my 5 cents worth on GE 2011

this was my 2 cents worth on GE2006.
5 cents now cos of the higher cost of living. wahaha. ok, very lame joke.
apparantly, my political "awakening" started from the last GE even though i did not have the choice to vote the last time round.
i dont recall being too emotionally-charged the last round, perhaps i've just "woken up".
but, definitely not this time round. i am so pissed mad with one million and one things!!
there is a need to pen down all these crazy/angry thoughts so that 5 years later, i can come back and remember GE2011 for how it is!

most important point of all:
seriously, i feel how people rationalise their voting decision and their ultimate decision is really their own business!
who are you/am i to judge if its a good/bad decision!?
i hate it when people get all personal when your choice differs from theirs. totally mad crazy.
again, who are you to judge?! i ve been seeing all kinda sweeping statements online that im bursting at the seams with anger!
ah long kept asking why are you so affected?!
but the basis of democracy IS everyone has their own voice/perogative. WHO ARE YOU TO JUDGE?
wah, im getting fucking angry again.

i kept seeing stupid comments online that i just want to puke!
like how people voting for PAP are just downgraded to senile old people who can only recognise the PAP logo or greedy myopic shallow people who are only interested in getting that fresh coat of paint.
and giving snide remarks like he is senile, he is just getting sympathy votes blah blah.
its just not right to give statements like this!
SO bloody angry.
yesterday, i was reading temasek review to get the latest updates and i kept reading comments that make me BOIL.
one guy was saying so sad that WP didnt win for a GRC. all those coward supporters dare to turn up at the rallies, but fail to do the act at the polling stations. i was like HUH?!?! how you know?! this is so freaking unfair to all those opposition supporters who attended the rallies, rationalised their decision and voted FOR WP.
another was saying shame on PP voters for turning their back on CST. i dont know if its laziness from specifying those voting AGAINST CST or he really mean ALL PP voters??
even if its for those against SPP, its their choice?! wats so hard to understand. so many thousands of votes stemming from different reasons and you deemed it as a personal vedetta against CST. SIAO!
一竹竿打翻整船人！

in a nutshell, all these irrational/senseless remarks are getting to me BIG TIME.
one of my friend was saying all these remarks are common and i should just ignore them but its really hard to.
for personally, im really for the notion that everyone is entitled to their own thinking!
so if you are just writing some stuff abt your feelings for the GE, im ok. BUT not when you ASSUME and generalise others based on their thinking/decisions.
dont slam people JUST because they think/act differently!
you know whats worse than prejudice? when it worsens to discrimination.
and sadly i see that happening ALOT during this GE2011.

i got so many things to vent! this is going to be a long post.

1) Potong pasir
in the last GE2006, chiam held on to PP despite the upgrading big fat carrot dangled by PAP. it was a great achievement and it shows that PP people is not lured by upgrading projects. so 5 years later when PAP won by that super-thin margin, does that mean PP people has become old and senile, young and ungrateful, shallow for upgrading plans etc (you know, you can permutate these variables to hundreds of combinations)? who are we to say?!
im sure most PP voters have their own internal struggle before casting their vote. and for every person who is glad with the results, another person is sad with it. life, and especially politics, is never fair.

i dont know chiam personally but from all the news articles and information gathered on the web, i think he's really a very capable man who managed to make his way as one of the very very few opposistion MP in parliament during a time when its so hard for opposition to do so. but for GE2011, some factors to consider:
i) CST is part of SDP previously up till 1996 when he was sorta ousted from the party due to difference with CSJ. after which he set up SPP. and then he set up SDA in 2001 which SPP falls under as part of the group. However, for GE2011, he decided to withdraw SPP from SDA and contest under SPP directly. it may be a possible consideration to some with regards to all this musical chair movement.
ii) having LL as PP candidate. CST's succession planning is his own wife. i would actually expect him to groom or already have groomed a good second in command for PP just like how LTK did with YSL at hougang. and SPP itself knows it may be a concern to the voters as they stressed during their rallies that by voting for LL, they are effectively voting the whole of SPP in for PP.
ive no doubts that LL would have made the many walkabouts/MTPS with CST all these years and PP pple would have known her personally. but to be a MP, is she really the person? is SPP trying to secure votes by appealing to PP's people loyalty to CST?
is this the right approach? WP has garnered such a strong support this time round because of its high calibre candidates line-ups. as well as its clear and defined manifesto for the nation.
emotional calling may or may not work for PP in today's time.
iii) STYP. alot have been heard about him since last time. that he was just someone to sacrifice from PAP viewpoint. that he has no heart for PP people but only focused on bringing down PP for PAP.
during the last GE2006, i only feel he has a slight resemblence to steve chia. LOL.
but his sincerity shown through his videos at least to me this time. just like how CST's speech made me teared and how GY's one moved me a great deal. you may say, ha you are so stupid to fall for his trick. but you being you, so ignorant and thinking you know all, will fail to see that there's a great deal of "stupid" people out there who really feel his sincerity and cast their votes for him.
you cant deny he spent a good ten years at PP too, working hard at the fields. to work against someone like CST takes ALOT of hard work. and STYP must have work hard during the last 10 years too. im sure people voted for him not just bcos of his upgrading plans but somehow he did managed to work his way into their hearts over the past 10 years. he did win my respect when he rejected PAP's offer for him to contest in a GRC (>90% chance of becoming a MP!) but instead chose to continue fighting for PP. again, you may say personal agenda against CST? seeing that CST's condition, he thinks he has a higher chance of winning (as compared to contesting in a PAP's GRC??!) a seat in parliament? you continue with your conspiracy theory, thank you!
i really do think he has the heart for PP people. but its sad how people's love for CST sometimes undermine his efforts and love for PP. even when he wanted to implement upgrading plans (lifts for every floor) BECAUSE (he said) for the old people, people still continue slamming him that PAP only know how to throw money at upgrading. this is v bo liao!! then to prove your point, no upgrading for PP people, and who suffer?! the old pple who had to climb 3-4 storeys of stairs or you who are not staying at PP!?
dont forget that 44% of the PP people voted for him in GE2006! the swing in votes is really not kua zhang at all. for the past 5 years, is it just SO IMPOSSIBLE FOR STYP to do anything to win more hearts in PP? crazy.

sometimes, people are so fast to discredit those that are not agreeable with what they want to root for.
the above factors that i listed are only POSSIBLE reasons affecting the PP voters. they may vote on totally rubbish grounds like face of candidates or tossing a coin.
the point is we wont know. and really no point criticising the PP people or passing rubbish judgements.

to me, both CST and STYP have contributed to PP and PP people have made a choice.
only time will tell if its a right choice. again, time and having an open mind, of cos.
i saw a clip where a PP voter (very obvious that he did not vote for PAP, ha) said that PP can only move on now and STYP had better fulfilled his promises that he made and PP will see for themselves along the way. despite his slight buay song tone, i can feel that he's really willing to give STYP a chance to prove himself.
this is very heartening.

2) Aljunied
i must give credit to WP!! when LTK introduced SL back in GE2006, i was suitably impressed. it has been such a long while that opposition came up with such high calibre candidates!
and SL went to put on a very good fight for aljunied back then. i was still saying in my 2006 post that if WP continues to prove its worth, it has a high chance of winning people's votes in GE2011.
and it did. apart from doing a good job for the past 5 years with keeping in close touch with the people and raising important issues as NCMP, they introduced more high calibre candidates this time round!
aljunied was such a tough decision, for me though. (though i cant vote for aljunied lah, haha.)
as i said in my GE2006 post and still believe so now, opposition will ALWAYS has its relevance as a check on incumbent government and providing an alternative voice for the people.
somemore, WP aljunied team is such a strong team to start with!

BUT, personally i like GY alot. i think he is one of the rare gems in PAP that really still believe in working for the people.
im sure if its some other ministers to replace him, lesser people will make such a big hoo-haa over the loss of a minister for aljunied.
but GY is foreign affair minister and he has done such a good job for this role. im sure many will agree with me on this count.
for even in the alternative medias where PAP is being slammed left right upside down every minute, we seldom see personal attacks on GY. in fact, some of those who are super pro-opposition will even share a positive link about him from time to time.
it is so heartening to see people give credit when its due.
i dont know how the role of a foreign affair minister fit into the big jigsaw of a future singapore that you wish to have, but its definitely quite a big piece for mine.
but if GY stays on, it may mean ZERO opposition MP in the parliament. that is really a scary thought.
hence, the talk of sacrificing a small GY for the better of the bigger picture.
but i still cant swallow this school of thought. i guess some is right in saying whatever vote you cast, cast it with your conscience.
but again, everyone's conscience differs. is allowing a parliament with only two, one or horrors zero opposition MP to exist very wrong to you?
or is allowing 3 ministers (ok, maybe only 2. im still v undecided on ms LHH) who have been very good in their roles to be "sacrificed" for a better good?
personally, im very against the word sacrifice. this word in itself seems wrong.
so its no big surprise for those who know me that i feel its such a big regret and pity that GY has to exit this way.

but, again who am i to judge what should be the "right" way/outcome?
aljunied has voted and we should respect its decision as GY and his team advocated.
im very sure WP will do a good job, if not better than GY's team for the next 5 years! they have to and they can, simple as that.

some questions burning in my mind:
1) who will replace GY as foreign affair minister?
2) will he run for presidency? i hope not.
3) which PAP team will contest against aljunied in GE2016? soooooo interesting.

3. WP
politics is never simple and never easy.
personally, i dont think WP will stop at just being a voice for the people in the parliament. they definitely want more.
to have a decisive say in passing of bills, definitely.
mark my words here (though we can only see 5 years later), WP will campaign on the basis to vote in oppositions to make up more than 1/3 of the parliament next GE.
if this is true, this is good. a good party should be one who will work in the best of the people interests. and what good is one that has no deciding power?
if WP has the calibre and the drive to make things happen, it would definitely be a good change.
seriously, if opposition is just contented at being just a voice in the parliament, such opposition team is really not a good one.
of cos, a gamble has to be taken whenever staus quo is being challenged.
im willing to take such a gamble if the right candidates come along!

4. PAP
winning percentage went down by ard 6 points comparing to the last GE. what have gone wrong?
i still stand by the conviction that the previous (cos the new one has TPL!!! and no GY!!!) government has done a really good job so far.
the general direction undertaken by PAP IS on the RIGHT track, just that the degree needs to be varied a little here and there.
most of the manifestos from opposition suggest changes to current policies but not radically changing or removing them totally.
i think the majority of the people still think PAP knows how to and is capable of running Singapore wisely BUT they defintely need some forms of check on them from time to time.
and not because they are senile, cowards or just lazy people voting out of convenience!
the worst accusation is those who define PAP according to their own definitions and deemed all those who voted for PAP to be of the same kind, ie: stupid, materialistic, selfish, arrogant, rich people etc.
totally baseless! excuse me while i go puke. BLECH.
pls dont abuse the privilege of free speech.

i do agree that PAP seems to have grown detached from the people over the years. and its style is defintely outdated for today's time.
how many MPs are actively learning how to use alternative platforms to reach to the masses apart from the traditional walkarounds, interviews, rallies etc?
how many MPs are fallible to the same crime of passing insensitive/sweeping statements?
thats why i said people are emotional creatures and voting is more of an emotional than logical one.
once you cannot stand someone, whateever he/she does also shit, i tell you!

back in GE2006, i dont recall much people having so much negative comments about PAP. sure, the usual backlash and stuff but not unprecedented level like this for GE2011.
some parties like to ask if your lives have improved over the past 5 years which i think its too short a period to judge. and everyone knows how bad the last 5 years have been to most countries.
but i suppose its too much to ask you to think back another 5 years right? im just trying to say its so easy to pinpoint whats wrong with current system.
the more difficult part is :
1) can anyone propose a better solution (yes, opposition may be able to do so being "nearer" to 民情 & having high calibre candidates as well)?
2) is it feasible in reality? i read a note by a young 21yo chap in fb and i was struck immensely by one of the phase he used inside.
"you can never cheat reality"
pls try to remember this and dont think policy-making is never that easy to formulate. every policy has repercussion effects that commoners like us may not know. and heck, even the almightly PAP also cannot take into account in their foolproof feasibility studies.

you can say that im kind to PAP or im blinded by ..... i dont know what you can accuse.. the material things PAP brought to me?
oh well, i cant stop you from judging me.

there are like a million issues out there but personally im still concerned with the same things im concerned with in GE2006!
1) how is our government helping singapore in retaining its competitive edge and staying relevant in today's fast-paced dynamic global environment?
2) how is our government going to take care of its aging, needy and poorer citizens?
3) how is our government going to ease the impact of rising costs (inflation is inevitable, that im aware of)?

i think for (1) , they are doing a very good job for the past 5 years. so much so it raised the question of foreign influx and putting too much emphasis on GDP growth.
with so much foreign influx, our unemployment rate is still at an impossibly low rate of 1.9%! i think the problem of foreigners is not that they are taking away our jobs but more of making us feel that this is no longer feel like our singapore. national identity is an important issue and PAP should take it seriously. if there is a need to curb foreign influx, they may have to do it anyway. but again, there may be repercussions. dont lie to yourself that foreign influx WONT create jobs for sporeans. THEY do for they encourage growth for certain sectors. but sporeans with lower education level or less technically inclined may be left behind when this trend continues. and the focus on wealth growth is not helping those who are left behind or not progressing in pace with GPD growth. thats why government has a 2-prong approach to this drive in economy growth - education and training to keep sporeans updated/relevance. but i agree that a lid need to be put on somewhere. we can and definitely need to progress but at a slower pace perhaps? it will really be a better scenario if singapore as a whole progress rather than leaving some behind.

(2) having said the above, to contradict myself here, i think there is no perfect system whereby all people can be taken care of. there will always be poor/unfortunate people falling through the cracks of current system and finding themselves helpless/sandwiched.
the best system will be one that take care of the highest % of majority and then through setting up special welfare groups to take care of those which fail to benefit from the system.
currently, PAP strategy is by helping you to keep in pace with economic growth, the % of needy/poor will fall to the minimum. it is indeed the case of so in singapore but as i said, there will always be poor/unfortunate people in need of help no matter how developed/rich a country is.
perhaps, more can really be done for those unfortunate in singapore.

(3) everyone keep harping how how how. until, i also have no answer.
both PAP and opposition have not really touch on this topic! for both GEs!

PAP really need to win the hearts of the people back. as i said, once you are in bad books of most people, 很难翻身!
it is really lucky that the majority is still willing to give it a second chance to prove itself.
statistics have shown that unhappiness with PAP can lead to votes even for the most incompetent opposition just to prove a point!

5) weakest link in PAP
TPL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i tried my best to be neutral towards her for the longest time. i dont want to be biased against any candidate just because of their looks or mannerisms.
but time and time again, this TPL shows that she is really of the lowest calibre!!
we dont vote management trainee into the parliament! and pls lor, even when the best bother to teach, i doubt it will be of any USE for her!
wah, im so so so frustrated with her.
after living for almost 20 years in marine parade GRC before moving over to radin mas 5 years back, i've the utmost respect for SM Goh!
and he was really really 被拖累 by this TPL!
that kind of winning percentage is a disgrace to SM Goh! i am so angry now my eyes blazing with fire! argh! *tearing up the tissue paper on my table*

im sure any other GRC other than Pasir-ris-Punggol, AMK, Jurong, will jolly well lose if she has been in those GRCs!!
she has that ability lor!
mad angry now.

conclusion:
despite some regret and disappointment over the results, im glad to witness a historical moment in singapore's political history to have the most no. of opposition MPs since independence day! :)
lets hope that the MPs will work together for the next 5 years for the best interest of people.
always remember, a good party is one that DOES not divide the people.
to do so, they must try their best to work with one another in parliament.
lets hope this is really the case!

5 years later, i should most probably be in aljunied GRC.
but too early to say much. maybe i wont move there afterall.
maybe GRC system will be abolished by then.
lets see!

ok, i feel so much better after venting out all my frustrations in my own blog.
goody good.