Worker’s Party wants to abolish PA

Worker’s Party has made the abolishing of the PA as one of their key objectives if they win the election. I would like them to add another, the abolishing of all the elitist conditions for the office of the elected President. The highest office of the land must be open to every citizen of the country, other than criminals. It must not be kept only for a special select few based on criteria other than the goodness, integrity and honour of the candidate. So what if someone is rich, clever, earns a lot of money, runs a big company or organization? These do not make the person a better man. These cannot be the criteria to bar other citizens from wanting to stand for election to be the President of the country. If every ordinary citizen can serve the country as a national service man, to fight and die for the country, he has every right to stand for election as the President of the country. It is a flawed argument that the President can only be chosen from the elite. Every citizen in the country shall have equal opportunity to serve at the highest office of the land. No one shall be discriminated because of his station in life, or he does not have the opportunity to earn big money or work in a big organization. Under the flag of the nation every citizen is equal. No one shall be more equal than others by virtue of wealth or any other criteria. No one or party shall deprive the citizens of this right to run for the office of the Presidency. If every citizen can stand for election for the more important positions of Prime Ministers and Ministers, there is no reason why there should be so many barriers for the Presidency.

A hungry man versus a well fed man

We are know that a hungry can be a hardworking man, also dangerous when he is really hungry. But given enough motivation and the promise of reward, to feed his hunger pangs, a hungry man can be a dependable worker. Feed him 50% full and he wants more. Feed him 70% full and he will become more efficient and wanting more, but safer. A 70% full man will not want to risk his good fortune. At 80% or 90% full, he starts to get groggy. He thinks well of himself and does not want to take risk anymore. He knows that good times are here and he only needs to keep going without rocking the boat. He is happy and contented. At 100% full, he is not only full in the stomach, he is also full of himself. And he can be very lazy and also very dangerous. He wants everything and wants to protect his everything. Now he does not think of working. He only thinks of protecting his wealth and his good life. And he will do everything to achieve that and anyone trying to cross his path will be in trouble. In my humble opinion, a 70% full man, or maybe a little more, 80% full man, is the best. Anything more is inefficiency and extravagant, wasteful. A 70% full man can be as effective if not more effective than a 80% or 90% full man. Forget about the 100% full man. In politics, I think a 70% majority is better than a 100% majority in parliament. I know who will tell you that 100% is the best. Between these two, there can be many views. I would want a govt that is run by a 70% majority party than a 100% majority. Just an opinion and personal preference from the wisdom of history. The wisdom of the rulers will tell you that this is bullshit. Only 100% and nothing else can do. You want a good and effective govt, you must vote for a 100% majority govt. You better decide what is best for you instead of someone telling you so.

A frightening and dangerous thought

In a ‘democrazy’, political parties and politicians take sides to outbid or run down the opposing camps during an election. In a fair and equitable system, the people will choose who they believe or want to lead them, and their policies. After the election a victor will be announced and a new govt will be installed, and a new phase of leadership will take over the country. In a mature first world country, all the bickering ends, all the name calling ends, and opposing politicians and parties shake hands and agree to work together. The hatchet is buried. In third world countries, the animosities continue, and political enemies become personal enemies. Some will be detained, imprisoned or fixed up for good. In a mature first world polity, life starts anew for all citizens and all are equal under the law and under the govt. Govt policies do not discriminate the people according to who they supported or voted for. Can we accept a govt that says it will treat its supporters better than those who did not support them? If this kind of thinking is to be institutionalized, then all the supporters of a ruling party will be getting more or better treatment from the ruling party. Would they get more contracts, get promoted, give better jobs etc etc? Would they get priority for car parks, housing or whatever? And if one is to stretch this further, it can become very frightening. What this amounts to is a voting of a govt by a group of citizens to look after them first and those that don’t will be second class, or be treated as lesser citizens. Is this ‘democrazy’? Can the citizens accept this kind of logic and mindset? Or can the citizens that don’t support the ruling party or pay lesser taxes, spare from doing national services or exempted from contributing to the govt’s call for national integration and serving the nation? Or can they serve lesser? A govt that favours only it supporters is against the notion of an all inclusive policy. A govt must be for all and every citizen must be treated fairly and equitably under the law and under the govt. It is the right of every citizen to cast his vote for whoever he prefers in an election. This must not be used to discriminate against him in subsequent govt policies if his choice is not the elected the govt. This kind of thought is not only divisive, it is extremely Third World. The people who support the govt will be taken care off better by the govt. Can you believe it? Can you accept that this is the way to go?

Please tell Boon Heng not to cry

What the heck is he crying for? This is time for celebration man! His life has just begun. With the amount of money he has, he can join Wally in Lijiang and become a bigger emperor. But if Lijiang is too crowded, he can always buy a small island in the Pacific Ocean and called himself King. I am sure there are many financial advisers who can help him to spend his money in the more glamorous way. If not, Matilah’s service can be had for a small fee as long as he also shares in the happy times. He has earned himself a well deserving retirement from the party and it is party time. Go celebrate and enjoy. The world is a paradise for him.

What a loaded question?

Are the opposition parties ready to form the next govt? The answer is yes and no. Yes if they are elected by the people. No if they are not elected. What is the real situation on the ground? None of the opposition parties will field enough candidates to even smell a majority. Singly, therefore, none is ready just by sheer numbers of candidates standing for election. So what kind of stupid question is that? The possibility of a meltdown is always there, when there is a sudden big swing of votes for the opposition. A coalition govt comprising the opposition parties cannot be ruled out. Can this happen? Some are laughing, but only God knows. Gods must be laughing also. There is nothing wrong with the opposition parties saying that they are not ready now. They are contesting for a bridgehead and to keep chipping at the PAP fortress for the time being. I think they are being realistic. No point uttering foolish thing like they are ready when they don’t even have enough candidates to be counted, individually. Now, what is the purpose of asking if they are ready to form the next govt when they are obviously not? Your guess. This is the same as asking Indonesia and Malaysia if they are ready to build a nuclear plant now. There is a time and place for everything to happen. When they are elected to be a majority they will be ready. The electorate says so. And if they can be the majority, it will mean also that they have enough good men and women to take over the govt. With enough talents, there is no reason why they will not be ready. In the meantime they will just want to grow. Asking this question is superfluous. It is like asking a young couple if they are ready to be parents when they have not even got married or bear a child. When the time to cross the bridge, they will.