2/27/2008

MPs scoring own goals

Unbelieveable, but the MPs are doing just that, questioning policies and happy mistakes in Parliament. At the rate it is going, we don't really need an opposition. They are definitely doing a better job than the opposition, or is there an opposition? Inderjit Singh looks more like the leader of the opposition bench. If they continue to do such a fine job, next GE everyone may be voting just for PAP. Now when will the Whip crack? When will someone stand up and say don't score your own goals? Actually it will be interesting for all the govt MPs to say aye and shut up and see what the opposition will say. It is likely that Parliament will be over in two hours. And everyone can go back to work and make more money. Don't have to waste time saying the obvious. But the obvious have to be spoken for two reasons. If they are raised and forgotten, like the housewives, then people will say, see, I don't hear any objections any more. The people are all happy and support the policies. After a few days everything will be forgotten. I also forgot who spoke for the housewives vehemently in the last Parliament session. Now everyone will not want to know about the housewives anymore. Correction, Amy Khor did mentioned about them again. Anyone else? Issues must be repeatedly raised and spoken to keep them alive or else face the fate of becoming non issues and passe. The second reason is that though they are obvious to many, to the decision makers, they may not be that obvious. Or they would not agree to the policies and decisions and schemes. That's how happy mistakes are made and why MPs got so many goals to score. And then there is the group that will say everything is affordable. I am going to stick up a column to quote the comments whenever someone said something is affordable from now on. That will be good for posterity. Then we can start counting the affordables and aggregate them up.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just another episode of the Wayang Parliament Chronicles lah. The proof of the pudding is in the eating. You pay any Ah Pek / Ah Soh from the street 12K pm, and hand them a prepared script to read out in Parliament, they also can do it. Big deal. If these own goal scoring MPs, as you put it, have any convictions they should stand as independents cjampioning those causes in the next elections seeing as how their grouses have fallen on deaf ears. Do they have the courage to do that ? I won't bet on it.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

not practical. they would not get elected and no chance to speak in parliament.

Anonymous said...

Exactly. Much more rewarding to remain as lackeys, reading scripted speeches and maintain the (bogus) facade of being champions of people's issues. What a sorry sight to have these kind of MPs supposedly representing us, the people.

Anonymous said...

Scoring own goals after the game has ended is of no use, just wayang. What is the point of debating the issues when the charges and GST increases have already been made? For show? Do we honestly think they will reverse their decision and reduce GST? Maybe they will give Singaporeans a bigger lollipop to keep the noise down. Like little children, they can be easily pacified and have short memories. The formula works all the time!

Months before the GST rise, people have been complaining about price increases, yet I am surprised that the finance minister appears unaware of what is happening on the ground despite so many PAP MPs stomping, engaging, mixing and listening to the people. Are they representing the people and are there to help them to voice their complaints? Hardly. What is the point of all this if feedback is delegated to useless whinning and ignored? Sad.

Anonymous said...

What's the point in questioning policies when there is NO reply from the relevant ministries. The Singapore parliament is really one big wayang.

When are we going to see debate like those found in UK or Oz parliament?

Anonymous said...

"And then there is the group that will say everything is affordable."

Marboro always say HDB is affordable even when the price is skyhigh.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

there is some truth to affordability. even with no money, $52k medical bill is still affordable. provided one qualifies for medifund.

dunno whether an empty medisave account is a prerequisite.

Anonymous said...

$52k is only one-tenth a peanut. Still very cheep, cheep, cheep.

Anonymous said...

who brought these wayang mp to parliament, may i ask?? you kiasi singaporean lah. ( not including me cos i have the guts to vote against them always and tell my family & friend to do so too) i don't believe if no good opposition available then vote for these wayang mp. look at what this elected mp do in parliament. go thru motion only. i rather send in some people to question those policymaker and make it difficult for them to pass ruling which are alway against the interest of the people.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

these are the best that we can find.

Anonymous said...

Then you have very, very low standards. Throw these goons into a real democracy, and we can all watch them get eaten up alive by real politicians.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

everything is relative. and it also depends on what kind of yardstick one chooses. compares to the third world countries, our universities are the best. compares to the ivy leagues in the west, we are just so so.