Singapore’s political scene – We have a situation

Judging by the volume of anti govt diatribes in the social media, if it is true and reflects the sentiment of the majority of the citizens, the ruling govt’s days are numbered. It appears that they have outlived their welcome and usefulness. Their one trick economic policy of growing the GDP based on population increase and selling land and properties has reached a point of no return. Any curbs on population growth will lead to a collapse of the property market on top of other international factors, and will bring the majority of the people on their knees.

The cry of VTO or Vote Them Out is deafening. It is the cry for change. Is it real or just a few lunatics in the fringe beating their drums? Who is wiser? Assuming that it is real, that the next GE will bundle the PAP out, lock, stock and barrel, there will be a vacuum of leadership that badly needs to be filled. The country cannot go on without a team of able leadership on stand by to take over in such an eventuality.

We have a situation!

The various opposition parties are too small, weak and fragmented to assume political leadership on their own steam or even as a coalition. There is an urgent need for the opposition to come together, to be led by an able leader. At the moment there is unfortunately no one to fill this shoe. One of the activists and potential leaders, or available leaders, Low Thia Kiang, Sylvia Lim, Chen Show Mao, Chee Soon Juan, Tambiah, Kenneth Jeyaratnam, Chiam See Tong, Jeanette etc etc would have to stand up to be the ONE to lead the country in the event of a dramatic PAP KO. On the sideline there are Tan Jee Say, Tan Kin Lian or maybe Tan Cheng Bock or perhaps a few breakaways from the PAP that may rise to the occasion. Could he be the Chan Chun Sing, Tharman, or the return of Goh Chok Tong? Chok Tong is still young and has many years to go before he hits 100. Would any one of these politicians be able to rally the rest and the people behind him to form the new govt?

There is a crisis of leadership if the PAP falls in 2016. The possibility may be remote but not really impossible. It could happen. Maybe in time of crisis, some unknowns or dark horses could surface, just like destiny, to bring together the loose and disconnected political forces into a new force to lead the country. History often throws up true leaders or new champions as if a natural order of things. Singapore would be lucky if it happens quick and fast or it would be thrown into turmoil for lack of a leader.

We have seen such situations in the histories of nations. We are seeing a similar situation happening now in Thailand, when there is no anointed one to rise above the dusts to be acknowledged as the ONE to lead.

We have a situation and how would this be overcome? Who would be the ONE to lead Singapore into the next leg? So far no one is in horizon and this is bad.

PS, after reading the disinvite of Tan Cheng Bock, maybe he can be a good candidate to provide the glue for the opposition parties. We not only did not have an Anwar Ibrahim, we don’t have leaders who would take a step back for a bigger common good even if we can find an Anwar Ibrahim.