8/19/2014

Chok Tong: People and govt are family

The people and the govt must be closed like a family, taking care of each other and looking out for each other. This is as much as what Chok Tong was saying. The rest of what he said in his constituency’s National Day dinner was gibberish, ‘mao dun’, as he only saw the symptoms of a fractious family but not wanting to know the causes. He even attributed this to the people criticising the govt and their unreasonable demand as the major causes of this divide between people and govt. Really? What was he smoking?

He added that the govt must also be compassionate to be worthy of its citizens, to listen and engage the citizens, if not it would not be a family. Did the govt do that? Or what the govt had been doing all these years? It needs two hands to clap. Gone were the days when it is all a one sided love affair. The govt could do anything it wanted and claimed that everything was good for the people, everything was fine. And the govt could claim credit by saying, ‘see, no public demonstration, so the people are happy and supporting the govt and its policies’. What a clever reasoning, when demonstration is banned and 4 is illegal assembly.

And there were no social media to talk about the negative aspects of policies and what the people were unhappy about. The main media were only saying the good stuff. And if they were occasions when some complaints were heard, they were ignored. Or like the burning of an MP, it must be the fault of the other party, never the fault of the govt.

The divide between govt and people has been growing and widening but mostly ignored. The losing of a GRC, the by elections and the Presidential Election were all clear signals of a growing divide. Did the govt take heed? If there were no social media to speak of the divide, the govt would still not see any divide. No complaints heard means no problem.

What are the causes of the divide between people and govt? Big income gap was claimed to be normal, foreigners replacing Singaporeans in jobs is necessary, in universities, in sports, in getting scholarships, etc etc, were these caused by the people? Who imported foreigners to replace citizens in good jobs, in university places? Or these divides were not important, it is all due to the criticisms of the govt when it made the slightest mistakes?

What about the cost of living, high property prices, and the people’s CPF savings? And didn’t the govt hear of the saying that one can die but cannot get sick?Are the citizens guilty of unreasonable criticisms of the govt, or there were really nothing worthy or deserving of the citizens to criticise the govt?

During Chok Tong’s time there appeared to be no divide but not necessarily no divide.
The unhappiness and disapproval of the govt were just not spoken, no avenue to air them. Hot topics like the absurd high property prices that the govt insisted were affordable were simply brushed aside. Now we can see how this emptied the savings of the people. Or perhaps the divide was not that serious then.

It is so easy to blame the people for criticising the govt as the problem. The people cannot anyhow criticise the govt without good reasons and would not criticise the govt without good reasons. The govt can continue to blame the people and ignore their grievances. It is the people that were at fault. Period. So cramping down on public criticisms, on social media, could be the answer and the divide will go away.

Just keep bringing in the god sons, adopted sons, the foster sons and sons of other people to replace the sons of Singapore and see what would happen to the Singapore family. If the parents can disown the children, (did he say the govt was caring and creating jobs for the children?) the children can disown the parents as well.

The relationship is not one sided, where the govt can behave like deaf frog and do what it thinks is right, ignoring the people and their objections. The arrogance of the govt to think what it does is right and good for the people, even when the people voiced out to object, cannot be good for govt people relationship. Or can it?


Kopi Level - Blue. Thank you

14 comments:

Raymond said...

Take a pill, old man. It's just an analogy.

Anonymous said...

Wat to say?

chou cheese by.. wooden head

Anonymous said...

The Chinese called it:

"认贼作父" ( to take "thieves, robbers, burglars, cheats, baddies, evil people, enemies " etc as parents)

What kind of person is advocating such a warped logic?

Who would teach their offspring to "认贼作父"?

Would he ask his children to gong gong acknowledge "baddies, evil people " to be their parents?

Liat bor Kew!

ESM

Extra Senile Man?

jjgg said...

Family? Now I know they are really desperate. Government tax you from cradle to grave and in between retain your hard earned savings for all sorts of trumped up reasons apart from all the intrusions into your personal space..we will never be family because,really, we have our own..n we do know that we'll never treat our flesh n blood the way you treated us....Enuff said

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

>> Chok Tong: People and govt are family

The man is assuming all families are like those on TV sitcoms -- perfect, happy, comfortable, full of love and laughter.

Or maybe he's not. Maybe he realises that the people-govt relationship is like a real family -- slightly dysfunctional, stressful, but good enough to get on day by day.

I see no dichotomy. To me -- and I've said this over and over -- the govt of Singapore is made up of Singaporeans -- i.e. THE SAME type of people from the same gene pool.

So if the people criticise the govt, it should come as no surprise if the govt criticised the people.

Nothing like a good, old fashioned "family disagreement" Sometimes you'll have to call a lawyer and sue someone. Just like a REAL family. :-)

Anonymous said...

The People were very wrong indeed.
But not bcos they accept the Parents' wrong, wart and abuse. It was bcos the Parents are not doing their duties of caring for their children. They wield big cane and mete out all kinds of unfair punishment and penalty. They cower the children into submission. Luckily for the Children, they bear the abuses and oso grow wiser. Many are prepared to confront and resaon with the Abusive Guardians.
If need be, they will publicise the abuses and make others aware.

Abusive Parents are not respectable and should be dishonoured and made answerable for misbehaving as Parents.

patriot

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

>> Chok Tong: People and govt are family

The man is assuming all families are like those on TV sitcoms -- perfect, happy, comfortable, full of love and laughter.

Or maybe he's not. Maybe he realises that the people-govt relationship is like a real family -- slightly dysfunctional, stressful, but good enough to get on day by day.

I see no dichotomy. To me -- and I've said this over and over -- the govt of Singapore is made up of Singaporeans -- i.e. THE SAME type of people from the same gene pool.

So if the people criticise the govt, it should come as no surprise if the govt criticised the people.

Nothing like a good, old fashioned "family disagreement" Sometimes you'll have to call a lawyer and sue someone. Just like a REAL family. :-)

Anonymous said...

The PAP government are not our parents.
It's purely a boss-employee relationship-transaction.
Singaporeans don't perform according to PAP standards - they sack us by bring in aliens.

And like all bosses.
The PAP government expects Singaporeans to work "overtime" for free.
e.g.
National Service and CPF.

Anonymous said...

I think PM Lee cares more for a discarded fishball stick than he does about disadvantaged Singaporeans.
One brand new government agency because of a discarded fishball stick.

Do you think PM Lee will form one new government agency because one Singaporean has been left behind?

b said...

Either this stupid tong has a brain concussion or he gets visits from aliens. the people and the gov is never a family. they have different objectives. the people wants their lives to get better but the gov wants their lives to get better at the expense of the people. family or foe? stop treating voters like they are dumb.

Anonymous said...

Dictionary definition of "Emeritus"

emeritus
adjective: emeritus

(of the former holder of an office, especially a university professor) having retired but allowed to retain their title as an honour.
"emeritus professor of microbiology"

Anonymous said...

Anon 3.16pm. // Dictionary definition of "Emeritus"

emeritus
adjective: emeritus

(of the former holder of an office, especially a university professor) having retired but allowed to retain their title as an honour.
"emeritus professor of microbiology" //


Anon 3.16pm, are YEW saying wooden char tow not professor so rightfully cannot use?

SINKIELAND is world first in many things:
1) First COE system in the world for cars
2) First ERP system
3) First in world salary for ministers
Etc
Etc

How about former barbers?

Can start calling them Emeritus Professor of what art?

For retired sales people, mb can call them "ESM" - "EMERITUS SALES MAN "?

Anonymous said...

他沒有出賣你
他是為你及人民好

Anonymous said...

他没出賣你。
他買了你的心,
迷了你的魂。
使你对他
忠心如狗。