Is Singapore Opposition Talented ???

[chinkangkor]

if no one is interested in what u say, no matter how good or strong merits ur msg has, as long as no one cares, u dun get the numbers and hence that msg is as good as not said.

lets be honest abt this, chee could never get his msg across if no one is listening, so it makes no difference.

There are people who are interested although not many are willing to step forward to join in the civil disobedience campaign. Not many people can afford to pay the price to join the movement even if they clamour for their civil and political rights.

All movement starts small and takes many years to grow. If PAP is not able to deliver a good standard of living for the majority, it will be difficult for it to justify its repression on our civil and political rights.

Right now, we can only hope that there will be enough international pressure on PAP to loosen its tight grip gradually. Chee and his activists still have a role to play.

 

[Porfirio Rubirosa]

You appear to be an astute chap, Scroobal was probable right in his assessment of your abilities

Dr Chee indeed appears to have a relationship of sorts with Daw Aung and the NLD, in fact I believe he paid Daw Aung a personal visit sometime ago. Probably also linked to his role in some regional human rights group.

At the risk of sounding trite, what Dr Chee appears to lack are "warm bodies" and $$$ both vital factors to try and achieve reasonable practical success.

Now why is this so?

What Dr. Chee is trying to do is something like the PAD in Thailand. Except that he doesn't have the numbers. You will notice that Dr. Chee and his SDP are quite disinterested in Thailand, but hyperactive and jumpy about Myanmar. Myanmar and Thailand are centuries-old arch enemies.

Pragmatic as I am, so I can't help but think that someone backing Myanmese democratic movement is backing Dr. Chee and his SDP, whereas no-one backing Thai democratic movement is backing Dr. Chee and his SDP.

 

[Porfirio Rubirosa]

I disagree with Dr Chee's strategy but to be fair to him there is still a possibility that he may have some impact sometime down the road as this is a complex dynamic issue. For instance some credit should be accorded to him for the liberalisation fo Hong Lim, a small fruit no doubt but a fruit nonetheless. Oh and I stress on the word "possible" and not "probable".

lets be honest abt this, chee could never get his msg across if no one is listening, so it makes no difference.

 

[The_Latest_H]

My view is that the current crop of opposition leaders are not competent to run this country.

Before you start to flame me, do consider that point first, if it is fair comment.

Why do i feel that way?

Because if i were to vote in an opposition member, i have to consider that the person will not cause singapore to deterioriate. Governing a country is not easy. At least it is not as easy as slamming the PAP for their policies. They too have their difficulties.

I would have been more confident if the opposition did a thorough analysis, give their conclusions and proposals. So far the only one who seemed capable, in my view, is Sylvia Lim. The rest of the opposition seems filled with hatred for MM LKY. To be frank that puts me off because i am an admirer of his. It is not good to go into politics with hatred. If you go into politics with a desire to help Singaporeans, I would say 'great!' because at least we have someone who cares.

Having said that, there is another corresponding question: Are the voters discerning? But that is another topic.

Just my thoughts.

Well, I think that we all know that for all his faults, LKY has done something for this country. However, I also believe that in any election, it should always be the future, and not the past.

Yes, LKY deserves credit for bringing this country up, and we thank him for that. And as we progress as a country, we must understand that we cannot go back to the past; we cannot reminisce the past; and we cannot use what is the record of his 50 years ago as an endorsement for leadership in a totally new era.

That's why I do agree with a lot of Singaporeans that LKY has deserved some credit; at the same time, we cannot get hung up about the LKY era anymore. Its the bright future ahead, and the bright prospects of the future. We cannot use the past to justify the future, especially if the past have long disappeared in the horizon. The future ahead is not about Lee Kuan Yew nor his sons nor his family; its about our future as a people, as a country, and as part of an rapidly evolving world.

 

[kakowi]

But many people cannot get over the fact that it is no longer LKY who is in control of singapore

many policies today done by the current PAP are not policies that LKY and his team will do; apologists who desires political advancement in the PAP will say that times are different. But I say that the leaders are different. The matters that politics deal with are timeless: welfare, concern for the defenceless, equalized distribution, provision of public goods whilst allowing for private entreprise.

But it is the interpretation of these issues by the leaders that is the issue.

Thus, whilst LKY may today remain the primary goalkeeper against the opposition, he is no longer the forward in bringing the country to success or ruin.

That belongs to LHL and his team.

 

[cleareyes]

I disagree with Dr Chee's strategy but to be fair to him there is still a possibility that he may have some impact sometime down the road as this is a complex dynamic issue. For instance some credit should be accorded to him for the liberalisation fo Hong Lim, a small fruit no doubt but a fruit nonetheless. Oh and I stress on the word "possible" and not "probable".

chee's msg could get across down the road but when?

time and tide waits for no man and i m sure with every passing moment, as long as he is still weak, he coudl never get that msg across by doing what he did.

its sad that among his fold he has no marketing stratgist who could show him how to spread his msg across. but even if there is one, would chee take the fellow's advice?

 

[myjohnson]

chee's msg could get across down the road but when?

time and tide waits for no man and i m sure with every passing moment, as long as he is still weak, he coudl never get that msg across by doing what he did.

its sad that among his fold he has no marketing stratgist who could show him how to spread his msg across. but even if there is one, would chee take the fellow's advice?

Fucking Bapok cocksucker. Stop talking nonsense and do what you know best, that is suck cocks and you can start with mine first! KNNBCCB!

 

[jw5]

But many people cannot get over the fact that it is no longer LKY who is in control of singapore

many policies today done by the current PAP are not policies that LKY and his team will do; apologists who desires political advancement in the PAP will say that times are different. But I say that the leaders are different. The matters that politics deal with are timeless: welfare, concern for the defenceless, equalized distribution, provision of public goods whilst allowing for private entreprise.

But it is the interpretation of these issues by the leaders that is the issue.

Thus, whilst LKY may today remain the primary goalkeeper against the opposition, he is no longer the forward in bringing the country to success or ruin.

That belongs to LHL and his team.

Does it mean that LKY needs to be totally out of the picture before LHL and his team can get the credit or criticism that they deserve, wherever and whenever applicable?

 

[jw5]

chee's msg could get across down the road but when?

time and tide waits for no man and i m sure with every passing moment, as long as he is still weak, he coudl never get that msg across by doing what he did.

its sad that among his fold he has no marketing stratgist who could show him how to spread his msg across. but even if there is one, would chee take the fellow's advice?

With the benefit of hindsight, he could possibly have played it "straight and narrow" and try and get into parliament.

 

[jw5]

Well, I think that we all know that for all his faults, LKY has done something for this country. However, I also believe that in any election, it should always be the future, and not the past.

Yes, LKY deserves credit for bringing this country up, and we thank him for that. And as we progress as a country, we must understand that we cannot go back to the past; we cannot reminisce the past; and we cannot use what is the record of his 50 years ago as an endorsement for leadership in a totally new era.

That's why I do agree with a lot of Singaporeans that LKY has deserved some credit; at the same time, we cannot get hung up about the LKY era anymore. Its the bright future ahead, and the bright prospects of the future. We cannot use the past to justify the future, especially if the past have long disappeared in the horizon. The future ahead is not about Lee Kuan Yew nor his sons nor his family; its about our future as a people, as a country, and as part of an rapidly evolving world.

In anything we do, say or analyse, it's important to have a balanced view and to assess the situation using rational and sensible logic.
I think it is clear that the government has done many good things for S'pore and some of their policies and actions were key in the building and development of the country.
But they have also done things that have not been right and that any fair minded and rational person should be able to ascertain.

 

[kakowi]

If you explain the points you are trying to make in your question, i can frame my answer in your context (provided i can add value).

In the context of my own points, the current era belongs to LHL and his team. If LHL's vision for singapore leads to a better future for singaporeans, that is to his credit.

 

[The_Latest_H]

But many people cannot get over the fact that it is no longer LKY who is in control of singapore

many policies today done by the current PAP are not policies that LKY and his team will do; apologists who desires political advancement in the PAP will say that times are different. But I say that the leaders are different. The matters that politics deal with are timeless: welfare, concern for the defenceless, equalized distribution, provision of public goods whilst allowing for private entreprise.

But it is the interpretation of these issues by the leaders that is the issue.

Thus, whilst LKY may today remain the primary goalkeeper against the opposition, he is no longer the forward in bringing the country to success or ruin.

That belongs to LHL and his team.

Well, we will have to see whether Lee Hsien Loong can truly do it without his father. Out of the 4 years since he became PM, it's subtly obvious that he has been dependent on his father to a large degree.

Judge it as you will, but if a 54 year old PM needs an 85 year old former PM to guide him through the premiership, then if that raises a lot of doubt in more and more people, then its not any fault of theirs, or of yours.

I mean, today a 47 year old African-American got elected in the most powerful man in the world, and he was solely the unofficial CEO of his own campaign, relying on his campaign staff, and his volunteers, and taking advice from old elders who have seen it before. And he is the his own man, in an extraordinary campaign.

Could LHL be like President-elect Barack Obama? We will wait and see.

 

[BlueCat]

there are indeed some quite talented people in the opposition.
but again,they are in several parties,not unite.
if only they can discard the diffirence opinions and agendas,come as one.
just like what they did in an Eunos's By-Election,that will surely be good.

 

[cleareyes]

All movement starts small and takes many years to grow. If PAP is not able to deliver a good standard of living for the majority, it will be difficult for it to justify its repression on our civil and political rights.

Right now, we can only hope that there will be enough international pressure on PAP to loosen its tight grip gradually. Chee and his activists still have a role to play.

is PAP abt to continue to delieve a gd standard to living? based on what we see today, it look as if things would go as usual and there is no major setback against PAP and their policies As long as the ecomony holds, inflation is checked and unemployment rate is fixed based on the population propotion, we cannot say they have not delieved, though i would like to see better plans and policies, for example, a policy of singaporean firts for employment.

do bear in mind that it might appear that more people r losing their jobs, but at the same time with singapore's populaton increaing to 4.8 million today and possible reaching 7 million by 2015, it would appear that unemployment had increase, yet stats would show otherwise.

I wont hold for international pressure to make PAP change. if we depend on international pressure, it would be seen as singaporeans r unable to govern ourselves and change ourselves for the better. it is for us, the common singaporeans to make PAP realised that chnage is needed, nit wait for someone else outside to tell us and laugh at us in the face to make us change.

singapore had not reached a situation whereas we need foregin intervention and pressure, and i do hope very much this situatin will never happen, or else, we will never be able to held our heads high again.

 

[cleareyes]

With the benefit of hindsight, he could possibly have played it "straight and narrow" and try and get into parliament.

unfortunatly, hindsight is something either he doesnt have, or he had been advised against.

chee could have given PAP real hell in parliment, but he just seem interested in doing that, i do very much wonder y.

 

[chinkangkor]

is PAP abt to continue to delieve a gd standard to living? based on what we see today, it look as if things would go as usual and there is no major setback against PAP and their policies As long as the ecomony holds, inflation is checked and unemployment rate is fixed based on the population propotion, we cannot say they have not delieved, though i would like to see better plans and policies, for example, a policy of singaporean firts for employment.

do bear in mind that it might appear that more people r losing their jobs, but at the same time with singapore's populaton increaing to 4.8 million today and possible reaching 7 million by 2015, it would appear that unemployment had increase, yet stats would show otherwise.

The middle class will judge whether PAP has delivered based on whether their own lives have improved and whether there is a realistic political alternative.

 

[chinkangkor]

I wont hold for international pressure to make PAP change. if we depend on international pressure, it would be seen as singaporeans r unable to govern ourselves and change ourselves for the better. it is for us, the common singaporeans to make PAP realised that chnage is needed, nit wait for someone else outside to tell us and laugh at us in the face to make us change.

singapore had not reached a situation whereas we need foregin intervention and pressure, and i do hope very much this situatin will never happen, or else, we will never be able to held our heads high again.

International agencies like IBAHRI, International Commission of Jurists, Lawyers Right Group etc are neutral bodies. They speak out against repressions all over the world and criticise govts when these govts fall out of international norms.

All international assistance against persecutions and political repressions should be welcomed as these injustices should be gotten rid of. By doing so, it will help make that country a better place.

If PAP can mend and change its ways on its own, there won't be any international criticisms. Please note that international criticisms or comments are not foreign interventions.

 

[chinkangkor]

unfortunatly, hindsight is something either he doesnt have, or he had been advised against.

chee could have given PAP real hell in parliment, but he just seem interested in doing that, i do very much wonder y.

Chee has tried from 1992 to 1997 but eventually found that the political field is tilted too steeply against the opposition. This is why he attacks the sycophantic press, the compliant judiciary etc

 

[Porfirio Rubirosa]

These are the factors that shall probably lead to eventual change in Singapore's political landscape in say the next 10-20years (not exhaustive but critical ones), a dynamic process:

1. Growing income gap divide (including ministerial pay pegged to top private sector);

2. Rise in the general cost of living;

3. FT/Foreign Workers/Import of immigrants to top up population policies;

4. Health subsidies;

5. Affordability of public housing/low end private housing;

6. Efficiency and standard of public transport system as the cost of owning and using a car continues to rise;

7. Greater demand for tertiary education;

8. PAP government continues to generally 'talk down' to the public;

9. Generations X, Y, Z and beyond being better educated and globally exposed through travel, study, work and the net;

10. LKY finally passes on, closing the chapter on the PAP old guard and what they did to build Singapore up.

is PAP abt to continue to delieve a gd standard to living? based on what we see today, it look as if things would go as usual and there is no major setback against PAP and their policies As long as the ecomony holds, inflation is checked and unemployment rate is fixed based on the population propotion, we cannot say they have not delieved, though i would like to see better plans and policies, for example, a policy of singaporean firts for employment.

.

 

[cleareyes]

The middle class will judge whether PAP has delivered based on whether their own lives have improved and whether there is a realistic political alternative.

middleclass???????

y only middleclass? if pap cannot delieve, its for the whole of singapore to react to anything and to make changes to any realistic alternative avaliable.

i hope u r not only suggesting that the middleclass has any bility to do anything here.