Was it 3,000 or 5,000? There were people coming and going. The inclement weather wasn't helpful but whoever was there, it was a show of seriousness and determination. At some point they chanted in unison, "We Want Change!", "We Want Change!" The PAP must be very worried. They ought to be. But if I cast my sight further, I pause and worry. The PAP will not change. What happens then? I hope the opposition parties are attracting and beefing up their numbers with quality candidates for the next GE. Not unreasonable to think that the PAP is on its last leg.
If this was Hong Kong, I think we will see at least 50,000 protesters. Future protest gatherings could very well attract more people as long as the PAP government refuse to bend to the people's will.
Update: 1:25pm
And I can confirmed from just reading page A6 in the ST today that change isn't coming. Hopes spring eternal. People should just talk with their votes. We don't have a normal democracy much less a first world one. Always engage in meaningful conversation only. Anything else is a waste of time. Of course if you go to Hong Lim Park to meet your compatriots for fellowship and solidarity that's different, but don't expect the government to listen. To them this is tantamount to caving in to public pressure. It does not matter who is in the right.
One can get over the mee-siam-mai-hum, but one cannot simply get over the emotional hump to squeeze us all on this island with 7 or 8m population when they aren't even doing a "decent" job of looking after the 5.3m!
ReplyDeleteA second reaction is how prescriptive, even hortatory, so much of the language in which this whole enterprise is couched has demonstrated their flagrant attitude towards its people. What exactly is going on here, and why is it felt to be so urgent at this historical juncture to wrap this "conversation" all within 1 week?
They put the cart before the horse, and now that the horse has passed motion, ESM goh wants the cart to pull the horse? Huh?
Come 2016 - Do singaporeans prefer to have more foreigners/strangers in their backyard, or local opposition party?