The difference between SDP and PAP town halls

[metalslug]

The difference between SDP and PAP town halls
Saturday, 09 April 2011
Singapore Democrats

Following the announcement of The SDP Promise where the party pledges to hold town hall meetings to gather feedback from constituents on policy matters if elected, Today pointed out that Mr Mah Bow Tan from Tampines GRC has been conducting such meetings with his residents.

The newspaper wanted to know how the SDP town hall meetings would be different from the Tampines ones. Below is the SDP's response:

The SDP-proposed Town Hall meetings are designed with one purpose: To listen to the people and to carry their concerns with us to Parliament.

This cannot be more different from the town halls held in Tampines by Mr Mah Bow Tan which are, essentially, organised to talk at the residents. PAP forums are meant to get their members and supporters to propagate what the Government wants the constituents to hear and comply with.

If the PAP town halls are truly designed to listen to the people, then many of its policies such as exorbitant ministerial salaries, high HDB prices, influx of foreign workers would not be standing today.

It is because the PAP has put in place an undemocratic system to allow it to do as it pleases that make its town halls and other kinds of forums meaningless wayang sessions.

The SDP has attempted to hold meetings with the residents in the past but we have been denied the right to do so. One example, is the sale of the Fajar wet market to Sheng Shiong. At that time we had applied for a permit to have a public forum with residents of Bukit Panjang over the issue.

The police, however, banned the meeting. This is the undemocratic practice put in place by the PAP that allows the government to do at it pleases without regard to the views of the people.

Chee Soon Juan
Secretary-General
Singapore Democratic Party

The party will officially launch The SDP Promise this afternoon. With this Promise, we bring politics and public service in Singapore to a new level where Singaporeans will take charge of their own political destiny.

The SDP Promise is a pledge to run government in a transparent and accountable manner. We want to give back the governance of Singapore back to Singaporeans.

This is a practice completely alien to the PAP which has hijacked the political process and made the people serve the government instead of the government serving the people.

So come to the launch this afternoon and support this landmark initiative. We are going on a walkabout to publicise this document immediately following the launch and we invite you to join us. Transport will be provided.

Event: Public launch of The SDP Promise
Date: 9 April 2011, Saturday
Time: 3:30 pm
Place: The Public House, 42 Circular Road

 

[tonychat]

wonderful wonderful

 

[scroobal]

It would help the SDP if they realise that Singaporeans are their target audience and the people that will make a difference to their cause. VW does. What about the rest of the SDP? I am not too sure. Every SDP event and collateral seems to suggest that funding is not issue. WP on the other hand creates an image of making ends meet, underdog, humble and connected to the man on the ground.

Then you have Ms Promiscuity taking photos with well heeled people around the world in nice outfits.

The votes that they get or do not get would telling. With VW, the chance of not lagging behind the rest of the opposition candidates is there.

 

[Forvendet]

The SDP Promise is a pledge to run government in a transparent and accountable manner. We want to give back the governance of Singapore back to Singaporeans.

Oh please, not again. Either naked lying rhetoric to fool people napping off their minds again or they themselves also in deluded stupor or they don't even understand the system at all. Run what government? They cannot possibly field more than ten candidates. Run government? Return governance to people? That's exactly what people don't want. Government should run government for the people. That's why people elect a government. And people wishing to be part of government should stand for election, beginning by taking care not to get themselves disqualified. There's another word for people running government at will, wimps and fancies, it's called anarchy.