I noticed that Sing First is hosting a public forum titled, “Can Singapore succeed without PAP?” this coming Saturday at a posh hotel.
First thing is, I cannot help ask myself - is Singapore considered successful in the first place? Do you not see old folks selling tissue paper at hawker centres? Do you not see old folks pumping oil at petrol kiosks? Do you not see old folks collecting cardboard? Why can’t Singaporeans retire with dignity? Is this what a successful country should look like?
Despite the economic success that PAP boasts, has EVERYONE benefited from this? Remember the PAP government is one in the first world country that has the least social spending!! Do you think the governments of other countries are stupid? NO!! Because as a representative of the government, your sole responsibility is towards your constituents!! Do something that does not benefit them, you will see yourself voted out of the office come next term!!
That is not the case with Singapore. With the diabolical GRC in hand, PAP has been the dominant power in Singapore politics. There have been so many walkovers that many of us are “virgin voters” even after we have turned 40!! This is no laughing matter as the PAP has stripped us of our birth right in a truly democratic society!!
FIFTY years of unquestioned authority can be disastrous for any country, let alone a small little dot like ours. I remember when Cao Cao was young, he was a righteous man. He even attempted to assassinate the notorious warlord Dong Zhuo. But in the end, what happened to Cao Cao? After years of in power, he is now commonly known as a traitor of the Han Dynasty.
The founding fathers of our great nation did wonders too. But, slowly as one after another exited the parliament, the PAP became obsessed with running Singapore like a business. Previously the debates in the Parliament were lively as EVERYONE fought for the good of the country. Nowadays, we have MPs frequently skipping the sessions because they are too busy with their own 1001 businesses. Even when they are there, they have been photographed napping during the sessions!! Such is the drop in the standard of PAP MPs, yet this has never been reported in any mainstream media.
I have to admit the PAP are excellent businessmen. Everything they touched turned to gold. Your COEs, ERPs generated hundreds of millions for them. Then, there is the GIC and TH which have been managing our money. Personally, I have no qualms about managing my money for me if the ANY of the following condition can be met:
1. the returns from the investment are shared 50-50. This is obviously not the case here when the returns on our CPF is not even 4.5%!!
2. more than 50% of the returns from these investments are used to fund social spending. You don't pass on the profit to me, but at least you spend it by building hospitals or retirement villages - this has not happened too.
3. can be given back to me without ANY restriction. Why do you implement Minimum Sum, increasing the Sum and age of withdrawal from time to time??
Personally, I think it is okay if the PAP does not love us or want to take care of us properly. I am the type of guy who believes that, “Give a man a fish and you feed him a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” I do not want to rely on this government as long as I can take care of myself. Problem here is not only does the PAP not love us, it constantly sabotages us!!
Look at the number of foreigners that have taken over our jobs!! Even those with degrees from degree mills can now work for the government!! And what is the deal with granting so many KTV hostesses and masseurs becoming Singapore PR?! Not only do we have difficulty finding work, our families may be ruined with so many potential “home-wreckers”!! Now there is even talk of providing driver-less taxis. That is another 40,000 cab drivers, or sole breadwinners who will be out on the streets!!
Not only that, every year hundreds of millions are given to foreign students as scholarships!! But, look at the students that we wind up with. Alvin Tan – an ex-Law undergraduate turned porn star. Ouyang Xiangyu – an ex-Stanford student expelled for poisoning her laboratory mates. We are considered the “ROBERT” by many students overseas. My question is, why waste these millions when these students have never once proven their loyalty? More importantly, they have absolutely embarrassed our country!!
Enough said, though I can still ramble on for a few nights. Bottom line is PAP members are at best great businessmen. But, Singapore is a country with human beings. Until the PAP realizes that managing flesh and blood is very different from running a business, they will never change. Even the recent flip-flop by the newly-appointed Manpower minister saying that foreigners’ curb is here to stay is an election ploy.
Remember 2011? The year when we gotten New Singapore Shares? After winning the election, the PAP government raised the GST to 7%. So, if we buy into this con, who dares to say that PAP will not continue to take in more foreigners after the election?
Unless you set target to reduce the number of foreigners here, there is no way PAP has the resolve to solve our unemployment problem. Has anyone noticed that PAP always play with the quota ratio rather than putting up actual decreasing numbers of foreigners working here? This is because the ratio not only takes into consideration SINGAPOREANS, it also considers SINGAPORE PR. So, effectively though the ratio may seemed to be supporting a decrease in the number of foreign workers, the truth is far from that. Because once the government grants more PR out, the companies can hire more foreign workers!! SO, do not buy into the lie that number of foreign workers will drop!!
As a citizen, what I want to see is actual number of foreign workers falling here. Say we have 1.5 million foreign workers now. There should be a 5% reduction in this figure every year. Also, the foreign workers' levy should be treated like COEs too. The number of foreigners here is almost the same number as the number of cars here. If you bid for COE, why shouldn’t you bid for foreign workers too? If the levy is too high for you to bid, then hire local staff!!
In conclusion, our situation now is already so dire, do you think it will get worse? I look at the members of the Singaporeans First party. These are old RI boys well into their 60s. They have led a successful life and can now retire comfortably. Why then do they want to come out and “wrestle” with the PAP? Simply put, they are doing this for the future of their grandchildren.
A lot of PAP supporters say if we are not happy with PAP policies, we should leave this country. I always reply, "why should millions of us leave when it is easier to get the 80 of them to go?!" So, instead of asking why we should vote opposition into the parliament, I think the more appropriate question to ask is why continue to allow PAP to do whatever they want in the Parliament?! For the sake of your children or grandchildren, it is time to bid the PAP good bye like how we bid goodbye to LKY.
Professor MC