PAP under siege

The opposition parties are hovering over Punggol East like vultures sensing the presence of a carcass for a good meal. It is not the case of a prize possession that belongs to the ruling party anymore. Thanks for the generosity of Michael Palmer, it is like a well timed Christmas present. But the ruling party is not going to give it away so easily. They know that the opposition parties are ready to snatch it away and it has to hold on to it tightly.

This is the state of the political game today. Gone were the days when the ruling party will strut around taking every loose seat available with great confidence. It was chionh all the way. The game has changed and it is a case of trying desperately to hang on to whatever it got. And the opposition parties are closing in for the kill every time a little gazelle breakaway from the herd. It is quite helpless. It will be taken away to fill the hunger of the hunters.

The ruling party is under siege and weakening in all fronts. There is no one in the party that could command the awe inspiring presence and leadership to win a single seat or even a GRC today. The last GE has exposed the weaknesses of the ruling party and the infallibility of every minister. Every one of them looks lame. And the last few batches of MPs were found to be wanting in many ways and many would not be able to hold on their own in a contest, without the GRC. Many were outright failures in the eyes of the people and many voters have regretted their decisions in the last GE. It is that bad.

The strength of the ruling part was in their pro people policies. These have done well for many years but strains are showing. Good policies are turning bad and unsustainable, like a big rock pushed up the mountain, the weight bearing gets heavier by the day and waiting to roll down, crushing everyone and everything below. Come to think of it, every policy is about to come tumbling down. Cannot think of any that is good or barely good today.

In the absence of good men and women, in the absence of good and pro people policies that are sustainable, what else is there for the ruling party to offer the people to keep them in power? This by election is only to confirm the hard truth that it is game over.

Maybe I am too pessimistic. Maybe the people are still strongly behind the ruling party. The joyous and buoyant celebration and the confidence shown in the last party conference told a different story. The party is on a roll. Everyone was looking so well and wealthy. The party will go on and on. The truth will be seen in the decision to hold or not to hold a by election. A party that is confident of winning will have no apprehension of taking the bull by the horns and will call a by election without hesitation. Any wishy washy excuses will be a sign of weakness, a party under siege, having little confidence in holding on to the seat in Punggol East. The siege mentality is all there for everyone to see.