Listening to the ministers is so frightening

With the GE fever on, I watch both sessions of the live debates on Ch 5 and 8 on the GE. I heard Chan Chun Sing and Lawrence Wong and their strong beliefs on the right things that the PAP had done in the past. I have no doubt about the strength of their faith. They truly and sincerely believe in what they were believing in with all honesty and conviction. And it is so scary

Chan Chun Sing spent a big deal of time stressing on the importance of trust and claiming that the PAP had the full trust of the people and that it was this trust by the people that had brought us here today. Lawrence was saying that he was so proud of what the PAP had done to prove how good the PAP was.

I wish I was present to ask them a few questions but since that was not possible maybe I shall pose the questions here and hopefully they could read it and give me an answer.

 

1. The PAP had legislated away the people’s life savings, including mine, without the people’s consent or my consent. Does Chan Chun Sing think the people still trust the PAP? I for one would not trust the PAP with my life savings. I want my money back, every cent of it. Is there a breach of trust? And to Lawrence, is he proud of what the PAP has done about the people’s CPF savings? The PAP brought in 2m foreigners and turned many of them into citizens without seeking the consent of the people. Many people, including me, would not consent to it.  Does Chan Chun Sing think the people still trust the PAP? And to Lawrence, is this something he is proud of?
2. The PAP is forcing the people to pay for the Medishield Life Insurance, compulsory, without asking the people for their permission. And the people would have to pay for this for the rest of their life, emptying every single cent they have in their Medisave Minimum Sum accounts in a matter of time. The Medisave grants and the premiums in the future are not fixed. I can imagine that after all my Medisave Minimum Sum has been ‘gasak’, and if I live long enough, I would risk to go behind bars for not able to pay the premiums. Is this about trust or is this daylight robbery? Is Lawrence also proud of this?
3. The govt signed the CECA with India allowing unrestrained entry of millions of Indians to work here and causing many Singaporeans to lose their jobs. Is this an issue of trust? Does Chan Chun Sing think the people still trust the PAP to sign more of such agreements? Is Lawrence proud of the PAP signing such agreements?

Has the PAP breached the trust of the people and losing the trust of the people?  If yes, is Lawrence still proud of the PAP?

If no, I think both would answer no and are still very proud of what the PAP had done, in particular to the above policies, and this is the frightening part. They cannot see anything wrong in what the PAP had done and going to do if re elected for another term. They are such staunch and unquestioning believers.

The only glitch in the debate was when Lawrence tried to dig out Chee Soon Juan’s past for an airing. This is what he is capable of doing. And while on Chee Soon Juan, it reminds me of another unflattering record of the PAP in its treatment of political rivals like Chee Soon Juan, JBJ and Tang Liang Hong. All were bankrupted. Tang fled for his life and Chee was thrown into jail. What about the sagas involving Roy Ngerng and Amos Yee? Is Lawrence, and for that matter all the ministers, proud of these records?

GE2015 – Marine Parade GRC

Marine Parade would be closely watched by the voters after the close shaved in the last GE. This GRC is ripe for the picking by the opposition given the poor performance against a team of unknown minnows in 2011. In that GE, with Chok Tong and poster boy Tan Chuan Jin’s stars still shining, they could barely win 54% of the votes. This was a clear indication that the voters were not really behind them. And a young Nicole could singlehandedly pulled 46% of the votes must be quite shocking to the PAP camp.

Nicole would not be in the contest this time. But in her place there is a He Ting Ru, a Cambridge trained lawyer,  and a very hardworking and unassuming Yee Jenn Jong. Yee has grown over the years and winning the hearts of the Joo Chiat voters with his persistence to walk the ground. He is likely to be just as well received by the voters in Marine Parade that have grown tired of the PAP.

Tan Chuan Jin has lost his shine as a minister after failing to make any impact in MOM and now in a minor ministry in charge of families and social affair. His dismal effort to reverse the immigration problems and the plight of the PMETs will hang over his head in this GE. And as a PM potential, he is expected to lead the charge, but instead it is an ageing politician taking him along for the ride. This is definitely not going to look well on Chuan Jin and the PAP team.

The contest in Marine Parade would be between an old horse and a PM to be, but not to be, against a hardworking Yee Jenn Jong and a Nicole Seah double with a Cambridge law degree to beat. He Ting Ru is going to be bigger than Nicole from the way the media is avoiding coverage on her. Someone else also pointed this out, that whenever Ting Ru was caught on camera several times, speaking, the sound was muted. Watch out for this girl to rise to the occasion to take the baton from Nicole and bring it higher. This is the surprise and new star in the WP camp.

My view is that with an electorate that is shifting away from the PAP and wanting a change, and with PAP presenting the same slate, the opposition is looking that much more attractive for a change, and looking that much more sincere to serve. This is likely to be another GRC to fall.

GE2015 – Nomination Closed

The final list of the candidates for the GE is out. My disappointment is not to see Nicole Seah in Marine Parade. I thought she would be the surprise that WP was going to spring on the Chok Tong and his team. The good part is that there is He Ting Ru instead of Nicole. Ting Ru is looking like another candidate in the mold of Nicole, and could be even better. Chok Tong’s team is not going to have an easy ride this time. I will do an analysis of this latter.

Let me start with a little forecasting on the easier cases. I would like to touch on Holland Bukit Timah where the PAP led by Vivian with team mates like Sim Ann, De Souza and Liang Eng Hwa standing against the SDP team of Chee Soon Juan, Paul Tambyah, Chong Wai Fung and Sidek Mallek.

I think this is the first GRC that is going to fall to the opposition. Vivian is the anchor man of this team. Standing against him will be Paul Tambyah, a practicing academics, Tambyah is in many ways a head above Vivian other than the latter being a minister. In another way, Vivian as an incumbent minister is also a weakness due to the many foul ups he made while in office. He is best remembered for his comments against Lily Neo and the overspending on the Youth Olympics by hundreds of millions, and also ponding. There are more negatives in Vivian than positives and the higher income voters in the GRC that would have voted for Vivian would now have a comparable professional to vote for in Paul Tambyah.

Tambyah is going to take a lot of votes from Vivian. And Chee Soon Juan is going to take all the hard core anti PAP votes. Sim Ann would be pitted against Chong Wai Fung with a double masters and could break even between them. De Souza, Liang and Sidek would be the so so candidates that would not do any much good or harm to either side.

SDP is likely to gain the upper hand with the two biggies in Chee and Tambyah to make the difference. My view is that Holland Bukit Timah is likely to go to the SDP.

A few legacies that are very costly and redundant

‘We need to put an end to this SM, MM, ESM positions. If these OLD ministers want to "give back to society", surely they can afford to do it for FREE since they have been well paid in their previous ministers' roles. If they feel that this "sacrifice" is more than what they can bear, and they are reluctant to sacrifice their time with their family or their precious privacy, then for goodness sake just RETIRE.

We don't need any SM, MM, ESM to milk our country dry, nor stifle the future prime minister to push forward new reforms to meet changing needs… Are these roles needed? Why are we paying so much of tax-payers' money? Won't they cramp the style of the new PM & his team? With public awareness of the FULL PRICE THAT WE PAY to these positions, hopefully this practice can be put to a stop. OR at least make these position-holders do it for FREE because they want to "give back to society"’.

 

The above is written by a blogger called Thai Laksa.

 

Thai Laksa has a point. These positions were legacies of a past when LKY’s words and decisions were absolute and unchallenged. It is about time that these vestiges of the past be relegated to history. They are redundant and also very costly to the taxpayers. And in a way, their appointments could be a hindrance to the PM who would have to look behind his back to see if he has the approval of these elders. A confident and able PM does not need more guardians and neither would he want to be chaperoned and be looking like an apprentice on the job.

 

For the elders who want to serve, since they are so wealthy, do it for free is not too much to ask for. They have been paid very well while in active service and it is time to return their precious time and wisdom for the good of the people. By the way, they are still being paid a handsome pension that is many times the pay of Obama, the pay of an American President on the job.

 

Not to worry about being accused of corruption when working for free. According to Vivian’s definition, a wealthy person working for free is definitely not corrupt.

 

What do you think?

Do not think Singaporeans are daft

The daily attack on the WPs management of AHPETC by the PAP using the main media to its max is based on the assumption that the people are daft. Just set the agenda, keep telling a story, like WP is bad, WP is bad, WP is bad, and the unthinking daft will believe so, or if not, their subconscious will tell them so. WP is bad, cannot manage town council is the election campaign slogan for the PAP.

How are the Singaporeans taking this piece of slogan? Do the Singaporeans believe that this is true, that the WP is really incompetent? Or would the people say, shit, this is what ugly politics is at its worst. Running out of ideas and think this is very clever and would work on daft Sinkies. They keep attacking the WP for a wart on its face but they themselves are rotting all over and trying to look the other way? You think we are fools?

Are the people really that daft and cannot see the truth for themselves? The PAP’s truth is that they are doing all these for the good of the people, with good intention, nothing selfish or personal. They are so responsible and honourable and when they see something is not right they must warn the people, that the WP cannot manage town council when given a chance.

Would the people say, don’t be silly lah, we know what you have been doing,  all the obstacles and traps you have laid in the path of the WP to trip them and make them fall. You think the people are so stupid ya? Don’t treat the people as naïve children and cannot see through the whole farce ok.

What is the real perception of the people? Do they believe the story of the PAP or would they feel offended by the PAP for treating them as daft and unthinking children, to believe everything the PAP tells them, that this election is about running town councils and not running the country?

What do you think? Who is the daft one? Who is the arrogant one?