Tag: GE2015

Bukit Batok MP David Ong Resigns

Bukit Batok MP David Ong has announced his resignation citing “personal reasons”, according to a press statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Saturday (Mar 12).

In the meantime, Mr Desmond Lee, Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development and MP for Jurong GRC, will take care of Bukit Batok residents, said PM Lee Hsien Loong.

A by-election will be held in Bukit Batok SMC in due course, he added.
Below are the statements reproduced in full:

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

March 12, 2016
Mohamed Jufrie: Failure Of Opposition To Let Voters Have Their Cake And Eat It Let To Their Dismal Showing At The Polls

Much has been said about the last GE, or rather its result. A combination of factors – from LKY’s passing to newly minted citizens, right down to the bookies who predicted PAP’s loss in many constituencies which alarmed many voters.One important factor which many failed to mention was the failure of the opposition to give voters what they wanted ie to have their cake and eat it.

Singaporeans are very smart indeed. What is the use of having the cake and not getting to eat it?

Simply speaking the voters wanted the PAP to still be the governing party and at the same time they want a strong opposition presence. The alternative parties were just not ready. When they heard minister Khaw Boon Wan’s threat that the PAP might not be able to form the government they panicked and decided to play it safe. They went for the cake even if they end up not getting to eat it.

Had the opposition been smart enough they would have executed the By Election Effect Strategy (BEES as we described it some years ago) to let the PAP form the government on Nomination Day by contesting less than 50% of the seats. Just like we did in 1991 when the opposition won an unprecedented 4 seats – 3 SDP and Low Thia Khiang for the WP.

Had we repeated the BEES voters would not have been threatened and would have voted for the more credible candidates without fear. The credible opposition candidates could then prove themselves worthy of the peoples’ support and gone on to prepare themselves for future elections to win more seats and by then would be on their way to ready themselves for government in subsequent elections.

Voters now get the cake but cannot get to eat it because the PAP would not let them. Just watch.

Source: Mohamed Jufrie Bin Mahmood

October 22, 2015
Would Myanmar Nationals Want A Government Like Singapore’s?

I read with amusement how Myanmar nationals are hoping for change and that the Myanmar junta would be replaced by a government like Singapore’s PAP.

People from third world countries like Myanmar, Philippines and Malaysia admire the Singapore government for the outer facade it presents: strong Sing dollar currency, non-corruption (we Singaporeans know better how truly corrupted the Singapore government is the legal way), safe (unless you offend the wrong group), ample employment opportunities, number of shopping centers (oh you be surprised they gauge how wealthy a country is by the number of shopping malls it has) and etc. These foreign nationals mistakenly believe that Singapore is a pride of Asia and that an “Asian” country can be as good as any first world countries.

Unfortunately, due to the vast gap in understanding democracy and the real definition of a first world country, they fell under the false impression Singapore is an ideal country which they wish their government would be like so. Perhaps in their eagerness against the very evils of their own governments, they sought relief from a new country where its government constantly lie about non-corruption, citizens-first and with-you-for-you war cries. They teared along when they heard Lee Kuan Yew died; knowing nothing of the evils the dictator did. Singapore is their utopia and Singaporeans who complain were told they are more than happy to trade their Prime Ministers for Lee Hsien Loong.

Blinded and frustrated by the sorry state of affairs in their homeland, foreigners who praise the Singapore government are honestly those with very shallow and backward mindsets, with their understanding of governance and societies at superficial levels and knowing nothing about macro-economics, political dynamics, sustainability, positioning and the very dangerous consequences of having the kind of leadership Singapore has. In their point of view, Singapore is on the right track and there is nothing to worry about Singapore and even so for the next 50 years. Including new citizens and PRs, they were not brought up through the Singapore system and were largely ignorant of the sacrifices and trade-offs of being a Singaporean.

After all, people who reached maturity do not make flippant suppositions like trading their Prime Ministers for Lee Hsien Loong. Take up the Singapore citizenship, Lee Hsien Loong will make sure you take back your words. Till then, good luck hoping for change in Myanmar.

Alex

Source: www.tremeritus.com

October 20, 2015
Goh Meng Seng: Good Opposition Performance Backfired, Don’t Blame Small Opposition Parties

From Goh Meng Seng

I cannot help but wonder why people cannot see through the plain attempt of some political leaders of shifting away blame when they come up with some totally illogical and even contradicting statements.

Half truth is thrown up to mask their flaw argument.

For example, people say opposition suffered a bad swing because of small parties and we contested all seats. This is because people fear PAP losing power.

One must first look at simple facts of comparison. In 2011, all but 6 seats were contested. You mean to say that PAP won’t face the same risk of losing power in 2011 if we simply look at the total number of seats contested?

There must be something more to make voters to fear PAP losing power. There are combined factors:

1. The show of an over confident of WP and SDP winning. This can only be effected when majority of media focus has been put on them, showing the huge crowd size of their rallies and suggestive reporting of potential GREAT victory. This also means that other small parties did not hog the news space and didn’t project any negativity to voters as a whole.

2. However, the number seats of WP and SDP added up will not Cross the 50% mark. It would be irrational for voters to conclude that PAP will lose power if Both WP and SDP win all the seats they contested. Thus, it also means that in voters’ mind, other smaller parties may also win seats! If that was so, it must be the case that voters also think smaller parties have good credible candidates who could potentially win seats as well .

Now, how can people start to say that other smaller parties do not have credible candidates if that was the case?

Thus, please don’t put blame on other smaller parties. Opposition as a whole has put up a TOO STRONG showing which Ironically backfired. It was too strong overall to make people frighten of the unthinkable, PAP LOSING POWER.

Contrary to those nay sayers, opposition wasn’t weak at all and it was Precisely due to this perceived strength, voters begin to worry about PAP losing power. Period.

Source: People’s Power Party – PPP

October 19, 2015
A Letter From Australia – Thank You SDP For Well-Run Campaign In GE2015

Dear Singapore Democratic Party,

I am a Singaporean living in Australia. I am married to an Australian and live here with our family.

I followed closely both GE2011 and more recently GE2015 from afar, which has been made possible by the Internet in current times. Needless to say, given that I am writing this letter to you, I am supportive of having strong and credible opposition voices in the current political climate in Singapore.

Since GE2015, 9/11/15, I have been left somewhat broken-hearted, and to be honest, a little shell-shocked. It is not my intent to go into a political analysis here – I am not a political commentator, neither am I au fairewith the intricacies of politics in Singapore – I am sure that you all would have done/ will do a post-mortem of the outcomes from GE2015 and are in a much better position to do so that I am.

However, I would like to give my gratitude to ALL OF YOU, candidates and volunteers alike, at the SDP (and all other opposition parties) for putting yourselves forward in a bid to secure an alternative, and equally as good if not better, future for the country and people of Singapore. Thank you. You are all courageous and progressive people that Singapore should be proud to call sons and daughters.

In my opinion, GE2015 saw the fielding of the strongest pool of opposition candidates that Singapore has seen since Independence. Not just in formal qualifications, but also in personality, character and voice. It was because of this that I was so heartbroken that the ground did not show the support that I had wished it to. It was never a question for me that the incumbent party would still form government at the end of this round of GE based on numbers alone (and dare I say, so should they as they are probably the most adequately resourced to do so at present), but I had felt that the opposition field this time would have been able to provide the much-needed alternative and credible voice in Parliament, to challenge both the incumbent and people of the nation to think outside-of-the-box, be more progressive and dare to dream beyond our backyard as a nation. I would have been happy even with a stronger margin for the opposition than what GE2015 delivered, for a more promising GE2020. Alas, that wasn’t to be so.

So it leaves, I guess, the opposition parties and their supporters to re-evaluate their positions, as they face the cross-roads post GE2015.

In any case, please accept my gratitude again for a campaign well-run for GE2015. Onwards and forwards to the next milestone!

With best wishes,
Elin

Source: http://yoursdp.org

October 19, 2015