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  • Prediction Of More Misery Should PAP Win

    Prediction Of More Misery Should PAP Win

    The PAP often tells us to look at their track records. Well I have, and I am pretty confident that I have a pretty good idea of what they are doing, or their lack thereof for that matter.

    Truth be told, looking at the track record of the voters in Singapore, the PAP stands a high chance of winning.

    I have compiled a list, of what citizens should expect, should the PAP win the mandate, and be allowed to continue their reign unopposed for another 5 years.

    Keep in mind that while these are mostly speculations, they are based on the track record of the PAP. Feel free to disagree with hit.

    Here is the list:
    1) Primary focus of the government to be on the economy-
    2) More foreigners will come in-
    3) Population will eventually hit 6.9 million and beyond-
    4) GST will rise again-
    5) More sponsoring of free scholarships to foreign students-
    6) More investments to foreign countries from government-owned institutions, using state-controlled funds-
    7) More spending on celebrations and public events-
    8) More exorbitant housing prices-
    9) More mandatory insurance plans that you have to pay for-
    10) Even higher public transport costs-
    11) Press freedom index ranking will drop even lower-
    12) More unopposed unilateral one-sided decisions in parliament-
    13) More politicians suing ordinary citizens-
    14) More unexplained revocation of patents-
    15) More government organizations applying for protection from harassment act-
    16) More unfair use of NSFs-
    17) More mudslinging from the ruling party-

    And here are the details. Be warned, it is long.

    1) Primary focus of the government to be on the economy-

    Regardless of the claims by word-of-mouth, the goal and aim of the government had always been clear: the Economy. Boosting the economy at all costs has always been their objective, and will continue to be so.

    2) More foreigners will come in-

    The PAP has made it crystal clear, they will not stop the inflow of foreigners, they will merely slow down the inflow.

    It’s like you’re fast approaching the edge of the cliff, but the driver chooses to decelerate instead of braking hard.

    These foreigners may indeed boost the economy. But the large numbers also pose a problem for citizens, as these foreigners will be competing with the true citizens for resources, which include jobs, housing, public transportation, and even basic necessities.

    3) Population will eventually hit 6.9 million and beyond-

    You have to ask yourself, of these 6.9 million, how many of them will be true Singaporeans? Do we have the necessary infrastructure and resources to support a 6.9 million population?

    If the answer is yes, then you have absolutely nothing to worry about!

    But I suggest you take a look at our MRT stations, our HDB queues, our foodcourt and hawker-center crowds, our school balloting, and think carefully first.

    4) GST will rise again-

    Going by the PAP track record, there is a very high likelihood that GST will eventually rise again. I personally estimate this at 9%, though some say it will be higher.

    5) More sponsoring of free scholarships to foreign students-

    A recent report say that in recent years, at least 20 million a year is funded to give foreign students free scholarships. The exact figures of the total amount spent so far for foreign scholarships is unclear.

    The PAP has also made it clear that they will not stop funding foreign students with free scholarships.

    Personally, I think that 20 million is a lot, and this money could have been better spent on our own citizens. But what the hell do I know? PAP knows everything, so throw out your encyclopedias, and never visit wikipedia again.

    6) More investments to foreign countries from government-owned institutions, using state-controlled funds-

    http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB124350003544761935
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qFUDmsFTYk

    In spite of the claims made by local media bragging about the huge profits made, many reports I have read talked about the billion dollar losses made by Temasek Holdings.

    Personally, when I read about this, the first few questions that come to mind are:
    Who authorized Temasek Holdings to invest money in foreign companies?
    Why is no one punished for the screw-ups?
    The money that is lost to bad investments, who does it belong to?

    Even now, Temasek Holdings and the GIC is adamant about taking state-controlled funds to invest in foreign organizations. My question is this, who authorized the government to use these funds for foreign investments?

    And till now, do we even know the true source of this money? I mean, it has to come from somewhere, right? Do we even know where did the money that was lost to bad investments, come from?

    I really don’t understand why this money needs to be invested elsewhere, or why it even needs to be invested at all. Why can’t this money be used to invest in Singapore itself?

    When the Singapore government chooses to invest state-controlled funds to invest in foreign organizations, it really shows how much confidence they have in our own country.

    7) More spending on celebrations and public events-

    Without a doubt, more money will be spent on events similar to SG50 celebrations. More events like the YOG will be held.

    The YOG was grossly overbudgetted, with no one punished for the oversight. But the good news is that the government learns from their mistakes. So this year, in the SEA Games, the organizers outsourced for free volunteers instead of paid workers. That greatly reduced the costs for manpower. The plan was so simple yet so brilliant, I can’t help but be amazed. Why pay for workers when you can get them for free?

    To quote a line from the Noose:
    If the government can spend so much money on two useless pandas, they must be treating the people really well!

    Obviously, more money should go into such events, and NOT social spending. Having more money on social spending will lead citizens to have a clutch mentality and cause them to be dependent on government handouts.

    Right?

    8) More exorbitant housing prices-

    Someone once claimed that you can own a hdb flat with $1000 per month salary.

    Seriously?

    I’m not going to call that bullshit. But to me, it sounds like I’m looking at some kind of fringe science, where the professor draws a few impossible calculations using extreme numbers from improbable events, and presents to us the argument that something thought to be virtually impossible, is actually in fact possible.

    I’m definitely not the most mathematical oriented person. But do you honest believe that you can own a hdb flat with 1k salary?

    Let me use an example. Suppose you are an ordinary worker earning a modest $1,500 a month, trying to afford a $240,000 3 room flat. Let’s assume that you eat grass and pump every cent you earn, including your CPF, into your flat payment. It will take working at least 13+ years, just to pay off your flat alone.

    And let’s not forget the 2.6 compounded interest rates from HDB. Every year, you have to pay $6,240, just for the interest. It will reduce if you can pay, otherwise, it will snowball. How much of your salary per year do you have to sacrifice, just to pay off the interest itself?

    And on top of that, let’s not forget the fact that you DON’T actually own your flat. You rent it for 99 years. At the end of 99 years, you lose it, with NOTHING refunded back to you.

    Some people argue, HDB flats will never last 99 years, you will be moved by the government after 40 years of staying, and they will pay the rate of the remaining lease. Well that still means you don’t actually own it. Hello? When the government moves you, you think that the government is going to give you your flat for free?

    Like it or not, every year you live in your flat, you lose 1/99 of it’s value. So every year, you rent it for $2,424. And for some reason, you still have to pay land tax.

    I’m no expert on this, so feel free to correct it if you have more accurate numbers.

    The PAP claims that it is possible to own a flat with only $1k salary, and boasts of a high home-ownership ratio (99-year “ownership”) on a global scale. By all means, feel free to believe them.

    9) More mandatory insurance plans that you have to pay for-

    The PAP has already decided that you will pay for CPF Life and Medishield Life. It doesn’t matter what your opinion is. It’s been decided.

    10) Even higher public transport costs-

    Even when oil prices were dropping, and SMRT was earning record high profits, the transport fares were raised, citing a reason like “opportune time”.

    Just before elections, fare prices were announced to be dropped. But god knows how soon the next fare hike will hit us.

    It’s common knowledge that if you wish to encourage use of public transport, and improve traffic conditions, you should raise the price of private transportation, but reduce the price of public transportation. But the government, being the genius that it is, decided to raise both public and private transportation costs.

    I guess this means that the message they are trying to send us is, “Don’t go out. Stay home and sleep!”

    11) Press freedom index ranking will drop even lower-

    The PAP has already made it clear that they don’t care about the press freedom index.

    The unnamed person-in-charge said the following line:
    We manage our press, our media and our freedom of information in a way that makes sense for Singapore.

    The very same person also claims that the very same newspaper is “credible, balanced, and objective”.

    WTF……

    12) More unopposed unilateral one-sided decisions in parliament-

    When the PAP proposes a bill, it is as good as approved. No matter what kind of decision the PAP makes, the bill will be passed successfully unopposed.

    One of the most recent bill passed was about ISEAS, where only the ministers will be able to appoint board members, while the President and the other organizations will not be able to do so.

    This bill was piggy-backing on the proposed bill to honor Yusok Ishak…. I meant, Yusof Ishak.

    Of course, the WP rejected with all their might, but the bill was still passed.

    You would think that if they really wanted to honor the late president, they would actually learn to spell his name right….

    You can be sure to expect more one-sided unilateral decisions made if the PAP wins.

    13) More politicians suing ordinary citizens-

    In the past, PAP ministers would use defamation lawsuits on their political opponents.

    Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong took it a step further, and decided to sue an ordinary blogger.

    At the rate this is going, you can expect secondary and primary school students to be sued too.

    If you feel that an internet posting has defamed you, one of the first recourse is mediation. The legal recourse should only be used as a last resort.

    You see, it’s one thing to preach about a gracious and forgiving society. It’s another thing to be a gracious and forgiving person.

    14) More unexplained revocation of patents-

    If you have a patent that results in a conflict with the government’s interest, your patent does not exist.

    Dr Ting Choon Meng has a valid patent for medical vehicles as of 2005. In 2009, Mindef, instead of seeking recourse to contest or dispute the patent, they blatantly ignored it and produce their own.

    In a lawsuit that latter ensued, the court of law revoked the patent owned by Dr Ting in 2014. This is despite the fact that the proper procedure of contesting a patent not being used, and no evidence supporting the revocation was ever seen.
    http://www.ipos.gov.sg/Services/HearingsandMediation/ProceedingsatIPOS/P…

    To add insult to injury, Cyberpioneer issued the following arrogant public statement:
    Respecting Intellectual Property means honouring patents that are valid, not protecting those that aren’t.

    So let me get this straight. In 2009, Cyberpioneer could tell the future, and knew that the patent will be invalidated in 2014?

    Oh, one more thing. Did you know that you cannot apply for a patent in another country, without asking for permission first?
    http://www.ipos.gov.sg/AboutIP/TypesofIPWhatisIntellectualProperty/Whati…
    One can only wonder what the basis of that is.

    15) More government organizations applying for protection from harassment act-

    A government organization applying for protection from harassment from an individual, is possibly the stupidest thing I can think of. And yet it happened.

    It’s almost as if these people are challenging us to think of what is the most asinine thing they can possibly do, and they actually make it happen.

    These guys never fail to amaze me at whatever they do.

    16) More unfair use of NSFs-

    The LTA recently announced that NSFs can be mobilized to help SMRT in the event of an MRT breakdown.

    I have absolutely no idea how the LTA has authorization over Mindef to help a private company like SMRT. There must be some kind of grand logic here at work.

    17) More mudslinging from the ruling party-

    It is said that if you live in a house of glass, you shouldn’t throw rocks.

    Well the PAP doesn’t care. They keep attacking the WP for the lapses, even though their own management has lapses highlighted by the Auditor General Office.

    In one of the latest saga, Mr Tharman relentless carried on his attack on the WP. Despite the other problems found by the AGO, Tharman claimed that “The house is safe and there is no question whether public monies are fully accounted for.”

    Instead of correcting his own problems, he decided to attack WP for theirs. A typical rock-throwing kind of behavior.

    Conclusion:
    This is by no means an exhaustive list. But I have been paying attention to the PAP’s actions long enough to know how they handle things. Feel free to disagree if you think such things will never happen.

    Source: http://sgkbwarrior.livejournal.com

  • Only Dumb Idiots Will Ask Others To Show Gratitude To PAP

    Only Dumb Idiots Will Ask Others To Show Gratitude To PAP

    So strange. Someone asked me, “How can you have no gratitude for the good life that the PAP has given you and turn your back on the founding fathers?”

    Whaaaaat? That’s the silliest, dumbest thing that I’ve ever heard.

    Let me give you a lesson on DEMOCRACY.

    Gratitude to the previous generation of Ministers does not mean you give this party a free pass forever. These idiots really think that Singapore belongs to the PAP.

    We are all just renting a house here and we should worship them like gods. Naw dumbass.

    This is not a fuckin colony of the Emperor of PAP. All these MPs and Ministers are not Lords or Dukes. The PAP DOES NOT own the lands and the money in the reserves.

    We are not subjects in an empire. WE ARE FREE PEOPLE. Singapore belongs to the people of SIngapore.

    The PAP and whoever works in the civil service are the EMPLOYEES of Singaporeans.

    Just like any job in the world when it comes to a job review, if you are not performing well you will get cut and someone else will be hired.

    It is perfectly fine to show gratitude for the past generations who built this country up. But look at the performance of this current government and more importantly the screwed up plans that they have for the future.

    This doesn’t fly with me.

    We need a major change or the future will be very dark.

    So, I told that person, ” Maybe in 2030 or 2040, you will have no problem with sharing half of your house and half of your job with a family from China, when they raise the population to 10 million.

    But, I’m aint gonna allow that to happen, starting now.”

    Source: www.allsingaporestuff.com

  • GE2015: Likeability – The Tipping Factor

    GE2015: Likeability – The Tipping Factor

    Viswa Sadasivan is Editor-in-Chief for Inconvenient Questions, a former Nominated MP of the Singapore Parliament and a former TV current affairs host. The views expressed here are his own.

    Being likeable is not difficult, is it? Yet, why is it that I am finding so many politicians appearing unlikeable during the rallies – even those I know to be reasonably nice people. Quite sad, actually.

    Don’t get me wrong. I am not talking about those who try very hard to show care and concern and end up looking totally plastic. Neither am I talking about the politicians who are clearly too well prepped by spin doctors and end up smiling awkwardly, raising their voices at inappropriate moments, speaking broken English (ostensibly to connect with the crowd), showing off their mastery of multiple languages, or in some cases even crying.

    What our politicians need to come to terms with is: your audience may not all have strong academic credentials, but we are not dumb! We can tell a worthy politician from a ‘wayang king’ (‘drama king’) or a charlatan. Nobody likes being talked down to, patronised or, worse, treated like an idiot. And the more you come at us with highly curated speeches delivered in a rehearsed fashion, the higher the possibility that we won’t just like you less, but actually start disliking you.

    And this is the reality, guys – whether you like it or not. If I like you I am more inclined to believe what you say, and even make excuses for you when you fumble or stumble. If I don’t like you, here’s what will happen. My mind will build barriers to shut out what you say – no matter how correct your facts and figures are and regardless of how polished your presentation. In fact, if I don’t like you, I will find reasons to dislike you every time you say or do something. To believe that the human mind (especiallywhen it interfaces with the heart, which does happen every now and then) thinks and behaves rationally all the time is a dangerous assumption.

    In these hustings I have sensed that likeability has become a distinctly more important quotient that the electorate value and are seeking in candidates and party leaders – a lot more than in the previous GEs. And I have been following our all our elections closely since 1984, when I was just a rookie broadcast journalist. This is probably because we are quite tired of bureaucratically crafted speeches that spew little more than facts and figures and platitudes. We want more than just the CVs of the candidates; we want to see their character and personality and know what they stand for. I am seeing a more discerning and mature electorate this time. Delightful.

    So, what is this likeability quotient – let’s call it LQ, shall we? I think it mainly centers on three factors:authenticity, being human and humane, and competency and conviction.

    We value authenticity because there is just so much rehearsed pitches and double talk. There is simply too much noise. We want clarity and honesty. We want to see people who are the same on and off stage and who speak from the heart. We want people who are comfortable being who they are and prepared to expose their vulnerabilities.

    Being human is about having the capacity for human emotions – fear, joy, sadness, anxiety, anger, apprehension – and being comfortable showing it. Increasingly, we shun those who lack plain human decency. I am seeing too many politicians having this almost-permanent smirk on their faces when explaining something, talking about their adversaries, and especially when others are trying to make a point. I find this absolutely deplorable. Hey, if you are upset or angry – just show it. No need to be cocky about it. It is much more acceptable to show outright displeasure or anger. Being humane is just as important because we don’t want as our leaders people who can’t empathise, sympathise or show compassion. No matter how smart or competent you are, why should we elect you if you rejoice in inflicting pain on others and or in seeing them squirm? I don’t see why we can’t expect a strong but clean fight in an election. We want a leader who treats his adversaries with decency. Human dignity is important. Nobody likes to see a dying horse being flogged!

    It’s hard to sustain likeability if you have the above qualities but can’t demonstrate competency. Competency goes beyond technical skills or domain knowledge. It is about having the ability to read the situation accurately and come up with solutions that allow us to achieve the desired outcome, and not just the desired output.

    And increasingly when choosing a leader, we want to see competency going hand-in-hand with the ability to persuade and get a buy-in. This requires conviction – a deep belief in and commitment to what you are preaching, especially when the idea is original and the territory uncharted. This, for me, is the single most important factor that distinguished the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew – his conviction in the face of the many uncertainties and trials we faced as a nation. I find this sadly lacking among the candidates in this GE, especially on the PAP side.

    In this election campaign, three rally speeches stood out for me. They each brought to sharp relief the qualities I have highlighted, making them likeable enough for us to be moved by them and follow them, regardless of whether we fully agree with everything they say or even disagree with them.

    SDP Secretary-General Dr Chee Soon Juan’s first rally speech had a huge impact not only on the thousands present at the event but also the many more who watched the recording of it as it went viral. Part of this can be attributed to the curiosity that we have about this much-maligned opposition politician for whom this is the first GE he is contesting in after 15 years. What is interesting is that, for me, this rally speech had the power to convert several people who had previously viewed him negatively or even seriously disliked him. Simply put, he came across authentic, reasonably knowledgeable, and very human and humane, with an indefatigable conviction for what he believes in. I am sure the facts he asserted or even his arguments were debatable for many, but the other qualities he exuded defined him and how he was received. It wasn’t so much what he said, but how he said it. By this, I am not talking about rhetoric or eloquence, but clear articulation with conviction, and being critical of his political opponents without resorting to vitriol or suspending decency.

    Similarly, when I did an exclusive interview with him for IQ, the same qualities came through. Even though I asked him questions he was clearly uncomfortable with – such as what he had to say about the allegation that he orchestrated the exit of Mr Chiam See Tong from the party (SDP) the latter formed – he responded honestly and with dignity. When criticizing the PAP he was not disparaging or disagreeable.

    The second rally speech that was outstanding for the reasons I highlighted was that by DPM Tharman Shanmugaratnam. He was, in so many ways, the quintessential political leader – visionary, caring and committed, supremely articulate, conveying his knowledge in a simple yet not simplistic way, inspirational. Above all, he was decent in the way he criticised his political opponents. As always, he didn’t see the need to make caustic or disparaging remarks to put down the opposition. DPM Tharman was also willing to openly acknowledge that the government could have handled some things better. Like Dr Chee Soon Juan’s speech, I am sure there are arguments there that we may not agree with, but his manner and approach took precedence. More than his compelling mind, his heart and gut took centrestage.

    Unlike the case with Dr Chee, DPM Tharman already has the benefit of being liked for his authenticity, his fairness and decency, his competency and quiet conviction. This rally speech rode on that advantage and served to reinforce it. That’s why I feel that this is a speech that helped to tilt the balance in this GE.

    The third rally speech that was quite outstanding and served as a further point of inflection for the ruling party’s campaign was the one delivered by PM Lee at the lunchtime rally in the UOB Plaza on 8 September. In both substance and style, this speech enhanced the Prime Minister’s already strong likeability on the ground. He presented himself more as a national leader and statesman than as the Secretary-General of the PAP. It helped very much that he steered clear of the AHPETC issue. His criticism of issues and arguments raised by the opposition was delivered in a straightforward and dignified manner, and with a dash of irony when he said that a strong PAP is needed to make the opposition work harder.

    Like DPM Tharman, PM Lee’s willingness to acknowledge that we have a long way to go in addressing issues and the need for all of us to work together (possibly including the opposition) seemed to have a positive impact on the audience. His references to the work done by the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew went down well because they were tastefully delivered and didn’t look like an election tactic. In fact, it was inspirational even for this crowd, which tends to be cynical. More than anything else, what stood out in this speech was the PM’s conviction in his belief and his passion for his country and people. This was refreshing.

    Elections and especially General Elections are great opportunities to provoke thought and introspection in a people. A GE need not be just a time for swords to be crossed and to contest ideas and ideals. It is an excellent opportunity to unify a people and unite a nation. For this, we need compelling speeches that go beyond rhetoric and that stir emotions. We need leaders who can deliver these speeches: leaders who command attention… leaders that we truly like.

    Source: https://sg.news.yahoo.com

  • Meet WP’s Fairoz Shariff

    Meet WP’s Fairoz Shariff

    Mohamed Fairoz Bin Shariff is certainly a man of action — and perhaps a bit of risk-taker.

    He sure doesn’t look like one, though — he was a librarian, for goodness sakes — and previously with the Singapore Discovery Centre.

    Every day, he tells us, he eats the same thing for lunch — nasi padang with assam pedas and sambal goreng. He likes it spicy, but that’s about it; it’s the same.

    Photo on the right by Lim Weixiang for Mothership.sg. Image on the left from Disney blogs.
    Photo on the right by Lim Weixiang for Mothership.sg. Image on the left from Disney blogs.

    (although he does remind us a little bit of Jaafar, heh… Okay, we’re kidding!)

    The 36-year-old had only been with the National Library Board (NLB) for 10 months when he decided he would leave the public service to stand with the Workers’ Party’s (WP) slate of candidates for the 2015 General Election.

    And we’ll tell you why he looks like he’s going all-in, too — he’s already got three young mouths to feed (aged seven, five and 10  months), and his mum also stays with him and his wife, a senior staff nurse.

    Yet, he says, the decision to stand was a collective one made by him and his wife.

    “We are aware that, you know, we might just lose the elections and I might just be out of job for some time, but it’s okay,” he told Mothership.sg over Saturday dinner at Bedok Corner food centre, near where he lives.

    In fact, he adds, it’s not at the risk of not being able to provide for his children that he is doing this, but conversely for his kids that he is standing, and it was his wife who pushed him to do so.

    “You can say she’s my pillar — she’s the one who holds me down and says, ‘look, you gotta do this’. She’s the one who always reminds me if I’m stressed to keep calm and move on. So yes, this is something that we have discussed for some time, and we are aware of the risks, but at the end of the day, the way we see it, we both know that what I am doing is for our kids.”

    He said no to standing for election twice

    Photo by Lim Weixiang for Mothership.sg
    Photo by Lim Weixiang for Mothership.sg

    He’s also got an interesting story to tell about how he was motivated to step up — he was first approached to stand in 2006, having been a party member since 2004, but turned the party down because he was about to get married. At the last election in 2011, he also said no because he didn’t feel ready.

    “But what really made me feel that, ok you know what, I do need to step forward, was when in 2011 Pasir Ris-Punggol was contested by SDA and the Malay guy was my friend Shafni, whom my wife and I knew from NUS. We saw him, and I thought, ‘If Shafni is willing to step forward, why not, you know? Why not me?’ So that, in a sense, was when the process of discernment to stand really started.”

    Fairoz knew his intention for standing could not come from this, though — that would be wrong and selfish — and so began a process of refining it that ended with his decision this year to say yes.

    “My family, you can say, also played a role in my inclinations — my late grandmother has always been pro-opposition, I’m not sure why (laughs), and my whole family was brought up in this climate of ‘we need more opposition, we need more balance in our society’, so of course when I shared my intentions to stand with them, I had very strong support from my family… they’re very proud that I’m willing to step forward.”

    He did face some friction from his in-laws, though, who reside in the west (“I think it’s an Easterner-Westerner thing!”) and who cautioned him against “getting involved”.

    “They said if I was going to be a politician, join a party and stand for elections, I would risk losing my job and all that, and it took me awhile to convince them — but really it was my wife who helped to win them over. Now they’re very supportive and say they’re okay with it.”

    He’s an only child with an “extended” family

    Fairoz was about five years old when his birth parents divorced and his father left the family. His mother remarried, he gained two half-brothers, and then divorced and remarried again to his current stepfather, who lives with her and his family.

    All that said, though, he says he dislikes the term “broken family” because he completely does not see his as one.

    “Even though my mum and my two dads are divorced, all our families are on very good terms. My dad comes over during Hari Raya and my mum goes to visit his side too; there’s nothing wrong in our family, and I really wouldn’t call it broken — I’d instead use the term ‘extended’.”

    As a matter of fact, he credits the support from his family as the source of his ability to succeed in school and to stay on the right track.

    “I do get asked this question quite a bit — how I am so successful (academically and professionally) despite being from a broken family, and I say the key is family. The word is family. If we have strong support from our family, then there is nothing to stop that child of a whether it is a divorce family or single parent family to really excel. That is the base. That family support is the key to a child’s success.”

    What’s his plan A and plan B?

    Photo by Lim Weixiang for Mothership.sg
    Photo by Lim Weixiang for Mothership.sg

    With all this in mind, we asked him what his plan A is (if he is elected) and plan B would be (if he isn’t).

    “Plan A — if I get elected, I will definitely be a full-time MP. Plan B… I haven’t really thought about it, but there are a few areas I’d be quite interested to pursue. I hope to go back to lecture at UniSIM, because I really love teaching, or even the NLB, if they’ll take me back, but alternatively, my wife and I might go into reviewing children’s books!”

    And finally, we asked for his assessment of Singapore’s political opposition now. He thinks it comes in three steps:

    1) Allowing everyone to vote — and this, he feels, has been attained, so he’s glad;

    2) Build up a base of credible people — who aren’t just good enough to stand for election but who are also backed by solid volunteers. He feels this is in progress, but also assesses this is moving in the right direction.

    The last? And this, he admits, is some years away, but it would be

    3) To have an opposition party that is able to contest all the seats in parliament and form an alternative government.

    “So it’s a very long process. I think our situation has come about because of the way our political environment has been, you know, for the past 50 years. But I’m glad I’m part of that process.

    And I hope Singaporeans will continue to support us as we move in the right direction, because I feel that if for whatever reason Singapore doesn’t support us, we’ll just go back to square one and then… I do not know what kind of Singapore we are going to leave for our children.”

     

    Source: http://mothership.sg

  • Thank You And Farewell Dr Maliki

    Thank You And Farewell Dr Maliki

    <Farewell Letter to MP Dr Maliki Osman>

    Dear Sir,

    Thank you for serving us the past 5 years. My friends and me in East Coast can see our future in promises made by WP and everyone seems to agree that PAP will lose.

    There is a tide of democracy sweeping through this country and many people feel that the PAP needs to be checked in parliament. I kinda believe in that too because the PAP has allowed the influx of foreigners without proper planning and infrastructure. I feel like a foreigner in my own country now and I think WP deserves a chance to prove themselves.

    You have been a friend to the Malay-Muslim and East Coast community. Even though you are also a Minister of State, you have taken much of your time to spend with us in various community and religious events. It is always sad that someone who has worked tirelessly and who has a good heart is cruelly pushed aside. But alas, that’s elections.

    Come Sep 11, whatever the result, I hope to still see you in East Coast and my house will be open to you. After the elections, we should mend our differences, no matter which side we have voted for. Take good care and stay strong. If you really have the heart to serve, you will still serve us even if you are not my MP.

     

    #eastcoastwillfall

    ***

    <Warkah Buat AP Dr Maliki Osman>

    Salam Dr Maliki,

    Terima kasih kerana khidmat anda selama lima tahun yang lepas. Namun, saya serta rakan-rakan di East Coast semua setuju bahawa masa depan kita akan lebih cerah dengan perubahan dasar yang telah dijanjikan WP. Kami juga berpendapat yang PAP akan tewas.

    Negara kita ini sedang dilanda arus demokrasi – ramai setuju yang PAP harus dipantau di parlimen. Saya sendiri bersetuju dengan falsafah ini. Satu lagi masalah ialah PAP telah membenarkan pemindahan rakyat asing ke negara ini tanpa perancangan yang rapi dan infrastuktur yang mencukupi. Sekarang, saya rasa seperti pendatang asing di negara sendiri. Justeru, saya percaya yang WP harus diberi peluang untuk membuktikan keupayaan mereka di parlimen.

    Anda merupakan rakan kepada masyarat Melayu/Islam dan masyarakat umum di East Coast. Walaupun anda menyandang jawatan Menteri Negara, anda telah banyak meluangkan masa bersama kami di acara-acara keagamaan dan kemasyarakatan. Memang menyedihkan bila seseorang yang telah bertungkus-lumus membanting tulang dan mempunyai jiwa kemasyarakatan diketepikan dengan tidak berhati perut. Namun itu lumrah pilihanraya.

    Walau apa pun keputusannya pada tanggal 11 Sep ini, saya harap masih dapat lihat anda terus bergiat di East Coast. Rumah saya sentiasa terbuka kepada anda. Selesainya pilihanraya ni, kita harus perbaiki semua perbezaan kita, tidak kira parti mana yang telah disokong. Jaga diri dan terus kekal kukuh. Kalau anda betul mempunyai jiwa untuk berkhidmat, anda akan terus bergiat walaupun bukan AP lagi.

     

    #eastcoastwillfall

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