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[h=1]VOTE PAP FOR POLITICAL COWARDICE[/h]
Post date:
18 Feb 2015 - 8:10pm
Have you noticed how the space for political diversity has been steadily shrinking in Singapore, particularly over the past few months? Defamation suits, criminal charges for contempt of court, denial of permits to speak at Hong Lim Park, use of government bodies to harass opposition political parties and now facetious charges made in Parliament. What does it all tell you?
It tells me that PAP has chosen political cowardice after deciding that theyy have no hope of winning over the hearts and minds of Singaporeans through a fair and open contest. And so the strategy they have chosen is to cut down the space for discussion and plurality. Nothing new about the PAP persecuting Singaporeans but I think the chokehold has gotten tighter in the past few months, erasing any pretence there has been over previous years of a move towards a more liberal approach. I wouldn't be surprised if we next see a slew of restrictions being imposed - maybe no more Hong Lim Park protests, maybe attempts to shut down sites like TRS and TRE. Who knows?
No doubt the PAP are fully aware that there will be a backlash and a high price to pay at the ballot box for all their bullying tactics. But their assessment must be that the situation is so dire that the price must be paid and then all that will be left will be to keep their fingers crossed and hope for the best (for themselves that is and not for Singapore).
By now, I think it should be clear to any reasonable person that PAP dominance is reaching its expiry date. Whether their dominance lasts one more election or two doesn't really matter - it is clearly on the decline. No doubt the PAP remains popular amongst their own inner circle and those with something to gain through their crony connections. But every regime in power has such cronies and sycophants whose loyalties will switch faster than a prostitute runs to the highest tipper. Even Hitler had his inner circle of loyalists so why shouldn't the PAP.
Now that it has become obvious that PAP dominance will end soon, every citizen - whether a PAP supporter or not - should think about elections in that context. We need a mature political environment that will allow for the transition from PAP stranglehold into the next phase without much bruising. Obviously the political cowards that are the PAP is not interested in ensuring this. They are comfortable not having to answer to an independent media and a strong opposition. To them opposition voices are to be 'fixed' rather than representative of competing interests to be factored in so that a democratic balance can be struck. The PAP simply is not equipped to function in a normal democracy and needs all the advantages it has been spoilt with over the decades in order to survive. The PAP is happy with weak institutions which allow it to dominate everything without thinking about where things will stand when the PAP is out of the picture.
PAP MPs are like spoilt kids who have never had to work for anything but just think they are entitled to all the power and glory because they believe themselves to be brilliant supermen. Once anointed by being chosen by the PAP it seems a halo of perfection envelops them such that they cannot see any of their faults and mistakes and no error can elicit an apology from them. Yet they are ever ready to cast stones at others and to sing their own praises. Practically none of them inspire admiration and all just seem to be pompous pricks willing to use the machinery of the government to bully helpless individuals and the handful of opposition members in Parliament.
If you support political cowardice, vote for the PAP. Just remember when the PAP does lose the elections one day, you will find hollowed out Singapore institutions left in its wake by all their abuse. But not to worry, it is Singaporeans who made Singapore and not the PAP and Singaporeans will make a better Singapore once the PAP is gone.
Disgusted with PAP
TRS Contributor
Post date:
18 Feb 2015 - 8:10pm
Have you noticed how the space for political diversity has been steadily shrinking in Singapore, particularly over the past few months? Defamation suits, criminal charges for contempt of court, denial of permits to speak at Hong Lim Park, use of government bodies to harass opposition political parties and now facetious charges made in Parliament. What does it all tell you?
It tells me that PAP has chosen political cowardice after deciding that theyy have no hope of winning over the hearts and minds of Singaporeans through a fair and open contest. And so the strategy they have chosen is to cut down the space for discussion and plurality. Nothing new about the PAP persecuting Singaporeans but I think the chokehold has gotten tighter in the past few months, erasing any pretence there has been over previous years of a move towards a more liberal approach. I wouldn't be surprised if we next see a slew of restrictions being imposed - maybe no more Hong Lim Park protests, maybe attempts to shut down sites like TRS and TRE. Who knows?
No doubt the PAP are fully aware that there will be a backlash and a high price to pay at the ballot box for all their bullying tactics. But their assessment must be that the situation is so dire that the price must be paid and then all that will be left will be to keep their fingers crossed and hope for the best (for themselves that is and not for Singapore).
By now, I think it should be clear to any reasonable person that PAP dominance is reaching its expiry date. Whether their dominance lasts one more election or two doesn't really matter - it is clearly on the decline. No doubt the PAP remains popular amongst their own inner circle and those with something to gain through their crony connections. But every regime in power has such cronies and sycophants whose loyalties will switch faster than a prostitute runs to the highest tipper. Even Hitler had his inner circle of loyalists so why shouldn't the PAP.
Now that it has become obvious that PAP dominance will end soon, every citizen - whether a PAP supporter or not - should think about elections in that context. We need a mature political environment that will allow for the transition from PAP stranglehold into the next phase without much bruising. Obviously the political cowards that are the PAP is not interested in ensuring this. They are comfortable not having to answer to an independent media and a strong opposition. To them opposition voices are to be 'fixed' rather than representative of competing interests to be factored in so that a democratic balance can be struck. The PAP simply is not equipped to function in a normal democracy and needs all the advantages it has been spoilt with over the decades in order to survive. The PAP is happy with weak institutions which allow it to dominate everything without thinking about where things will stand when the PAP is out of the picture.
PAP MPs are like spoilt kids who have never had to work for anything but just think they are entitled to all the power and glory because they believe themselves to be brilliant supermen. Once anointed by being chosen by the PAP it seems a halo of perfection envelops them such that they cannot see any of their faults and mistakes and no error can elicit an apology from them. Yet they are ever ready to cast stones at others and to sing their own praises. Practically none of them inspire admiration and all just seem to be pompous pricks willing to use the machinery of the government to bully helpless individuals and the handful of opposition members in Parliament.
If you support political cowardice, vote for the PAP. Just remember when the PAP does lose the elections one day, you will find hollowed out Singapore institutions left in its wake by all their abuse. But not to worry, it is Singaporeans who made Singapore and not the PAP and Singaporeans will make a better Singapore once the PAP is gone.
Disgusted with PAP
TRS Contributor
