The good part of this new front is that they are not bound by Party discipline or ideology. They can address issues as they arise. A good example is WP who will not engage the Govt outside Parliament unless the Govt makes a direct allegation against them. Understandable as to avoid getting into a mess which they cannot control. Not all are in the calibre of SL, PS and LTK.
People like Roy and Alex fill that necessary void. Lets face it Alex has been more damaging to the PAP then all the opposition candidates in recent years. And his work translates into votes for the opposition. The same with Catherine Lim. These people raise issues that are contentious.
Its the very reason why Old Man and GCT who was PM then wanted Catherine Lim to go into politics. Thats means constraints. If allowed to continue, more citizens some of whom who are articulate, capable and intelligent can shred the PAP on various policies but who have no interest in entering parliament or be associated with a political party.
I think that you are totally off target here. The fact that people like Roy exist is a damning evidence that our oppo parties are totally in adequate. Roy by himself has churned out more thought provoking articles, backed up by facts, than all the oppo parties combined. This is the age of the internet, people want to know right away, and get an alternate view of the news as opposed to the PAP sanction version. The oppo parties are totally timid and he makes them look like fools. Just look at the WP website for example. there is no mention of the hottest recent local topics. eg. Anton Casey, Phillipines NAtional day celebration in Orchard, lawsuit against Roy, high cost of living, crowded out and over populated by FTs, Little India Riots, etc. These are all the talk of the town, and what citizens are discussing, and yet not a peep on these subjects by the WP. One tends to think the WP is just another stooge extension of the PAP.
A perusal of the other oppo website is not much better. NSP's website has not put out any press release since Dec. 2013 and its last mention was about the Little India Riots. SDP is the most active website, but their words are not backed by action like Roy does, when he speaks out in public. Reform Party has an active website too, and has running commentary on recent events, but like the other parties, their outlook is micro rather than macro. I mean who cares about the award of bus routes by the LTA? Really? non of the oppo parties have a clearly laid out plan on how to win the next elections and what they will do. Any oppo members who go on this forum and other forums like TRE, RealSingapore, etc. can tell after half an hour what is dearest to the hearts of singaporeans. Why can't they simply come out with a specific manifesto that an ordinary singaporean can understand:
If we win the election, we will do the following:
1) make it the law for all companies to offer job positions to Singaporeans first.
2) All professional and PMET FTs will be phased out and their work visas will not be renewed, their jobs will be filled by locals
3) All CPF to be taken out at age 55 with no reservations and conditions
4) Defence budget will be cut by 50% and funds devoted to healthcare spending
5) scholarships and reserved spots for all unis, sec schools and polys will be terminated right away
These are just some of the clearly laid out commitments that the oppos can make and will appeal to the singapore heart. The list can be long and comprehensive, but it will state what they intend to do if they win. why they do not do it, I have no idea? Roy fulfills a desire by many singaporeans to articulate that they want these things to happen. And he does it in a topical and time sensitive manner. that is why he is the one the PAP needs to shut up. They have rightly identified that he is a bigger threat that the other oppo parties combined. U are comparing him with JBJ and LTK and SL and what not. he is not even in the same district with them. He is another wave.
