Tag: Chee Soon Juan

Getting Used To A New Face As Singapore PM

The GE is coming and as in any general election, a new man or woman could be thrown up as the new Prime Minister. This is normal and common in any democracy except in Singapore. Here the PM is like a life time tenure and would go to the PAP’s candidate. In this GE the PM in the aftermath would be Hsien Loong. There is hardly any doubt about this. Many things would change but the PM of Singapore after the GE would not change.

Let’s put aside this reality and go on a trip to wonderland and let’s say a miracle happens and a new party or coalition is swept to power. And Singaporeans would have to live with a new face as the new Prime Minister. Who would that face be, Low Thia Khiang, Sylvia Lim, Chen Show Mao, Chee Soon Juan or Tan Jee Say? Try to imagine that one of them would be the new Prime Minister. The feeling is quite strange.

Strange it might be, but would anyone picture Jokowi, a businessman, not an elite or a general, an unassuming man being the President of Indonesia? Jokowi has been the President of Indonesia for more than a year and is looking more and more like a President. And who says you need to have experience in politics and an apprenticeship to become a President or a head of govt?

In a democracy every citizen is good enough to be the President or Prime Minister. Singaporeans must get use to a new face as the Prime Minister sooner or later. Maybe not in this election, but it will come. Look at Low Thia Khiang and get use to his face as the PM. Or look at Jee Say or Chee Soon Juan, get accustom to their faces and get use to it that their faces could be the face of a PM. Imagine them in formal business suits and ties and looking dignified as the Prime Minister. I am not talking about the money type of dignity, but the dignity of the Office of the Prime Minister, the Head of the govt of a country.

It is just a matter of getting use to it. Get the idea? In a democracy you don’t need to be from the nobility or aristocracy to be the Prime Minister. There is no need to look noble and rich, just look like a Prime Minister will do. And the strange thing is that it will grow on the person in the Office.

Source: http://mysingaporenews.blogspot.com.au

July 31, 2015
SDP: Authorities Must Investigate Illegal Political Campaigning By PAP At Durian Party

Good morning friends, this is probably not the best way to start you on your week but its something you should know. Over the weekend there was a durian party organised by some grassroots organisations at the park just outside the SDP office at Jalan Gelenggang.

We heard the some people at the party shouting: “Vote PAP!” This took place at Kebun Baru, part of Lee Hsien Loong’s AMK GRC.

This is wrong for two reasons. The campaign period has not yet begun and it is illegal to canvas for voters. Two, this is a grassroots event presumably paid for by public funds. Why was it turned into a vote-PAP affair?

We hope authorities will look into this.

Source: Singapore Democratic Party

July 27, 2015
Incredible That Lee Hsien Loong Kept Appointment Of Electoral Boundaries Review Committee A Secret

It is shocking that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong chose not to announce the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee when he appointed it two months ago.

He revealed the formation of the EBRC only in Parliament today. Such a non-transparent approach to elections continues to tilt the playing field heavily in the PAP’s favour.

Add to this the secretive way the constituencies are formulated and we have the perfect example of an undemocratic ruling party out to ensure victory at all cost and with little regard for the views of the people.

The SDP calls on Mr Lee to ensure that at least two months are given from the time of the announcement of the new boundaries to the dissolution of Parliament.

There should also be ample time of at least three weeks for official campaigning which is in keeping with international democratic norms.

Any less than these time frames will signal that the PAP is unrepentant of its former ways – despite the apologies and tears in the last general elections – and therefore nervous about a fair competition for votes.

The PAP may continue with its tactic of announcing the boundaries at the last possible moment and give the least amount of time for official campaigning.

This will benefit the PAP at the expense of Singaporeans for the results will not be a true reflection of the will of the people. In the long-run, it will be Singapore that suffers.

Source: http://yoursdp.org

July 14, 2015
SDP In Retreat

No, don’t get all excited, PAP. We’re just taking the opportunity to get away and spend some time re-charging our batteries, getting ready to make the big push for the coming GE.

Retreat 2015 was held over this weekend in Desaru in Johor and participants got into the swing of things as we headed outdoors and enjoyed some of the sea, surf and sun.

It’s a great way for the SDP family to come together and get to know one another better. More than 60 delegates attended this year’s event. It is the first time since 2007 that the retreat is held away from Singapore.

Team-building (see photo as participants built a human pyramid) took centre stage. It is only when members work together as a single unit that success is possible.

The day saw a volleyball match that pitted our Women Democrats against their male counterparts. For the record, the women won.

There was also a belly flop contest in the pool – the identity of the winner will not be revealed.

The retreat was also an occasion for us to sharpen our plans for the elections. Discussion sessions were held to identify weaknesses in our operations and processes drawn up to address these areas of deficit.

One major point that emerged from the discussion was the plan to expand and deepen our grassroots campaign.

The coming weeks and months will see the party reach out even more to Singaporeans and involve them more in our push for victory.

It is the passion of our members and volunteers that enable the various units to operate effectively and bring our message home to the electorate. This commitment will only intensify in the lead up to the GE.

But for this weekend, it was a time to relax and re-charge. It was a great weekend made better great comradeship.

GE 2015, here we come!

Source: http://yoursdp.org

May 25, 2015
Chee Soon Juan: I Call Upon Lee Hsien Loong To Lead With Courage And Wisdom In Amos Yee Saga

Mr Amos Yee’s video and his prosecution has grabbed the attention of Singaporeans, evoking strong emotions among many people.

Amos’ remarks must have hurt PM Lee Hsien Loong deeply. After all, Lee Kuan Yew was the PM’s father and no one enjoys having their loved ones criticised, especially at a time when one is still grieving and in the manner in which it was done. Amos’ video was offensive and ill-advised.

But this is where we need leadership to come through. Mr Lee is not an ordinary citizen. He is the leader of the country. Difficult as it may be, he must separate his personal feelings from his public ones.

Clearly, there are laws that empower the state to prosecute the teenager. But life’s lessons impart to us that just because we can, it doesn’t mean that we should.

Amos, as it has been repeatedly pointed out, is still a teenager and as teenagers go, so goes all the emotional complexities that adolescence brings.

As parents, we must seek to influence and mould rather than proscribe and punish. Our instinct must be to coax the best out of our children whatever their talents and frailties. As leaders, should we act any differently towards our youths?

From his Facebook posts, Amos seems to be undergoing a complex time in his development. He is undoubtedly endowed with exceptional talent. We should also recognise that he is not a hardened, let alone common, criminal deserving of shackles and imprisonment. For all his precociousness, he is still a child who needs guidance.

Given the situation, the state should provide Amos and his parents assistance rather than make life more difficult for them.

In the bigger picture, how we deal with youths like Amos – and there is a rapidly growing number among the younger generation who are frustrated with the current political system – will determine how we progress as a nation.

If all we are intent on is to shut our youths up by prosecuting and imprisoning them, then we are creating a dangerous situation for ourselves. We will rue the missed opportunity to bring them into public process and harness their intellect and exuberance if we hope to progress.

It is imperative that this Government deals with the emerging situation with greater sophistication than it has demomstrated thus far. To do this, we need more discussion and nuanced conversation, not prosecution.

As for Amos’ comments on Christianity, there are many in the SDP who are Christians and we are not offended by the video. Neither do we wish to see Amos prosecuted for his views – our faiths are not so shallow as to punish a boy for criticising it.

It is, therefore, incomprehensible to see the state media mischievously suggest that it was the SDP who had influenced Amos to make his video. It is such kind of irresponsible journalism that causes national discord.

If the PAP is offended by Amos’ words, then I would like to remind it that I have been called worse things, much of it by Lee Kuan Yew himself. I choose not to harbour any grudge for a burdened heart cannot truly serve the people.

In this vein, I call on the Prime Minister to step up and lead. With courage and wisdom.

Source: Chee Soon Juan

May 11, 2015