Found this group on Facebook called: “Vote The PAP Out”. While I am no fan of the Tali-PAP (aka the People’s Action Party [PAP], which I called the political mullahs of Singapore Politics), I am not joining this group either.
I’ll admit there used to be times when I would be gnashing my teeth and showing a irrational hatred of the Tali-PAP. But getting older caused me to mellow down on political issues which I am certainly not an adept nor do I have a full grasp. Furthermore, as time goes by I slowly learn to look at things from a wider perspective and gather more opinions which in turn has caused me to ‘drift’ more towards the ‘political middle’ rather than towards the opposition. Rest assured however, that ageing ‘the process of dying’ won’t make me a pro-government pro-gahmen or a Tali-PAP lackey / apologist yet.
While I may object to how certain things are done by the Tali-PAP, I will not be party with elements of so-called non-partisan self-proclaimed ‘pro-Singapore’ opposition movement that will put in power another political faction which I perceived will work against my personal beliefs one way or another. I will have nothing to do with the so-called liberal and pro-opposition elements within this movement which I perceived to have an anti-Christian agenda. That’s not mentioning any group that is unified by their common hatred of the Tali-PAP, is nothing more than an ‘alliance of convenience’ which failed to recognise the often self-conflicting agendas and self-interests among its members. Assuming that they were to take the Tali-PAP down, internal squabbling among them will pull the nation in many different directions and rip it apart. I would rather be party with a group which not only has the goal of overthrowing the Tali-PAP, but also a plan on what the do when the Tali-PAP is gone (and not just because of their common hatred).
Some might want to ask what has my Christian beliefs got anything to do with politics since the matter of Church and State should always been separated. The truth of the matter is, Christians have always been in the forefront of politics. The martyrdom of many early Christians ultimately turned Christianity into the state religion of the Roman Empire. When the Western Roman Empire collapsed, Christians found that kings of successor states have too much power and then sought to curtail it through the religious leadership – i.e. the Pope and Bishops. When there was too much corruption from within the clergy of the Roman Church, Christians step forth to call for reform from within. When that failed, they did so from without as Protestants. Subsequently, when Christians felt that the English Monarchy has corrupted Protestant Christianity, the Puritans left for America in ships. Simply put, separating Church from State doesn’t cut just one way. While the State tells Christians not to enforce their morality on State matters, the State should not decide for Christians what they should or should not believe in.
It is the moral obligation of any Christian to at least ensure their religious freedom is not taken away under such a pretense. Thus, if a group of people want to put in a gahmen with the intention of curtailing the Christian belief so that certain forms of immorality and warped view of religious tolerance will be considered as liberal, progressive and acceptable, then I will have nothing to do with this movement as much as possible. After all, I would hate the irony of finding out at the end of the day I prepared the very rope to hang myself on. It doesn’t matter that I might actually agree with some of the points put forth by the group.
Personally speaking, some of the points raised in the description of the group I do agree with. I will address them individually.
- Over-influx of foreigners – There are 2 parts in this problem.
First, employment. This would breakdown into the employment of cheap foreign labour for jobs that Singaporeans won’t do, and employment of foreign labour to fill positions which Singapore does not have enough manpower to provide. I have mentioned previously that I understand the need to take it foreign labour to bring investments to Singapore, and I have also mentioned that jobs that Singaporeans won’t take up has something to do with the cost of living. I must ask this, if we are to throw all the foreigners out, or at the very least put in some kind of limits to their numbers, how do we realistically achieve that without serious impact to our economy and society? Some of us have one parent who is a PR.
Next, foreign students. 2nd generation PRs or children of expatriates who will compete with us for positions in primary schools to universities. As a matter of fact, the Tali-PAP has begun to give more priorities to citizens with regard to education. If this isn’t enough, what else is needed here?
- NS disadvantages – I will admit that the Singaporean male is disadvantaged by National Service [NS]. We spent 2 years in the army while some of us lose employment opportunities (and even girlfriends) to foreigners. Furthermore, 2 years away from what we learn makes everything ‘rusty’. I have known some cases in which some of us can’t even put to good use what we have learn in school, because the rapid shift in the focus of the economy has made those skills obsolete. The only upside of NS is nothing gives you a bigger network than a stint as a reservist soldier. I would also agree that women should do NS, in non-combat roles such as nursing, or even logistical positions in the SAF to address the imbalance that is current aggravated by the Women’s Charter. There is no real equal rights without equal responsibilities. But I doubt any gahmen, not even a non Tali-PAP one would want to venture anywhere near this.
- Skyrocket property prices – I have called this a form or modern slavery. I don’t really give a damn about private housing if it’s out of my reach. But why should we slog through 30 years of our useful life for a so-called ‘affordable’ HDB pigeon hole which prices are derived by some arcane formula that none of us understand? Above which, I had also previously raised the point that we don’t really have subsidies to our housing but rather just discounts.
- High Medical Costs – Yes. Getting old and getting sick is a fearful prospect for Singaporeans. We’ll rather be dead than sick or old here. While the basic Medishield cover may indeed ‘cover no shit’, we can get better coverage from private insurers at a higher cost. That being said, I would prefer that I can use my Medisave to cover any amount for my medical insurance (and also that of my parents), and not be capped at a certain amount like $800 or so and then have to pay the rest by cash.
- Low dispensable income – A yes for the low income earners. Anyone earning less than $2000 a month will have only a take home pay of $1600 after CPF deduction. If he wants to get medical insurance cover and pay his bills he would be working hand to mouth. It will be a life of all work and no play. Not to mention that according to some statistics, Singaporeans probably have one of the lowest wages in developed countries even for those who earn more that $2000 a month.
- Low CPF Interest rate – This is something you shouldn’t be complaining about if you are still servicing your HDB mortgage loan. This is also something you shouldn’t be complaining about if you have used your CPF to pay for your property. Remember, when you sell your house, the money from the sale will first be return to the CPF and that includes accrued interest. Higher CPF interest rate means less profits when you sell your house. But you won’t be complaining about what’s next if you can sell your house.
- CPF unable to provide retirement – Can’t have my cake and eat it. On top of which, this whole thing including skyrocketing property prices, low CPF interest rates and CPF being unable to provide for retirement are all part of a ‘Gordian Knot’. I’ll leave it to a wise guy to provide a ‘Alexander the Great solution’ to this.
- Inflation due to GST 7% – I have heard this argument often, and in fact have used it myself. For e.g. hawkers raising the price of a plate of Char Siew Rice from $3 to $3.50. That would have been way more than the operation overheads hawkers have to bear as a result of the increase in GST. However it would be hard to argue directly that GST is the real cause behind all the inflation. Coffee shops have raised the price of coffee by 10cents when the price of sugar goes up, and it will never come down after that.
- Singaporeans unemployment rate not declared – Well, I do think it is higher regardless whether PRs are included in that figure or not. After all, if you leave employment for further studies (or take up further studies when you are unemployed), you wouldn’t be part of the unemployment figures anymore. Neither are homemakers. Furthermore, I have always considered some ‘self-employed’ taxi drivers to be a part of the unemployment figures as some of these drivers have no other skills to make them employable.
- GIC and Temasek Losses – Yes. Definitely some heads should roll for this. They can use a Wakazishi and the Padang for cutting their bellies as part of their final atonement. And while we are at this, even those who approved ridiculous large bonus packages for town council staff, and those who lost millions in town council sinking funds should be made accountable.
- Heavy shortage of subsidized university places for qualified Singapore students – Ok, define qualified. If the ‘shortage’ has something to do with those who just didn’t quite make the mark to qualify, don’t try and blame foreigners for taking up those positions at all! Even if this is true, I really don’t expect much of a solution to this anyway. The danger of setting a quota for foreign students would make us like Malaysia – where there are places in the universities but they can’t be given out because of the quota. The next best thing the gahmen can do would be to raise the fees of foreign students. But the fees cannot be make so prohibitive that foreign students stop coming. And seriously, while I would prefer some of these foreign ingrates to be thrown out of our universities (and our country, along with certain foreigners working here) for their not so flattering view of our country, I wasn’t aware that we have run out of subsidised university places because foreigners have taken them.
All in all, what I want to say is this: While I agree that all of the above are problems that need to be addressed, are they reasons enough to actually vote the Tali-PAP out of power entirely? Deny them a 2/3 majority to wake them up so they take us more seriously, definitely! To vote them out when there isn’t yet a political power ready to take up the reins? Please, spare this old man here the drastic changes and the chaos that will follow there after. Unlike some of the young punks who think they have nothing to lose other than their PSP or iPhones, or even a few nights of clubbing at St. James or Zouk, there’s really much more at stake for me here.
Anyway, while none of us are paid millions like our mini$ter$ to come up with solutions, and there is certainly no obligations for anyone to do so, I would really like someone to talk about hypothetical solutions to all of the problems above. Getting rid of the Tali-PAP is not the solution to it all. Thank you very much.
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Thanks. Good to hear that. 🙂
Goh Meng Seng
.-= Goh Meng Seng´s last blog ..漫谈双文化-作者:冀居·谢 =-.
Hi,
Do you mean that you will vote along Christian line? eg. If the candidate is not a Christian, you will not vote for him?
“Higher CPF interest rate means less profits when you sell your house. But you won’t be complaining about what’s next if you can sell your house.”
no one earn a real profit from the sales of house since “selling” is an very inaccurate word to use. contra will be more appropriate unless you are really selling the house and taking all of the money to another country to settle in instead of using the money to buy another inflated Singapore property.
the aim of this Facebook Group is not to vote in another Political Party to rule Singapore for the next 55 years like PAP. i am proposing PAP be removed either through voting in any Opposition(which you are clearly against) or spoiling your vote.
even though the Group has a lot of posts calling for more support of the Opposition, i welcome the vast majority of Singaporeans who are going to spoil their votes. they wont be converted, preached or pressured to vote for the Opposition. he have each and every right to spoil his vote when all contested Parties are not to his liking.
vote for Change, vote the PAP out
alex tan
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?page=5&aid=26159&id=702293919#/group.php?gid=153492722129&ref=ts