8/25/2014

A caricature of the Hong Lim Protest Rally


Last week end was the 3rd Protest Rally on the Return Our CPF series. This is going to be a monthly affair and the next protest rally is scheduled to be held on 27 Sep. As usual, as expected, the turnout is not going to be as good as the first Rally when more than 6000 turned up.
 

Last Sat my estimate was about 500. Some were happy to chirp in, see so little people turning up, so interest is fading. This may be so and may be not. Many have gotten the message and understood the issue involved. Not turning up does not mean giving up. And it is not cheap to attend a rally when transport cost is so high. The important thing is that the issue is being kept alive, burning.
 

The other stark observation is that the Return Our CPF Rally is turning out to be a strictly people’s affair. It is not organized by a political party and political parties are clearly absent in these rallies. If they would care to support, each party could send a couple of hundreds of supporters to fill up Hong Lim. No, it is the people and their money and the govt. It is non political in this sense. It is the people demanding for the return of their life savings and the govt would have problem if it tries to pin it down as a politically motivated affair.
 

Why the political parties are staying away from Hong Lim and Roy and associates is puzzling. They could at least show some support to the people’s cause and unhappiness. Their absence is so glaring. Are they abandoning the people to fight for themselves against the govt? What would they have to say in the next GE when the people asked, why were you not there to support us and fight for us when we need you? Why are you leaving us alone and let Roy, Hui Hui and Leong Sze Hian to lead and stand shoulder to shoulder with the people, and you are not around?
 

The Hong Lim Rally has its good points. I can see how Roy, Hui Hui, Leong and a few of the speakers getting all the training needed to speak in a political rally. They are being honed, and getting better and better. They would be crowd pullers in the next GE, if they stand. They have gained stature as the leaders of the people. No one needs to bestow them or crown them as leaders. They are natural leaders and have stood up when the people needed them. They are not paper leaders but real leaders of the people. They sing and cry with the people, selflessly, and not getting a single cent for it. In fact they may have to pay if the donations did not come in for the rallies.
 

Who are the leaders of the people? Where are the leaders of the people?

Kopi Level - Green

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

If the opposition dare to attend it would also mean they are habis before they even get started. It is better to build strength quietly till you are strong enough. I think that is the wp strategy.

If force to the corner, they habis faster

Anonymous said...

If opposition attend HLP, it is wrong place, wrong time, wrong strategy lah. Everything wrong, so how to get it right, u tell me lah?

And Teochew Ah Hia knows that very well. Did u ever see him or WP MPs or members attending? No, tio bo?

And Hainan Ah Kor is also learning. He didn't speak at HLP for quite some time already, tio bo?

agongkia said...

Please lah.Oppo will only appear to claim credit when there is a chance.

How many will want to rock the boat if they can be paid about Nor Par Choi a year,just sitting down and wayang wayang few times year.

Anonymous said...

Even SDP Aung Juan Soon Chee also never attend HLP for some time already?

Is he also learning?

And why RB did not learn? Anyway, doesn't matter since RB is not even a opposition party member. Tio bo, RB?

Anonymous said...

Not attending does not mean one has given up. Very true. I'm sure many Singaporeans out there have not given up on the CPF discussion.

What they might have given up on, as it seems the oppo parties have done, is to rely on the bunch of clowns at HLP to actually be able to do something.

Saw a comment on TOC, how Singaporeans should be grateful to them as it was due to their activism that PM Lee is finally allowing partial withdrawal of CPF.

If that 500 people attendance was the show of our gratitude, maybe Singaporeans are just ungrateful by nature?

Anonymous said...

Tiok. Many Ah Peks got no money to take MRT to Hong Lim how?

Anonymous said...

The ground is sweet. Only 500 not sweet.

Anonymous said...

Rb: // Last Sat my estimate was about 500. //

Based on Chinese astrology, the next SIZEABLE TURNOUT could be in Oct 2014 if it is being held then.

Aug 2014 is the worst month to have it based on the Chinese astrology for 2014.

But Sept turnout is likely to be better than Aug 2014.

Anonymous said...

Not say oppo parties not helping. Alternative media also not? See any report on TOC, TRE yet?

Maybe they, like most people, already "got the message", see no point to report anymore?

Anonymous said...

Anon 10.47 " Saw a comment on TOC, how Singaporeans should be grateful to them as it was due to their activism that PM Lee is finally allowing partial withdrawal of CPF "


When retirees need their hard earned blood, sweat, tears retirement $$$ between 55 to 65, getting 20% at 65 could mean "WAR OVER LIAO "!

By then no need even partial withdrawal.


Full withdrawal of CPF already but "Collect Post Funeral ".

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Anon 10:53,

You are passing misinformation in social media and telling half truths. Maybe you are attached to mysingaporenews and don't have to read other sites.

TRE, TRS and TOC all filed reports on the rally. And there are other blogs doing so. Please confirm with those assigned to those sites on this.

Thank you for being a resident blogger here.

Anonymous said...

/// Why the political parties are staying away from Hong Lim and Roy and associates is puzzling. They could at least show some support to the people’s cause and unhappiness. Their absence is so glaring. Are they abandoning the people to fight for themselves against the govt? ///

It is good the Opposition parties stay away.
Singaporeans voted for this PAP government.
Now any problem ... let PAP and Singaporeans settle by themselves.

Anyhow Hantam said...

Not getting a cent? Are you living on the moon? Haven't you heard read or seen the concerted efforts to gain donations?

They are leaders? Yeah leaders of the Looney Fringe.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

As usual, redbean tries to read MORE into simple phenomena:

>> The important thing is that the issue is being kept alive, burning.

Good luck. All issues have limited lifespan. They build up to boiling point, then people adjust to the "reality", and the issue fades away.

And as I've indicated before CPF is embedded and supported by LAW. So the only way to radically change it is to change the law or PROVE that CPF stat law is unconstitutional (good luck with that). The SG.GOV goes to great lengths to ensure that they do not run foul of the constitutionally-backed CPF legislation, management etc.

One good thing about a small minority of people's interest in CPF: it keeps the government on its toes, and sends a CLEAR MESSAGE that the people are watching the government CLOSELY

>> Why the political parties are staying away from Hong Lim and Roy and associates is puzzling. <

Not puzzling at all. CPF is LAW. It has nothing to do the political ideological differences between parties. New party comes in and kicks out the PAP -- CPF will still be there and little will change, why?...because it is constitutionally-backed LAW and EVERY GOVERNMENT and top-ranked government servant takes an oath to UPHOLD the constitution.

>> They would be crowd pullers in the next GE, if they stand.

Big mistake in equating crowds with "actual votes". PAP rallies practically empty -- no one can be bothered to go, yet when the votes are counted, PAP gets majority.

>> They sing and cry with the people, selflessly, and not getting a single cent for it. In fact they may have to pay if the donations did not come in for the rallies.

Again, Uncle wishful-Thinking redbean is MISREADING Singapore society and its culture.

Singapore society and culture is CONSERVATIVE old school, old traditions, religious, etc etc. i.e. Singapore voters want STRONG AUTHORITY to govern their city state. They have shown this trend (therefore it is a CULTURE) for 49 years, and although there are mumblings about how the current govt is running the show, there is still no out-and-out majority hostility and loss of confidence in the PAP.

>> Where are the leaders of the people?

No have lah. Must import lah. Seruiously the current PAP is too soft. They need another "iron man" like Lee Kuan Yew -- who can talk big shit, get big things done -- smashing opponents and opposition if necessary, and running the place by fear and respect.

Forget all this soft-touch, "enlightened" nonsense lah. Singaporeans want a hard-core asshole to lead them.



Anonymous said...

Dear RB,

Aside from MySingaporeNews, I also read avidly articles on TOC, TIS, and sometimes TRE and TRS. As well as other blogs.

As of this post, TIS, TOC and TRE have not filed a report on saturday's event. A couple of independent bloggers did, one of which was to deride the number of attendance, the other, to also question the lack of coverage by socio-political sites.

I believe the reports you mentioned are of the previous two rallies. Of those, yes, there were reports filed.

Anonymous said...

Please lah anon 1:06. I know you can't read or pretend cannot read. But sure you can see Roy's photos there right or wrong. You definitely cannot be blind one.

Anonymous said...

RB, you should write something good about the PAP and the govt and let this Matilah guy to shoot them down. Everyday he comes here just to say no if you say yes and say yes if you say no.

And he said this. 'One good thing about a small minority of people's interest in CPF: it keeps the government on its toes, and sends a CLEAR MESSAGE that the people are watching the government CLOSELY.'

Is this a statement of fact or belief or delusion? Or is it farting?

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

@211:

»» Is this a statement of fact or belief or delusion? Or is it farting? ««

Farting. A nice silent smelly one, in your face.

P.S. "Delusion" is my specialty. It is the best place to live, because you can just imagine how you like it to be.

It's magic, motherfucker.

b said...

protests are useless one lah else why some people would resort to terrorism?

but one thing is equal - everyone has to mati.

Anonymous said...

Philippinos are protesting and demonstrating against Pork Barrel Politics.
Sinkies are enjoying pork bellies wherever and whenever they get them.
Pork Bellies are very tasty, enjoyable and wonderful to Sinkies.

Anonymous said...

According to Ms Han's facebook next is 27 Sep, not 21 Sep.

Anonymous said...

It is weird to say transport cost is high. It would cost me only $3 if I went to Hong lim by mrt. And I stay in sengkang. Haha. Anyway opposition should stay away because Roy is too extreme. Mixing with this group only injures reputatuom. Only Kenneth is so stupid to try to push his agenda here. Whether it is a majority or minority who want their CPF returned remains open to debate. I suggest some independent financial body do a study to close this debate once and for all.

Anonymous said...

Opposition parties do not engage in HLP because it is a minimum effort, yet steady gain for them. they already have the support of the anti-PAP voters.

Yet an opposition party worth its salt will know its really about appealing to the swing voters, building on the base of the anti-PAP ones to achieve enough votes to get about 50%. HLP is about complaining and ranting, and will appeal to that section of the crowd but the reality is always that you need to appeal to much more than that. They are not exactly sitting still on the CPF issue are they? NSP just made public its own policy proposal recently.

The thing about HLP and online ranters/complainers is this: they think they just have to KPKB, keep repeating "VTO 2016", and they think that come the time, PAP will somehow vanish by magic. Yet KPKB is only one part of politics as a whole. Ranters/complainers think that their KPKB should be the entire focal point of the local political scene, but I suspect many opposition parties know better.

In any case, for those who keep insisting that HLP ranting and protesting can make a difference, it can. But it would help if they then start showing up in bigger numbers and bigger action, rather than just "loud thunder, small rain", to paraphrase another blogger.

Anonymous said...

Anon 8:28 is right. No need to shout VTO. Just do it.

Anonymous said...

@ Anon 8:28.

Exactly. But I will add one more thing. Enough people who will just do it. Not just a few jokers who shout about doing it.

Anonymous said...

Those activists at HLP are not just active there. Many are walking the Talks Island wide.
My personal take is; without the Activists, most Alternative Parties will fail to accomplish anything.
Up to this point in time, the Alternative Parties are clearly fragmented, not well organized and infighting within their own parties are not going to give voters much confidence about their ability and competency.
The Reality is that voters are indeed wishing to have the Regime replaced, however, they want or wish for a party to be as organized as PAP. There are calibres here and there in the MANY ALTERNATIVE PARTIES, but no party has many in their fold. A few outstanding ones in so many parties only make the voters feel disappointed and undecided.

Personally, I suggest that voters choose all the outstanding ones from any Alternative Party. Give them an opportunity to prove their mettle and integrity and at the same time compare them with the people in the Ruling Party. If the aspiring candidates are not given the chances, we will not know how good the Pappies are when facing calibres from the Alternative Parties.

patriot