6/04/2014

Where are the political parties when the people needed them?

The Hong Lim Park protest this Saturday is led by a young man with no political affiliation yet but with the support of many CPF members who want their money back. Would there be any political party showing up with their leaders and supporters to stand side by side with the people in this protest? Would any political party think they should seize the opportunity to champion the cause of the people?
 

Would it be funny that no political party thinks they should be supporting the people when the people needed them most? Or would it be a case that since it is not the initiative of any political party, then they don’t have to show their support. Let the people go and fight for themselves?
 

What would the people say when these political parties come knocking at their doors asking for their votes in the next GE? What would the people say to these political parties and their leaders? Would they simply ask, ‘where were you when I need you most?’ Or would they just show them the middle finger and slam the doors?
 

What are the political parties thinking? Would they be seen to be abandoning the people?

Kopi Level - Green

34 comments:

Anonymous said...

"What are the political parties thinking? Would they be seen to be abandoning the people?"
RB

Not all all. At least not for the smart Sinkies.

Smart Sinkies know that rallies at Hong Lim Park are useless to change things, hence they also don't expect these political party leaders to be there.

And neither will smart Sinkies vote these political parties, if these parties are not ready to be govt.

And when smart Sinkies are the majority voters, say 60%, then of course PAP will win, and which PAP did everytime in the past. Simply because everytime the opposition is also not ready to be govt.

PSS said...

At the end of the day, in most if not all democratic elections, likely what matters is the position taken by the fence sitters or swing voters on voting day. Arguably the rest are side shows ......

In Singapore, who are the swing voters?

What are their profiles?

PSS said...

What really matters to them for them to cast their votes in support of a particular political party?

How to win their support?

Are they purely interested in the lower needs in life such as food, shelter, safety, security, clothing, transport or would higher needs such as sense of belonging, recognition, self-esteem, self-actualization feature in their voting patterns?

PSS said...

Needless to say, any opposition party who has won any election likely would have captured the majority of the swing voters in the constituencies they have won. This implies that in Hougang, Aljunied, Punggol East, the Worker's Party does have a significant sway on the swing voters and won over majority of them in the past elections. What is the secret?

PSS said...

Likely there must be something that the Worker's Party know in the swing voters more than any other opposition parties that won them the hearts and minds of the majority swing voters in those constituencies they have won.

PSS said...

Without the support of the swing voters, likely most other opposition parties in the political landscape might come close in any future election but still end up walking away empty handed in the end.

Anonymous said...

In 2008, Tan Kin Lian organised huge rallies at Hong LIm Park to fight for Sinkies who lost lots of their money on the structured products they bought from banks and financial institutions in the Minibond case.

But I don't know how much and successful these Sinkies recovered their losses.

What I do know is that Sinkies didn't really appreciate what Tan had done for those Sinkies in 2008. Because Tan later lost his deposit as a candidate in the 2011 PE by securing only 5% of the votes!

So u see, his credentials for helping and organising rallies to help and fight for Sinkies counted for nothing. At least that's what 95% Sinkies thought.

oldhorse42 said...

Yah! where is the teochew ah hia and hainan ah kor?
They all should go to Hong Lim park rally to scout for talents for their party.
I am should Roy can perform much better in parliament than CSM and would certainly bring in votes in coming election.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Tan Kin Lian had chalked up some goodwill during the minibond crisis and I believe those people that went to him appreciated his effort.

The Presidential Election was a different matte and it showed the maturity of the voters. It was the same as in Punggol East. They voted for the candidates for the posts. It was not that they were ungrateful.

Anonymous said...

What have Chee, Low, Jeanette, Chiam, JeeSay and the other opposition leaders to say about this protest? They want to support or not?

Anonymous said...

Roy has apologized.
But has LHL answered any of the issues and questions raised by Roy?

So do you think PAP is on your side?

Anonymous said...

you people better make up your mind

When opp took up the issue you say the issue is being politicalised or that the opp is opportunistic.

When the opp borchap (tidak apa) you ask where are the opp.?

In the early days when JBJ or CSJ took up causes, did you people give your full support?

Opp. not so stupid lah, every time kana whacked till bankrupt, you people just kept quiet.

You people deserve this government lah.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

@RB:

I recon bringing politics into this is a bad move.

The spotlight should always be on The Individual. It is Individual anger and raw dissatisfaction which will make the game interesting.

Mark my words, Mr Ken is the only politician there, and he is going to attempt to score political points.

Why? Because politicians are motivated to accrue power, but their power ultimately comes from public support.

If any politician "promises" you that he'll get you all your money from CPF, if you vote him and his party in, IMO he is bullshitting you.

Anonymous said...

Chee?

Hahahahahahaha.

Chee had been through it all. I think he has stopped his protests and rallies since 2008.

So I hope Chee and SDP can win at least a seat next GE. With Chee in Parliament, it will never be dull like now with WP MPs, and much more exciting than those rallies and protests, including those organised by Chee in the past.

As for Roy, u can forget that he can win any seat in an election. And to put a figure to it, 93% chance of losing.

Much as he had said and written about many issues and financial support given, 60% Sinkies don't see Roy as better MP material than those opposition that had contested in the past.

Anonymous said...

Effects of a Pro Alien Policy in USA:

Walmart's 'Made in USA' push exposes strains of manufacturing rebirth

""A lot of the tribal knowledge and skill sets are gone because the humans who used to do that work have either retired or died,"

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/walmarts-made-usa-push-exposes-052312303.html


An entire generation of Singapore bankers may have been completely wiped out by pro alien policies.

Anonymous said...

Redbean,

This is a fight between Roy vs LHL and the Govt. The fact that Roy, a private citizen n blogger although he has made a mistake, makes many Singaporean supporting him as he seems to be like anyone of us. Having any opposition parties joining the fray will distort and dilute it. Any political party who join the fray looks like riding piggyback on it.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

In this case, the political parties need not make any political statement if they did not want to. They can send in their supporters to be there to show support to the CPF issue, give moral and physical support, the head counts. That is all that is needed.

Fill up Hong Lim Park to the brim.

Anonymous said...

The donation came quick and fast in 4 days and I doubt that can't happen if he is with a opposition party.

Lets the Opp Parties fight their own battle and don't cloud the issue on hand.

Lets see if there can be another gathering just like the WPs' GE rally at Serangoon Stadium at Hong Lim.

Anonymous said...

Well, asked the WP MPs especially LTK......they dont bother to ask this question in Parliament, which means they support the government stand on CPF.

They are as happy as Lim Swee Say," every month looking at his CPF statement...getting bigger and bigger the amount."

b said...

Politicians are only there when they need your votes so they can accumulate power to make more money for themselves, extend favour to corporations who will employ them when they retired from politics or employ their relatives, fix their opponents to ensure continuity of their power. All politicians are evil.

Anonymous said...

I wonder if LHL vs Roy Ngerng over the CPF is Singapore's Minsky Moment?

Minsky moment
- An Emperor’s New Clothes event, where all of a sudden we come to our senses and realize that the Emperor is naked, PAP is not always on the side of Singaporeans, and LKY was wrong.

b said...

PAP is never on the side of singaporeans since day one, they are on the side of money all along.

Anonymous said...

If you put in CPF you can't take out you will miss huge opportunities cost from 55 to 65, where you can get out only around $500 per month when you reach 65, let say you have around $100K the average median?

Let say you work hard in you whole life hoping to get out your CPF of 30 over years of hard earned money and saving, which you expected to get out at 55 as promised?

If you get around 10 percent from your compounding and you don't take out, mean one dollar you can make 17 dollar, mean every month you can get thousands if you invest in some companies of diversified stocks which had regular income and gave high dividend yields? The total return of then year compounding is $1 to $2.7?

Mean if you manage your money when you take out you can get around $1000 plus of passive income per month, compare to the income you can get around $500 at 65, after around 20 year then you can get back all your money or principal?

You can get higher income if you are more diligent in your homework you could get higher return from $100K to around $2000 per month of passive income, so why you want to put your money after 55, which every year delay the higher the risks?

Anonymous said...

Opposition leaders, if you are reading this, the least you can do is to send your supporters to Hong Lim to support the cause and Roy.

Anonymous said...

Every year you delay getting your CPF back the higher risk you assume?

Anonymous said...

A good fund manager get 20 to 30 percent return per year?

Anonymous said...

Hong Lim Park on Saturday will not be well attended. Don't be fooled by this CPF issue. Best policy by the PAP. Where else on earth can you get a better pro-people government than the PAP. Long Live he PAP !!!!! See you at Hong Lim Park on Sunday for a picnic.Watch TV on Saturday or go walk in the Air-conditioned malls.

Anonymous said...

/// Where else on earth can you get a better pro-people government than the PAP. ///
June 04, 2014 9:25 pm

Whatever you are smoking.
I hope you continue sharing it with the PAP Ministers.

Anonymous said...

Let say a person work hard and saving his money in CPF over 30 years ago and expected to get it back at 55 as promised?

Imagine the shock and disbelief, when he reach 55 and the rules had changed it got to delay 10 more years then he can get around $500 per month and can't get out the principal?

A good fund manager can get around 20 to 30 per cent per year returns from his investments?

If he is an average investor, so he put his money in good quality stocks that make regular income and gave good dividend and save some to average down if the market were cheaper?

It estimated if he invest himself and get a consistent of 10 percent return yearly he would get 140 percent return more if he invest rather then get 3 percent return from CPF in the same period? What happen when he reach 65 the rules changed again?

If he able to take out his CPF as promised when he was 55 he would be able to get around $1000 plus if his investment skill improve as year gone by, rather then wait until when he was 65 or more? 500 more per month where he got to wait until he was 65 or more he can get per month?

He estimate his risk keep on increase the longer if he get back the money and put in his own banks and invest himself every year it was delayed?

Base on a median $100K range an average person save in his lifetime he able to get $1000 return, in a good year he able to get around $2000 per month return passive income, if he invest long term and iron out the short term market volatility?

So if he wait until 65 to get some money he would lost at least estimated $1000 per month in the year between 55 and 65 or more as each year past if he don't take out the principal and its profit and compound it?

If he is less risk adverse he will put into a few bank fixed deposit and used it to borrow to invest in a down market? Rather then risk it in CPF ten year later then can collect some money?

Still the increase rate possibly increase to 2 percent per year in the future, he can use it as a backup in case he lost his job?

Anonymous said...

@ June 04, 2014 11:46 pm

- Just close down Temasek & GIC.
- Hire a clerk.
- Dollar cost average and buy Berkshire Hathaway shares.

We get Warren buffet for free as our investment manager.

Anonymous said...

Voting trend.

If you look at voting trend the support for local which are mostly at the eastern side had weaken considerably then the western side in 2011, the western the support is around 65 percent due to more new citizens?

The eastern side the average is around 55 percent, which are mostly locals with less new citizens?

With the continue improve and lowering of the price of the mobile internet, seem like the ruling parties support had been eroding considerably?

The president election 64 percent went to the opposing voices of Tan Cheng Bock, Tan Jee Say and Tan Kin Lian?

And came 2013 the unexpected lost of Punggol East which have more new citizens then other area due to the cheaper flats, like because the advent of cheaper more access to mobile internet and rapid grow of sharing sites?

Come the massive Tekka and Geylang riots numerous questions asked about overpopulation and immigration?

Given the worrying trend, the GRC which previously used the ministers with higher votes to bring in the weaker prefer candidates,is no longer effective, which can be seen by the PE by Election from a win to a staggering lost of 10 percent?
Which the continue downward trend of the ruling party? Could need rethinking of various unpopular policies?

If the trend to continue into 2016 with faster and more access to mobile internet?

Could see the possible lost of all the GRC in the eastern side, which around 2 ministers helming a GRC, it is wiser to abolish, so not to lost so many ministers in a go, SIngapore could not lost so many minister and need to parachute new ministers which could plunge the country into panic and chaos?

Given the trend it could be a coalition govt forming in the not far future?

Anonymous said...

Losing a PAP Minister in an election is not a very big loss.
- they are all LKY clones
- they talk, speak and think like LKY clones

Clones are very easy to replace
- they are all the same

Seriously. I don't think we will miss any single one of them.

Anonymous said...

The possible drop in 15 to 20 percent of vote in the coming 2016 election?

Many factors could contribute to the continue trend of dropping support of the ruling party?

The major factor mobile internet continue to gain ground, as people look lesser to Mainstream Medias, which owned by the govt as previously?

Most important is their CPF, which was promised to return at 55 was delay and non returned, many had little savings except the CPF?

Which they waited many year hoping to get back in their 55??

Inflation, after the 2011 election many things continue to increase and getting more expensive by the days, which seriously brought about the massive change of support to WP in PE By Elect?

Immigration, as the plan to increase new citizens, too worried the new citizens, with 30K of newer citizens every year, it will be likely to affect the new citizens and their children jobs and their future, either replace some of them their jobs or depress their pay too, and also push up the price of everything?

Hyper inflation had causes rise and fall of many parties in the middle east, cost of living can't keep up with their income?

As most of the GRC support in the Eastern side are only around mid 50s percent support, these could prompt they suggest the abolish of GRC system, where many candidates where lump together in election, to pull in the weaker one?

It is better to go back to the SMC single seat system, one one one contest?

If more then half of the cabinet were lost in 2016, these could spells trouble to Singapore? Which many heavyweight and senior ministers could lost?

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Maybe the PAP should stick to their win win CPF policies and let the CPF be the main issue in the next GE. Of course population and FTs will be the other big issues.

But let the CPF be the issue for the people to decide what they want or who they want to be in govt.