The vulnerability of GRC

The GRC was conceived and designed to act like impregnable fortresses or motherships that could not be taken down. It used to be defended by one minister in the prototype design but has since been reinforced by having two ministers in each ship. Couple with the fee of about $100k per ship, the barrier to entry is very high. The other difficulties are the availability of a number of quality candidates and minority candidates. Thus, putting up a GRC team to contest an election is a tall order. In this election the vulnerability of a GRC has been exposed. It is possible to bring them down. The high barrier to entry is not that insurmountable anymore. And with willing candidates stepping forward, the availability of quality candidates are also achievable. The Aljunied GRC is a pathfinder and more will fall in the same way. All it needed is a 10% of swing votes. In the last election, the WP polled 44%. This time round it polled 54.7%, an 11% swing of votes. And down the mothership came, like a big rock falling from the sky. Results of this election show that several GRCs are as vulnerable as Aljunied. Several polled more than 40% of popular votes for the opposition. East Coast has 45%, Tampines 42.8%, Bishan Toa Payoh 43%, Marine Parade 43.3% and Nee Soon 41.6%. All it takes is a 10% swing of votes and each of these will come tumbling down. The opposition parties have seen how it could be done and the next battle will be a different story. But the GRCs of tomorrow may not be the same or may not be around anymore. A lot of tweaking is likely to be introduced to strengthen the mothership. Maybe the $100k could be raised to $200k, maybe the number of candidates be raised to 10 or more, to raise the barrier to entry to a more painful level. Or maybe the whole scheme will be scrapped, as they are no longer that formidable and could no longer serve the purpose it was designed for.

A crooning song bird

A song bird with beautiful head gear crooning on stage. More pics on Art of RAR Gallery on top right of page.

The daft Singaporeans voted

The daft Singaporeans voted for the PAP to rule them again for the next 5 years with a majority of 81-6 MPs in Parliament. Despite the strong presence of able and credible opposition candidates, the opposition parties could not do much except for a little breakthrough in winning a 5 member GRC in Aljunied. The pattern and consistency in the way the daft Singaporeans voted are pretty predictable by now. They have seen what PAP could do and are enjoying the success and would only vote for good candidates if they are available. They are responsible and voted with their heads. There was a little disappointment in that a few GRC candidates from the opposition were equally good or nearly as good as those from the PAPs but only managed a closed fight. The best team other than the WP’s winners in Aljunied is perhaps the SDP team in Holland Bukit Timah, with every candidate matching those from the PAP. The next two good teams were the Bishan team led by Chiam See Tong/Benjamin and the NSP team helmed by Tony and Hazel in Chua Chu Kang. Both teams were handicapped by a weaker supporting cast while Chiam’s physical condition could have given voters a second thought. With hindsight, the popularity of Nicole, if included in the Tony Hazel team could boost them to victory in Chua Chu Kang. But no one could predict how well received she was for a 24 year rookie. She did very well to carry her team in Marine Parade to give Chok Tong something to worry about. Her losing came with a tinge of sadness for her supporters. A little sadness too could be felt with the defeat of George Yeo and his team in Aljunied. It was a big blow to the PAP that boasted of two ministers with George a core member of the PAP leadership. And there was Zainal Abidin, slated to be the next Speaker of Parliament, and young and promising unionist Ong Ye Kong. Now the morning after minus the storm and tsunami of a big political change that failed to take place, is there anything that has changed? For once, the PAP was humbled by the shift in sentiments against them. They sensed it during the election hustings. The knew that the people were angry. And they started to tone down their cocky and high and mighty approach even before Polling Day. Hsien Loong made a public apology for all the mistakes they had made. Very unnatural to have come from an elitist Party that claimed to have all the best talents in the island. They would now have to be more guarded about their claims and their demands for outrageous pay for themselves. George Yeo openly protested against the use of threats even when it came from LKY himself. The post election thank you speech too came out pretty well rehearsed. The cocky position of only looking after their supporters and treating those that did not vote for them with lower priority has changed, or has it? They claimed that they have heard and understood the people’s unhappiness and would want to win them back again. They promised to listen, to work harder, and Boon Wan said that all are Singaporeans and must come together as one people after the election. There is a concerted effort to want to heal the rift and change their aloof image. Those words were said last night. Now that victory is in their hands, would they have short memories and revert to their old self again comes Monday? What is important is that the people have shown that they were most willing to change if there are good alternatives. If the opposition can attract more good candidates, the next GE is going to see a better contest. The people of Hougang stood solidly behind the WP. And the people of Aljunied had taken the first leap of faith to reject the PAP. The sun rises from the East. It will get brighter over time. Nicole could have been the winner in Marine Parade if her team mates were stronger. And it is quite clear that this is the last term for the PAP in Marine Parade. It was a tough choice and a yearning for change, if only a better team was available. Nicole could not breach the wooden wall alone. Now the daft Singaporeans would have to live with their decisions for the next 5 years. Would they regret, would they repent, or would they rejoice? One thing for sure, don’t take them for granted, don’t bully them again.

Protecting our shared assets

This little rock is all we have. Theoretically all the infrastructure and assets belong to the citizens. I say theoretically as some will say no. The future generations shall inherit what is being left to them. My question is whether there will be much left for them if we keep on selling our assets/landed properties to foreigners, or keep inviting foreigners to become citizens to share these shared assets. By doubling the foreigners, who then turn citizens, what is left for the original citizens will be halved. If this process keeps going, the pie and the share of our children will keep on decreasing. Yes, we need to protect our shared assets by not selling them in the first place. And secondly, by not bringing in more foreigners to share with us. If these two processes are not stopped, there will be nothing much left to protect in the future. When we were someone's colony, we have no say as to who shall come and go. We too were visitors. Now that we are owners of this piece of rock, we must decide who we want to welcome and how many we would want to welcome. We are not a land mass, a continent. We are just a piece of rock. Many even sneer at how small we are. Only we are crazy enough to think that we have such a big piece of land and we can bring in the people of the world. Singaporeans have never been xenophobic. We have welcomed foreigners and made them feel very welcome and comfortable here. But when the number gets too big, we already have more than 1m foreigners here, and some are thinking of bringing in another 900k. Is this a good thing, a wise thing to do? It is like living in a 4 rm flat. It is quite tolerable and can be fun to share a room with a foreign guest. Do we want to give up two rooms to the foreign guests and squeeze ourselves into one little room, and share our common room, our toilets and kitchens with so many strangers? There is a limit that we can do. People living in big bungalows would not understand what it is like to share your little flats with strangers. And if they are going to make this kind of decision for you, they will, against your interest and comfort, while they stay happily in their spacious mansions. We have nothing against foreigners. But we must guard our assets for our families and children. We do not want to be squeezed into a little room and make our foreigners happy in our little flat. We have to decide our future for ourselves, the little people living in little flats.

A show case GE rally

We have the most stylist GE rallies over the last 9 days. Every party was well supported by their teams of planners and organisers to make the rallies run smoothly and effectively like clockwork. The voters turned up in droves to attend the rallies, rain or shine. Some called it rock concert election rallies where personalities like Nicole Seah, Chen Show Mao, Vincent Wijeysingha, Ang Yong Guan and Tan Jee Say were clearly the hot favourites and crowd pullers. The people just wanted to know them and to hear what they had to say. Of course Nicole was the crowd darling wherever she went. While Singaporeans and the politicians were presenting their best front, unlike the days of rogues and gangsters, we are being watched by the millions of foreigners living among us. I think we have created a very good impression of what a civil and mature society is like and how a GE shall be conducted, clean, dignified and serious. We must thank Hsien Loong and his gang, oops, his party, for allowing this GE to be different, to be contested in the way it should be. We must also thank him for restraining his people from indulging in gutter politics, while antiques in their midst did try, to go back to the dark days where they would win by all means, foul or otherwise. We must also thank Hsien Loong for allowing the alternative media the freedom to say and post freely. Some still crossed the line of decency, but many used their freedom of expression responsibly with a little self regulation. Now who says alternative media cannot be responsible if left on their own? The role of alternative media was well recognised and fully exploited in the election campaign by all parties, the political parties and the political watchers. In a way they have contributed to keep the election hustings on a level keel, threatening too, to rubbish anyone attempting to play dirty. They too gave the opposition an avenue to be heard as clear as they wished. The people who wanted to hear and know both sides of the story can always turn to the alternative media for a more balance presentation. We must also thank the opposition parties for coming forward on a united front, minimise inter party rivalry and bickering, and preventing three corner fights to make the contest more competitive. And we are also grateful that they are able to attract good candidates to give the people a real alternative and not a Hobson’s choice. The brave new faces must be patted on their backs for taking up the challenge, to want to represent the people against all odds, and the possibility of losing everything. Let’ pray for them that none will be sued to bankruptcy and none will have to run road after the GE is over. And the surprising apathetic young were all geared up to the occasion. They wanted to play a role they some thought they were not interested. How could they remain disinterested when their future is at stake, when buying a flat can empty all their savings for the most part of their lives? They wanted to have a say, and they will vote for what is good for themselves as they see it. A final word for all the internet brigades and warriors out there banging away at their keyboards, and combing all the reports in all the media for errant comments and foul play, well done. Their watchdog role has kept the combatants at bay and wary of the counterstrike force lurking in cyberspace to do justice to the victims of dirty politics. Singaporeans should be proud of this GE and how it went. Now is to sit back and let the voices and votes of the people unfold to complete the story of a civil GE by decent people. In less than 24 hours, we will be eating the cake that we have baked together as a people.

The most decent election campaign

I must admit that we have the most decent political rally for a GE over the past few days. It was almost free of personal attacks and all parties tried their best to stick to issues and policies. It is possible that we can keep a contentious situation under control if all parties play the game with good sportsmanship. There were a few instances where they threatened to get ugly, but fortunately again, the transgressions did not get developed into something uglier. Let’s hope that future election will be conducted in such manners and candidates can still shake hands after the hustings are over without feeling too hurt and without getting angry with each other. It is quite an achievement by all parties concerned. The internet too did not get too wild either. The restraint is commendable.

A poem on the political situation in paradise

我国有个老痴呆, 继续执政不下台. 百万年薪多自在, 自吹自磊最厉害. 儿子演说不精彩, 为何当选真奇怪. 党员都穿一身白, 自称精英和人材. 好事全都往前摆, 坏事全都地下埋. 年底花红各自派, 加薪幅度不是盖. 政敌全都一身債, 只因被告到破財. 人们都不生小孩, 只好空运从海外. 搞到平民怨声在, 没人理会没人睬. 到了选举那年来, 只会用钱来收买. 此人何时会失败, 大家不防猜一猜. I received in my email. Hope someone can translate this into English.

PAP may pay for these cavalier statements

In the comfort of their well appointed offices and homes, and fat pays and fat bank accounts, it is so easy to make statements to tell the people off. When the people kpkb about high property prices, they said downgrade and buy smaller flats. When people kpkb about high car prices, they said take public transport if can’t afford it. When people kpkb about high cost of living, they said tighten your belt, eat fish if can’t afford chicken. When people kpkb about GST, they said it is to help the poor. When people asked about GST on essential services, they said too difficult to draw the line. And they said Singaporeans are daft, lack motivation and lack drive, need a spur on their hide. And foreign talents are imported to help the no talent Singaporeans, to create jobs for them. When opposition parties brought up suggestions, they shot everything down. Nothing from the opposition is good. Opposition candidates are people with doubtful motives, lesser talents. And the people are lesser mortals, complaining about a few cents hike in bus fares or a cup of kopi or a few dollars. Tsk, tsk, tsk, so petty. $600k is peanut. As for PMETs, they must go for more retraining to do jobs below what they used to do. Don’t be choosey. Their high paying jobs now being done by FTs. And still they insist that HDB flats are affordable, hospital bills are affordable. And anyone they push out is a super talent, the best talent, and Singaporeans must accept them as real talents. And they pay themselves millions and millions and said Singaporeans are not complaining what. And they threatened you, called you irresponsible if you vote opposition. And when you kpkb too much, they said they no need to listen and can be deaf frogs, and do what is good for you in their own terms. Would the Singaporeans remember and make the PAP pay for their cavalier attitude towards them?

Mah Bow Tan still insists HDB is affordable

It only takes 30 years, 2 incomes and 30% of the 2 incomes to pay for the HDB flat. This is affordable! How many of you agree that this affordable formula is fair? This formula means that for the first 30 years of one’s working life, there could be very little saving for retirement. Most could only start to save after repaying their 30 year loan. So don’t ask why you don’t have enough savings for retirement. The other point which this formula dictates is that both husband and wife must be working to be able to afford the HDB flat. One income, forget it. And there are families that have to live on one income, by choice or by circumstances beyond their control, or by tragedies. The people must denounce this formula as unaffordable. 30% of one income for 30 years is already too much. It was 20% of one income for 20 years for a 5 rm flat for a fresh graduate. But the goal posts have been shifted during the last decade that people have come to accept 2 incomes and 30 years as the norm. It is not, and it should not be the case. Anyway, many daft Singaporeans will disagree with my position. Good luck to you and your high incomes to pay for the little first class flat. Go ahead and vote for this affordable housing policy. Oh sorry, if your incomes are high enough, you are forced to buy private to make the private developers richer. You can’ t buy HDB under the current $8k/$10k ceiling.

Why a need for a Cooling Off day?

The ruling party has all the factors to its favour. All the resources, logistics, funds, and even the media are on its side. Ok I accept if the media protests against this statement as they will claim that they are fair, objective and unbiased. Then the changing of boundaries, the preparation and the privy of knowing when is the election, or when to call the election on the most auspicious day in the feng shui chart. But most important, the ruling party has all the super talents in its team, the crème ala crème of the country, and a scintillating track record. Why is there a need for a day to cool off? Why not take advantage of all the favourable factors and just go to the polling station the next day? Or is it that the ruling party feels that it has too much advantages on its side and wanted to give the opposition parties a fairer chance and a fairer fight? It cannot be that the ruling party fears that during the election hustings, the lesser talents, the lesser mortals, are able to talk the people to vote against the ruling party. The koyok men trumped the super talents and the god like beings. If that is the case, then all the super talents must be duds, unable to convince the people of how good they are. And what about the gold plated list of track records? These must speak for themselves and the people must surely appreciate them without even saying a word. Even if all this fails, there are the carrots of upgrading and handouts to fall back on. The pockets of the people when taken care off, must be a vote winner. And the threats of the investors fleeing the country, the economy running aground, the falling property prices, and hardship, must be sending a chill down the spines of the people for even dare to harbour the thought of voting opposition. Why then the need for cooling off day?

George Yeo pissed off with fear tactics

Saw George Yeo on TV last night. He related an incident where a resident came to tell him that he was voting opposition, and all because he was told to repent if he voted opposition. The resident was obviously ‘damn tulan’ with all the fear tactics and threats. They have enough of threats and fears for 45 years. George is going to lose a lot of votes for this repent statement. George is pissed off too. And he had reflected deeply into this and is calling for reform of the PAP from within. He wanted the PAP to look at itself, someone needs to buy them a mirror, and asked what’s gone wrong? Sad that they just woke up like Rip Van Winkle and seeing the world has changed. George was his old self like the old days in the Air Force, earnest and contemplative. He has started to think hard again. Would it be a bit too late? You guys please tell him and the PAP what they have morphed into. We all know, but they don’t.

For 4 decades, Singaporeans have voted responsibly

For 4 decades, the daft Singaporeans have voted responsibly in every election. They did not vote for candidates that were seen as mediocre. They voted for good candidates to Parliament. Would the daft Singaporeans vote responsibly again in this GE? Would they vote for the best candidates that they think can represent them in Parliament? Before this GE, there was no contest as there were no alternative candidates for comparison. It was more of a case of in the land of the blind, the one eye Jack shines. Today, not any one eye Jack will do or can do. May the better candidates be chosen for the good of the people. The daft Singaporeans were not daft, though they were believed to be daft, and called daft. The daft Singaporeans must voice out their true feelings to dismiss this myth that they are daft. I am sure the daft Singaporeans will vote wisely, intelligently, and responsibly in this GE as they have done before. Do not underestimate the daft Singaporeans. Do not show disrespect to the daft Singaporeans.

SDP Rally at Boat Quay on 5 May 11

PAP Rally at Boat Quay on 3 May 11

Imagine...87-0 in favour of PAP

I will like the people to imagine what life will be like on 8 May when PAP walks into Parliament with a 87-0 victory. Just imagine. What a beautiful world it would be.

The Growth Formula of PAP

We have seen exponential economic growth over the last decade, in GDP numbers. In real terms, what do these numbers translate into? Very high cost of living, high property prices, high medical fees, high cost to run business, high education fees, high transportation fees, high cost of buying a car. There is also the problem of high influx of foreigners to compete for good jobs as well. These are now the major concerns of the people and are now the main issues in the GE. Would these problems be tackled by the PAP govt after the GE? Yes, the PAP candidates now understand that these are genuine concerns of the people, including high ministerial salary which the PAP still did not think is an issue. So can the people expect any change in these policies? No way. These problems are expected in a high growth economy. They are intrinsic in a high growth formula based on adding more people into this piece of rock. And the govt knew all the while but did not see them as problems. In fact they are seen as necessary to growth, to raise the GDP numbers that leads to high growth bonuses. If these are not problems and are good to have, can we expect them to be removed? Why should they be when they are good? What would happen, and is already happening, is that the govt will keep on justifying and explaining why they are good and necessary. We need more foreign workers, high property prices are good, high ministerial salaries are good to prevent corruption and to bring in super talents into politics, world class education and hospitals need world class fees naturally. The congestion in public transportation can’t be helped as we need more foreigners to increase the demand for goods and services, the workers to do jobs Singaporeans did not want, and the middle executives to provide jobs for Singaporeans. The people cannot expect these problems to go away when they are not problems in the first place. A PAP govt will not change this high growth formula. If the people want to modify or moderate this high growth formula, they can only depend on the opposition MPs to speak for them, to change this high growth policy. It is necessary to have opposition MPs to rein back this mindless pursuit for growth numbers. That is why opposition MPs are badly needed in Parliament. Don’t get me wrong. High growth is good for the economy. But if high growth is generated only through higher population growth, it is a deadly formula. It is suffocating and unsustainable. High consumption is against conservation and saving mother earth.

3 oldies

3 oldies on a hiking trip.More pics at Art of RAR Gallery on top right of page.

So much anger

Only a few days into the GE campaign and we have witnessed so much anger among the people. Is the anger real, and how widespread is it? We have seen posters being vandalized, minister being chased away by hostile citizen. And there are privately drawn posters of unhappiness hanging in market places. In the internet, there is a spontaneous uprising with netizens coming together to fight for the same cause. They are not paid or organized groups, simply netizens speaking out. They gathered evidence like letters or videos to support the cause of the opposition. And people are turning to the net to get a glimpse of news that will never be told or make it to the main media. The crowd and mood at opposition rallies that resonated with the speakers’ calls for an alternative voice in Parliament are loud and clear. Again, are they really the voice of the aggrieved, the voice that will turn into votes against the ruling party? Are the people really so fed up with the ruling party and are ready to make a change, to vote for more opposition representatives or even for a coalition govt? Have we reached such a stage? The temperament has changed drastically over the last few days. If the anger is deep enough, and widespread enough, we could see an awakening of the people. The PAP must be caught by surprise for not seeing this and still thinks that they could carry the people with them. And threatening the people in a last ditch effort may prove to be their fatal wrong doing.

My first enlightenment

After a few drinks last night there was this white light that came down to embrace me. Could be too much of alcohol in the blood. Then again, everything seemed so clear as the whiteness glowed all over me. The whole GE drama just flashed across my mind, and there was instant enlightenment. There were so many aspiring politicians in all kinds of colours, red, pink, orange, yellow and what you have. This myriad of colours only say one thing. They are all flawed individuals. They are irresponsible, mischievous and dangerous, and definitely unsuitable to be political leaders. How can a political system allow such flawed characters to volunteer themselves and be elected by a mindless electorate? The whole system and process must change. The governing of a country is not a game. It is a very serious matter and the election or selection of political leaders cannot be left to chances and where flawed individuals be allowed to sneak into the system. There must be a meticulous system to identify, select and train political leaders. This should start with every potential candidates being put through a battery of medical, psychological and personality tests to ensure that they are flawless, no bad habits and of good genes. Better still if they have political blood running in their veins. This kind of blood is rare and only found in a few gifted families. The next stage is to interview them to filter out those with bad motives and intentions, those that are irresponsible, mischievous, dangerous or queer must not be allowed to go through. Angelic qualities are most sought after. The third phase is to send them to a politician training school to be trained as politicians. And on graduation, they can then march into Parliament to serve as the people’s representatives. No need to hold faulty elections that could only churn out flawed characters. No need to indulge in gutter politics and pork barrel politics. No need for gerrymandering and character assassinations, no need to spread so much ill will during an election campaign. Paradise must be run by flawless people, angelic or even god like people who have no other motives except to serve the people. Or people who are born to be politicians, with politics in their blood, like political princelings. Or people who think they are natural politicians. And there are people who think that only when one wears white can one be a good politician. And some may think that new citizens are better than our local bred citizens to be rulers of the people.

A civil election campaign…so far

Who says we can’t be civilized and need to behave like gangsters and thugs in a GE? Who says that all the dirty gutter political tricks and antics will be rolled out to destroy an opponent in a GE? Till today, the last two days of the GE campaign, the hustings have been pretty civil and respectable from both camps. No video of people romping in hotel bedrooms were aired, no ransacking of people’s cupboards and drawers for pornographic art were flashed in the media, no silly people were reported checking on people’s bus fare or taxi claims. Of course there were a couple of incidents that bordered on gutter politics, hitting below the belt, but quickly put off as the opponents realized that such conduct will reflect badly on themselves. And don’t forget that no one has the monopoly of the media and can speak and demolish his opponents while the latter is refused a chance of reply or fair comments. There is an alternative media out there waiting to pounce on anyone that crosses the line. And the alternative media need not be civil and can be very vicious and ugly. So far everyone is polite and gentlemanly. Two more days to go and if they can keep it that way, we can have a really clean and decent GE to be proud of. And organizations that are in possession of private and confidential data and information should guard them zealously and prevent nincompoohs from exploiting them in breach of the rule of confidentiality, privacy, ethics and personal integrity. No one should abuse his position of power to assess confidential information of candidates to hit anyone below the belt. Be warned that the internet brigade will do even worst when provoked. The contest is a contest of ideas and it is very encouraging and pleasant to see ideas being challenged and dutifully reported in the media. This is a sign of progress. Just keep the fingers crossed that the ugliness will not raise its head after the election with lawsuits, and candidates and their families being persecuted and have to run road. I have faith that we are maturing as a people and need not return to the days of being young and wild.