregard other people's interests and existence in playing this game, you will be planting the seeds of massive failures in future.Goh Meng Seng

 

[BusNo64]

Pls do not listen too much to that fatass GMS lah. Mostly likely he will end up in SPP becos his oversized ego doesn't allow him to stay at the political sideline for long. He is still deluding himself that he is the best thing for the opposition... LOL...remember: his MP training course?, his exec director position with a NGO in HK?, etc...LOL...and those who advise him to quite this forum can forget about it. SBF is the only platform available for him to talkcock and self-inflate his ego, and he enjoys all the negative responses he gets here thinking that they are outpouring of adoration of this messiah for the opposition....

 

[Perspective]

Unless I'm abroad, I usually live in M-K (old JB) GRC area when in Singapore. SDP contested here 1997. NSP (then in SDA) contested here in 2001 and 2006. All averaged between 25 to 30% range. In 2011, WP is the first to make the breakthrough of above 40%.

NSP did have the intention to keep contesting M-K, that I could see for myself. However, there was no such thing as sending one of their best teams with any winning chance here because there were none until the 11th hour RP defection to NSP.

WP called the bluff and NSP wisely backed off but unwisely come back to gripe over it. However, the old RP new NSP team also scoring above 40% in Marine Parade gave GMS the impression that if that team was sent to M-K, they could have won or at least score higher than WP.

Don't think it's such a simple comparison and equation. In M-K 2011, the Malay vote swing to Rahizan was so heavy that even Yaacob was stunned. Rahizan volunteered to back out of Aljunied and helm WP M-K team of newbies, unlike what GMS thought he was demoted. The reason was Faizal was his good friend and Rahizan believed Aljunied could be won (and it was) with Faizal. Rahizan had also contested Jalan Besar (now M-K) under SDA in 2001.

Now that GMS is totally out of NSP, I'm just setting the record straight and let's move on and forward, not backward.

I do think that there was some nudging and negotiation involved in the case of Rahizan though I am not privy to info, but you may be right that he is rather fond of Faisal and no bitterness involved. But led by a vice chairman of WP certainly doesn't make the team "training". You are also right that in MK, the Malay vote was about 60 to 40, and I consider Rahizan a winner.

I felt WP also pumped a lot of more new resource to MK (and Nee Soon) than other wards, as the 9 members of the 2 teams have helped Aljunied and East Coast walk the ground outside the 5 years. I see it as WP takes all wards seriously and unlike 2006, there was no "suicide" team not meant to win. And WP can never be accused of sloppiness because it knocks every door. Can the NSP CCK team do that? Not likely, because the party culture is hit and run. In fact I even saw NSP flyers in the wrong ward (Sembawang).

Now I find it odd that the NSP MP team was seen as training team. You have 3 veterans, 2 whom have stood for GE, 1 was former MP. You call that training team? 4 out of 5 in CCK were newbies and 3 out of 5 in Tampines were newbies.

Anyway, why the best showing for NSP keep propping up. It was also WP and SPP best showing as well and SDP best showing in a long time. Negative sentiments against PAP doesn't give you the same results as would be a normal day. You and I once agreed that the opposition breakthrough would be less related to what the opposition did but more on how the PAP performed, if you recall.

 

[Perspective]

I wonder who was calling the bluff as well, as there was one team which at the press conference formally and gaily announced themselves as the slate in MK, then went to CCK with the party president. Worse, days right after the conference I happened to be around CCK area and saw some of the team flyers already, then finally the announcement of switching from MK to CCK.

 

[CannonFairy]

Goh Meng Seng trying to gain credit?

The 2nd paragraph, Goh says " led the party as Secretary General from February 2010 till June 2011." I believe it was mentioned in this forum that NSP's Secretary General doesn't hold any power? How can he say he led? I thought he merely follows what NSP president says?

Goh, are you trying to claim credit for the lack-of-existence of NSP during your purported helm?

http://singaporealternatives.blogspot.com/2011/11/journey-forward.html

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2011
Journey Forward

I have formally informed the President and Secretary General of National Solidarity Party in September 2011 that I will let my party membership lapse by the end of the year.

I have joined NSP in 2007 and led the party as Secretary General from February 2010 till June 2011. It is my honor to work closely with the people in NSP to achieve the BEST electoral results ever since the inception of the party more than two decades ago. Regrettably, we did not win any seats but I believe we have built a stronger foundation for the party to set its footing right for next General Elections.

The baton was passed to Hazel Poa and I believe the party will progress steadily under her leadership. The party is under good hands with the hearts at the right place and the sincerity to serve Singaporeans.

Personally, I guess it is time for me to move on to another journey of uncharted waters. Many of my friends and close associates thought that I am quitting politics for good but no, this is not so. The fact that once you have politics in your blood, you will have to live with it for the rest of the life. There are other things which are equally important to contribute towards the political democratic development of Singapore other than joining a party. Some of these things need us to be non-partisan in order to be effective.

To my supporters and friends, rest assured that I will continue to work for Democracy in Singapore in other ways for the moment. Some plans have been drawn out but will only be announced later on when things are firm.

For the mean time, as demonstrated in this blog, I have always been keen in making policy comparisons between Singapore and other places, particularly Honk Kong. I will continue my study and observations between policies applied in different places around the world and look out for the better alternatives for Singapore.

Last but not least, I would like to wish NSP all the best in its future political engagement and hope it will gain electoral success for the next GE.

Goh Meng Seng

 

[Goh Meng Seng]

Scroobal,

Contrary to what you believe, there isn't a bit of resentment at all but just a simple perspective and analysis. In fact, it will just demonstrate how silly if everybody just want to go for 3 corner fight in the next GE.

You are right in that sense that it is pointless to bitch about the last GE but one will never know the future without first understanding the past. Well, if you think this is just pure "bitching", then you could just ignore.

Naturally, as the biggest opposition party, there will be higher expectation from WP. I thought people would only be overwhelmed by the victory and success for a couple of months but it seems that people are just senseless after half a year.

What I have put up is an analysis why opposition as a whole, WP included, should not be too happy about GE2011 results. The cup is either half full or half empty but in this cup, there are really less water in the cup.

It is understandable that people tend to get very excited after a long drought and when given just a bit of water, they are overwhelmed with joy and ecstasy. However, one should realize that if such emotions make you start to make your head over swell, there will come a day the goodwill will be eroded and the fall will be hard and hurting.

WP has the biggest and strongest brand name. Though all its results have maintained at least above the national average 40% but the truth is, almost half of the constituency contested had results just slightly above 40%. It means that good branding alone isn't good enough to capture a win. The middle ground is still very particular about candidates. To put it bluntly, any other parties without that good branding could well get that average result or even better results if they have put up strong candidates. SDP's Holland Bukit Timah team is the most important example as SDP has suffered most in terms of being smeared but yet, as long as it could put up good candidates, it could just overcome such handicap in branding.

Thus, the point is simple. There is little reason for WP to be arrogant and start to throw its weight around. WP cannot assume that it could just elbow its way and try to fight 3 corner fights using its 3rd rate teams. It might be lucky this time round but luck is just an uncertain element.

Of course, there will be people like you who will doubt what I say and brush it aside as my "resentment", so be it. The day will come when the results will prove my point.

Last but not least, politics is about perception. Brand perception, perception of candidates etc. When I say "3rd rate WP team", I don't really mean that the candidates are "lousy" in character, personality, ethics or whatever. It is just that either the candidates don't have the flare or the strategy applied by the party has deliberately put them out of limelight which result the perception or impression of "nobody".

Just look back, how much focus or media attention was given to WP MK team? How much rally speeches were made by the candidates or how much TV exposure, commentary or interviews were given to MK team?

Apparently it is clear that the MK team is not meant to score high point, least about fighting to win. They are just treated as place chopeing team, just like tissue used to chope place. Most likely the tissue paper will be thrown away after used.

Ramseth has tried very hard to say Rahizan has managed to "swing" the Malay votes. But the truth is, this is happening all around the island. This may not have anything to do with Rahizan, just that PAP has pissed off the Malays.

Goh Meng Seng

Not sure what transpired but what is written below suggest a deep sense of resentment. This has been going on for sometime but it seems to get worse. The general theme or assertion is that WP is not playing fair. It's pointless bitching about this for this long and the argument is becoming circular. If you felt strongly about MK, then you should have stood your ground and let the voters decide. I am sure you knew that you would be crucified if you carried on with MK.I have told you before - you have a tendency to mix up what are core values with issues. You cannot be obstinate on issues. The image that are you are painting is that WP is the problem and its consuming you. You started GE2006 very well. First off, you had a good strategy in going for a minister and it did work. There was also good publicity, media interviews and forums etc. You walked out of WP because you could not differentiate between core values and issues. It is a costly mistake. With age, one would have expected you to learn from it. You have good attributes but it's the application that will drag you down.

 

[wwabbit]

3 corner fights aren't really optimistic for WP either. Imagine that you have two MPs and CSM, you only get 54%. If there is a 3 corner fight, even the lesser party gets 5% and lose their deposits (well even DL gets 4%!), WP isn't going to win at all. Now, is WP going to send a teams with similar strength as LTK, Sylvia and CSM add together to fight in those potential 3 corner fights?

Well, if WP is just contented to fight a losing game, so be it. Never mind about not wining more GRCs which are actually good battle ground, as long as it gets "better" results than the other opposition party, nothing matters. Then I would say that's really foolish to start with.

By your logic, WP should pull out of everywhere there is potential 3-corner fights?
Don't be silly. The correct thing for WP to do is to continue to fight despite being disadvantaged by being 3-corner, and accept the results. Only one person is unhappy with WP choosing to continue to fight and that is you.

 

[Goh Meng Seng]

Nope, I don't mean that.

I have said it and will say it again. As long as WP is serious in winning and send their best or even second best team to contest, even if they meet with 3 corner fight, I will give them all my blessings. But if it is just sending 3rd rate team just to be tissue chopeing seats, then that's really bad practice.

Goh Meng Seng

By your logic, WP should pull out of everywhere there is potential 3-corner fights?
Don't be silly. The correct thing for WP to do is to continue to fight despite being disadvantaged by being 3-corner, and accept the results. Only one person is unhappy with WP choosing to continue to fight and that is you.

 

[Perspective]

Unanswered: When 2 parties are able to field 87 candidates, there will be 3 corner fights as long as a 3rd party is around. Outcome of 3 corner fights and aiming for 3 corner fights is logically different - for those with logical sense (doesn't apply to village idiots).

Unanswered: Branding also come with the type of candidates fielded in the long run. Remember that SDP did have a better brand name than WP before, but it was ruined after the elected candidates turned out to be what we saw. 2 of them went to NSP or help NSP ironically.

Unanswered: A chief of organisation A no more can no longer speak for organisation A, but all the while as chief, mid-chief or no chief of organisation A, can speak for organisation B.

I wonder who was talking about candidates being "lousy" in character, personality or ethics. We were talking about credentials. After not being able to debunk Brocoli's point on MK team credentials, one now tries to throw sand into people's eyes and switch to talking about character, personality and ethics.

Another odd point is, they have character, personality and ethics but not the flair. What is definition of "flair"? "Flair" means the ability to do well (credentials) and a certain style that is synonymous with personality. I suggest if one is not good with English words, it's better to stand by a dictionary.

Now I learnt something new, WP has a new power over the media that was unheard of (except PAP) to determine who are the first, second and third rate teams.

If the media doesn't allocate along different parties fairly, the village idiots will be the first to jump. WP was mainly covered on Aljunied and Hougang for obvious reasons. If the logic goes, most PAP teams are fourth rate since they had so many candidates, some could not be covered at all during 9 days. Imagine most of our politicians in Parliament are 4th rate now because they did not receive media coverage. Scary.

Receive media coverage = Quality of team. An anon's logic.

Specifically, since one topic is on NSP CCK team, how much did we hear from them and the 2 scholars? For NSP, only Nicole Seah. Which means other than Marine Parade, the rest of NSP are all 3rd or 4th rate.

At the end of the day, you can say there is some validity in the argument that 3-corner fights in the short term may not be the best where people identify opposition as opposition. But the arguments and justifications to promote this point have a lot of extra stuff added, like third rate teams and all, and masks the real bitterness behind having made wrong suicidal political choices of which one blames everything and everyone around themselves.

 

[Perspective]

Scroobal is right - this is becoming circular.

First, 3 corner fights are no good. Then, 3 corner fights are ok if it does not involve poor teams. Anyone involved in 3 corner fights are poor team (because other teams that were about the same but did not go for 3 corners, he did not say anything). So he wants anything other than Aljunied quality to go for untaken wards and straight fights. In other words, he wants WP not to go for 3 corners. Then it's back to premise 1 that 3 corner fights are no good. Round and round.

That's why I said F1 has taken over F4.

 

[lockeliberal]

Dear Perspective

" So far the one that drops out loses". I will have to disagree with you strongly on this . When the WP becomes the dominant opposition party, it was a victory that was built by ALL whether they were in the WP or not whether they remained with the WP or chose to leave.

The tiny drops of water that over years break the strongest stone is the analogy I hold to. When the WP wins East Coast , I will congratulate Gerald but will toast Eric and the teams that came before, in a similar vein when I toasted WP in 2011, I remembered the 2006 team.

I would also congratulate Dr Chee for helping the opposition cause and the WP whether he wanted to or not for being part of those little drops of water that wore the PAP monolith down. Perhaps GMS is the village idiot but I wonder when the WP wins East Coast will you remember Eric and others who came before and say a silent thanks for their work in years past. ?


Thanks


Locke

I think you are talking about the organisational level vis a vis individuals, I am talking about individual level. So far, the one that drops out or falls out loses.

For me, I never knew won or lost because I never turned back (except maybe some occasional wincing of the neck out of instinct - old friends who need my occasional help).

On the other hand I cannot disagree that ego leads to leadership desires, this is rather absent in any rank below level 3. Any individual who falls out of CEC or candidature level, you end up among the thousands queuing up struggling to stay in touch where WP is concerned. It will be good to have some kind of grassroots hierarachy of command and control and subordinate in training, unfortunately this is absent in WP where the tiny executive tries to spread itself too thin and connects too many arrows starting from themselves to the wide berth of grassroots with the result of corners keep coming off. So you can't "play" much there either.

 

[Perspective]

Dear Perspective

" So far the one that drops out loses". I will have to disagree with you strongly on this . When the WP becomes the dominant opposition party, it was a victory that was built by ALL whether they were in the WP or not whether they remained with the WP or chose to leave.

The tiny drops of water that over years break the strongest stone is the analogy I hold to. When the WP wins East Coast , I will congratulate Gerald but will toast Eric and the teams that came before, in a similar vein when I toasted WP in 2011, I remembered the 2006 team.

I would also congratulate Dr Chee for helping the opposition cause and the WP whether he wanted to or not for being part of those little drops of water that wore the PAP monolith down. Perhaps GMS is the village idiot but I wonder when the WP wins East Coast will you remember Eric and others who came before and say a silent thanks for their work in years past. ?


Thanks


Locke

Exactly. You are just proving my point. It's human nature (though not a good nature) not to remember someone when you don't see the person anymore.

 

[skponggol]

Scroobal,

....In fact, it will just demonstrate how silly if everybody just want to go for 3 corner fight in the next GE.

Goh Meng Seng

NSP had demonstrated how triple-silly for wanting to go for 3 corner fight against a smaller and weaker RP in Radin Mas, Pioneer and CCK.

- "You are right in that sense that it is pointless to bitch about the last GE but one will never know the future without first understanding the past. Well, if you think this is just pure "bitching", then you could just ignore. "

Yeah,right... NSP will never know the future without first understanding her past wrt its bully against a smaller and weaker RP while chickening out against a bigger and stronger WP.

- "Thus, the point is simple. There is little reason for WP to be arrogant and start to throw its weight around. WP cannot assume that it could just elbow its way and try to fight 3 corner fights using its 3rd rate teams. It might be lucky this time round but luck is just an uncertain element. "

Yeah right.....there is little reason for NSP to be arrogant and start to throw its weight around smaller and weaker party like RP assuming it could just elbow its way and try to fight 3 corner fights using its 3rd rate teams (which all scored below 40%)....It might be lucky this time round but luck is just an uncertain element....

Of course, there will be people like you who will doubt what I say and brush it aside as my "resentment", so be it. The day will come when the results will prove my point.

Last but not least, politics is about perception. Brand perception, perception of candidates etc. When I say "3rd rate NSP team", I don't really mean that the candidates are "lousy" in character, personality, ethics or whatever (except Steve Chia who is ethically flawed). It is just that either the candidates don't have the flare or the strategy applied by the party has deliberately put them out of limelight which result the perception or impression of "nobody".....and thus the mediocre below 40% votes scored by NSP for Radin Mas, Pioneer and CCK.

Just look back, how much focus or media attention was given to NSP Radin Mas, Pioneer and CCK team? How much rally speeches were made by the candidates or how much TV exposure, commentary or interviews were given to Radin Mas, Pioneer and CCK team? Is it worth all the trouble to bully a smaller and weaker party like RP all the way down to their rotten knees ?

Apparently it is clear that the Radin Mas, Pioneer and CCK teams are not meant to score high point, least about fighting to win. They are just treated as place chopeing team, just like tissue used to chope place. Most likely the tissue paper will be thrown away after used.

 

[lockeliberal]

Dear GMS,

Each GE for me that I see and feel the pulse on the ground and now a PE is a learning experience. There is EGO on the side of the WP but it is a well deserved EGO and well earned and not the sort of EGO demonstrated by RP in actions and words. I would say the following for all the opposition parties out there as lessons to learn from 2011. Firstly a team's political strength depends on the following three factors.


a. Qualifications
b. Communication ( of One person representing the team )
c. Party Branding

That branding and personality perception work hand in hand but differ across Classes and Language, the heartland and condo divide. Its also a racial divide, the Chinese and Malay perception. GMS was right about the impressive SDP results but wrong about the base. The base of the SDP results were made up of the rich and liberal, heck I should know I bloody live in that area. They lost the heartland vote and the same Candidate for the SDP two months later lost even more plus some of his original vote base as they got turned of from him. In MK WP won the heartland vote but lost the rich Newton and Bukit Crowd. The take away from all the results, Voters are "aspirational " they seek to vote for someone like them and the team must reflect the mix of the constituency the target. My sister lived in Newton and according to her she would have voted WP if they had sent someone in she knew or who she could identify with , aka another CSM or SL.

Its a complex mix of "communication ability " , " qualifications" and "aspirational vote" but in a GRC the team mix is critical and must match the ground demographics. The win comes from all these factor working together plus party branding plus a strong or good enough personal brand and also a little bit of help from lady luck. In so much as MK and the results go I doubt NSP would have gotten a better result unless it HAD gotten its EGGS all together in one basket and made an all or nothing bet. But then if you could have made an all or nothing bet it would have been not have been MK but TP. Suffice it to say that spreading yourself thinly across the whole of Singapore was not the best of decisions by your party even though according to you it was not your choice.

You are playing poker to early is my own view. Staking out and laying claims so early I believe betrays your deepest insecurities and worries for your party. Even if there is a possibility of a three cornered fight , the cards are still being dealt and will not be called for another three years. You are trying to bargain early because you have nothing in hand , the WP unfortunately has the cards and momentum , could they frak it up ? Yes but again the cards and answers are in two years or three years hence not now. If you had a hand any hand that was even remotely strong, you would not be blustering or bluffing but working at it until its time to "show hand " i five years hence.

First of all, I have recovered from my puking.

To say that NSP has the "highest turnover" is rather blind trying to talk about truth in seeing. WP has higher turnover than NSP, so to speak. Thus I think insects, though with little brain, should think first before speaking. But most of the time, they try to put up silly comments which in turn make WP the easier target. If you don't have a good logical analytical mind, please don't try to flaunt it around. It may make good laughs but it won't do justice to the organization associated.

Secondly, it seems that even people like Locke is pretty narrow in perspective. Win or lose is just part and parcel of any competition, not to mention politics. However, whether such a win or gain is sustainable is another matter.

People tend to harp about how good the performance of WP or opposition as a whole but they have never stop and think in spite of all the hype, there are still 60% of Singaporeans voting for PAP in general. Apart from that, we now know from PE that there are 35% hardcore PAP supporters as well even though we have went through a hot GE back in May. It would also mean that there are 25% of middle ground voters voting for PAP in spite of HDB, Public Transport, flooding, overcrowding due to FTs etc in GE2011.

In spite of the super heavy weight team WP puts up in Aljunied, one MP, one NCMP, CSM and Pritam, there are still 45% of people voting PAP, which also means that minus that 35% hardcore, there are 10% of middle ground voters still unconvinced of WP's quality team.

All indicators here do not give a rosy picture at all for opposition and there must be something missing somewhere. In fact I am not that optimistic of achieving great wins in the coming GE, especially so with the high possibility of massive 3 corner fights.

3 corner fights aren't really optimistic for WP either. Imagine that you have two MPs and CSM, you only get 54%. If there is a 3 corner fight, even the lesser party gets 5% and lose their deposits (well even DL gets 4%!), WP isn't going to win at all. Now, is WP going to send a teams with similar strength as LTK, Sylvia and CSM add together to fight in those potential 3 corner fights?

Well, if WP is just contented to fight a losing game, so be it. Never mind about not wining more GRCs which are actually good battle ground, as long as it gets "better" results than the other opposition party, nothing matters. Then I would say that's really foolish to start with.

Yes, Locke, that's ultimate ego on WP's side, not on me or other party's side.

Politics is also about an art of negotiation, compromise and getting the best deal out of things, not just going around to try and bully others while in actual fact, doesn't really benefit anyone except the common foe. To disregard other people's interests and existence in playing this game, you will be planting the seeds of massive failures in future.

Goh Meng Seng

 

[lockeliberal]

Dear Perspective

It take "perspective" and a sense of "gratitude" to remember those who you do not see. :_))) You can chose to remember Eric in 2016 but WILL u ? Still have not answered my question ? I believe remembering others if its a part of human nature helps to take the worst edge of one's ego


Thanks

Locke

Exactly. You are just proving my point. It's human nature (though not a good nature) not to remember someone when you don't see the person anymore.