2/24/2011

Of moles and conspiracies in Singapore politics

The latest break away in the Reform Party saddens those who are hoping against all hopes that a reasonably able alternative party could appear in the next general election. The longing for a stronger alternative voice in Parliament was seeing some light at the end of the tunnel until this happened. Some able and young aspiring politicians quit, and in so doing dashes the hope of a good contest in the GE. Many speculations were floating around as to why the break at this critical time. Conspiracies, moles, inept or personality conflicts or whatever, all breeds nothing good for the cause of an alternative voice. The most distaste reason, if it turns out to be true, is to have moles working from within a party to bring it down. The country deserves good people, people with integrity, to come forward to serve the nation. Good people, whether from the ruling party or alternative parties, are good people. Politics may be a dirty game to some, but it should not be made dirtier by people with lesser integrity, to play the role of moles to undermine another party. Good and talented people must have self respect and not to be involved in such roles for the good of themselves, the country and the people. It is not worth it to compromise one’s self respect and integrity to do such dirty works for any reasons. For the moment this is all speculation. I doubt anyone with some intelligence and dignity, and worthy to be a leader and a man, or a woman, would stoop so low to become moles. The conflicts in political parties are inevitable as different personalities and objectives are involved. For whatever reasons, the interest of the nation and the people must be above all else, and all private personal interests. Let’s pray that we will have good and decent people in the ruling party as well as the alternative parties to be leaders of the country.

21 comments:

Wang said...

Well, all I can say based on the replies, i can see who is the professional and true leadership as compared to the unthinking adulation in the social media.

Anonymous said...

When are the righteous intellectuals people stepping in to stop the rot?

Most Singaporeans will not be able to stand rolling down the slippery slope without getting hurt and harm.

How da?

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

The good people would not want to quarrel with gangsters for sure.

How a system is designed will determine how it will fall apart. And the trick is that any system will fall apart when the time is ripe.

Rule by the sword will be killed by the sword as the saying goes.

Anonymous said...

Speculation aside, I think the way opposition candidates are switching from one party to another, tells me that such candidates are not worth voting for.

They are just opportunist trying their luck, not one that is truly fighting for causes.

Sad to say, what is happening with the Reform Party is exactly what ails the opposition voice and why people shun them eventually.

Wally Buffet said...

A rolling stone down a slippery slope can only land in one place.

Into a shithole!

Not referring to the current fiasco, my firm belief that politicians, used car salesmen, property and insurance agents, purveyors of snake oil and all assorted villians of varying shades of perfidy belonging to one tribe of odious humans has always been vindicated.

Also, a profession for which I have the greatest respect for skill and integrity has also joined the list.

To me, a farmer tilling his land for sustenance is the most honourable person earning a living on Earth.

Hehe. :o)

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

> Politics may be a dirty game to some, but it should not be made dirtier by people with lesser integrity, to play the role of moles to undermine another party <

I don't know what fantasy universe redbean lives in, but I think it must be a wonderful place -- full of "nice" people always "following the rules" -- the rules of course authored by none other than the morally high-and-mighty redbean himself. ;-)

In any game, when the stakes are high, people are not going to care about how you think they "should" conduct themselves.

Anyway, enjoy your fantasy universe!

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Matilah,

Playing moles is a fact of life, just like people trying to make a living from crime. But I would like to encourage those who can afford not to take these roads to avoid them. There are many decent ways of making a living, like being a top notch this and that.

Anonymous said...

Amid the initial euphoria about the Reform Party, this must really give a sinking feeling to those hoping to see some changes on Singapore's political landscape.

Over and over again, the opposition parties fall into the same trap, commit the same mistakes, get into the same kind of internal squabbles, continue to screw themselves, and disappoint those voters out to give them a chance.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

redbean, there is no decency in politics.

Wally Buffet said...

In other words, politics attract only scoundrels.

Anonymous said...

If people are willing to betray to stay alive, it needs more than a scoundrel to be a successful politician.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Not necessarily so. Just because you happen to see or know a few scoundrels does not mean that all of them are scoundrels.

There must be some who are morally righteous, honest and with unquestionable integrity.

Wally Buffet said...

"There must be some who are morally righteous, honest and with unquestionable integrity."

Are we talking about a gathering at a seminary?

Hehe.:o)

Anonymous said...

Even those that comes out of a seminary are not all morally righteous.

Anonymous said...

Those at Vatican are also sama sama(same)

Soojenn said...

Wally, sorry to say but you are perhaps living in netherlands....

"There must be some who are morally righteous, honest and with unquestionable integrity."

Really, like finding one in a haystack.. don't you recal what Kaun Yew says he will do to his opponents?

My take on this is that the two are high and likely to be moles, good ones though at it. Time will tell. Suprising enough when they joine the RP with their PAP type of credentials, and style to boot - giving "hong baos" just before the elections. Good that KJ stopped this nonsense.

Surprising that, in the year that they are with the RP, there was no mud slinging, character assassinations by the incumbent, which is not normal, and is what the incumbents typically do to supposedly "credible" people that the PAP rope in.

Time will tell. Leaving en-masse at such an inopportune time for personal differences? Perhaps after they have gained some support from dissenter and oppositions,through RP, and then ditching them en-masse at this time to "inflict maximum damage" as one would say.

Giving an interview to the mSM becuase they were approached.. no difference as they should have kept their mouth shut.

Soojenn said...

correction...

"... what the incumbents typically do to supposedly "credible" people that the PAP rope in."

opposition rope in..

Soojenn said...

sorry.. another correction..

redbean living in netherlands.. not Wally. Actually concur with Wally.

Anonymous said...

Unrelated to this Thread, but yesterdays' news carried a report that a Saudi born student was found and charged with POSSESSION OF WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION, when he had actually bought some raw materials to make bombs.
Before he had made any bomb he is charged with POSSESSION OF WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION.
Lol......... the Americans are living in tenterhooks and sieged mentality.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Hi soojenn,

Matilah would say we got to define what are righteousness and integrity. Words with variable meanings nowadays: )

Some blogs are very direct in accusing them of being moles. Got to be careful on such accusations as righteous people would not take it lightly and may end in lawsuit.

Needs proof to claim something as a fact or truth especially touching on a person's integrity. Leave it to time to tell the truth. No pre judgement.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

> Matilah would say we got to define what are righteousness and integrity <

Exactly. I much prefer using CONTRACTS -- voluntary agreements between individuals. Then you don't get into the philosophical mess of "primate morality".

We are all PRIMATES with large brains which have frontal lobes, neo-cotexes and other functional structures which allow each of our species to form abstractions -- ways of creating or finding "meaning" in various aspects of our existence.

At the core of it, we still behave like PRIMATES (monkeys) and deception, collusion and conspiracies, jocking for political or "group" power (alpha ape) have been observed in other species of monkeys. Add to this species-characteristic mix a large organ that can process and "embellish" perception in a vast gamut of ways from "gentle" to "bloody brutal"...and you have..."enhanced primate behaviour" aka...

....HUMAN NATURE.

Which is why, although not 100% perfect, contracts work the best because they limit and define what is "allowed" and "disallowed" in any relationship.