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[h=2]Friday, January 11, 2013[/h][h=3]Another PAP man to preserve the status quo...[/h]
I was watching the press conference that introduced the PAP candidate for the coming Ponggol East election:
<IFRAME height=215 src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6oZX2BMVv2Y" frameBorder=0 width=320 allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></IFRAME>
As with many of the PAP men, he comes with almost impeccable credentials and speaks very well - in both English and Chinese. Dr. Koh is a cancer specialist with a practice in Mount Elisabeth, made it to commanding officer in combat batallion and served in the RC since 2003. He rose from a very humble background (son of bus driver) to the top of his profession.
I was watching the press conference that introduced the PAP candidate for the coming Ponggol East election:
<IFRAME height=215 src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6oZX2BMVv2Y" frameBorder=0 width=320 allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></IFRAME>
As with many of the PAP men, he comes with almost impeccable credentials and speaks very well - in both English and Chinese. Dr. Koh is a cancer specialist with a practice in Mount Elisabeth, made it to commanding officer in combat batallion and served in the RC since 2003. He rose from a very humble background (son of bus driver) to the top of his profession.
"I still stay in my HDB flat" - Dr Koh Poh Koon
He didn't surprise us further by saying he takes the bus to Mount Elizabeth but it is hard to dislike this guy given his humility and apparent desire to serve the people. But if you watch the entire video, you quick see the what is so familiar among so many PAP men:
"Dr Koh said he and his family are proof of the success of Singapore's
meritocratic system. Dr Koh said he is thankful that despite his humble
background, he was able to attend medical school at the National University of
Singapore and graduate as a doctor.
He was also given government scholarships to receive training at top centres in the United Kingdom and the United States.
Dr Koh worked for 14 years at Singapore General Hospital before setting up his own practice as a colorectal surgeon at Mount Elizabeth Hospital.
Explaining why he decided to enter politics, Dr Koh said when
he was called to serve, he felt "duty-bound to stand and be counted".
Dr Koh said he wants to help create the same opportunities to help other
Singaporeans achieve their fullest potential." - Report in Today[Link]
.
He believes the system is good because he is able to succeed. There is no question that for people with talents, the top students and the scholarship holders, the system opens up numerous opportunities to achieve success. What Dr. Koh said is no different from what Tin Pei Ling said and what many other PAP candidates said when they were interviewed during the 2011 Election, the system is good because they are able to succeed and no major change is needed.
Therein lies the key difference between the PAP man and an equally capable opposition candidate. The opposition candidate looks beyond himself and his own experience to better appreciate what is going on in the system. Only the top 0.1% of the people have scholarships and get to same opportunities as Dr. Koh, more than two-thirds of every cohort does not get the chance to go to university to obtain a degree. 400,000 thousand workers have full time jobs but do not make enough to support themselves and their families. Singapore has the highest income gap in the developed world. Yet, you see PAP men and women, saying they want to get elected into parliament to serve but see no need for fundamental changes to the system.
On the same day Dr. Koh was introduced, the COE broke new records hitting $92K for small cars. Housing cost rose to the highest in our history. The middle-class comes under threat as the income gap balloons. Discontent is rising as cracks appear in the system that now needs an overhaul. The so-called meritocratic system is "meritocratic" and working only for a small number of people - the highly talented, the highly connected and the rich. The rest have to work harder to overcome the challenges the system produces - the rapidly rising cost of living and low wages at the bottom. The PAP has policies that consistently benefit those who already have the advantage causing the income gap to expand. As the PAP spends on tax cuts for the richest and allow businesses to import cheap labor abundantly, the burden of on those at the middle and bottom expanded over time. All systems are good for some of the people most of the time, But the we need a system is good for most of the people most of the time to broaden prosperity. To achieve that outcome we cannot elect another representative whose stated objective is to support and preserve the system because he and his family have benefitted.
"Dr Koh said he and his family are proof of the success of Singapore's
meritocratic system. Dr Koh said he is thankful that despite his humble
background, he was able to attend medical school at the National University of
Singapore and graduate as a doctor.
He was also given government scholarships to receive training at top centres in the United Kingdom and the United States.
Dr Koh worked for 14 years at Singapore General Hospital before setting up his own practice as a colorectal surgeon at Mount Elizabeth Hospital.
Explaining why he decided to enter politics, Dr Koh said when
he was called to serve, he felt "duty-bound to stand and be counted".
Dr Koh said he wants to help create the same opportunities to help other
Singaporeans achieve their fullest potential." - Report in Today[Link]
.
He believes the system is good because he is able to succeed. There is no question that for people with talents, the top students and the scholarship holders, the system opens up numerous opportunities to achieve success. What Dr. Koh said is no different from what Tin Pei Ling said and what many other PAP candidates said when they were interviewed during the 2011 Election, the system is good because they are able to succeed and no major change is needed.
Therein lies the key difference between the PAP man and an equally capable opposition candidate. The opposition candidate looks beyond himself and his own experience to better appreciate what is going on in the system. Only the top 0.1% of the people have scholarships and get to same opportunities as Dr. Koh, more than two-thirds of every cohort does not get the chance to go to university to obtain a degree. 400,000 thousand workers have full time jobs but do not make enough to support themselves and their families. Singapore has the highest income gap in the developed world. Yet, you see PAP men and women, saying they want to get elected into parliament to serve but see no need for fundamental changes to the system.
On the same day Dr. Koh was introduced, the COE broke new records hitting $92K for small cars. Housing cost rose to the highest in our history. The middle-class comes under threat as the income gap balloons. Discontent is rising as cracks appear in the system that now needs an overhaul. The so-called meritocratic system is "meritocratic" and working only for a small number of people - the highly talented, the highly connected and the rich. The rest have to work harder to overcome the challenges the system produces - the rapidly rising cost of living and low wages at the bottom. The PAP has policies that consistently benefit those who already have the advantage causing the income gap to expand. As the PAP spends on tax cuts for the richest and allow businesses to import cheap labor abundantly, the burden of on those at the middle and bottom expanded over time. All systems are good for some of the people most of the time, But the we need a system is good for most of the people most of the time to broaden prosperity. To achieve that outcome we cannot elect another representative whose stated objective is to support and preserve the system because he and his family have benefitted.
