2/05/2014

More than just a co driver

My thread, ‘WP, to slap or not to slap the driver’ reposted in TRE is getting more than 80 emotional comments. Some were angry, some disappointed while some were sympathetic to the WP. Some were demanding for more actions from WP to slap the driver real hard.
 

The main issues are the high expectations they have of the WP and its leadership role as the major opposition party. Many commented that they threw everything behind the WP for one simple reason, to take on the PAP. And they were not mincing their words when this was not seen to be done. As the main opposition party they want the WP to live up to their expectation as there is no other party to do the job in Parliament and out of Parliament. The WP is seen as the white knight, a potential alternative or party in waiting should PAP fall on the wayside.
 

There are also those who tried to understand the WP for not standing up and be more vociferous in their views on many things and events that were happening. The current position of the WP would cost them some votes for sure, not to the PAP but to other opposition parties that are seen to be doing the work, especially SDP.
 

An opposition party in the leadership role to lead the rest of the opposition parties, to coordinate and bring them together as an organized and serious political force, is left wanting. The WP is expected to play this role. For the WP to distance itself from it is disappointing. If not the WP who else? It is a responsibility that falls naturally on the most successful opposition party and not taking up the cudgel is seen as shirking from this responsibility.
 

The WP cannot go it alone if it is to be taken seriously to dislodge the stranglehold of the PAP. They need all the opposition parties, minus those that are questionable, to be on its side to present a united front for those who wanted PAP out. Absconding from doing so, alienating the other opposition parties and adopting a lone ranger small party attitude will do the WP no good. The people are demanding for real change, substantive change, for leadership, and the current strength of the WP is just not up to it to be respected or seen as a serious political force. Just sitting beside the driver as a co driver is not what the people want, not enough to satisfy the needs of the people.
 

WP must stand up and respond to this undefined role as the leader of the opposition and not hide within its shell. Take the lead is what the people expect of the WP.
Would the WP rise to the challenge or be content to be a little bridesmaid?

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

"WP must stand up and respond to this undefined role as the leader of the opposition and not hide within its shell."
RB

If WP can stand up, they would have done so in 2011 already. Remember WP is not a young or new party.

If one is CEO material, one would have become CEO by now, and not still a junior staff after so long in the company, tio bo?

Anonymous said...

I think PAP also knows. That's why they not scared to make Sinkies pay and pay (PAP) until 2016.

Anonymous said...

Only a miracle will make WP stand up and rise to the challenge.

Do Sinkies believe in miracles?

Anonymous said...

Although limpeh had voted for the hammer for past elections, it becos the r no other choice beside the papigs..

The hammers claimed they had walked the grounds in east coast... BALLS TO THEM, limped had yet to see them once. Knnbccb

Low tk, Sylvia lim... hope u read this.

Knnccb... way to do? Vote for pigs, dogs, ?

Anonymous said...

WP is given the opportunity to lead by default. If they don't they will regret it one day.

Anonymous said...

i think wp beginning to enjoy the 15000 a month and so whatfor work sovhard. relac. collect pay and show yourself very fierce during election the sg will sure vote wp in again.

Anonymous said...

Rational is in order, taking the bulls by the horn, do not work specially when the other owns everything, judgement can be base on defending also, so far even when they are silent they are taken to court, surely by now sinkies can see the arms of the other are extended, but after saying that sinkies should not put all their eggs into one basket, let's put some into miss seah's basket as well, at least we can see one pretty face, beside her working her butt off, she deserve a chance to shine.

Anonymous said...

I see two points here. One is to speak out. The second is to organise and regroup the opposition under a coalition of sort, not necessarily a rigid one as long as all would be willing to work for a common cause.

Do not be surprise when a coalition govt is thrown onto their laps and they need to act together.

Do not be surprise and be prepared for it. It can happen.

Anonymous said...

Many who voted for opposition, I think, know that WP will never or take a long, long time to become the government. They are content to have WP as an opposition to keep the PAP on their toes.

Therein lies the answer. Their intention is not for a change in Government soon, but to put a thorn in the side of the PAP in Parliament. Or just be a co-driver whose job is to slap the driver if he falls asleep.

For a change in Government, we probably need someone like Suthep to galvanise the people. At least in Thailand, the armed forces are politically neutral. But do you think Sinkies will go out like the Thais? How many here will do that? The moment you fart, they come down on you like ton of bricks. As someone said, they control everything and they can change the law as they please. The whole Government machinery, police, election commission, armed forces are under their tight control.

So, go ahead and choose a new opposition party and leader into Parliament and see whether they can make any headway like Thailand.

b said...

WP is too small to slap PAP. the people have to vote in more alternative parties into power if they expect things to happen differently. with the amount of power pap has currently, they can easily change the constitution. it is very silly of the people by letting one single party assuming so much power.

b said...

As the saying goes : Power corrupts and Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

The Thai army is politically neutral this time because the king is dying and they do not want to be caught on the wrong side of history.

Suthep is like a guard dog trying to put up a stand for a dying master.

Watch the dramatic story unfolds when the king dies. Thailand would not be the same again.

b said...

No one is politically neutral on earth. Every politician is waiting for the kill - to acquire more wealth at the expense of the people - local or foreign does not matter.

Anonymous said...

Sinkies got to vote in as many candidates from different political parties as possible.
Having pigs, dogs, lions, tigers, elephants and hyenas will get them busy fighting each others. Having one party rule is simply allowing it to kill and feast on the weaks.

Anonymous said...

No election yet, and you already start the opposition infighting with an article line this.
This is music to the PAP ears who want nothing more than disunity in the opposition.

Bad article! Keep focus on fighting PAP,!

Anonymous said...

Most opposition parties in Sinkieland are a joke, formed by people with big egos and selfish agendas. Everyone wants to be chief or jostling for position and party hopping when they fail to do so, even when they have yet to win a single seat. How can they expect to move forward and be credible politicians?

Anonymous said...

2016 the ministers might volunteering reduce their own salaries to the level competitive with the Nordic, Swiss & New Zealand? With the fast advance in internet technologies and saturation of hand held devices?

The Nordic, Swiss pay themselves around $200K is very reasonable, with these type of salaries they able to run their country well, without letting people worry their jobs and their children jobs taken by cheaper foreigners?

The Nordic had low wage gap, high birthrate and high standard of living, with Singapore ministers ten time their amount of salaries, have one of the widest income gap, low birthrate, deteriorating standard of living?

It likely the attract the right talent which not thinking too much about pay to run the countries?

The ministers might be ashamed of themselves getting too high the pay and burden to much the lower income earners and their children?

The United Nation might be recommend that they use the NMP and NCMP scheme instead of the GRC votes top up scheme to bring other races MP in, if not enough of them vote in?

The GRC top scheme prevent to much opposition MP from coming in?

With the massive win of the Punggol East BE by the WP, now more and more highly qualify and successful individuals coming forward, giving the main party the run for the money?

Many new and better quality candidates joining the oppositions because of numerous flawed policies and they chances of winning getting higher by the days?

And now the oppositions parties became more co operative united with each others?

The United Nations likely not recommend, lump other the candidates together to pass votes to those who could lose their election on one on one?

United Nations might not recommend profit sharing scheme during election but to be given after the election?

CPF might be given back at 55 for them to tide over their crisis if they lost their jobs, because every year there were 30K of newer citizen coming in that might take away their jobs or their children jobs?

They might scale back the number of newer citizens per year, if not that they might lost the election in 2016?

With them reducing their pay around of the Nordic, Swiss & New Zealand level, the indirect taxes will be reduced? More well fare for children free education, job lost benefit, health benefits etc?

Anonymous said...

TCH said the main party could lose the election? 2016 oppositions parties could take over the govt?

With the main party heavy lost in the Punggol East BE more and more people is warming up to the idea that opposition could took over sooner rather then later?

With numerous policies like paying themselves too high, which causes too much indirect taxes? Heavy influx of foreigners that that could take over or depress the new citizens and the locals and their children jobs? Locked up of CPF for life? High inflation?

The Nordic, Estonia & Israel didn't rely heavily on foreigners yet they are highly successful? And they don't pay themselves ten time the Singapore ministers pay?

So there is no reason SIngapore should over rely on foreigners?

The main party before they are the main party are the opposition party, if they can't too a good job, should they let the opposition to take over?

Anonymous said...

With the GRC vote top up system, 28 out of 35 seats of the 40 percent oppositions went to the main parties, so up to 28 seats supposed to be the oppositions representative can't came in, the UN might considering banning the use of GRC?

Allow NMP and NMCP instead to top the quota of other races in the event not enough other races MP voted in?

United nation might consider banning the profit sharing scheme during the election as might affected the result? The main party result could be as low as 43 percents of the votes if no profit sharing schemes during the election?

UN might allow the profit sharing scheme after the election?

Anonymous said...

The problems is highest pay , getting the multi millions, if not jobs as ministers can easily retired get a job in a listed company or GRC, the Nordic, the Swiss or the NZ don't pay themselves so high yet run the countries so well?

Singapore now faces mounting challenge likely leave to the future population to solve?

Compare to those countries which their leaders got much lower pay, they run the country much better, high birthrate, low income disparities and high standard of living in Nordic?

Possibly because of flawed policies, less and less babies, naturally many parent don't want their children go technical line, so what type of incentives to encourage them to go technical line?

Singapore just can't keep importing foreigners sell house to them, Singapore is a small island, there are many side effect of overpopulation?

When you call talent, got ten time the salaries of the Nordic ministers salaries, run the economy by keep importing people, can any Tom Dick and Harry run the show these way and collect the highest salaries?

Can go by technological ways and make the population constant, when all these imported citizens became old who go to take care of them, 30 percent of their children went back and don't do National Services?

Thought they came to take care of the older Singaporean who don't have but in the end add more problems for the populations, in 10 or 20 years time Singapore might have one of the oldest population, if not the oldest population?

The problem with Singapore GRC system, not enough opposition MP came to ask tough questions, so much of the problems swept under the carpet, let it manifest more serious later?

Anonymous said...

Wonder why they should get the highest pay with low birthrate, high income disparities, continue dropping standard of living?

Import more and more new citizens how to improve standard of living generally?

Shortage of facilities, overcrowding, Singapore need to import everything and any cut off will left Singapore in a tailspin?

In 2003 SARS left many high and dry and lost heavily in their asset?

Constantly flooding which need more house and facilities, the tightening of the ground, left with less drainage?

Heavy strain in the MRT, remember the MRT already 28 year old, keep add more people in? Adding more people to put more pressure in the system?

Think of others don't just keep thinking of getting the highest salaries?

Generally most of the new citizens and local, their children worry their jobs taken by the 30K of newer citizens every year?

Anonymous said...

Any alternate candidate is better than those bastard papigs

Knnccb.... long live kuan yew... witness karma as they ripen

Anonymous said...

"Most opposition parties in Sinkieland are a joke, formed by people with big egos and selfish agendas."
Anon 10:04 pm

I think PAP also knows. That's why they not scared to make Sinkies pay and pay (PAP) until 2016.

Anonymous said...

It is not up to WP to decide who to become the next govt. The voters have to decide and vote for more opposition, not just WP. Look at Holland-Bukit Timah, why the voters didn't send a group of SDP elites into parliament? We can criticise why WP didn't do this or do that, but when SDP came to contest with PAP, the voters shrank and make the wrong choice to vote for PAP. Voters are to be screwed, not any opposition parties. They have given us the choice to vote, and when opportunity come to reduce the number of PAP seats, the voters just choice to miss it.