- Joined
- Jul 24, 2008
- Messages
- 33,627
- Points
- 0
[h=2]Unless you vote against PAP, they’ll assume you’re just complaining[/h]
May 23rd, 2012 |
Author: Contributions
Singaporeans are now focused on the Hougang by election given it is the biggest political event this year. Some are offering their views on how Hougang residents should vote. This is absolutely unnecessary. The people there know what democracy is all about. They have demonstrated this to other Singaporeans for the last 20 years. Even when they were under threat of falling behind in various estate upgrading schemes, they did not yield. When the PAP dangled a hundred million worth from the upgrading pork barrel, they did not sway. What is Desmond Choo offering this by election? More upgrading more from the pork barrel – Hougang residents have rejected this form of campaigning for the last 20 years. Desmond Choo like his counterparts in parliament and in the ministry is still using old tired ideas, failed tactics and repeating the same old mistakes that lost so many elections at Hougang
Desmond Choo’s rally speech shown here illustrates precisely what is wrong with PAP policies:
He said he had to help many with medical care, financial and legal problems. But this type of piecemeal efforts without changing the underlying policies that cause these problems will not take us anywhere. In fact, the election of people like Desmond Choo will help only to perpetuate failed schemes and policies of the PAP. Organising a 1 day free TCM session for the sick is not going to solve the problems of our healthcare care system. Helping residents temporarily with their finances by directing them to piecemeal aid and charities is not going to remove the root cause of their problems. The more Desmond Choo goes along this approach, the more people will need help because the PAP will keep its policies intact without major change. Desmond Choo said he approached charities and individuals rather than appeal to the ministers in his party to make changes that will solve these problems in the long term. The more Desmond Choos we have in parliament, the more the status quo will remain, more people will need help and the PAP MPs can proclaim they are very helpful, kind and caring people.
Lets not forget how the few tweaks to PAP policies came about. If not for the loss of Aljunied and the significant swing in the votes, you think the PAP will even twitch their policies let alone tweak their policies? The only way to bring about change has been demonstrated – it is through the ballot box. There is no other language the PAP understands. We can discuss and discuss. Feedback through the forum thousands of letters. We can tell the MPs in their face during meet the people sessions….but all this is useless because the PAP does not even move an inch unless you’re prepared to reject their upgrading carrots and vote against them. This is the only signal they understand and nothing else. Unless people vote against them, they will just assume you’re complaining and not serious about the changes you want. The PAP does not listen until you vote their MPs out of parliament. You have to show them you’re serious.
This is precisely what the people of Hougang, Aljunied and Anson know better than the rest of us. We are sometimes lured by the kind smiling faces and campaign promises that they care for us and want our lives to be better but time and time again after they get elected with large margins, they will turnarond and put the squeeze on Singaporeans and implement policies that undermine our quality of life and trade-off our interests for that of their own power-elite network. Can you imagine what the PAP would be doing right now if people had not swung their votes to the opposition in the last election?
Vote for PAP men like Desmond Choo and he will fix the little pothole in your estate but you will find yourself unable to retire and financially strained when you get sick.
It is the people of Hougang that have led the rest of us through their courage and sacrifice in past elections. We don’t need to tell the people of Hougang how to vote. They are the ones who will teach us how to vote!
.
Lucky Tan
* Lucky Tan is an avid online blogger since 2005. He likes to study the thoughts of Singapore leaders and the laws of Singapore. He blogs at http://singaporemind.blogspot.com.
Desmond Choo’s rally speech shown here illustrates precisely what is wrong with PAP policies:
He said he had to help many with medical care, financial and legal problems. But this type of piecemeal efforts without changing the underlying policies that cause these problems will not take us anywhere. In fact, the election of people like Desmond Choo will help only to perpetuate failed schemes and policies of the PAP. Organising a 1 day free TCM session for the sick is not going to solve the problems of our healthcare care system. Helping residents temporarily with their finances by directing them to piecemeal aid and charities is not going to remove the root cause of their problems. The more Desmond Choo goes along this approach, the more people will need help because the PAP will keep its policies intact without major change. Desmond Choo said he approached charities and individuals rather than appeal to the ministers in his party to make changes that will solve these problems in the long term. The more Desmond Choos we have in parliament, the more the status quo will remain, more people will need help and the PAP MPs can proclaim they are very helpful, kind and caring people.
Lets not forget how the few tweaks to PAP policies came about. If not for the loss of Aljunied and the significant swing in the votes, you think the PAP will even twitch their policies let alone tweak their policies? The only way to bring about change has been demonstrated – it is through the ballot box. There is no other language the PAP understands. We can discuss and discuss. Feedback through the forum thousands of letters. We can tell the MPs in their face during meet the people sessions….but all this is useless because the PAP does not even move an inch unless you’re prepared to reject their upgrading carrots and vote against them. This is the only signal they understand and nothing else. Unless people vote against them, they will just assume you’re complaining and not serious about the changes you want. The PAP does not listen until you vote their MPs out of parliament. You have to show them you’re serious.
This is precisely what the people of Hougang, Aljunied and Anson know better than the rest of us. We are sometimes lured by the kind smiling faces and campaign promises that they care for us and want our lives to be better but time and time again after they get elected with large margins, they will turnarond and put the squeeze on Singaporeans and implement policies that undermine our quality of life and trade-off our interests for that of their own power-elite network. Can you imagine what the PAP would be doing right now if people had not swung their votes to the opposition in the last election?
Vote for PAP men like Desmond Choo and he will fix the little pothole in your estate but you will find yourself unable to retire and financially strained when you get sick.
It is the people of Hougang that have led the rest of us through their courage and sacrifice in past elections. We don’t need to tell the people of Hougang how to vote. They are the ones who will teach us how to vote!
.
Lucky Tan
* Lucky Tan is an avid online blogger since 2005. He likes to study the thoughts of Singapore leaders and the laws of Singapore. He blogs at http://singaporemind.blogspot.com.
