Dear Readers,
Today, I will be analysing the failure story of the People's Action Party (PAP) in the recent General Elections (GE) just held yesterday. The message is clear to all Singaporeans: PAP is losing its stranglehold on Singapore.
Over the past ten days of intense campaigning, both the opposition and the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) have put up tough fights, in all parts of the country except at Tanjong Pagar Group Representation Constituency (GRC), which has seen a walkover for the PAP. Yesterday saw the end to the 2011 General Election.
The PAP had attained approximately 75.3% of the votes by Singaporeans in the year 2001, but this had drastically dropped by 15.2% to only a mere 60.1% in this election. This is an extremely big dip with regards to the support the PAP has garnered in the General Elections this year.
The PAP may have recovered Potong Pasir Single-Member Constituency (SMC), which has remained in the hands of the Singapore People’s Party (SPP) for about 27 years already. However this is only possible after Mr Chiam See Tong of the Singapore People’s Party left to contest in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.
This election had also created a first in Singapore political scene. Aljunied GRC held by Foreign Minister George Yeo and first woman minister Lim Hwee Hwa, had fallen to the Workers’ Party (WP) “A” team comprising its secretary-general Low Thia Khiang and its chairman Sylvia Lim. With this loss, the PAP had lost two ministers too.
PAP new candidate, Desmond Choo, was also unable to wrestle WP stronghold, Hougang SMC, from new opposition candidate Yaw Shin Leong.
All these fully justify my claim that the PAP is losing the support of the people over these years.
The opposition parties are indeed of high calibre and rising in power, gaining much support from the people, especially the popular WP. They showed empathy and understood the issues closed to the hearts of their fellow residents, taking housing and healthcare as examples.
This is justified by the results of the elections and the votes cast for the opposition, where they lost by small margins. WP first time candidate for Joo Chiat SMC, Yee Jenn Jong, only lost by 342 votes, and SPP candidate for Potong Pasir SMC, Lina Chiam, lost by less than 1% of the votes. Even Reform Party, a newly-formed political party led by Kenneth Jeyaretnam scored a respectable percentage of 31.8%. Each opposition party scored an average of more than 30%, which is an outstanding result for the score sheet of the opposition in many decades.
There are a few reasons why I think the PAP is losing popularity amongst Singaporeans.
Firstly, the PAP has been extremely negligent towards the people’s needs and wants. They have aroused much dissatisfaction amongst the people of Singapore. For example, they have raised the Goods and Services Tax from 5% in 2006 to 7% in 2011. The cost of living is ever increasing, including the ever-rising electricity bills. The housing prices have also skyrocketed to prices never seen before, but the ruling party did not step in to counter this problem, causing much unhappiness amongst the people of Singapore.
Next, the PAP candidates can be said to be extremely old and have very few younger voices in Parliament, except for Tin Pei Ling, who has received much criticism ever since she stepped on to the political scene. The average age of a PAP is 47.66 ranging from 27 to 87 years old, whilst that of the opposition parties is 44.30 years, ranging from 24 to 76 years old. I believe this played an important role in PAP losing votes among the younger generation. The latter felt that their needs are not addressed by the government. By voting in more opposition in parliament,they may have a greater say in the administering of policies.
Besides PAP emphasis of Singapore’s move from a third-world country to a first-world country was unlikely to impact the younger generation and to influence them. These “after-75s” was born in a country of affluence and had not seen the efforts put in by the PAP over the early years of independence to propel the nation forward. PAP need to address this critical issue as these younger generations will definitely impact future elections to come.
The opposition candidates are no longer any Tom, Dick and Harry. Today, these people with impressive credentials move into politics with the mind and soul to serve the people. New opposition candidates like Chen Show Mao and Pritam Singh of the WP have also proven to be fantabulous speakers and have won the hearts (and votes) of many.
PAP cannot continue to be in a dazed state of mind, as it has been for the past few years. They have thought that their comfortable environment would last forever, but they have been proven wrong. This is definitely a wake-up call for the ruling party, to “slap the driver, when he’s sleeping”, as Low Thia Khiang of WP has said earlier.
The rallies of opposition parties, especially by the WP, have seen tens of thousands of supporters all over the shop, and have inspired many like me. The PAP must pull up their socks; else their governance over the people of Singapore would soon be wiped out a few elections after.
From the GE, I learnt that I should not take the people and things around me for granted. In the future, I will be more sensitive towards the needs of my family members and treasure them. I will also be more vigilant and hardworking in my studies and to be a better person.
Another lesson I learnt is that complacency comes before a fall. We should always be open to ideas, and listen to others’ suggestions, instead of thinking that we would always emerge victors and not work hard, for pride comes before a fall and complacency does the same damage.
To conclude, I sincerely think that the PAP should listen deeper and not remain apathetic to the needs of the people. They will have to revamp their policies accordingly, and for that I thank the opposition parties. Without them, we would not have received so many privileges, like neighbourhood upgrading programmes amongst them. The admittance of the mistakes made by the ruling party and after which the apology made by the PM may not have been possible without the pressure put up by the opposition.
What are your views and your thoughts about the GE?
Best Regards,
Nathan (:
My personal opinion is that the Worker's Party (WP) should not have won. As a supporter of the People's Action Party (PAP), I must confess acute disappointment that the WP has triumphed in Aljunie Group Representation Constituency (GRC). However, one must accept the reality of politics. Nobody can improve without a strong rival forcing him to greater heights. Like the gazelle fleeing from the vicious tiger, one will improve the most when put through rigorous competition and testing.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you wholeheartedly that the PAP will need to revamp and renovate their policies in order to hold their own against the evolved opposition parties in the next General Elections, which will be in 2016. Indeed, the more proud one is, the harder one falls. Arrogance is the precursor of failure. The PAP should become more open and transparent, instead of believing blindly in their own abilities when circumstances dictate open-mindedness as a neccessity.
However, I also think that amidst the election frenzy, we need to credit the PAP with their numerous achievements. Singapore has one of the lowest crime rates in the entire world, is deemed one of the safest places to live in and has become one of the countries that make up the cutting edge of the global economy. As the Chinese saying goes, "The east mountain rises again." I sincerely hope that the PAP will be spurred to greater heights by the lessons learnt from this election.
Dear Daniel,
ReplyDeleteYes, I do agree that the People's Action Party (PAP) has succeeded in some way to govern our country to become a safe place to live in. For that, I applaud the PAP.
However, I find it quite unfair to say that the Workers' Party (WP) should not have won in Aljunied Group Representative Constituency (GRC). For one, we have not seen what they can do. Maybe they can do better? However, they just have not received this opportunity to prove their capability. Shouldn't we give them this chance to prove themselves, then?
As a resident previously living in Aljunied GRC, I express much disappointment to the governance of the PAP team led by Foreign Minister George Yeo. It was all talk and no work.
Well, there was work. They built a platform, claiming that it was "for residents to get together". That was good. After a year or two, they revamp it, when it is all functional and alright. He promised to visit residents to find out more about their living conditions, but he did not - time and again.
Is there a need for this? Are we wasting our resources by having unnecessary renovations? Is the minister neglecting our needs and wants? The hard truth is "yes".
I believe all these have been neglected and not reported by the media, but this is the hard truth in the seamy underbelly of Singapore - a place governed by Foreign Minister, thought to be a nice little place, but in actual fact, nah...
Therefore, the WP should be given a chance to take over Aljunied GRC, and prove their worth and significance! :)
Best Regards,
Nathan :)
Dear Nathan,
ReplyDeleteI concede the point that the Worker's Party (WP) has the potential to do better. However, I am a little skeptical of their promises. Not too long ago in the United States of America (USA), Mr Barack Obama also made similar promises. He promised to improve healthcare, bring the country out of debt and try to connect with the people. However, his plans were rather vague. It was based on his obscure promises that the people elected him as the president of the USA. However, not only has he failed to deliver on most of his pledges, he has also been making big blunders in the field of spending. The USA now owes $907 billion in debt to China alone.
I think the same thing is happening in Singapore. The WP banked on the dissatisfaction of the people to garner votes for themselves. However, they do not have a concrete plan of their own. Do they really expect that pure emotional rallies and criticism directed at the existing government policies is going to suffice in the long term? Are they not going to be more transparent and share their plans for the future? As a pragmatic thinker, I think the vote of confidence goes to the People's Action Party, or PAP (Party with A Plan).
While the Worker's Party does deserve a chance to "prove their worth and significance", I am more than a little skeptical of how they are going to do so. I, for one, am not satisfied with their undetermined proposals and pleas to believe that once the election is over, a plan will materialise. From where will they pull this ready-made plan? The moon?
Dear Daniel,
ReplyDeleteThe PAP has exploited that the WP has no concrete plans for the residents of Aljunied, which they think is substantial to stop residents from voting from such a party.
However, they were up for a shock. The WP was able to counter this argument rather eloquently, by pointing out that they have no real revenue and have not seen the treasury of the government. Without knowing the financial status of the government, they would not make empty promises. The WP does not know how much revenue the government has, and thus, cannot come up with a concrete plan of their own. Now that they are in the Parliament, they will be aware of the financial status of the country and can proceed from there on.
This is in direct contrast with the PAP, who made many promises. I take my personal experience as an example. Before the 2006 elections, my parents and I waited patiently for George Yeo, our Member of Parliament (MP) of Bedok Reservoir ward, who had planned to come to visit us to find out more from the residents about their living conditions, financial status, and other stuff. We waited and waited, but he did not come, due to "some unknown reasons".
As a resident of Aljunied, I was really very disappointed and thus, wanted fiercely for the Workers' Party to take this GRC so that the people would be treated better!
Also, I believe, Daniel, that we should not take extremist points-of-view. When we look at an issue, we should be impartial, but from the way you are approaching this situation, you seem to be supporting the PAP all the way. Instead, we should listen to both sides of the argument.
Best Regards,
Nathan :)
Hi Daniel,
ReplyDeleteIn response to your comparison of the Workers' Party with Barack Obama, I feel that this is unfair.
In different countries, we have different kinds of politicians. I might not be sure about what Obama promised, what Obama failed to deliver, and what he actually delivered.
However, I know that the Workers' Party should be given a chance to show their potential. If we stay on with the People's Action Party forever, will we experience change?
I believe it is because you are living in an uncontested GRC and thus do not experience much renovations and new programmes. In places like my neighbourhood (Bukit Panjang SMC), we experience eight new plans - from gardens to food centres in the vicinity and a minute's walk from my house.
Why's this so?
Because there is opposition, which challenges the PAP's high chair where they think they can stay forever in comfort.
Therefore, opposition is needed. Opposition should not be discriminated against.
Best Regards,
Nathan :)
I agree fully with your point that opposition is needed. Change is indeed necessary for improvement towards a strong Government. I never debated the issue that there was no need for opposition. Only a strong rival can rigorously test you, and force you to improve beyond your expectations and aspirations. Would Garry Kasparov have become the World Champion in chess and retained his title for such a prolonged period of time without a constant rival, Anatoly Karpov threatening his position?
ReplyDeleteMy point was that the WP should not have won, not that they should not exist. My point was that because of their complete lack of an action plan, they were not credible in my opinion. I reiterate my point that it is very easy to shoot down enemy points. The real challenge and clincher is the proposals one has for the country. As the idiom goes, "Actions speak louder than words". It is the actions of the party that determines the political success in the long run. If the WP can talk the talk, shouldn't they be able to walk the walk as well?
I confess that I live in an uncontested GRC. However, having attended rallies by the WP, I always felt irritated that they never told me what they intended to do with our beloved Singapore. It is better to have a bad plan than no plan at all, because one can learn from the bad plan whereas there is nothing to learn from in the case of no plan. I confess that I may be out of touch with the opposition. But it is the true mark of strength if they can convince me to vote for them by providing concrete proposals even in the high throne of the PAP helmed by Lee Kuan Yew.
Dear Daniel,
ReplyDeleteAs I have already said, the Workers' Party has absolutely no idea what the government has, how much revenue it has in the treasury and so cannot make empty promises which would turn out undeliverable.
In school, you told me that they could provide the people with a basic outline of what they are going to do. Fine, maybe they want to have an upgrading programme, but they do not know how much money we have, so how can they promise something they are unsure if they can deliver?
On the other hand, the People's Action Party has all the knowledge in the world how much revenue we have (basically from taxes they collect from us), so they can promise this and that - a garden, a new community centre, and the list goes on so on so forth.
Does this answer your query?
You say that it is better to have a bad plan than no plan at all, I beg to differ.
Take for example, your mother tells you she is bringing you to England for a vacation. You are exhilarated! Turns out that the tickets are sold out, and you grow extremely glum.
Another scenario: your mother does not tell you she is bringing you to England for a vacation, so you remain neutral.
So is being glum better than being neutral? I leave that to your own discretion.
Best Regards,
Nathan :)