NSP: Leave No Man Behind

[Goh Meng Seng]

Like many Singaporeans, NSP is shocked to learn that the PAP is only giving due recognition to present NSmen while ignoring those past NSmen who have contributed to the safety and stability of this country.

It is easy for the ruling party to say that it is not just about the money. However, the exclusion of those NSmen in Mindef Reserve from such rewarding system has hurt their feelings more than the mere $9000 in question.

When the Prime Minister mentioned about this hand out of $9000 to NSmen, many Singaporeans are happy and glad that the PAP has not forgotten of the sacrifices and contributions that Singaporeans have made towards this country. Even though some of us may not get the full amount eventually, but at least it is a token of appreciation by the government that matters.

However, we do not expect the PAP to miss out a whole two or three generations of older male Singaporeans who have completed their full cycle of National Service. This leaves a bitter taste in them and it seems to indicate that once they have passed their “useful” time to the Nation, the PAP will just abandon them aside. Such move betrays the cold, clinical pragmatism of PAP rule. It also makes us wonder whether PAP will abandon all of us when we become old and incapable to contribute to the country in time to come!

Leave no man behind. This is what NSP believes in as what the Officer Cadet Course would teach all leaders of SAF. This is also the mantra of PAP but it just doesn’t really practise what it preaches.


Goh Meng Seng
Secretary General
National Solidarity Party

 

[Queen Seok Duk]

Sometimes Singaporeans are very funny.

The $9000 is either an intent to buy votes or it's not.

You either accept the bribe, in which case you should not complain that PAP is buying votes; or reject the bribe, and have no complaints about some getting and others not getting a piece of the cake.

At the moment, it looks like someone screaming : "Bribe me leh ! Bribe me leh ! Why bribe him never bribe me ? Very unfair leh."

Now if it's not an intent to buy votes, then of course the distribution of the cake must be carried out in an equitable manner. But you must first acknowledge that it's not an attempt to buy votes.

 

[Goh Meng Seng]

Sometimes Singaporeans are very funny.

The $9000 is either an intent to buy votes or it's not.

From my perspective, regardless of whether this is another vote buying effort, PAP has mismanaged. Ignoring the contribution of one big group while trying to award the other group is neither fair nor good.

The mantra is the same, squeeze the PAP harder, take the money but they could still decide to vote opposition parties.

Goh Meng Seng

 

[scroobal]

Agree that this has been mismanaged. Somehow this slipped thru the cracks. Don't be surprised that there will amendments.

 

[sadfcuk]

Sometimes Singaporeans are very funny.

The $9000 is either an intent to buy votes or it's not.

You either accept the bribe, in which case you should not complain that PAP is buying votes; or reject the bribe, and have no complaints about some getting and others not getting a piece of the cake.

At the moment, it looks like someone screaming : "Bribe me leh ! Bribe me leh ! Why bribe him never bribe me ? Very unfair leh."

Now if it's not an intent to buy votes, then of course the distribution of the cake must be carried out in an equitable manner. But you must first acknowledge that it's not an attempt to buy votes.

This is some frakked up logic... but I have to say what you say is pretty logical and yet amusing at the same time.

 

[longbow]

I vote to apply $9K for all that served NS. they can easily deposit funds for medisave or annuity.

Current NS men instead should be paid market wages just like how all civil servants and leaders are paid market wages.

How much do you think you need to pay to attact an 18 year old to work in the conditions that NS service entails for 2 years. And on top of that factor in fact that skills cannot trasfer as job experience. So they have a 2 year hole in their life. I think min pay easily $2k per month.

 

[heartlander]

Agree that this has been mismanaged. Somehow this slipped thru the cracks. Don't be surprised that there will amendments.

Impossible that it slipped thru the cracks - they're not that dumb, and must have considered this during planning. Let's just put it this way: $9000 per male is alot of money to pay for a vote, and those old enough to be in the reserves don't really need to be bought over to the PAP. It's up to the opposition to jump on this and make these old folks angry.

 

[halsey02]

From my perspective, regardless of whether this is another vote buying effort, PAP has mismanaged. Ignoring the contribution of one big group while trying to award the other group is neither fair nor good.

The mantra is the same, squeeze the PAP harder, take the money but they could still decide to vote opposition parties.

Goh Meng Seng

The opposition must study very carefully this move by the PAP, and not make some silly moves, that get themselves 'CHECKMATE'.

They surely would have considered the generations that had served National Service & Reservist & would have considered the fact, annoucing the current payment for those serving NS, the consequences of such a move.

We have to stay tune for what will be announced in the coming days, before taking pot shots...

 

[Brightkid]

PM made a 'U'-turn in his INCLUSIVE SOCIETY drive ?

Leaving out at least 2 generations of ex-NSman doesn't sound 'inclusive' to me.

Or is inclusive society based on a selective approach to be defined by PM himself ?

 

[Lord Imperious]

If they were sincere about it. All they have to do is give all NSmen a discount when purchasing HDB flats.

All the same, this 9k reward will no doubt be billed back to us sooner than we may expect.

 

[cooleo]

Can opposition pick on a topic more worthy to pick a bone with the PAPee dogs?

 

[Perspective]

From my perspective

I'm neither yours nor were the words said by me

 

[Goh Meng Seng]

The PAP is concentrating on appeasing the P65 voters and this is the scheme they use. But you cannot just woo one group while ignoring the other.

They are stuck right now. P65 voters may not take the bait while the older voters will be pissed. So let's see what will happen next.

Goh Meng Seng

 

[BusNo64]

Like many Singaporeans, NSP is shocked to learn ............

why dont u take all ur bright ideas and slogans to the real world on the streets in tampines and spread ur msg to the voters there? shldn't u spend more time pounding the streets instead of pounding your keyboard? :oIo:

 

[Queen Seok Duk]

From my perspective, regardless of whether this is another vote buying effort, PAP has mismanaged. Ignoring the contribution of one big group while trying to award the other group is neither fair nor good.

The mantra is the same, squeeze the PAP harder, take the money but they could still decide to vote opposition parties.

Goh Meng Seng

You're absolutely right. Regardless of whether it's an attempt to buy votes, PAP has mismanaged the entire exercise by ignoring the other big group of ex-NS men.

But my point is not whether PAP has mismanaged it's vote buying exercise. My point is whether this is an attempt to buy votes. It's one thing for Singaporeans to accuse PAP of vote buying while at the same time gleefully accept 'the bribe'; it's quite another thing for an Opposition figure to claim that it's vote buying on the part of the incumbent whilst at the same time claim that the manner in which the vote buying is executed is not fair.

By claiming that it's vote buying and opining on how the vote buying should be carried out in a fair and equitable manner, effectively you're partaking in the vote buying and that will surely remove any moral authority on the part of the Opposition to claim that it's vote buying. You become an accomplice instead, not an Opposition.

 

[aurvandil]

Here are some quick numbers to consider.

The average payment for 1 tranche is $3k.
For every year, we can expect 1 cohort for each tranche.

On average, the annual NS intake is about 20,000 (based on birth and death statistics).

This means that expected payment per year is 3x20,000x$3000=$180 million.

Hence for each year, we go backwards, the PAP has to come up with $180 million.

The further you go back, the larger the amount since NS intake used to be as high as 40,000.

So unless they deplete a signficant portion of the reserves, there is no way they can give the "lau peng" their dues.

Also they are probably counting on the fact that PAP support is strong among the older age groups and relatively weak among the younger age groups. Hence while excluding the "lau peng" might cost some votes, it will not be too many (or least the PAP hope won't be too many).

Incidentally this is not money from heaven. We will eventually be given the bill for it in the form of higher GST,ERP and other charges. Hence if you are a "lau peng" you not only don't get to enjoy the benefit, you have to actually pay for it ! Talk abt double penetration !!!

 

[Leongsam]

Impossible that it slipped thru the cracks - they're not that dumb,

Jobs for foreigners. $9000 for sinkies. Guess who's getting the better deal.

 

[Goh Meng Seng]

But my point is not whether PAP has mismanaged it's vote buying exercise. My point is whether this is an attempt to buy votes. It's one thing for Singaporeans to accuse PAP of vote buying while at the same time gleefully accept 'the bribe'; it's quite another thing for an Opposition figure to claim that it's vote buying on the part of the incumbent whilst at the same time claim that the manner in which the vote buying is executed is not fair.

By claiming that it's vote buying and opining on how the vote buying should be carried out in a fair and equitable manner, effectively you're partaking in the vote buying and that will surely remove any moral authority on the part of the Opposition to claim that it's vote buying. You become an accomplice instead, not an Opposition.

Well, if you haven't notice, I didn't even bother to claim that this is a vote buying exercise!

My job is to help everyone to squeeze the PAP for every juice. They want to spend money to buy vote and I cannot stop them, I will squeeze them for every bit possible. It is easier to squeeze them rather than stop them from doing it.

Goh Meng Seng

 

[RK85]

So what is NSP doing besides posting a statement on their website & here?

Is NSP going to speak to the PM & Mindef on behalf of the forgotten soldiers?

 

[Goh Meng Seng]

So what is NSP doing besides posting a statement on their website & here?

Is NSP going to speak to the PM & Mindef on behalf of the forgotten soldiers?

The Main Stream Media IS NOT PLAYING FAIR and has been avoiding publishing NSP views/press releases. That is why we could only post our statements on the cyberspace and websites.

Well, I don't think they have been fair to any opposition parties but in the past, at least they will mention part of our views. Even if it is not in totality, at least it allows people on the street to know that opposition parties like NSP are not fly by night parties. We work within our daily limitations and do whatever we can to comment on current affairs and come out with policy views.

Even for this recent press releases, I have deliberately cut down on my vibes and thrusts but it seems that there is some invisible hand somewhere which has basically banned us from the light of the MSM. I have given interviews to reporters on various issues, from political film act censorship to current affairs but it seems that there is a deliberate effort to block me out from the public sphere.

That is ok actually. But I have maintained that NSP is not a sleeping party and has been working hard both on the ground as well as the media front. If they chose to block us, that is fine with us. It just shows that we have made impact big enough to be considered as a real threat.

I have been hoping for a fair fight and fair play in the coming elections, though many would feel that this is basically naive and dreaming. Yes, I have such a dream for Singapore. I do not like to hear my PRC friends who visited Singapore to comment that how come the newspapers and TV are all full of government news and propaganda... people may mistaken that they live in a paradise without any negative happenings at all, least any active opposition views... i.e. WORST THAN CHINA's CCP!

It is basically an insult to a nation which claims to have democratic system. Even the commie is laughing at us!

So, having said all these, I guess your wish of us asking the PM directly face to face will only happen when I walk into parliament as the elected representative of the people.

Goh Meng Seng