http://thestar.com.my/columnists/story.asp?col=insightdownsouth&file=/2009/4/18/columnists/insightdownsouth/3712643&sec=Insight%20Down%20South
JB’s son steps up to do battle
Insight: Down South
By SEAH CHIANG NEE
More young professionals with good credentials are trickling
towards the opposition camp, auguring well for the growth of democracy
in Singapore.
SINGAPOREANS have long had an insipid sense of political apathy
aggravated by many years of top-down government, but a small breeze may
be blowing.
Even among activists, few are ready to take the plunge of challenging the government in elections like in most other countries.
Even the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) has to offer rich incentives to attract them.
But in these times of crisis, when the political
life-span of the 85-year-old Lee Kuan Yew nears its sunset years, the
ground may be starting to shift. With talk of a snap
election by the year-end, more Singaporeans with good credentials are
trickling towards the fledgling opposition camp.
Their entry into politics augurs well for the growth of democracy in Singapore.
The latest is a big catch for the opposition. He is the 50-year-old son
of the late opposition icon JB Jeyaretnam, Lee’s erstwhile foe for
decades.
Kenneth has announced he has joined the new Reform Party, has been
co-opted into its leadership and seeks to stand in the next election.
The Reform Party was set up by Jeyaretnam before he died of heart failure, aged 82, seven months ago.
Kenneth said the decision was to honour his father’s long struggle for
a freer society, and he would inject his own economic ideas for
Singapore’s future. He will not be the only opposition recruit. When an
election date becomes clearer, more candidates may rise to the surface.
Lee had predicted such a trend many years ago.
He believes that after he leaves, a new breed of bright, well-educated
youths – who hitherto shun politics – will emerge to challenge the PAP.
These would be graduates from top foreign and local universities who would join opposition parties to contest in elections.
Secondly, Lee has also expressed confidence that the PAP will remain in
power but only for two more elections (10 years); after that, anything
goes.
Thirdly, Lee doesn’t rule out a future PAP leadership splitting into
two factions after he has left, perhaps along ideological lines.
Well, the Minister Mentor is still around, relatively healthy (he’s now
visiting Vietnam) and revealing no sign of wanting to go.
However, his prophesy of an infusion of youthful talent in the opposition may be coming true, even while he is still in office.
Kenneth’s arrival on the scene is a case in point. He seems to have some political acumen despite his lack of experience.
“Like the Prime Minister, I also have a double first (in Economics)
from Cambridge,” he said. PM Lee Hsien Loong’s is in Mathematics.
Academic qualifications rank very high among the Singaporean voter’s preferences in a candidate.
When Hsien Loong entered politics, his Double First was a strong appeal
among heartlanders, a card Kenneth is now using to good effect.
Jeyaretnam’s son is married and has a 12-year-old boy. He worked in
London’s financial sector for several years before returning with his
family to Singapore last April.
It has immediately raised a “Son versus Son” buzz among old-timers who
still remember the old verbal battles between their respective fathers,
Jeyaretnam and Lee.
Most people, however, dismiss it as unlikely. Both men are very
different from their fathers, possessing none of dad’s confrontational
stances or propensity for heated debate.
Even if Kenneth gets elected – a big if – the two men may face each
other in Parliament in a more sombre, logical manner. At any rate,
modern House rules will probably forbid any heated arguments. Both Lee
and Jeyaretnam were lawyers and master debaters, while their sons are
less aggressive by nature.
In these days, when Singapore needs a new strategy for its future
survival, Kenneth’s discipline as a trained economist (something
Jeyaretnam lacked) may be more important.
He is an important catalyst for the recruitment of professionals by his party and the opposition in general.
It comes at a time when the government is facing its strongest public
pressure in many years because of a number of unpopular policies and
the severe economic downturn.
Another potential candidate is Tan Kin Lian, former PAP elite and
ex-CEO of NTUC Income (insurance giant of the National Trades Union
Congress).
Tan became a folk-hero of sorts when he organised weekly rallies to
help Singaporeans recover their losses from being “misled” into
investing in the defunct Lehmans structured notes sold by the local DBS
Bank.
An active blogger, he has not shown his hand yet, but says he may
possibly contest as a candidate for an established opposition party.
Meanwhile, the main opposition parties have reported an increase in their recruitment of younger potential candidates.
The long surviving SPP leader, Chiam See Tong, who has recovered from a
stroke, hopes to battle in a bigger pond, fighting in a group
constituency, and to let his wife defend his strong turf at Potong
Pasir.
“I already have a team. We have one doctor, one accountant, two lawyers,” he told a reporter.
The opposition Workers Party was recently hit by resignations of four cadre members, including two past candidates.
Officials, however, say the loss is more than made up for by new
recruits. “The process of renewal is on track,” said its leader and MP
Low Thia Khiang.
Its team is getting younger, with nine of 15 CEC members below the age
of 40. For the PAP, however, the worry is voter reaction, rather than
the opposition moves. That will decide its fortunes.
----------------------------
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5. JBJ's son steps up to do battle
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Certainly look promising. Let's hope they could come up with something more than just the blame game.
Agree with Stevenson with that one.
As more and more s'poreans become better educated, they become knowledgeable and aware and this should not be taken as a rebellion. In such times, it is best not to offend this group of intellectually oriented voters as it has been shown to bring about collapse of whole governments.
As with such intellectual population, the opposition may in fact have a easier job to gain votes than in the past and the ruling party may have a harder time. The cards on the table have been turned. But the cards have to carefully played the next time as the ruling party's strategies are being exhausted over the years.
There is a high chance that the next coming election will be a fierce one
Factor in the new beast - The Internet and its related cousin , the online media. The tough gets going and the going gets tough.
s'poreans become better educated, they become knowledgeable and aware
I don't think education is the main factor. There are highly educated people that are completely brainwashed by state propaganda.
I remember one forummer who claimed that he is studying at NUS and stated to me that he was well informed on world events by reading ST, newsweek and the economist.
It is clear that this person is completely ignorant about world politics.
The main factor is that more people are politicised.
They are politicised by propaganda and agitation found on internet.
Once they are politicised to a certain level they will start to see the PAP regime with a different eye.
How educated are the Thai protestors?
One thing is for sure, they are highly politicised people.
Originally posted by Ah Chia:s'poreans become better educated, they become knowledgeable and aware
I don't think education is the main factor. There are highly educated people that are completely brainwashed by state propaganda.
I remember one forummer who claimed that he is studying at NUS and stated to me that he was well informed on world events by reading ST, newsweek and the economist.
It is clear that this person is completely ignorant about world politics.
The main factor is that more people are politicised.
They are politicised by propaganda and agitation found on internet.
Once they are politicised to a certain level they will start to see the PAP regime with a different eye.
How educated are the Thai protestors?
One thing is for sure, they are highly politicised people.
And my hopes for a healthy democracy is crushed within 4 hours, longer than i expected frankly.
And my hopes for a healthy democracy is crushed within 4 hours
???
With a clean slate of any bleamishes in character & an outstanding academic credentials, this up & coming political rookie will definitely give a good run for the hearts & minds of the voters against the PAP.
One precaution to take is that the newbie must maintain at all times absolute above board behaviour/activities/utterances so that his opponents will not have the opportunity to expose, fix, sue & tarnish his clean image.
May the force be with him & I wish him all the best.
Originally posted by Worldlybusinessman:Factor in the new beast - The Internet and its related cousin , the online media. The tough gets going and the going gets tough.
u think sgp has its own malaysiakini isit?
i dont think so. we dun have such talents.
i dont think so. we dun have such talents.
I think people scared of sue.
Such events occuring is the coming of the antichrist.