Category: Komentar

Send in your opinion to [email protected].
Kirimkan pandangan anda kepada [email protected].

PAP Does Not Have A ‘Strong Mandate’

There appears to be a “swing” towards PAP in votes compared to the last election in 2011. Some Singaporeans are disappointed because the outcome seems to contradict the evidence on the ground.

The turnouts for opposition rallies, especially those of the WP, were much bigger than the last election. Social media also reflected the sentiments of the majority of Singaporeans months and years leading to the election. Almost everyone in coffee shops and among friends had a bone to pick with the PAP, and the ranting has gone on since the last election.

Singaporeans have been ranked the world’s unhappiest people and we all know the cause of this. Even new political opportunists jumped onto the campaigning bandwagon this time round. Internet videos show Singaporeans booing and avoiding PAP candidates while they campaign. Yet, the results fail to match the sentiments on the ground. This sentiment is further confirmed by the size of the turnout of people at PAP’s winning speeches last night.

This morning I saw a large group of men wearing white standing at Bedok market, as if waiting for residents to come up to congratulate them. But none went up to them. Lim Swee Say had to go and shake the hands of a few foreigners who work at the shops. The MIW left in a jiffy.

On first reaction, it seems that there must be some rigging going on with the results. Why are there so few supporters at the winning speeches? Why have a new counting system? What are they up to this time round? However, on further reflection, it is quite obvious that the “swing” came from the following groups of Singaporeans:

The Pioneer Generation: This population segment was an easy target for the PAP. These elders were literally won over with generous subsidies and personal selling. This group is unlikely to come out and support their heroes.

New Citizens: Needless to say. Why jeopardise a future in “paradise”? Why show their faces at PAP rallies when they know they are hated all over the island?

Government Employees: Like most Singaporean voters, they desire to vote for the opposition but despite their unhappiness with the PAP, they are obligated to vote for them. Same reason as new citizens – why jeopardise my position at work?

The Poor: Many of these have been “won” over by government subsidies and are dependent on monthly handouts. Even though the desire is to vote for the opposition, they see a threat that their lifeline might be cut off.

Government Contractors: Many businesses and proprietors are making a living as a result of government contracts and projects. The HDB upgrading programmes engage thousands of contractors and sub-contractors. I doubt any one of them would want to put their livelihood at risk. What about other industrial sectors? There are many more in the same situation.

Other Government-Reliant Persons: Would they vote for the opposition if they are waiting for a housing loan from the HDB or a medical subsidy or a scholarship? Or for that matter would they vote for the opposition if they have just received such benefits?

Now, all these groups of people may sit at coffeeshops, attack PAP policies and attend opposition rallies instead of PAP rallies. However, they will eventually vote PAP because of the fear of losing their benefits.

The conclusion is this: the PAP has leverage over the voting of the above groups of Singaporeans. Also, the election system has been designed by the PAP for PAP to win the majority of seats: GRC, electoral boundary redrawing, revealing campaigning date with little forewarning, etc. They have a two-pronged winning strategy.

So, do not read PAP’s win as a mandate from the people of Singapore. If it were so, Singaporeans all over the island would be jubilant this morning but their faces are clearly depressed and disappointed. Clearly, PAP does not have the heart and the mandate of the people.

So, who are PAP’s real supporters?

RC Members: Every few blocks has an RC chairman and members, with a hierarchy of chairmen and members across each precinct. All of them are benefitting from their associations. This is a large group even without including their family members who are also voters. They are the ones in white supporting the PAP at rallies, but they alone cannot make up the winning votes.

Who are the Opposition’s supporters?

The only group that PAP has no power over is the educated, working adults. These are the most economically active Singaporeans. They are those who are waiting for jobs, building families and have school-going children and can see that the government policies are not benefitting them and their future. This is the vocal and eloquent group you find on social media. Unfortunately, this group is now outnumbered by the above groups as the election outcome shows.

Being vocal and eloquent is the last thing the government wants Singaporeans to be. This is why they dissuade Singaporeans from taking degrees. They learnt about this a long time ago in the persons of Francis Seow, Jeyaratnam and now, Chee Soon Juan. It is better for the government to give more seats in tertiary institutions to foreigners than Singaporeans and keep Singaporeans lowly educated.

The most intelligent and most important population group for Singapore’s future is being marginalised because of their collective criticism of the PAP – just like the marginalisation of the professionals 15 years ago because of their critical views of PAP. As a result, the PAP allowed “FTs” to come in overnight to take over their jobs resulting in a large group branded as the world’s most educated taxi drivers. The children of these professionals are now suffering the same fate as their parents. The Opposition can serve only this group. So, how?

Politics is about leverage and the PAP has it. What leverage has the Opposition got?

I think the picture is clear. And the problem too.

Savvy Artist

Source: www.tremeritus.com

September 14, 2015
Mohd Khair: PAP Should Commission Independent Study Of GE Results

Congratulations to All Parties, Candidates and the Population of Singapore who took part in GE2015. It’s an important democratic process that affords the country to check itself periodically, whatever outcome it may be.

On the night when results were annouced, it was evident that the outcome came as a surprise even with the ruling party PAP. The commentators on live TV were also surprised of the margins and eventual swing. The mandate was clear. Almost 70% of voters wanted PAP to be back in power. However, what drove the swing that resulted in the landslide victory was still speculative, at best.

That night during the Press Conference, when Dr Yaacob spoke of a solid Malay support, we were not sure where the source of that information came from, given that voting was suppose to be secret. Was the swing a result of solid Malay support or was it due to other factors. The commentators on Channel 5 tentatively attributed the swing to other non-racial factors. And we can all agree with a suggestion by a TV panelist that night that a more thorough study was needed to understand the voting pattern in GE 2015.

There were also mentions by the panelists on how the victory speeches by the PAP were different. Probably many could also observe that the victory speeches this time sounded more humble. There were relatively more humility than ever before. And there were also not a few of the victory speeches which touched on the need to appeal more to those who had not voted for the PAP. Those speeches made promises to work harder not only for those who voted for the PAP, but also to attract or appeal more to those who did not vote for the party.

That night, while the PAP and its supporters were in for a pleasant surprise, there were quarters among the voters who were quite perplexed by the results. Leaders of the Opposition parties were also shocked with the results. Kenneth Jeyaratnam was clearly dejected. Other Opposition leaders expressed similar sentiments and said they needed time to fully understand the underlying reasons for the outcome.

With a solid mandate for the PAP amidst strong showing of support for the Opposition at rallies as well as on social media, and the promise to work harder by the ruling PAP, probably it is not too much to ask for an independent study to be done to understand the underlying factors that contributed to the landslide victory.

As voting is secret, we are still unsure if the landslide victory was a result of solid Malay voters’ support, as mentioned by Dr Yaacob that night, or could it be due to other reasons. Given the high decibel levels on long-standing issues like the tudung or hijab controversy, it is important for the ruling party to fully understand if there are the possibilities of a relatively larger proportion of the Malay voters actuallly voted for the Opposition.

The question to ask and answers to uncover is, “Could there be a possibility that the slightly more than 30% who voted for the Opposition comprised a relatively larger number of Malays?”, given the fact that many Malays were unhappy with the way the tudung issue had been handled and dragged on for more than 20 years. Of course, there are other issues that Singaporeans in general have made known of their unhappiness about, and yet voted for the PAP.

With all the humility demonstrated during the election victory speeches that night, commissioning an independent study to understand what actually happened on Sep 11, 2015 will be a noble act on the part of the PAP to not simply gloss over the victory as one resulting from its prowess to govern. This study, if conducted well and independently, will enable the PAP to better understand the polity and put to rest all the speculations that have been circulating to discredit the victory as only technical, and not substantive. But more importantly, the results of such study will help the PAP to deliver better all its promises to those who voted for it and to those who did not vote for the party. That independent study is for the PAP to keep its promises made during the victory speeches that monumentous night.

Source: Mohd Khair

September 14, 2015
Suliyati Sufian Maryam: Lack Of Alternative Voices In Parliament, Fair Representation Of Minorities Unlikely

<suli>After the results of last night’s GE, I came back from my best friend’s wedding to witness the area around my block littered with hell notes, smoke and ashes flying into my eyes and my Chinese neighbours fervently lighting up joss sticks along almost every inch space of the grassy patches around the area. No, I wasn’t annoyed or frustrated; I thought “oh it must be the last day of the hungry ghost, that’s why they are going all out.” I didn’t feel like I should be telling anyone that they should be more considerate in their burning or that they should pick up the stray notes after they are done because I accept it as a way of living in singapore and I actually enjoy seeing this experience although it gets hot (I mean on top of the haze!) and sometimes ashes do get blown into my flat. It is part of living here and I accept it as it is.

But then I started thinking about how I had to perform my acts of worship when I was in school or when I was still working and I felt sad. I felt sad because I always had to do it in secret, as though what I was doing was a crime. My friends and I would look for corners along dusty staircases, back alleys, helping each other keep a look out for teachers or other students who might pass by. And when I began teaching at a secondary school, I had to pray in secrecy at an area where broken chairs are kept and even then, I was warned not to let anyone see me enter that place to pray. When the boss eventually found out about the prayer place though, it was forbidden to us and all of us who have been using that dirty abandoned place to pray had to look for staircases to perform our daily obligation. Yes, for those of you who dont know, Muslims HAVE to pray five times a day abd for most of us, we've been doing it like how I describe it above, like we are criminals.

And then I think of the ban on music during Thaipusam and I also felt sad for my Hindu friends and I started to think what is the rationale behind the ban? If it’s the music that’s too loud, then we should also ban music during Malay weddings and Chinese funerals cos these can get very loud too. If the govt is afraid of ppl getting too carried away by the music during thaipusam, I am sure there are 1001 ways to work around that issue because they’ve been doing for years without much incident.

When I was deciding what faculty to enrol in as I was about to enter NUS, I ruled out Nursing after Medicine (and I didnt get into Medicine) because I know nurses in Singapore cannot wear hijab but I accepted it as it is. So even though I wanted to go into healthcare, I ended up taking a basic Life Science degree instead because one option was already out for me because of what I wear on my head.

My dear friends who are part of the majority, I want you to know that I have nothing against you and am indeed happy for you that you have every opportunity to pursue your dreams or climb that social ladder as long as you work hard for it. Or that as you are burning hell notes for youtlr ancestors, you dont have to do it like a thief and make sure no one sees you doing it. But pls pls don;t let your experience of life here be your only measurement of life for others who are not part of that majority. Don’t say “where got unfair? If you work hard sure can get it what. Govt doesnt discriminate against religion also, so what are you talking about?” because you don’t experience life here as a minority, and with an obligation that makes you stand out (im talking about the hijab). Only those of us who have been dealing with it on a daily basis know how difficult it can get at times and even then, we;ve been very tolerant about our situation for years and years and how can we know this? Despite having our basic right to practise our religion without being discrimated against violated, you dont hear of riots by Muslims do you? Instead we have been engaging the govt in diplomatic ways thru petitions and dialogue sessions. So pls dont tell us things like we need to do more to assimilate – we have been assimilating for as long as we can remember despite the restrictions placed on us.

So back to the GE story, I was predicting PAP to win and I am happy that they have won because I do think they are strong and capable of leading singaporeans. But when you think of this country declaring itself as a democratic country and you see 83 out of 89 seats in govt occupied by one party, you must think to uourself, where is the democracy in that? Where is the chance for alternative views to be heard? 6 voices out of 89 will be drowned out, so how can issues that the incumbent party have for years dodged get addressed properly without being shot down as asking for more privileges?

So i hope you can understand our frustrations when we see our hopes for alternative voices get voted against by ppl spreading fears of “freak elections”, or that the GE was held immediately after the ruling party has pampered its citizens with money and SG50 celebrations. It’s not that we want to see the PAP toppled; it’s that they are only going to have their policies checked against by 6 voices outof 89. There is no way that there will be fair representation for us minorities with that kind of statistics.

Source: Suliyati Sufian Maryam

September 14, 2015
Hazrul Azhar Jamari: Why Oppositions’ Lost Is Fault Of Opposition Supporters

Why the opposition lost and why it is completely the fault of opposition supporters.

I know many people are expecting me to give an analysis. So here it is. But be warned, you will not like it.

In March, I made a scarily accurate prediction of how GE2015 would turn out. For reference, seehttps://www.facebook.com/abanghazrul/posts/10152894622382655

While the dust settles and the opposition absorbs the results and reflect on it, supporters are seen angry at the majority who voted the PAP blaming them for dooming us for the next 5 years expecting a rise to cost of living, population, HDB homes and CPF minimum sum.

The fact of the matter is that as you point a finger at the majority who gave the incumbent the overwhelming mandate, there are 4 fingers pointing back. No, I’m not going to shout “boo PAP!”.

Here are 4 reasons why the opposition lost and why opposition supporters are ultimately responsible for it, not the majority who voted differently.

1. Elections are emotional. There is nothing logical about how people vote.

When the PAP tweaked the elections to include a Cooling Off Day, they claimed that it is to allow people to calm down and rationalise what was best for the country.

But people don’t vote based on logical reasoning. The majority won’t read party manifestos. And many of us can see how much of a motherhood statement the PAP manifesto was. The SDP and WP had well thought out proposals. They did their homework.

But people don’t grade you based on your manifesto. They vote according to how they feel about you. And while the SDP and WP candidates have very electable people, many of them even of a higher calibre than some of the PAP candidates, most people use their heart to vote. Let’s be honest. Opposition supporters also vote with their heart.

Thus, even if citizens are able to prove that the majority of PAP town councils are not transparent enough and that the AHPETC had been more transparent to the public than the PAP TCs, the constant barrage of perceived unanswered questions, helped along by a media that doesn’t tell the whole story (and all media does that even the alternatives), the PAP had been successful at creating doubt into the hearts of the voters nearly causing Aljunied to fall and causing Punggol East to return to the PAP fold by paper thin margins.

So please don’t blame others for voting with their hearts. They did what they felt was right, and so did you.

2. The opposition misread the ground sentiment and were over confident (except maybe WP) due to GE2011 results.

Many including myself had expected the opposition to earn at least one more GRC. Of course, I was expecting with my heart. My predictions which I made mostly with my head knew that there won’t be much gains.

The opposition didn’t sieve the noise from the signal. The swing votes in 2011 do not carry on to 2015. Like football, they should take each elections game by game. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of present form.

Had there been more feet on the ground, they would have had a clearer picture of how voters actually felt. The keywords here are sentiments and feelings, not what they think.

3. Unreasonable expectations from voters

The Punggol East 2013 By-Elections was a morale booster for the WP. The margin of victory was conclusive. And Lee Li Lian became probably the first MP who properly represented the majority of Singaporeans. A person who had to work really hard, so that she can get a better life. Who was from the N-levels, and took a part-time degree so that she can give her children a better life. Voters in Punggol East resonated with her because they felt she was closer to the ground than Dr Koh Poh Koon who was evidently detached to the ground.

They thought their lives would get better under the WP. And Li Lian probably had a baptism of fire being a first-time MP.

But after 2 and half years, many of the voters felt that life was not too much different as before. This resulted in disappointment.

The voters wanted change yesterday. But the voters are probably expecting miracles, like a unicorn.

The reality is, the first time MP had everything stacked against her. And perhaps, she realised very quickly that the job of an MP is extremely hard. Li Lian was still pursuing a part time degree. And if you’ve pursued one yourself, you know how difficult balancing a job, family and studies are. Let’s multiply that by 10x, because an MP’s job is not sing song shake leg.

I’ve seen MPs sacrifice so much for citizens. Their time with their families are affected. Many still have full-time jobs. So in the day, they work. Every week, they will meet residents. On the weekends, they have to appear at functions. Sometimes, in the middle of the week, they have to attend meetings related to their grassroots work.

The time was probably inconvenient for Li Lian to be an MP. At her age and point in life, she had many things that would prioritize ahead of the residents and I doubt it was easy for her to sacrifice so much.

This was clearly evident in her interview with the media after her loss. She rejected to take up the NCMP, and she hinted that she will likely have a full-time job. Her tone also described how she wished she can still go to the ground. She realised that maybe, being an MP is not for her. At least not yet.

This analysis matches what I know from Punggol East residents, that Li Lian was touch and go with resident’s needs. I can understand that, and I felt that residents had placed unicorn expectations on the first time MP.

4. Opposition supporters are simply not contributing to the opposition parties.

The fundamental difference between some PAP supporters and most Opposition supporters is that the PAP supporters are the feelers, the hands, and the feet of the party. Their strength in numbers allow the PAP to reach every constituent and canvas for votes. More importantly, they are crucial in organising MPS, and activities for residents on a weekly basis.

Many who supported the opposition do not go and volunteer for the opposition. They falsely believed that making all that noise will somehow sway people towards the opposition. The problem is, people don’t care what you say online. They don’t have the time to entertain you online.

And now that the opposition didn’t get a good result, they blame others.

All kinds of reasons!

Some of them include

– New citizens swinging votes
– The media is biased
– The PA is politicised
– The majority have no balls

Amazing. They blame everything except themselves.

Friends. Change does not happen because you marked an X in the box of the opposition. Change does not come easy and does not come without sacrifices. You cannot create change if you are sitting in your air-conditioned room debating in a Facebook thread how the PAP had utterly failed at improving your lives.

For change to happen, you, the opposition voter, must stop lamenting that the PAP has unfair advantage in the PA and PCF. Undoubtedly, they are the reason behind the PAP’s massive result.

You, the opposition voter must get up on your feet, and volunteer with the opposition. You don’t even have to sign up as a member. Because once you volunteer, you are your own grassroots. You are actually contributing to democracy and you are actualising the change you wanted.

Friends. You must be the change you want to see in yourselves.

The people of Hougang did it. In the absence of the PA, they created their own grassroots organisation in support of their elected MP. For 24 years, they remain loyal, because their own grassroots volunteers were able to help their MP feel the ground. Low Thia Kiang always knew when someone died in his ward because there were people who told him.

When they won Aljunied, they had to cannibalise what they did in Hougang into a far larger constituency. The problem was, they were stretched thin. They do not possess the same numbers as the PAP who worked really hard to win voters back with their grassroots going around canvassing support.

When WP won Punggol East, had the voters in Punggol East got up, went to Li Lian’s office, and helped her with the ground work, she would have probably remained as your MP today. The reality is that Punggol East did not answer the call of duty that Hougang did 24 years ago.

Now that you have returned to the PAP, you will never have a chance to be an opposition ward again. Because you know what happens to SMCs that win by razor thin margins? Just look at Joo Chiat.

So stop blaming the silent majority. Get up. Be the change you want to be. And trust me, you will see change happen once you do that.

Source: Hazrul Azhar Jamari

September 14, 2015
Foreign Worker Angels Returned Me My Wallet

Just 30 minutes ago my doorbell rang, upon hearing it I was thinking to myself, this better not be some irritating salesman cuz I was enjoying my off day slacking on my bed. I dragged myself off my bed and out of my room to answer the door.

Through the peep hole I saw 3 Indian men standing in front of my house, I thought to myself “what the hell do they want!!”.

Still puzzled and with much suspicion I opened the door. I stared @ them and suddenly my eye zoomed into the middle guy’s hand (later introduced as “Muru Muru”), I saw a familiar item on his hand and think to myself “Why TF is he holding on to my IC and what is my wallet doing on his hand!!!”.

Speedily I unlocked my gate and walked out to them, Muru Muru said,” is this yours? Check the one thousand dollars note inside!!”. Still blur from my evening nap I immediately realized that they are angels sent from heaven to deliver my lost wallet that I haven’t even realized is gone @ that time.

I took over my IC and pulled out my 1000 dollars note kept inside my wallet and before I said anything, he said,” I am rich, I don’t need your thousand dollars”and laughed, and his two friends laughed along.

Upon saying that muru2 asked the second Indian guy “Radja” to take a picture of me and him, immediately after I said “thank you guys so much, omg, omg, omg, thank you”. I shook their hands and hugged them individually. I asked the last guy for his name but he refuse to say, he just kept wobbling his head. I insisted a group photo taken with my phone, right after that they just walked towards the lift.

As they were leaving I had so many goosebumps, as I was seeing them off, I had so many thoughts running in my mind, I wanted to offer them money but thought to myself I spent my very last 10 dollars note on lunch and all I have is a can of coins in my room, I was thinking all so vigorously what can I give back, should I offer my one thousand dollars note since they’re the one who found my wallet? If not how can I say thank you, how can I show gratitude?

They went into the lift and so they’re gone.

These thoughts, these feelings, this need to do something filled my 20 seconds walk into my room.
I grabbed a handful of coins and ran downstairs in hope to find them and probably treat them food or drinks or anything but they are gone.

Thank you Muru Muru, Radja and third Indian man. What u did is really beautiful. So graceful and untainted. I am very grateful to have you guys who found my wallet, to have you guys as neighbor, to share this space with people like you.

Source: Sugie Phua

September 1, 2015