Who is spreading fear and alarm?

I thought today is a cooling day for the by election. This morning when I read the papers I was filled with fear and alarm. I was trembling when I saw the headline, ‘SDP spreading fear, alarm with populist politics, says Tharman’. And there were so many pages of fear and alarm in the media. I wonder how to cool down when the papers were red hot.

I quickly went through the reports to see what were so frightening. Populist policies are frightening, alarming? Proposing an unemployment insurance policy is alarming and raising fear? Why didn’t I feel any fear after reading these? When someone said things about fear and alarm, I am supposed to be shivering, my face is supposed to turn white.  No a nice colour.  But no. And not a single people who attended the rally at Bukit Batok last night, probably 20,000 or more, were frightened or alarmed but having a refreshing time listening to the messages of hope and a better alternative future. There were many families with children and all were in very exciting mood. Fear was not there. Someone said before, fear is dead. The politics of fear is dead.

Come on, don’t bluff the people. There was no fear at all. I can vouch for that. I saw people stuffing $50 notes into the donation boxes and picking up books and queuing up for Chee Soon Juan to sign.  No one was scurrying for cover, to go home and hide under the bed. Fear? Where is fear? Really crazy! Have a sense of reality man!

Tharman was talking about politics of division versus consensus. Who is responsible for the politics of division? Don’t ask me.  Who is bluffing and not telling people the truth? Why are employment statistics always talking about locals and not about Singapore citizens? We are not interested about locals that include PRs. PRs are not citizens, damn it. How many times must this be said before it gets through the thick head? Tell the truth, the real statistics about employment and unemployment of citizens, the Singaporeans that the govt is supposed to look after, the citizens that voted the govt to power, not about locals or PRs. Can we have the truth? WDA matched 17,000 jobs, EDB generated 20,000 jobs. How many went to Singaporeans, how many to PRs and how many to foreigners? Cannot tell meh? What is the truth?

Vote for Murali, he can be trusted, he dares, he will serve the people, he has a desire to serve, part time only. I rather vote for someone like Chee Soon Juan who has promised to serve the people full time. Full time man, not I want to serve you, but part time only. I have more important things to do during the day.

I trust someone like Dr Chee who said he wants to serve you and this means serving you full time. What would you make out of someone who said you are my top priority, I want to serve you, but I can only serve you part time?

Crazy? Have a sense of reality man. And at this moment I am not feeling any fear or alarm after reading the papers. How come? Where is fear? Stop stroking fear. It would not stand up.

Bukit Batok By election – Just one reason

There is really just one reason for the Bukit Batok voters to think about. Do they believe that it is a good thing for too much political power to reside in one political party or one person?


Think about it, too much power in one person or one party will lead to abuses of power and corruption of power. The PAP already has absolute power in Parliament with 81 out of 89 seats. This is overwhelmingly more than the two third majority needed to do anything it wants, including changing constitution and writing new laws. Is this too much power given to a political party to wield freely with no means of controlling or moderating the party should it decide to implement policies that are unpopular or not what the people want? We have seen many policies that are detrimental to the country and people. To the PAP they are good policies but to the people they are bad but the people could not do anything about them as absolute power is in the hands of the PAP.


Do the people of Bukit Batok want to give more power to the PAP by voting in another PAP MP? Is this a wise and sensible thing to do?  Voting in another opposition MP can only do good and no harm to the country and people. There will be another alternative voice for the people in Parliament, to speak for the people, not to speak against the people, not to ignore the people and the concerns of the people.


For this reason alone, to dilute the absolute power of the ruling party, the people of Bukit Batok must vote for Chee Soon Juan, vote for the SDP, for the good of country and people.  It is absolutely silly and stupid to put all the power in one party and in one person. Anyone telling you this is good is insulting your intelligence, taking you as a fool. In a democracy, political power of the people must be balanced to offer checks and balance. Too much power in one political party, even in a democracy, is not much different from a dictatorship.


Vote wisely, vote for your interests, for your own good. Protect yourself and your children with more opposition representative in Parliament. 82 MPs of one party in a Parliament of 89 is simply too much and too dangerous for the good of the people and country. Voting for more opposition representation is voting for an insurance policy, to protect the people’s interest.


Put aside all the arguments, about personalities, about what they can or cannot do for you. Put aside all the upgrading, all the facilities. It is not about Chee or Murali.  It is not about the PAP or SDP. It is about interest and well being of the people. There is a bigger and more important issue, a more balanced Parliament with more representatives from the opposition camp to check on an over represented ruling party.

The shamers being shamed

Below is an open letter, a prelude to an online petition from a group of professionals, artistes, lawyers etc speaking out against gutter politics in the by election. In short, the shamers are now being shamed. The people are disgusted with the despicable conduct and character assassination of Dr Chee Soon Juan.

"We are a group of Singaporeans who have been following the progress of the current Bukit Batok by-elections.

We would like to categorically state that we do not condone the personal attacks and character assassination made by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob, and Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu, against Dr Chee Soon Juan of the SDP.

We are deeply saddened at the manner in which the campaign is run, having deteriorated to a level that undermines our Singaporean values. It is indeed a sad state of affairs when people who have been entrusted with positions of power and leadership perpetuate such unbecoming behaviour.

We want an election campaign that addresses the pertinent issues facing Singaporeans, rather than one that is marred primarily by the vilification of anyone's person."

https://www.change.org/p/lee-hsien-loong-against-gutter-politics-in-bukit-batok-by-elections

The letter was read out by veteran actress Neo Swee Lin at the SDP’s rally on 3 May at Bukit Batok. When things get too foul, the stench becomes unbearable and the people will rise to protest. Human beans are not used to the stench in the pigsty and would not tolerate it though the pigs are comfortable with it as they lived their lives in pigsty.

We need to grow up and behave like decent people of a developed country. Going down and backwards towards third world politics and third world behavior would be scorned upon with distaste. Say no to gutter politics and third world behavior. Decent and honourable people will feel ashamed of such low down politicking and indecent acts. The petition and the signatories are saying it.

Kind and compassionate Yeo Guat Kwang

More retrenchment and unemployment are appearing on the horizon. The economy is looking bleaker. And many poor foreign workers are going to be retrenched. And these poor souls are steep in debt after paying their agents big sums of money to be here to get a job. Yeo Guat Kwang and the Migrant Workers Centre(MWC) are appealing to the employers to hire those retrenched foreign workers first to help them service their debt. He is so kind.

May I also appeal to him to make a similar appeal to the employers who are hiring PMETs to also consider Singaporean PMETs that are retrenched. These PMETs may not have to pay the employment agents or owe them money for their last jobs. But I bet you their financial burdens are just as heavy if not worst. Many would have big housing mortgages to service, children in schools or universities and need their support, need to be fed, need pocket money, need to pay school fees, tuition fees, transport fees etc.

Please take care of these Singaporean PMETs also. I have yet to hear an MP or minister coming forward to appeal to the employers to hire retrenched or jobless PMETs first. They only want to send them to work in third world countries or as security guards, waiters or taxi drivers. The jobless PMETs need help just as much as the foreign workers. The foreign workers are at the lower level of job hunters so the appeal would not be in conflict with their interest. Just appeal to the employers not to hire foreigners during this period and think of the retrenched Singaporean PMETs first.

That would be the kindness thing to do. Thank you.

Ridhuan Abdullah - Classic encounter

Anecdote by a Ridhuan Abdullah

On May 1 Ridhuan was at a bus stop in Bukit Batok when Murali and Tharman and their supporters walked by. And there were a few exchanges.

Murali: Please vote for me.
Ridhuan: Sorry but I am not a Bukit Batok resident
PAP supporter: Then come to the PAP rally to support Mr Murali.
Ridhuan: No thanks, I will be supporting Dr Chee.
PAP supporter: Why support an unemployed guy to be an MP? He is worthless.
Ridhuan: I’m also unemployed. Does that mean I am worthless also.
Murali and supporters: Awkward silence, then moved off.

The above is a classic anecdote by Ridhuan and reposted by Roy Ngerng in the TRE.