Imagine a Singapore with the PAP in charge for another 50 years
February 4th, 2010 | 
Author: OPINION
A staff of Bishan-Toa Payoh Town Council (and suspected PAP member) wrote a letter to the Straits Times Forum yesterday to defend the PAP’s “track record” over the last fifty years.
Entitled “Imagining a Singapore without PAP”, Mr Ling Tuck Mun wrote that “every Singaporean would likely become a millionaire overnight” if the PAP were to distribute most of the country’s reserves to all eligible Singaporeans to pay tribute to the PAP government’s achievements over the last fifty years.
“I wonder if any Singaporean can still be confident of the worth of having a million dollars without the PAP in power,” he wrote.
It smacks of utter desperation of PAP members and supporters to resort to such a hypothetical scenario which will never happen in real life to defend the PAP’s continued political hegemony.
While we must admit that the PAP has done some good for Singapore, we should not forget the fact that the bulk of the credit should go to ordinary Singaporeans for building the nation and not a few leaders of a political party.
Without hardworking, thrifty and sensible citizens to generate year after year of budget surpluses, will the PAP government have so much reserves to splurge on risky overseas investments now?
Besides, past achievements can hardly be used to justify the PAP’s stranglehold on power.
Instead of “imagine a Singapore without PAP”, Singaporeans should be asking this:
“Imagine a Singapore with the PAP in charge for another 50 years.”
A political party is only as good as its leaders are. The present PAP is a pale shadow of its former self and has ceased to be a political party altogether.
It is merely a political vehicle for a single man to govern the country. No PAP member can ever hope to rise up in its ranks without prior approval from this man.
The PAP has been enjoying a “good life” for far too long without any opposition in parliament to check on it.
Due to the lack of political competition, it has become complacent with many of its leaders losing touch with the ground and forgetting that they are put into power by the people in the first place.
There is little accountability or transparency in Singapore’s present political system which resembles more like a third world dictatorship than a first world democracy.
All institutions of the state are controlled by the PAP directly or indirectly such as the police, media, civil society, grassroots organizations and trade unions.
Repressive laws are put in place to curtail the civil and political liberties of citizens under the guise of “public order and safety”.
It is not a surprise that Singapore is described as a “textbook example of a politically repressive state” by respected international NGO Human Rights Watch recently in its annual report.
The entire set-up is put in place to perpetuate the PAP’s rule forever so as to prevent an alternative center of power from emerging to challenge it.
Even Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong admitted himself that Singapore is better off being dominated by a single party than multi-party politics.
Law Minister Shanmugam defended Singapore’s political system on the basis that it needs an “efficient” government which makes fast decisions.
The stunning policy reversals made by the PAP recently is a testament to the failure of a rigid one-party system over-dependent on a 86 year old “forecaster extraordinarie” to think out of the box, anticipate future problems and to inspire an entire nation to follow its leadership.
Based on current policy trends and direction, the following stands a higher chance of happening than PAP distributing our reserves to every citizen if we were to allow the PAP to rule Singapore for another fifty years:
1. Native Singaporeans will become a minority:
Due to the PAP’s liberal immigration and pro-foreigner policies, foreigners now make up 36 per cent of Singapore’s population, up from 14 per cent in 1990. Of the remaining 64 per cent who are citizens, an increasing proportion are born overseas.
The birth rates of native Singaporeans, especially the ethnic Chinese, continue to decrease despite a slew of government incentives introduced to encourage them to bear more children while the PAP has promised only to “slow down” the inflow of immigrants.
At the rate they are mass importing foreigners elsewhere to take up Singapore citizenship, it is only a matter of time before native Singaporeans fall below 50 per cent of the population. In fact the day is not too far away.
With Singaporeans becoming a minority in their own country, it will become increasingly difficult for them to vote out the increasingly unpopular PAP which is actively wooing PRs and new citizens by roping them into grassroots organizations in a desperate bid to hang on to power
2. Brain drain will accelerate:
According to figures from the Home Affairs Ministry, there are about 180,000 Singaporeans working overseas, many of whom are unlikely to return.
About 1,000 Singaporeans give up their citizenships yearly and the number is set to rise in the coming years.
In an interview done by the Straits Times two years ago, more than 50 per cent of youths interviewed had expressed thoughts of emigrating.
Common reasons cited include stressful living conditions, lack of social security in old age and a repressive political climate.
Contrary as to what the PAP would like to believe, the degree of political freedom in a country is an important factor in keeping and attracting world class talents, few of whom want to live forever under the shadow of a totalitarian state.
Furthermore, there is an increasing number of unhappy, frustrated and angry Singaporeans who are voting with their feet because they have given up hope of voting the PAP out of office altogether.
The PAP is replacing the talented Singaporeans who left with second and third class “talents” from China and India which will surely decrease the quality of our “stock” in the long run.
How can Singapore expect to compete with China, India and its neighbors when it is importing “inferior” talents from them while its own talented people are emigrating in droves? The future of Singapore is becoming indeed bleaker and bleaker with each passing day.
3. Widening income gap between the rich and the poor:
Under PAP rule, Singapore’s income gap between the rich and the poor has widened considerably over the last two decades.
Singapore now has the highest income gap among the thirty most developed countries in the world due to the PAP’s lop-sided economic policies which favor big businesses at the expense of ordinary citizens.
It is widely acknowledged among economists that Singapore’s phenomenal economic growth over the last few years is a result of its open-door policies to foreign workers which help to keep labor costs down thereby boosting the GDP growth figures artificially.
The relentless influx of cheap foreign labor has depressed the wages of ordinary Singaporeans which remain stagnant at $2,600 monthly.
The PAP doesn’t seem to be concerned about the implications of Singapore’s widening income gap as illustrated by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew’s reply to a question on it at a Kent Ridge Ministerial Forum last year.
He said that Singapore’s widening income gap is an “inevitable consequence” of globalization and it mattered little so long the government continues to create jobs for Singaporeans.
He forgot the fact that some jobs offer too low a pay to afford a decent standard of living in Singapore and that Japan, South Korea and Taiwan have been exposed to globalization too and yet they have a much narrower income gap than Singapore.
Singapore will soon become only a playground for the rich ruling elites and foreigners while the poor continue to slog day in and out to pay for the roofs over their heads.
4. More and more expensive HDB flats:
Due to limited supply of new flats and rising demand fueled by immigration, the prices of HDB flats have sky-rocketed in recent years.
Despite widespread frustration, worries and resentment on the ground, the PAP has refused to even acknowledge the problem.
National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan continues to insist that HDB flats remain “affordable” to ordinary Singaporeans though he admitted that he was “caught off guard” by the recent spikes in prices.
His deputy Senior Minister of State Grace Fu said the price appreciation is a “good thing” for Singaporeans as it help “create wealth” for them which can only be unlocked if they emigrate out of the country.
Law Minister Shanmugam claimed he had a “hunch” that Singaporeans are responsible for the sky-rocketing prices when it is the PRs who are “spoiling” the market as admitted later by MM Lee himself.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said there is nothing his administration can do to control prices in the resale market when all it needs to do is to increase the supply of new flats, housing subsidies and income ceiling.
At the rate the prices are going up, HDB flats will soon cost more than $1 million dollars in the not too distant future thereby plunging Singaporeans into greater debts.
The PAP is unlikely to bring down prices because it will spark an outcry among earlier buyers who have bought their flats at exorbitant prices and hence prices will continue to go up in the future.
Unfortunately, the wages of ordinary Singaporeans are unlikely to keep pace with the increase in HDB flat prices and Singaporeans will have to pay through their teeth for a 99-year old leasehold property which do not belong to them in the first place.
5. Uncertain and insecure future, especially in old age:
Though Singapore is the second richest nation in Asia after Japan and its two giant sovereign wealth funds GIC and Temasek Holdings can afford to lose billions of dollars of national reserves in failed overseas investments, Singaporeans, its citizens enjoy few social welfare benefits especially in public healthcare.
Despite repeated claims by the PAP that public healthcare is affordable to Singaporeans, there are increasing concerns on the ground that their savings may be depleted by hefty medical expenses.
Indeed there is a common saying among Singaporeans that “one can afford to die, but not fall ill in Singapore.”
With stagnant wages, increase in cost of living and little savings left after paying for over-priced HDB flats, Singaporeans from the middle and lower income group face an uncertain and insecure future ahead of them, especially in old age.
There is no job security in Singapore. Regardless of one’s qualifications, one can easily get replaced by a cheaper “foreign talent” in their 30s, 40s or 50s and force to take up a lower-paying job.
There is no security in old age and unless one belongs to the top 10 per cent of the earners in Singapore, one is expected to work for as long as it takes till the day they drop dead and die. Is this all life is about?
The Singapore government can well afford to increase spending on social welfare to provide cheaper public healthcare and to assist the needy, but has blatantly refused to do so.
Is this the kind of life you want for yourself, your children and grandchildren under another 50 years of uninterrupted PAP rule without any checks and balances?
6. Viability of Singapore as a nation is becoming a suspect:
It took us 50 years to forge a common identity as Singaporeans, but this good work done by past PAP leaders is being dismantled bit by bit by the relentless influx of foreigners which has diluted Singapore’s national identity.
There is little time to integrate all the newcomers because too many of them have come within too short a period of time.
As there are already substantial number of them in Singapore, they tend to congregate among themselves instead of reaching out to other Singaporeans.
We are already seeing ethnic enclaves emerging in the HDB heartlands and the situation is likely to worsen in the future.
With native Singaporeans leaving en masse and being replaced by economic migrants from third world countries, the viability of Singapore as a nation is becoming a suspect.
Singapore is becoming more like a playground for the rich and connected and a hotel for the foreigners than a home for Singaporeans.
When native Singaporeans are struggling daily just to make ends meet, it is difficult to expect them to have any sense of belonging to the country.
To compound matters, with China and India becoming more developed and prosperous, the brain drain is starting to reverse with Singapore Chinese and Indians flocking there to work, live and retire.
There is already a sizable Singapore community in the Pearl River Delta region of China and the number will probably set to grow in the coming years.
As the PAP continues to build Singapore as an economic paradise for big businesses, it has forgotten how human nature works: human beings will always seek a better life and security is foremost on their minds when they decide where to plant their roots.
This will be where our country is heading to if we allow the PAP to rule Singapore for another fifty years.
GIC and Temasek may still have billions of reserves in their kitties, but what significance do they have if we do not have a nation to speak of?
Posted in Opinion
100 Responses to “Imagine a Singapore with the PAP in charge for another 50 years”
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I will still like to see PAP in power but not in absolute power.
An ideal scenario would be say PAP holding 55-60% of the parliament seats.
Then PAP can still roll out policies but they will have to pass through the scrutiny of the opposition to ensure different perspectives are considered.
To allow this to be effective Opposition has to improved and be professional and not critise for the sake of criticising which sadly had been the case previously.
Only then can this be positive for Singaporeans
i knew it…instantly when i saw the Straits Times forum pg. Thought to myself, when kind of self respecting Singaporean would write that crap.
LOL…. Bishan-Toa Payoh is now feeling the heat!
Since they like to play imagination game, why not consider the worse.
HoleJinx in charge of TH for another 5 years. ALL GONE.
Singaporeans have more debt than foreign reserves, and singapore women have to go to JB, KL, Jakarta to work as maid.
Any body can paint a pretty picture. Take fortitude to imagine the worse.
There will much be happiness if there are, 40 Opposition MP’s in Parliament with 40+ Pap MP’s.
But this is not a far-fetched scenario, God willing.
Even if PAP distributes Singapore’s reserves, every Singaporean will get at most $100,000. Ling Tuck Mun conjured his $1m figure out of thin air?
$300 billion / 3 million Singaporeans = $100k
And what is $100k? PAP makes at least this amount of profit for every flat it sells so it is our own money after all!
i prefer to see credible opposition holding the majority of seats.
pap needs to learn from opposition how to formulate policies that will benefit Singaporeans, not foreigners, not PRs, not towkays and pap elites only.
I wrote the following in another forum but it may be worth reposting here.
Despite the logical flaws in this forum letter, it does point out an increasingly appealing possibility. I have the following wish list for the Singapore without the PAP:
1. Amend the Constitution so that no government can change the election laws in its favor, e.g. to introduce the GRC, without a national referendum. It is ridiculous if we allow football players to change the rules of the game in mid-game!
2. Repeal all unjust and unconstitutional laws. Particularly, the Internal Security Act and the Public Order Act 2009 (in its present form). Amend the Land Acquisition Act – this is more relevant 20 years ago but it may be amended to provide mechanism for restitution for the people unjustly affected by this Act, Amend the Newspapers and Printing Presses Act and the Films Act to develop a free press and free media. While we are at it, unshackle the Law Society.
The above is merely to undo the nonsense promulgated in the past.
3. Enact a Freedom of Information Act. The government must have an obligation to the People to act transparently and to be accountable.
4. Re-align and re-structure the ministries to be People-centric instead of profit-centric.
5. Commission a presidential inquiry into the losses of GIC and Temasek Holdings. Isn’t it the main constitutional duty of the president to protect the reserves? Define an orderly timetable to divest the assets of both agencies and return the monies to the People. The People shall use these monies to fulfill their aspirations. We have heard of the American dream, we should have our own Singaporean dream.
6. Divest the GLCs in an orderly fashion. The government involvement in business has clouded policy making since the beginning. It creates conflicts of interest all over and it prevents the development of proper regulation for the effective growth of the various industries.
This list is not exhaustive; please add to it.
PAP’s feeling the heat! Keep the flame burning all the way to GE! Now they are using everything they have to start to intimidate the meek and ignorant and it is our job to convince people around us the fallacies of their propaganda! Once we discard our collective fears and apathy we can make our political system more transparent and most importantly accountable. Without accountability the PAP can do anything and everything they want without any decent restraint. Singaporeans are on the verge of the biggest social disaster and it is not the time to bicker over minor differences on whether PAP should still govern with smaller representation in the parliament or to form a new government by the oppositions. The important issue is that we need to vote opposition candidates this coming GE! Why all the fears of democracy and lamentation on how democracy may cause inefficient administration of the state? Ask ourselves whether the current system working? Are you having a better life as compared to the 1990s? Do you have hope for your children’s future in Singapore? Do you forsee a happy retirement life? Do you feel the current administration listens to the voice of Singaporeans? The most important of all, are you happy with your current circumstances? Please make your vote count as nothing can happen for the better if you cast a vote for PAP or worse a spoiled vote. Vote in more oppositions MPS. Our collective future depends on your vote.
Winston Churchill said and I quote, ” There is no such thing as public opinion. There is only published opinion “.
So all views by SPH are not public opinions but published opinions of its boss,the PAP, under various guises. The PAP propaganda machine is at work through SPH.
SG DOES NOT HAVE A HEART NOR A SOUL. IT IS A CASTLE BUILT ON SHIFTING SAND.
@ Steve Wu
I also have a list from elsewhere which also has your first few points in it. Just to add to your list, there must be proper segregation of the 3 arms of gahmen (ie namely the legislative, executive & judicial)
The Chinese Way One of the greatest diffculties for newcomers involved in importing from China is coming to terms with the fact that doing business in China is very different to doing business elsewhere.
TR,
you forget to ask whether this clown is one of those decision-makers of respective Town Council involve in the MiniBomb loss of tax-money and monies manned to improve the well-being of estate.
Is this clown also one of those who receive more than 5 months’ bonus using town council fund ?
in fact many singaporeans have not bothered to read in detail what the straits times dished out . simply said its full of lies and half truths coupled with a sprinkling of biasness in its comments.
anyway, its too late for pap to undo what they did over the last 50 years of bondage to the people. for me i hope to see real action and decisiveness from the leaders and not simply lip service.
Distribute $1 million to each of us? No! we don’t even dare to think about that. But for a start, the government can make life easier for Singaporeans, by reducing the GST to zero and by selling HDB flats to Singaporeans at cost. Pro government people keep telling us the government is very rich, can give the people $1 million each, but we have not seen a cent of the money benefiting the people yet. On the contrary, the government has been taking lots of money from the people indirectly, through higher flat prices, transport and medical costs, GST, utility charges, etc.
Hence the Divine gift of the Internet to the world!
//Steve Wu @ 9.45 am
Thanks for the good post. For a start, your list is certainly good enough.
The basic flaw in the writer’s piece is that he is seeing the world on monochrome. What is not white, is black. If PAP is gone, 100% – ALL of it – of the foreign reserves will be squandered. Who says so? The world is very beautiful and colourful. Only the blind thinks perpetually that it is just etiher this, or that, nothing in between.
I guess that the message in the straits times will still sound logical to the vast majority of common folk who hasn’t learn the beauty of colours.
Even Toyota can create brakes which fail despite being in the business for 60 years or more. How can anyone tolerate and continue to defend an indefensible position, i cannot believe it.
zero
Expect the continuing propaganda stream from the state media.. which is why TR must continue to focus on its objective as the alternative media…
TR must not stray from this focus !
Steve Wu, i couldnt agree with you more.
no political party can hold on to power forever. adding to your list:
1. a 2 party system has to be introduced to enable check and balances.
2. the judiciary should be explicitly disentangled from party politics.
太监们的工作就是如此：皇帝面前歌功颂德。
这些太监总会谣言惑众，高呼：“万岁万岁万万岁”。
PAP has done well breeding this class of eunuchs amongst its followers.
Qin (秦）dynasty was supposed to last 10000 years when QinSiHuang (秦始皇）conquered all of China. Eventually it was the Eunuch which doomed Qin. And so we have the PAP Eunuchs singing praise here in Singapore, this is the precursor to the downfall of the PAP.
Majulah Singapura.
My boss always tell me, nobody is indispensible. That too, applies to PAP. A country is built to doom if any party believe they are the one and only. The people has to decide and hold to the fork that a non-peformer, such as PAP, must leave the arena to prevent Singapore from collapsing. It makes business sense.
@Steve Wu on Thu, 4th Feb 2010 9:45 am
I think you deserve at least a million in salary for these constructive opinions instead of some of the so-called ‘lions’.
@ Terence Goh on Thu, 4th Feb 2010 9:37 am
Yes, another HOAX invented to CON Singapore.
A drowning man will clutch at a straw!!!
At the rate of investment performance, it won’t take long for all that to disappear completely.
AND IF WE ADD MIGRANTS, the costs of building new supporting infrastructures will dissipate that amount faster than a puff of cigarette smoke!!
Ling Tuck Mun is lving in a FANTASY WORLD OF HIS OWN MAKE-BELIEVE AND AMAZING THAT IT HAS EVEN GONE INTO PRINT.
I guess not many readers bother to do some calculation – just swallow lock stock and barrell of bullshits.
@ Steve Wu on Thu, 4th Feb 2010 9:45 am
I want to add to your list
7. Bills of Rights for citizenry to equalize dictatorial power of corrupt political institutions
8. No appointment to top public service position be by select appointment – solely by merit and open to foreign competition.
9. Bring back the right to Privvy Council Appeal
10. Ministerial salary be taxed like everyone else
11. All inheritance distributed be taxed above $1 million
Some one else can add more
count yourselves lucky they didn’t enlarge the GRCs to become 10 member GRCs ….
cos last time 6 members needed to represent minority races,
but now with more foreigners, we need more members to represent filipino, new indian/bangladeshi nationals, new vietnamese, new indonesia (that’s 4 more members liao) … any more?
I would like to say something to overseas Singaporeans. Please register and update with your constituents’ electoral roll at the CCs. Try your very best to come home to vote this coming election. I will take leave from my posting in Copenhagen to vote in the coming GE as I know that my country’s future is stake. It is time for a change in Singapore’s political climate and Singapore needs us the citizens of Singapore to fulfill the national pledge. I do not believe that the national pledge is just empty ideals but very important perspectives that guide Singapore to a better and brighter future. I thought of migration many times. But Singapore is my home and I thought what kind of a man I am if I just do not make my country a better place? I will stay and I will do my part.
“If PAP is in charge for another 50 years”
All Peasant’s descendants will become slaves of the gahment, keep paying and paying for their obscene salary, Auntie Ho’s investment losses.
The symbiotic relationship between HDB, CPF and GIC must be rethinked.
1.
HDB should be privatised and split into say 3 units and distribute its shares to singaporeans age 21 and above, something like REITs
No share selling allowed, to be cancelled at retirement age or death, whichever is earlier.Only dividends will be distributed.
Thus,even if prices of flats goes up,singaporeans get more dividend. if prices goes down,less or no dividends,but compensated by lower flat prices.
Govt’s job to prevent housing cartel forming and provide rental flats for low income singaporeans. Private developers welcome to participate in building flats.
Independent valuation of land cost to prevent SLA from jacking up price
2.
If GIC wants to continue managing CPF’s funds, it should be transparent and accountable by distributing its dividends/rental income back to singaporeans instead of to government.
I want it to be on record!
Dr Albert Winsemius was the true architect of modern Singapore, not PAP or LKY.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Winsemius
Unfortunately this great man, passed away in 1996; And coincidently, Singapore’s socio-economic/political rot started soon after his death. This proves, MIW is inept or has no idea how to manage our economy.
We need the likes of Paul Krugman (Author of The Myth of Asia’s Miracle), to help us steer through our bad times.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Krugman
http://web.mit.edu/krugman/www/myth.html (read under heading Paper Tiger)
These are the kind of Foreign Talents we need.
They are not Singaporeans, but yet they are sensitive to our economic situation.
Something, our Economic Professors in our local universities need to learn from.
Quoting from http://www.pkarchive.org/others/desperation.html
“Following the 1994 “Myth” article, Singapore’s senior minister Lee Kuan Yew — particularly incensed over Mr. Krugman’s comparison of Asian economies with that of the old Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin — took to regularly thrashing Mr. Krugman and his argument. Put simply, the argument was that Asia’s growth was almost entirely attributable to mobilization of resources, principally people and foreign investment, and not from value-added in the form of productivity, technology, or quality enhancements. As disingenuous as his argument sounds now, it provoked a storm of controversy among insecure Asian government executives and corporate chieftains ensconced in inefficient, protected companies. Criticism, as usual, was principally spin-based, not factual: Mr. Krugman didn’t understand Asia, Asian values accounted for Asia’s success, his data was wrong. All of this, of course, made Mr. Krugman extraordinarily famous — and a media star — especially in Asia, as the economist who stood up to Mr. Lee. Meanwhile, Mr. Lee quietly began to read and talk quite a lot about productivity and innovation.”
So did the ESC or MIW thought of the proposal on their own? I don’t think so.
I forgot to add:
So do we need PAP? No we don’t!
There are many capable people who can advise our leaders on how to manage Singapore’s economy and its people.
TR should spread the news to as many singaporeans as possible, time is crucial as you can see that the MIW are now all out in full force to con the public again using all their state controlled advertising media. It is good that you have all your news both in english and chinese here, so start using mass emailing now, its the most effective ways of letting the world knows whats been going on behind the people’s back.
如果。。。。如果。。。。。
如果我有一百万。。。。。。
如果我能長生不老。。。。。
如果我是皇帝。。。。。。。
如果我是一只鳥。。。。。。
這些人只會做 白。。。日。。。夢。。。。！
呸！
4/2/10
The PAP will be filled with those from China and our Modern Singapore will be run by the PAP-China and Mandarin is the official language and perhaps a satellite state of Mainland China and the local born regardless of races very minimum (all migrated to other nations like neighbouring Malaysia,Thailand, Australia, Newzealdn……sad and this must never happens.
Regards
Andrew Chuah
Eventually corruption will set in no matter how many millions we pay them. That’s human nature & it’s weakness. Note: Corruption can comes in many forms!
“Imagine a Singapore with the PAP in charge for another 50 years”
yah right! as what MM mentioned before has finally becoming a reality to all singaporean women, you will all turn domestic maids now serving the FT locally, the best thing here is you don’t have to do that in other country anymore, so you save alot on travelling expenses.
show me the money…..
and as for the old folks, you just have pray hard that you still be able to take out the remaining of your life long cpf saving, and hopefully its enough to buy you a proper coffin.
nowadays, even CPF which is a state organ is trying to con us…
http://sg.dimension.jobsdb.com/career/Default.asp?PID=3&AC=CPF&EC=SG&GC=&JobID=135&LID=Null&SP=1&7F928F1E-EFAD-4022-9849-25548D0DEA75
“must write convincing report”
“I wonder if any Singaporean can still be confident of the worth of having a million dollars without the PAP in power,” he wrote. – HUH????
He’s talking about having $1m in bank? or the HDB unit that might be worth 1m in future (im not surprise though.. but i still haven’t got the chance to choose a unit yet.. thks to the fair ballot system)..
my toes are laughing these days reading the assurance and promises in the papers…
I prefer a hang govt, no one in majority. PAP 45% of the seat, some opposition 40%, independents the rest. A bipolar is dangerous as seen in america. We need to have at least 3 to balance the power of anything.
I agree with…..
Be Honest on Thu, 4th Feb 2010 9:00 am
I will still like to see PAP in power but not in absolute power.An ideal scenario would be say PAP holding 55-60% of the parliament seats. Then PAP can still roll out policies but they will have to pass through the scrutiny of the opposition to ensure different perspectives are considered.
To allow this to be effective Opposition has to improved and be professional and not critise for the sake of criticising which sadly had been the case previously. Only then can this be positive for Singaporeans
Human beings are basically self-preserving and self-interested. When confronted with in-convenient truth, it would choose the easier option if possible. I don’t see how an effective government can run in the long term without an opposition.
Especially in the case of a Party with a few DOMINANT personalities. The party becomes a 1-man show run on group-think mentality. In such a case, what if the Dominant person makes a mistake, who is there to raise the alarm??
Those monies were collected thru years of taxes.
What so great about? Figures can be cooked up too.
The same like increasing to 7% GST to help the poor – Its like robbing Peter to pay Paul.
Old system: “I, Lee Kuan Yew, offers you a chance to serve the country.”
New system: “We want to make sure that talented Singaporeans are able to have the opportunity to serve the country.”
This Mr Ling, is he real or what? I cringed while reading through…
that letter in the forum just stinks of the scare tactics. They know the opp will want to spend more money on the people. the reply will be as such. the Opp will cause SG to be bankrupt, because of their welfare policies.
tsk tsk tsk. the war as begun.
Ask the Germans, they think Hyperinflation is the main reason why Germans supported hilter in the first place just before the 2nd world war.
That’s why some say inflation is an old demon for Germans and the German central bank (after the 2nd world war) is renown to fight inflation like crazy with an outstanding record.
This reminds of the German economic experience of reunification with East Germany that have failed or at least have not produce tangible results until now.
Singaporean Chinese are like the west Germans and Mainland PRC chinese are like the east Germans. On paper, we are all Chinese and it doesn’t seem problematic to integrate us.
The west Germans thought so and reunified with the east Germany (mark to mark basis).
There are no spectacular outcomes since.
our experience will not prove more fruitful.
I wouldn’t want to share this monies with a PRC who just became Singapore.
//#wat?
PAP is the PARTY in Singapore who use scare tactics.
In fact, it bankrupt people for giving their own political opinion that in most democratic country will be just opinion.
Tell your pigs bosses that.
The writer of the forum has been brain washed thoroughly. Or most probably because he is protecting his own arse since he’s working for them. Anyway, the Bishan-Toa Payoh town council’s MP has been doing frequent rounds of house visit. http://bishan-east.blogspot.com/
But does he really listen to the grievances of the residents and do something to help them? Or everything is just for show only? Anyone living in that area knows anything about this?
We need courageous and humble ppl like our Late President Ong Teng Cheong. He has the courage to question about the reserves even though he is a non-executive president. simply because he cared about us. He left the PAP to run for presidency because he knew that under the party’s control he would not be able to do much for us.
and he led a strike against unfair treatment of the workers from the shipping industry. Which PAP leader has the courage and wits to lead an effective strike against unfair employment opportunities for Singaporeans?
I’m sure many of us wants to do something. But we can’t simply because our state is so suppressed that we are very likely to be jailed or make bankrupt if we do anything againsts the PAPpies’ interests. Im so sad.
I don’t believe there is 300 billion.
TH tried to get investors to buy in and failed that’s why it is issuing shares.
if expert investors think that the assets in TH is not worth that much to invest it, why should we have so much confidence in the declared value.
This is a typical PAP marketing message to get PRs to become Singaporeans to boast their votes.
I meant th issuing bonds
Under PAP, we can find:-
1) Medical costs go up
2) Living costs go up
3) HDB prices go up and become unaffordable for young couples
4)Unchecked influx of foreigners
5) pro-ft policies. Singaporeans belitted and insulted
6) Million dollar salaries for PAP mps
X 50 years for all these. I shudder. It will be living hell.
Hope that PAP will be filled by China idiots, I know a lot of senior citizens that hate these “talent” and will always vote for the PAP UNLESS, they fill the party…
The more i read this forum, the more i get the impression that the PAP is losing its hold…
But Tr readers, wake up!!! The PAP is currently still strong, because i know of many common people on the street that is still going to vote for the PAP, despite the irony that they are the ones that have been affected badly.
They cannot name an opposition political party, and they are generally politically clueless. Though i am not in too great a shape living here in Singapore, I love this place to bits. I find it difficult to move away, but i am very very worried about Singapore’s and my future. I thought i was the only one worried, but its comforting to know that a lot of Singaporeans think likewise after reading TR.
TR definitely needs more readership, because not all have access to online resources. But just how, that is a BIG big question mark…
It is cheaper to cry thief than to spend the time/effort doing the real work.
But PAP are good at crying thief.
Remember, GY telling CSJ off for fabricating data years ago? This is nothing compared with what the NKF guy did.
It is cheaper to call names and accuse people when you cannot deliver.
The bigger you try to blow a balloon, the higher the probability of it bursting…like wise, MIW’s “Pat on own back” and “self praising” seems to be back-firing lately…from LHL’s claim of credit, to this one
Nothing is FREE, brother.
Singapore has just lost a good son in Ng TF. His contributions to charity and especially the Treasury (taxes) these years are simply beyond words.
RIP . . .
As a card carrying member, I find this Ling Tuck Mun has done more harm to my beloved party than any opposition.
Imagine asking people to imagine! Doesn’t he know, anything that one can imagine and dream of can come true? I have never imagine Singapore without PAP, it’s too far-fetch, an imposibility. But his damned letter caused me to really imagine such a situation, and what I see is rosy and bright.
Imagine without PAP, now everyone has to seriously stand on their own feet. Heroes will be risen to take over the rein, people with conviction, yet do not really care about remuneration, they just want to get the country going.
Our overseas countrymen will flock back to this beloved homeland to help rebuild this nation. Our true blue Singaporean, the truly talented ones. Eevn those who can’t be back physically would send tons of money back to this motherland to help rebuild a country call Singapore.
It’s springtime, everything start afresh. Ex-PAP members and ex-oppositions members will work hand-in-hand to make an aspiration reality.
What human imagine, it can come true.
What a stupid Mr Ling. Oh my Perfect Master, these ppl got nothing to do at work isit? Write to forum talk cock sing song, now make me can’t get the rosy picture out of my mind!
PAP Member on Thu, 4th Feb 2010 4:36 pm
You know I really love your satiristic postings PAP Member! Never failed to bring a smile on my weary old face!
Please lor. Imagine ….
50 years on with PAP is predictable.
It the common folks are still treated the same way …. it is not rosy.
50 years on without PAP is unpredictable.
If without PAP, the voice and concerns of the common folks are heard and addressed …. then it is rosy.
If without PAP, the voice and concerns of the common folks are not heard …. will it be worse than that with PAP?
Running a company and country is two different things all together. Running a company, you focus on bottomline and replace those unproductive. Running a country, you need to ensure own citizen is take care of first before foreigners. I won’t want to stay in a first world country living like a third world citizen.
If PAP remains in power for next 50 years, I think i will have to become a cleaner in my old age to make ends meet…
In fact, that is happening now…
Why so many of our cleaners are elderly Singaporeans ??
Has PAP brought them prosperity in their rule since Independence??
Has they been left behind in the relentless pursuit of GDP growth at all cost??
I have visited many 1st world countries and 3rd world countries…
Only in Singapore can we find massive no. of elderly Singaporeans cleaning tables and such to make ends meet…
They should be enjoying the fruits of their labour over Singapore’s success from 3rd world to 1st World…
A TRULY UNIQUELY SINGAPORE INDEED !!!!
As such, are we truly indeed a 1st World Country or a 3rd World Country in disguise…
Do we need to pay MILLION DOLLARS SALARIES to Ministers of a TINY RED DOT ???
EVEN OBAMA’s annual salary is 1/12 of PM Lee’s and his words carries more weight than our PM…
I can imagine what Singapore will be liked if PAP remains in power for another 50 years.
The parasitic govt will suck the blood dry from every citizen. We will be walking the streets as zombies and Singapore will be re-named Zombie land.
@Concerned Citizen on Thu, 4th Feb 2010 12:17 pm
(quote)I would like to say something to overseas Singaporeans. Please register and update with your constituents’ electoral roll at the CCs. Try your very best to come home to vote this coming election. I will take leave from my posting in Copenhagen to vote in the coming GE as I know that my country’s future is stake. It is time for a change in Singapore’s political climate and Singapore needs us the citizens of Singapore to fulfill the national pledge. I do not believe that the national pledge is just empty ideals but very important perspectives that guide Singapore to a better and brighter future. I thought of migration many times. But Singapore is my home and I thought what kind of a man I am if I just do not make my country a better place? I will stay and I will do my part.(unquote)
Despite of the fact that you could migrate and leave Singapore, you are prepared to come back to Singapore to fight another day. All sons of Singapore greet you with a cheer for your kind gesture. It is most inspiring. Together shoulder to shoulder we will all vote against PAP to sack them out of office. We will welcome you and all overseas brothers and sisters back to Singapore to reclaim Singapore.
Majullah!!
Lets reclaim Singapore.
Next 50 years without PAP? I will be in a dream i never want to wake up to. Bring it on !
Mr Ling Tuck Mun
Are you trying to get the attention of your political masters (PAP)?
By writing your pro-PAP opinion. You hope they will consider to put you up for the coming election as a candidate.
Should you win in the election you hope you will be able to enjoy the $$$$ that they pay to their loyalists.
Well Mr Ling, I know life is hard for everyone at this time. Please take my advise there is no short cut to success.
Do try to earn a honest living instead.
Vote to end all these blood sucking by the gahmen! I shudder to think what will happen if the existing bunch gets re-elected with the same mandate as before. You can expect never ending increases to cost of living while your wages are kept static thanks to ‘low cost’ competition from abroad.
Singapore can also progress as a nation with caring and very capable people who are not from Pap.
Why must it be $$$Pap all the time?
I believe when that aged LKY stops breathing anytime now, there will be unprecedented rejoicing from every corner of the world.
And this is not just dreaming.
“I wonder if any Singaporean can still be confident of the worth of having a million dollars without the PAP in power,”
SINCE WHEN?! All these millions are concentrated only in the hands of a few politically-connected elite families. For ordinary Singapores, to have just acouple of hundred dollars left over at the end of a month is a miracle.
TR, pls spare me.
In 50 years time, half of the Parliament will be fill with Burma, India, China, Vietnamese, Pinoy, Indonesia and Malaysia Ministers and the local born Singaporean will have to serve this Foreigner Ministers. Yes, this will happen and this is exactly what they are doing now by recruiting this Foreigners as RC MEMBERS and GRASSROOT LEADERS which they have announce recently. I dont mind they still be the Governmant but with only 55% and the 45% to the Opposition so that there will be a balance check on the PAP. Even today, there are alot of Foreign born Singaporean (Malaysians) in the Parliament ,I think you know who they are.
[“every Singaporean would likely become a millionaire overnight” if the PAP were to distribute most of the country’s reserves to all eligible Singaporeans to pay tribute to the PAP government’s achievements over the last fifty years. ]
True, which really goes to show how unequal the distribution of wealth is in sg considering that there are 30 households who give up their flats each month, considering that there are homeless on the streets and camping along beaches… while PAP ministers are collecting MILLION$ OF DOLLAR$ from taxpayers’ money.
SHAME ON THE PAP COCKSUCKER
I have to agree with Sispecho that TR, TOC,Opp party groups and other alternative voices have to really work at convincing the middle class and auntie/uncles not to cast their vote for the ruling govt when election comes.
Somehow, they have to reach out to this group who are still largely under the spell of MSM and think the world of the ruling govt. Others like those in the civil service or armed forces are afraid to vote otherwise due to the climate of fear of being “marked” or hanta kaki.
Lastly, the importance of getting the malay and minority vote cannot be underestimated as well. The Opp also has to work at attracting quality minority candidates in time for this GE to stand some semblance of a chance of wrestling a GRC from the current govt.
I can imagine singapore with PAP in charge for another 50 years but it’s nothing good, not to mention great. >_<
To S.Holmes on Fri, 5th Feb 2010 12:30 am
The Malay majority has never voted for MIW.
Thats is why the Singaporean Malays has been punished for it many many times. From no top promotions or no top posts in SAF to no access to top schools like the SAP school. Even the Malay rights (as they were recognised as the indigenous people of Singapore by the British), which is in Singapore’s constitution, have been ignored by MIW.
The Malays have been questioned about their loyaly and even constantly demonized by LKY; recently he said the Malays will not even share a grain of rice with other races during a famine.
Another point:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Singapore
“Elections for the new Legislative Assembly were held in May 1959. The People’s Action Party (PAP) swept the election, winning forty-three of the fifty-one seats. They accomplished this by courting the Chinese-speaking majority, particularly
those in the labour unions and radical student organisations”
So don’t worry about the Malay vote.
John Lennon – Imagine
Imagine there’s no Heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today
Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace
You may say that I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world
You may say that I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will live as one
When one writes about imagine, it is meant to be inspiring, giving people hope for the future. But when Mr Ling Tuck Mun writes about his imagine, it brings fear and depression to people about their future and the future of the land they live in.
Mr Ling Tuck Mun – take a close look at yourself, have you sacrificed your humanity for little scraps of money?
Oppositions must unite and do their homework including getting their web site ready for the election . Now that mots oppositions have credible members, they should work their plan and plan their work . They MUST do it NOW .
I can only imagine that with escalating cost of housing, brain drain and incompetent gov in the years to come, Singapore will be a place where foreign talent will earn quick money and then fly back to their own country, leaving singaporean poorer and poorer, and only a dog’s life of working, working for a few dollars to pay the ever high cost of sustaining a governement by PAP.
50 years later….what will it become if we still under PAP?
I will be dead by then(most likely)…
Hopefully our MM, SM, PM or whatever M will die too by then. That will be our Childrens’ and Grand Childrens’ Generation.
Now that is too long to really think… lets start from short term.
In the next 5 years(or even shorter) what will we become, if still under the PAP. What will our country become by then…in short term.
We will likely to have more people (if the government continue to import Talent), more congestion, more HDBs’ Flats, MORE EXPENSIVE HOUSES, Lesser money (because of diluting income due to FT = Cheaper), LESSER JOBS, LESSER whatever…the list will never ends.
What is most important is to fix that now and not another 5 years or 50 years.
Lets make a change in this coming Election. NOW!!!
If the PAP continue to rule for another 50 years, this will happen :
1. native singaporean will become a minority
2. HDB flats will cost millions of dollars
3. ERP will be everywhere including the void deck
4. minister salary will become billions not million
5. cleaner salary will still be the same $ 750 per month
6. GST will increase to 50 percent
7. Road Tax will increase to 50 percent
8. Property Tax will increase to 50 percent
9. TV License will increase to 50 percent
10. Medical Fees wil increase to 50 percent
and whatever you name it , all will increase to another 50 percent except our salary. Poor Guy.
Originally Posted by longpiao @ HWZ
South Korea doesn’t have an elite government like our PAP. They changed Presidents and leaders like nobody business. I have analysed the Korean situation carefully and presented some arguments on why they have become a hopeless country:
1 The Koreans cannot even assemble a good football team to win the Fifa World Cup. Remember they lost 0-1 narrowly to Germany in the 2002 semi-finals. Only one player (Park Ji Sung) could make it to the Manchester United team. Our Singapore team, comprising talents from all over the world, can simply ripped apart teams like Brunei, and some others which I having some difficulties remembering.
2. In the last Olympic (Beijing 2008), South Korea only managed to win 13 Gold medals. Their policy of not relying on importing sporting talents from China/other countries will continue to hold back their progress.
3. Korea produces drama serials that only 80% of Singaporeans would die to watch. Just compare the Korean drama serials to our Jeannette Aw inspired shows, and have a good laugh at the great disparity.
4. Korean companies, which are usually not government linked, are really short of innovation. Samsung Electronic, LG, etc only produced about 90% of all advanced LED panels used in the world flat panel TVs market. Hyundai and Kia Motors are gaining market share at a pathetic rate of less than 10% each year. Just compare them with the Temasek Holding’s Chartered Semiconductor and Stats Chipac and you will immediately realised why Temasek leadership is so important.
Singaporeans are just plain lucky to have the PAP government to lead us. Our ministers are real leaders, with their salaries leading the common people by leaps and bounds. By spending $millions in importing foreign players and giving out incentives, we have captured a silver medal at the last Olympic. This is one of the greatest success stories that I can remember.
The Koreans can only look at Singapore with great envy, if they ever know that we even exist.
“Mr Ling Tuck Mun wrote that “every Singaporean would likely become a millionaire overnight” if the PAP were to distribute most of the country’s reserves to all eligible Singaporeans to pay tribute to the PAP government’s achievements over the last fifty years”
Technically true but that will NEVER happen with the PAPies in power.
Incredulous on Fri, 5th Feb 2010 2:24 am
Are you referring to the non-Malays (non-bumis by Aparthid code) in Malaysia?
Discrimination (official & legislated) so bad that millions have run away to Australia, Singapore, etc. The Malaysian Chinese % has fallen from 44% in the early 60s to 22% today in Malaysia.
In Singapore, life is good for all. Even the carrots reserved for bumis (non-Orang Asli Red Indians) can’t lure our Malays over. Checkout the % over the years since the PAP took over.
Finally let’s speak facts. NS is for ALL. Did you know that the police and especially are monoplolised by only the majority race?
Public institutions like all the MARA universities and colleges funded by taxpayers are only for the majority race.
Whereas SAP schools are langauge based (not race by entry)and these schools are founded by Chinese businessmen.
With SAP schools siphoning the best Chinese brains the flip mside is more and more non-CL students get to go into Raffles, Victoria, etc….
Let speak facts.
Together contribute a high proportion of China’s GDP. This trade entails importing foreign components that are then reassembled and then exported. …
Importing from China is not an easy job. It is very complicated and involves numerous, highly detailed-oriented tasks. It requires strong communication and earnest co-operation from all participating parties.
LSS mentioned that there are some sectors of the economy that are showing negative productivity growth.
He thinks that those sectors are sectors that are protected.
That’s why they keep asking for FT.
Honestly, I don’t know why his reasoning makes sense.
Only those that are exposed to competition had to lower their cost all the time.
Those that are protected, don’t need to.
Case in point:
Have you seen Chinese PRC/Indian PRs in the PAP govt yet?
The pigs are the one protected from political competition all these years and their cost to Singapore kept increasing year on year.
If there is no competition, why do you need to lower labor cost?
Why then do you need to import ft?
LSS is trying to smoke us by aggregating things that seems to be true but added together don’t makes sense.
one thing for sure, they are not targeting productivity. They are trying to get rid of industry whose land they are eyeing so that they can sell.
Just look at TOC’s report on those sers flat that were rented out to FT.
They buy those flats from people and then rent out at high price.
The reason why they are now targeting those people who rent out their hdb flat in the name of speculation is not because they want to clamp down prices, it is because those people are competitors to HDB’s EMS.
In the same way, why they are charging those poor people who are late in payment until that they had to sell their flats is for the same reasons: these people are the weaker people and they bully them. Why would charging a sur-charge helps these poor people?
PAP has grown too fat and is cannibalizing Singaporeans to satisfying themselves.
It is so obvious and I wonder why Singaporeans have not realized to this reality.
Just do the opposite of what the pigs tell you and you will be safe.
Give Singaporeans, especially the pigs political competition.
//Rainnix
Very funny!!