Until the death of LKY in 2015, loyalty in Singapore is synonymous with
LKY. From the politicians, party stalwarts and the common people in the
streets, loyalty means loyalty to LKY. The final show of loyalty was the
last day of his funeral. No Singaporean leader has ever come close to
the kind of relationship and intimacy between LKY and the masses at
large. There was a bond between him and many people out there, young and
old.
During the GE, this loyalty to LKY was somewhat transferred or inherited
by Hsien Loong and the PAP as LKY’s party. Loyalty to LKY, to PAP and
to Hsien Loong was never tested or challenged till the current feud
between the siblings. There was no occasion to choose loyalty to who.
With Hsien Yang and Wei Ling taking sides against Hsien Loong, this
loyalty is now in question. Would the loyalty to LKY be just to Hsien
Loong or would there be people who would split this loyalty equally
among the children of LKY, 1/3 each?
The loyalty to LKY has never been questioned or doubted at least among
the PAP members and among the MPs and ministers. This appears to be
cracking and apparently some PAP politicians have openly threw stones at
LKY, showing scant respect to him while defending his son Hsien Loong
and attacking Hsien Yang and Wei Ling. There is a new loyalty to Hsien
Loong. There is no indication that these people care two hoots about
their loyalties to LKY or even gave it a second thought. LKY is history
and there is a new loyalty to pledge to.
There is also the loyalty to Chok Tong. Chok Tong is still around and
kicking on the side line. I think some must be quite close to Chok Tong
and were beneficiaries and recipients of Chok Tong’s generosity and
largesse and would be loyal to him especially when LKY is no longer in
the equation.
Another element is the DPMs or senior PAP ministers. Do they have their
own following and loyal supporters within the party or in the masses?
This has never been an issue so far but when the moment comes when
people and party members are faced with a choice, put in a position to
make a choice, would the splintered loyalties to the different leaders
become an influential factor in the fate of Hsien Loong or the next PAP
leader? Or would they play down their loyalties to other individuals,
suppressed them in favour of one leader like during LKY’s era and pledge
their loyalties to Hsien Loong?
Would the different loyalties be fractious enough to pose a challenge to
Hsien Loong’s position as the undisputed leader of the PAP or would the
present fracas throw up a new leader to challenge Hsien Loong’s
leadership? Is his command and control of the PAP as dominant as his
father LKY and continue to rule unchallenged at least for some time to
come?
As said earlier, all these quarrels are no good for Singaporeans. Economy is going South recently and surely the urgency to ensure continuous prosperity must be the Top Priority for the Government.
ReplyDeleteThe Natural Aristocrats are talking about Royalty, not Loyalty, nowadays.
ReplyDeleteThe next PM is already being groomed and waiting is the sideline to wait for the right timing to enter the Shakespearean Stage. (The world is a stage. All are actors).
Where got time talking about loyalty or loyalties. Better to talk about Royalty and royalties (money). Do you agree?
RB must have forgotten to take his weekend medicine .. the only loyalty known to man is to their own personal well being.. their bank account.. did lky show loyalty to any of the old guards when he ask all of them to step down n enthrone himself? Was devan nair shown any respect or loyalty? These are people who helped him in his adcendancy.. so.. coming back to today.. u expect loyalty from bunch of ministers u hardly know? Who probably regard their postings as manna from heaven..sure you'll get loyalty so long as u continue to pay them..safe to say..all the junior ministers have about as much crowd support as hot soup in the desert.. seriously..would u ever consider grace fu or Josephine teo or ir or the countless numbers of bgs as prime minister material? Now.. go take your medicine..hehe
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ReplyDeleteHahaha..........
ReplyDeleteWhat loyalty?
You think there is still loyalty?
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ is loyalty!
You give me $$$$$$$$$$$$$$, I give you loyalty!
Hahaha..........
Thank you jjgg, for telling the hard truth.: )
ReplyDeleteOk, I will get back to my medicine
Loyalty has no value in red dot. In modern world there is no loyalty. Bear this scene in mind: Jailed president Park of SK was put to walk side by side with President Xi to review PLA all troops. On one side is President Putin.
ReplyDeleteThen Park went back to the other side to quickly put in more than one Thaad. This is loyalty. Or Xi illusion to this world of politics.
U either have illusion or real loyalty. The latter can hardly come by. That is the reason why NK Kim s father quickly embarked on nuclear weapon when China recognized SK. China has no loyalty. SK has no loyalty. Red dot has loyalty?
Yes. As Scmp sum it up: "loyalists fearful of expressing dissent against their leader".
When you are able to afford to throw chicken wings and drumsticks (at the same time taking back whole chickens) to the peasants you have already bought loyalty. This is terribly evident in red dot.
ReplyDeleteWhen you are able to use public money to advance partisan political interest by rewarding those who voted for you (wonder whether that can be classified as abuse of power) you have already bought loyalty.
So, loaylty can be attributed to one thing and one thing only and that is monetary and physical rewards. Take away the chicken wings and drumsticks and you will see the difference it can make to the giver. They become wingless, legless and handicap beans. Nothing more, nothing less!
Is his command and control of the PAP as dominant as his father LKY and continue to rule unchallenged at least for some time to come?
ReplyDeleteRB
With million dollar salary assured, winning elections 93% chance assured, what motivation do they have to want to challenge LHL?
Reading what has been reported so far in Parliament today, I think LHL has not really answered the serious allegations made by his siblings. All he did is to say that they are baseless allegations.
ReplyDeleteHe also said he did not want to sue his own siblings, despite the baseless allegations made by them, because that will further besmirch his parents' names.
Rather, I think not suing will only make it even worse, not only to his parents' names, but also to his own name and the govt that he leads. As an important public figure, he simply cannot have double standards on such matters, just because they are his own siblings.
And the fact that he even use parliament to clear the matter is already not the right thing to do, or the right place to do it.
Loyalty is for the dogs. There is only dictatorship in this country. No one can question the policies of gov. HDB, CEO, MRT, TC, NS, etc policies are all flawed and full of loopholes but no one can question. Its total dictatorship.
ReplyDeleteIf OZ/NZ offer free citizenship to sinkies, all sinkies will jump at it. Loyalty is for the dogs and a lie to keep the elites rich and powerful.
ReplyDelete'He also said that he would not sue his siblings..' Well, is it because the allegations are true, rather than baseless? I think that is the thinking of most of us on social media. But suing would also be a double-edged sword.
ReplyDeleteDouble standards? I think Singaporeans, who are not asleep over the last two decades, and especially the opposition, knows that the powers that be always eat, sleep and dream with that kind of believe all the time. Nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing shameful to them!
The PM has explained everything so clearly that there is no more doubt on his integrity and the allegations of abuse of power. Nothing more to answer, let's move on.
ReplyDeleteOwnself exonerate ownself ??
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