The PAP had succeeded at drawing away attention from AIM-Gate and Alex Au has done us a favor trying to point us back to it.
Another writer which TOC just published under, 'Who’s Politicizing the Governance of Constituencies?' has provided a ton of evidence that the PAP as we all know well by now put their party's interests ahead of the people. That's the past and I hope they repent and begin to serve the people. WP job in parliament is to bark them into this direction. Therefore WP should just move on and return to working towards more meaningful debate that further the welfare of the people and nation. If you must, publish and discuss the arcana of TC accounting outside Parliament. Bloggers but not counting me will also be participating. There are better use for Parliament than such pettiness in the hallowed chamber.
If you have done no wrong, do not feel insecure. Fear, anger and insecurity like Yoda warned is the path to the dark side. You might be misunderstood in the short run but the truth would be revealed in due course.
As I learn more about our neighbor up north, I am just happy our circumstances is so different from Malaysia.
Update: May 16 3:45pm
The mudslinging continues. Which side would stop first? I bet most of us wouldn't bother to follow the arcana of all these because we are busy enough already with work and family life. Only the die hards of the two parties would be following closely. Both parties would look worse after these. The PAP used to play in such a way that they look good and tall afterward. Not this time. In the end both parties would be helping SPP, NSP and SDP to look relatively better. Stupid but also just human. Only proves that the PAP needs to be checked and ditto any party that might eventually assume the reins of government. Self policing is nonsense.
Update: May 16 4:45pm
I won't read long and labyrinthine explanations but I would and have with something like this (see below). I can digest it all in under a minute and that whet my appetite for more. I was rewarded for the next five minutes I spent going over Leong Sze Hian's calculations. Well done! PAP should get some of their folks to communicate this way or fail to get your message out.
Update: May 16 10:45pm
WP has published, 'Town Council Management – What is really at stake' but I only bother to read the table from Sylvia Lim and I have reproduced below. WP is right to return the debate to AIM.
There is no time to spend on every issue. Unlike the Population White Paper, I am not going to make time for this one. If I want to, come the next GE, I shall look it up here.
It is up to the PAP to communicate as well as the WP. If they do not, I would think the worse of them. If you can't communicate, must less sell then don't be leaders. Their Pop. White Paper gets a Big F from me for effective communication.
Hi Peng You, welcome to the real world (ie. outside of blogosphere, where any point you make is muddied up and mud thrown back at you by the PAP). Slogans (such as "First World Parliament") aside, what do you want WP to do, or not to do?
ReplyDeleteDon't raise the issue in Parliament in the first place, since PAP always fight dirty? Then many citizens will rightly say - what did we vote you into Parliament for? Especially when the PAP essentially sold public property to itself for nominal consideration.
Raise the issue, then when PAP throws mud, keep quiet? Then many citizens will also rightly say if what's alleged is incorrect, why didn't you correct it? Even Ms. Lina Chiam saw fit to have a letter published in Forum today to clarify (deliberate) twisting of facts by KBW.
Raise the issue, then when PAP throws mud, answer back once, and when PAP throws again, keep quiet?
In the glorious name of "First World Parliament", where did you get the idea that doing (a) or (b) or (c) makes it First World or not First World? There's no simple answer and I only wished you'd acknowledged that in your post. If everyone throws up their hands like you and say "what a mess", then the PAP ALWAYS win. Because the PAP is capable of taking down the country with it, rather than peacefully and cooperatively yield power.
All I can say is that the current situation we are in is unusual. PAP had 60% of votes but >90% parliament representation. And they govern as though they have >90% of people's support. That's why the voice of the people feels stifled. This is not sustainable. When something is unsustainable, tts only a matter of time before it gives way.
We have to slowly find our way into a new equilibrium. There's no standard answer on which is the "right" way to respond, if the other side plays dirty. For me, as long as WP sticks to the facts and respond in a dignified manner, always putting the people of Singapore first, then I think they've given it their best shot. And deserves our support for their courage and dogged determination. Did you watch the youtube video of the exchange between KBH and SL? You see a bully (whose body language betrays the fact that even he does not believe in his own words) vs someone poised in action.
There's no standard answer. I just hope that the many people who say "vote opposition" will also have the long term vision and patience to allow the opposition to mature too. Nobody matures instantly. Its a process. These are the many little incidents the opposition will have to weather, if it wants to mature.
Thumbs up!
DeleteWell said JG!
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