Losing Faith In The Opposition

[Thick Face Black Heart]

1. Opposition politicians have been far less effective than civil society actors in creating awareness about social and cultural issues.

2. Except the party chiefs like LTK, Sylvia, Dr Chee, and a few other scatterings of individuals here and there, opposition has been unable to attract sufficient talent and strong leaders. This is despite the so-called renewal and rejuvenation in WP since 2002, the creating of Reform Party, etc. SDA/SPP in particular seem to be unable to move forward despite being the most prominent (having overtaken WP in terms of limelight since 2006).

3. Civil society actors in general are generally more articulate, and frankly speaking, impress me more in terms of sincerity, character, and intelligence. Unfortunately without parliamentary representation, CS actors will always hit a stumbling block.

4. Too many opposition candidates are unable to control their impulse to sacrifice party interest for self gain. There are too many black sheep.

5. After so much debate about issues like housing, FTs, cost of living, etc, I've not seen a party put up a workable alternative that can survive the scrutiny of economics specialists.

6. No opposition party has successfully convinced me that if we put 10 or 15 of their members into parliament, they will have the necessary clout and political astuteness, and be effective in making the ruling party sit up and take notice.

Hence, my faith in the opposition is losing steam.

 

[Tan Kim Kim]

Goh Meng Seng is a strong opposition leader what! See how he focus on fighting the food for the YOG volunteers. Did you see WP, RP and other opposition leader doing that?

 

[peterpan707]

5. After so much debate about issues like housing, FTs, cost of living, etc, I've not seen a party put up a workable alternative that can survive the scrutiny of economics specialists.
=> how much we are paying them to provide alternative.
the ruling party is paying big buck. Are you happy with their performance?

6. No opposition party has successfully convinced me that if we put 10 or 15 of their members into parliament, they will have the necessary clout and political astuteness, and be effective in making the ruling party sit up and take notice.
10 or 15 against 74 or 69.. What do you expect from the 10-15 kick off the majority. How much you intend to pay them?

 

[ChaoPappyPoodle]

If you can live comfortably knowing that you are being hoodwinked day after day,being put down and scolded, not having your future secured, living under daily stress levels that are highest in the world and your children future in doubt then go ahead and vote PAP.

Many of us prefer to have the APs in power. They will listen to us and build a Singapore for Singaporeans. WIth Ap in power, we can finally know what is happening the GLCs and Temasek and correct a lot of wrongs.

 

[IR123]

Hence, my faith in the opposition is losing steam.

Well i have already lost faith in the two oppositions. However the true question is 'what are your alternatives' after you lost faith in them?

Obviously it is not in the PAP. Neither is it in the oppositions. So what can it be?

Some say:

(a) work within the PAP - as though that is effective

(b) vote for the AP anyway, they listen to you and build a singapore for singaporeans - yeah right, with hammers and coups

(c) stand for opposition yourself - .....?

(d) migrate - ....?

(e) be a blogger - ....?

(f) keep quiet and be grateful for your job - ....?

(g) vote for the better AP - .....?

(h) pray - ....?

Do you have any alternatives you want to add?


More importantly - why are you voting for the oppositions?

So that they can represent your interest in Parliament. Well if you believe this, you should do research on how often CST represent your interest. For LTK, take a look at his website, tabulate the issues he spoke on and match them against your interest. If it matches, you have your answer. If it does not, you also have your answer.

So they can form a viable opposition. 20 years of viable opposition track record is there for your perusal. It has benefited them. Has it benefited you?

So you can add on more power to the 2. This is debatable according to your viewpoint. To get an idea on whether this is viable - look at the areas of emphasis and co-operation of the different parties and decide yourself.

 

[Glaringly]

Why you need to talk so much and think too far?

Now the opposition is too weak. The best thing to happen is to let all parties fight. And when they fight we just have to sit back, relax, only then they will then listen to our voices.

So, let's vote more opposition in, to make up the numbers.

As simple as that.

 

[jw5]

Perhaps no opposition party by itself can put 10 or 15 members into parliament and make the ruling party take notice.
But there are certainly 10 or 15 members from all the opposition parties who can be effective mps. In my opinion, the opposition today is stronger than it was 5 years ago.

Despite some shortcomings which have been pointed out in this forum no less, GMS is taking NSP in the right direction. They used to have some good candidates in the past, but were perhaps too low key.
The newcomers Reform party will be a strong opponent with KJ leading some new recruits.
WP have been somewhat quiet but they will be more battle-hardened this time round with Sylvia in particular having more experience.
Chiam may not have endeared himself to some by making his wife the successor in PP, but I think his decision to contest a grc is the right one. If he stayed in PP, those buggers would point to his health as a weakness, but in a grc, he can say that he provides experience and guidance, while he will have young and able bodies to run around for him.

We can and should hope for a strong opposition and better days for Singaporeans and Singapore.

 

[ChaoPappyPoodle]

As long as the PAPies are in power by even 1 seat, they will continue to use the media to hoodwink and hurt the APs.

The PAP has already had their chance and the last 5 years has been horrible for Singaporeans and the PAP has promised more similar policies in the future. If you are happy with the PAP policies and being told that you are daft and that your wife and daughters will become maids and being hoodwinked out of your pension funds then go ahead and vote PAP.

The fact that we do not have more APs is because of the PAP and yet you want to question why we don't have credible APs and that maybe we should continue to vote PAP. What kind of sick logic is that? You obviously don't know how to think and how to solve problems.

Just vote the APs in. Give them a chance. All the options provided within the APs are a hundred times better than what the PAP can offer.

With APs in power, we can expect a level playing field in politics, the media, judiciary, armed forces and GLCs. Our economy is actually near ruin if not for our ports. There are simple too many GLCs and even NTUC crowding out the entrepreneurs.

Just look at small countries such as those Scandinavian countries. They invest a lot in their people in education, healthcare and allow their people to become entrepreneurs. That is how you have a 1st world economy, by having an educated workforce and allowing them to be entrepreneurs.

In Singapore you have to kowtow to the PAP and do business with them and even then your entrepreneurial spirit is dead because you only become a lazy towkay.

Just look at all the ministers and ask yourself which one do you trust to do something good for you in the next 5 years? Name me one cabinet minister. :(

 

[Queen Seok Duk]

5. After so much debate about issues like housing, FTs, cost of living, etc, I've not seen a party put up a workable alternative that can survive the scrutiny of economics specialists.

Are you that economics specialist ? Otherwise, how did you come to the conclusion that alternatives put forward thus far could not survive the scrutiny of economics specialists ?

You've to first vote them into Parliament, and when they form a Cabinet and are in a position to implement the 'alternatives' then we will know if such alternatives would ultimately survive the test.

 

[ChaoPappyPoodle]

Are you that economics specialist ? Otherwise, how did you come to the conclusion that alternatives put forward thus far could not survive the scrutiny of economics specialists ?

You've to first vote them into Parliament, and when they form a Cabinet and are in a position to implement the 'alternatives' then we will know if such alternatives would ultimately survive the test.

He obviously thinks that the PAP's economics of importing FTs to push up te GDP is a wonderful idea. He must also think that it is a brilliants idea to have the elderly not retire or retire with insufficient funds. He also must like the idea that affordable housing is beyond the reach of most Singaporeans. He must also like the idea that our economy is being crowded out by GLCs and NTUC.

Which economic policy do you like from the PAP? The entire economy is a sham and hides many cracks. About half of our GDP goes to FTs. There is very little for the majority of Singaporeans.

ANywhere else in the 1st world, if a person works 5 or 5.5 days a week for most of his working life, he should be able to retire with a home under his name, fully paid for and enough pension funds for his old age. In Singapore, this has been nearly impossible for a majority of its population.

This is the reality in Singapore.

 

[123456787654321]

There is no need to place any faith in the PAP, Opposition or Singapore in the first place. Live your life as you see fit.

 

[IR123]

There is no need to place any faith in the PAP, Opposition or Singapore in the first place. Live your life as you see fit.

I am afraid it is not that simple. Our lives are impacted by politics even if we do not play them.

But yes, you can live your life as you see fit if you fall under any of these three conditions:

(a) you are beyond politicians - in fact, they come calling on you

(b) you live an extremely simple and flexible life, so that whatever happens, it impacts you minimally; you adjust and move along the grain

(c) you are extremely contented.

 

[Thick Face Black Heart]

Many of us prefer to have the APs in power. They will listen to us and build a Singapore for Singaporeans. WIth Ap in power, we can finally know what is happening the GLCs and Temasek and correct a lot of wrongs.

How do you know the APs will do THAT?

Just because they claim so?

In fact, some opposition even agree with PAP policies. SPP desmond lim supported PAP's pro-MNC tactics in his 2010 May Day message. WP's LTK gave PAP a passing grade. Sylvia Lim also agreed with PAP's standard of rule of law in Singapore during the 2007 IBA conference.

Don't get me wrong, I still believe there are a LOT of good folks in opposition. But they have not convinced me they can deliver the goods when elected. Apart from RP kenneth jeyaretnam, many AP dun even know basic economics.

 

[Thick Face Black Heart]

Are you that economics specialist ? Otherwise, how did you come to the conclusion that alternatives put forward thus far could not survive the scrutiny of economics specialists ?

I invite all forummers here to print out a copy of ALL the opposition party economic manifesto and show it to a good economist from Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, or one of the internationally renowned investment banking firms.

I really believe all our oppo folks put in their heart and soul into their manifesto.

But I also believe it will be laughed at in the international stage.

 

[Ramseth]

GE 2006, Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC campaign trial...

Teo Chee Hean : What's SPP manifesto?

Desmond Lim : Our manifesto is PAP manifesto. You can be architect but we're surveyor.

 

[ChaoPappyPoodle]

I invite all forummers here to print out a copy of ALL the opposition party economic manifesto and show it to a good economist from Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, or one of the internationally renowned investment banking firms.

I really believe all our oppo folks put in their heart and soul into their manifesto.

But I also believe it will be laughed at in the international stage.

Most of the MNCs, especially the financial companies are beholden to the PAP. So it's hard to ask them. Better to ask academics from overseas. Then you will receive pro and con arguments which is largely the same for the PAPies' economic policies.

It's an endless argument. But we have heard from experts how the GLCs have crowded entrepreneurship and how our education system stiffles entrepreneurship.

We have seen how the importing of FTs by the hundreds of thousands has led to lower wages for Singaporeans and higher housing prices. All these are very basic economics rules at play and yet the PAP intends to continue doing this.

You can't judge the AP totally based on them having a gun against their temple when they give the PAP a passing grade.

What I do know is that anything is better than the PAP because there can be no changes. What we need is 5-10 years of real democracy in order to 'encourage' better people to come into politics to serve the people.

This 5-10 years of democracy can only come after the PAP is gone because as long as the PAP is around there will be no democracy and continued stiffling of opposition and the economy.

Like it or not, the PAPies have to go.

 

[ChaoPappyPoodle]

I invite all forummers here to print out a copy of ALL the opposition party economic manifesto and show it to a good economist from Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, or one of the internationally renowned investment banking firms.

I really believe all our oppo folks put in their heart and soul into their manifesto.

But I also believe it will be laughed at in the international stage.

Have you ever seen the PAP's manifesto?

 

[Ramseth]

Have you ever seen the PAP's manifesto?

That'd be a good question to ask Desmond Lim.

 

[Queen Seok Duk]

I invite all forummers here to print out a copy of ALL the opposition party economic manifesto and show it to a good economist from Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, or one of the internationally renowned investment banking firms.

I really believe all our oppo folks put in their heart and soul into their manifesto.

But I also believe it will be laughed at in the international stage.

Can I take your invitation to ALL forummers as a clear admission on your part that you have NOT actually shown any Opposition parties' economic manifestos to the list of economics specialists you mentioned ?

If you have not already done that yourself, then what is the basis of your making that statement that not a single economic policies from the Oppositions will survive the scrutiny of the economics specialists ? Unless, of course, you're working for Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs.

I'm pretty surprised there are still people using Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs as benchmark ? Might as well try Lehmann Brothers as well.

 

[scroobal]

Is this for real? If it is, he should be inducted into Yaw Shing Leong's Hall of Fame for the politically challenged.

GE 2006, Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC campaign trial...

Teo Chee Hean : What's SPP manifesto?

Desmond Lim : Our manifesto is PAP manifesto. You can be architect but we're surveyor.