For far too long, general elections have been about this political party or that political party – and what they promised they would deliver. For as long as we can remember, there has always been one winner …. the PAP. This has resulted in the PAP becoming complacent and authoritative and an electorate that is apathetic … a formula which most democracies would describe as a disaster.
With each passing election, the ‘mandate’ to govern and make decisions on behalf of the people became bolder and with a lesser need for consensus. After 50 years of dominance, what had started out as a good thing for the people has begun to turn for the worst. An apathetic electorate is now deemed submissive, timid and useless except for the votes they wield in their hands every 5 years.
Because the electorate has always been steps behind the ruling PAP, the effort to catch up with them and the conviction to turn things around has been an almost futile and worthless affairs. Great credits have to be given to the passionate and steadfast opposition politicians who gave their all … even unto their lives … to be that beacon of hope for those of us who could only cling on to them in our own cowardice. JB Jeyaratnam, Chia Thye Poh, Chiam See Tong, Chee Soon Juan and even former MPs like Ling How Doong and Cheo Chai Chen had in their own ways given us hope for a brighter future.
Some of these figureheads will go down in history as representations of the people’s desire to be rid of hegemony. Those minor breakthroughs serve to remind us that we do have a voice – only when we speak as one, together as one. And herein lies the biggest dilemma of all.
The PAP know that the people has to speak with one voice for them to be effective. To break this, the act of gerrymandering becomes an important tool to parry off the voice of the people. At the end of the day, unless the voice of the people translate into Parliamentary Representations, the election results taken as a whole would mean nothing.
We saw this in the last GE. A 40% voting outcome in favour of the opposition resulted in less than 15% representation in Parliament.
Singaporeans have to think differently, behave differently and dare to put thoughts to action in order to regain our rightful place as citizens and master. The only way we can do this is to make sure we get opposition figures into parliament. The percentage of votes does not matter. We could get 60% of the votes but still be under represented. The PAP will still read it as a mandate to decide on our behalf.
I therefore urge Singaporeans to regain what they have lost. We must not be afraid – for those who fear will always be the losers. As citizens, we must never lose to those whom we have voted to serve us.
You decide. To live as citizens or to be lord over as slaves. Therefore, for this coming GE, I am calling on all Singaporeans to vote for someone else other than the PAP … especially in selected GRCs …. to put enough numbers in Parliament to look after our interests.
Make this OUR Election. A homecoming election where we finally come home to our dignified status as citizens of Singapore.
The Alternative View
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