6/03/2006

Post election survery, Bread and Butter not main concern?

The survey by the Institute of Policy Studies(IPS) pointedly claimed that bread and butter issues were 'not the main concern' of voters. I tend to look at the findings from the context that it was done immediately after the general election and what were important to the voters during the election were freshly imprinted in their minds. And their current mindset and preoccupation would greatly influence the results of the survey. Bread and butter issues will always be important. But during the hustings, the issues of fairness and a good govt became very important. The people saw the need for an alternative voice as more urgent when unfairness was perceived. There was a feeling of an uneven playing field. And the way the ruling party dealt with the opposition, the upgrading etc called for a greater demand for checks and balances in Parliament. The survey clearly pointed to the real concern of the voters. They want more checks and balances to ensure that there is fairness in govt policies. They want different views in Parliament when they felt all these were threatened. Upgrading becomes a non issue as the survey showed. The billions of dollars being waved and offered were of lesser significance. Perhaps, on hindsight, the money set aside for upgrading should be reviewed and cut down and used for some other better purposes.

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