http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/8/22/focus/4567745&sec=focus
The Star Online, 22 Aug 2009, Seah Chiang Nee
PAP pondering how best to fight to stay in power
The Government appears to be
telling young Singaporeans that if they want debate, the government
will give it to them and if the youngsters want parliamentary
democracy, they can have it too – but not necessarily through elections
or a two-party system.
POLITICS is one of the things that have changed least in Singapore.
Over a quarter of a century, the economy has been restructured, the
demography has changed; new people have come and old trends have gone –
pretty much of everything else, except perhaps politics.
It seems to have remained relatively as it had been. For many elderly
conservatives, that may not be a bad thing, since it also means
stability and continuity.
But faced with an uncertain world and a demanding new generation, the
People’s Action Party (PAP) could be heading for a tougher time winning
elections in future.
As its founding leader, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan
Yew once painted it: The next two elections should be no problem, but
after that, anything goes.
Now with the economic crisis affecting more families, the PAP has
obviously been pondering how best to fight in order to stay in power.
It’s a tough act as it strives to achieve a balance between rising –
and contrasting – demands from various segments of society, from
educated youths and disgruntled workers to poorer Singaporeans.
For 50 years, the PAP has been winning elections to stand as one of the
world’s few undefeated political parties, but with the help that power
and incumbency has bestowed upon it.
So what is its strategy to stay
relevant? Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong apparently wants to change the
Constitution to have a Parliament with two components.
The first is the normal 84 elected
legislators who debate and pass laws and the second, a less
significant, non-elected segment with watered-down rights to improve
debate. This second force of 18 will comprise nine nominated MPs,
chosen from a cross-section of non-partisan Singaporeans and up to nine
non-constituency MPs (NCMPs) from the opposition camp. As
an example, if the next election were to throw up only two opposition
winners, then the best seven losers will qualify as NCMPs.
In recent weeks, the pro-government press has been
playing up the role of nominated MPs as well as the desirability of
appointed Cabinet ministers.
All these have one thing in
common. They downplay the importance of opposition parties in
Parliament or in Singapore’s political system.
PAP party member Xu Kaixian wrote in Petir, the PAP organ, that democracy does not necessarily need the presence of opposition.
“Currently, any deviation from Western-style democracy is denounced as
authoritarian. But should that be the case?” the writer asked.
“Wouldn’t it be better if each country practised a democracy which best
suits its situation? Is there really a need for democracy in Singapore
to mirror the West’s?”
Adding to this is a suggestion by PAP backbencher Hri Kumar Nair that
Singapore consider appointing Cabinet ministers who are not MPs or may
not even be members of the ruling party.
The Government appears to be
telling young Singaporeans: You want debate, we’ll give it to you; you
want Parliamentary democracy, you can have it too – but not necessarily
through elections or a two-party system.
It apparently thinks it can
satisfy their aspirations for greater debate and opposition in
Parliament – without the PAP losing any seats.
Lee Kuan Yew has always been wary about the potential dangers of one-man-one-vote system. Last
year he warned that “a freak election” could wipe out Singapore’s
success. This could happen if voters became bored and decided to give
the vociferous opposition a chance out of ‘light-heartedness,
fickleness or sheer madness’.
“In five years, you can ruin this place and it’s very difficult to pick up the pieces,” he said.
Last November, his PM son said that a “two-party
model cannot work” in Singapore, and it is “much better off with one
dominant party”.
Since then he has stepped back a little by saying that “Singaporeans
want national issues to be fully debated.. (so we should) improve our
political system to encourage a wider range of views in Parliament,
including opposition and non-government views”.
Lee’s measures have generally been well received as a positive development.
Critics, however, call it a sham reform that tries
to manufacture a fake opposition, instead of freeing the environment to
allow it to grow.
“It is an attempt to tell Singaporeans that they could safely vote for
the government without being deprived of an opposition voice,” an
opposition member said.
“The nature of Parliament should not be changed. It is after all a
legislative body of representatives that should be freely elected by
the people, not appointed, nor nominated,” he added.
PM Lee is facing an increasing call from young Singaporeans for freer politics and lesser government controls. This was reflected in a speech by newly nominated MP Viswa Sadasivan,
appealing for the government to “let us take a chance on our people, on
ourselves.”
He said: “In my view, it is the duty of a responsible government to
help evolve a political climate that encourages greater interest and
participation from the people.
“If not, people are likely to feel increasingly alienated and
disenfranchised resulting in apathy and, worse, cynicism. I fear this
is already happening.”
Balanced against this is the other point of view expressed by Lee Kuan Yew in 2006: “Please don’t assume that you can change governments. Young people don’t understand this.”
On another occasion, Lee
said: “Without the elected President and if there is a freak (election)
result, within two or three years, the army would have to come in and
stop it.” So far none of the younger political leaders has repeated this warning.
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From Malaysia again
They love to scoop and make it sensational news like saying we've massive spread of H1N1 over tat article released by MOH on number of flu (typical or H1N1) cases
Then again you can't use SAF to clamp down either, cos it's a people's army. Neither can a govt be kept in a election if e system has changed
Lee said: “Without the elected President and if there is a freak (election) result, within two or three years, the army would have to come in and stop it.”
wat did the elected president do wen they lost 50 billions
Silence is golden - silence paid in gold?
the army consists of forced conscripts.
you think these conscripts who hate the army so much will help the the PAP?
Originally posted by automator:the army consists of forced conscripts.
you think these conscripts who hate the army so much will help the the PAP?
Wat da ya think them GURKHAS are for ? Them are not some cheapee mercenary soldiers ok?
Who da ya think are paying to maintain them on our soil ?
Ye old man is not stupid ya know ?
Originally posted by jojobeach:Wat da ya think them GURKHAS are for ? Them are not some cheapee mercenary soldiers ok?
Who da ya think are paying to maintain them on our soil ?
Ye old man is not stupid ya know ?
Look at what happened 20 yrs back in 1989 in Eastern Europe
children have grown up. why LKY finds it so difficult to like it go
why not letting young sinpean decide wat they wan in their life?
Lee said: “Without the elected President and if there is a freak (election) result, within two or three years, the army would have to come in and stop it.”
Did he meant that a military coup would happen in SG?That's total nonsense from a respectful statesman.BTW who elected this President?Can't remember there was an election for President?
Can anyone pls enlighten?
Originally posted by jojobeach:Wat da ya think them GURKHAS are for ? Them are not some cheapee mercenary soldiers ok?
Who da ya think are paying to maintain them on our soil ?
Ye old man is not stupid ya know ?
Gurkhas got how many people only?
What they want to do? Rebellion ah? Arrest all the opposition party ah?
If they dare to do that, I will get the entire SAF, SPF who consists of forced conscripts to lead a coup to kill the Gurkhas and all the PAP politicians.
I am from commando. 1 commando can kill 100 Gurkhas. Let them see the power of the commandos.
Originally posted by automator:
Gurkhas got how many people only?
What they want to do? Rebellion ah? Arrest all the opposition party ah?
If they dare to do that, I will get the entire SAF, SPF who consists of forced conscripts to lead a coup to kill the Gurkhas and all the PAP politicians.
I am from commando. 1 commando can kill 100 Gurkhas. Let them see the power of the commandos.
I guess it is true what they say about guys in the commandos!
Originally posted by automator:
Gurkhas got how many people only?
What they want to do? Rebellion ah? Arrest all the opposition party ah?
If they dare to do that, I will get the entire SAF, SPF who consists of forced conscripts to lead a coup to kill the Gurkhas and all the PAP politicians.
I am from commando. 1 commando can kill 100 Gurkhas. Let them see the power of the commandos.
1 Gurkha kid can wipe out your puny commando hendon camp full of spectacle wearing poly students, just happen to wear the uniform colour green.
i work at Joo Seng Road, just along Aljunied Road. i was from Maris Stella High, just behind Bartley and Mt. Vernon Road... where the past cemetry is...
if you ask me how many Gurkhas are there in Singapore, i am not trying to scare you but i believe (based on the number of blocks and how big the size of their camp is, plus i have a colleague who used to hang around Gurkhas) there are around 10,000 of them here in Singapore. whether include family members or not, i'm not sure.
when you talk about fitness, boy... ask around... i was part of Singapore 2006 when we have the World Bank having their meeting here in Suntec City. as usual, security was super tight. so of course the Army and Police were involved. coffee chat was common and i was told during those "joint" marathons annually among the uniform group, the top 3 were never Singaporeans, they were Gurkhas.
if you give me the ratio of 1 commando = 100 Gurkha, *shake head* look; i know you are proud to be a commando but put a commando and a Gurkha inside a locked room, you will roughly guess which one will walk out alive. one was trained since young to literally kill... the other, hmm... spelling. i'm not putting down Singaporeans, i'm a Singaporean myself but we have to be realistic.
hey, just look at that big "knife" they carry around... it was said that once that knife is drawn, it has to taste blood... be it their victim or their own.
wha Gurkha so good ar?? then why those commando boys in changi point where i go for my food, always boost to me that they are the best. Got young handsome Gurkhas or not??
I often see Gurkhas at immigration checkpoints, but they not so handsome leh..
Sorry to dissapoint you angel7030. Gurkhas are not interested in cheena ku niangs.
Originally posted by angel7030:wha Gurkha so good ar?? then why those commando boys in changi point where i go for my food, always boost to me that they are the best. Got young handsome Gurkhas or not??
I often see Gurkhas at immigration checkpoints, but they not so handsome leh..
Singapore commandos are the best when they are against local army boys... okay, maybe when it comes to jungle warfare, commandos are better, afterall they are trained in the jungle and the Gurkhas are "police" at best. but when it comes to fitness, pure fitness. i dare to say, no fight. literally no fight at all.
next, as police, they are trained in urban warfare... fighting in enclosed space. they are in other words, prolific in short range fighting... i mean if you want to lead a force of army personnels to fight in urban singapore, we are in a huge disadvantage. that's where U.S soldiers are struggling in Iraq. i'm not saying we won't win... we will definitely but at what cost? death ratio 50,000 against 10,000?
sister, go to Joo Seng Road, PM industrial building food court during lunch time. they have young, handsome looking Gurkhas and they like Prawn Mee... don't know why...
Originally posted by Advante_101:Sorry to dissapoint you angel7030. Gurkhas are not interested in cheena ku niangs.
true... usually they are attached with their own kind... somewhere... in little Gurkha village.
A bunch of one track minded security guards win against our well trained and cunning commandos? What a joke!
If it bleeds, it can die. Gurkhas aint invincible, let alone a bunch of human acting wannabe robotic foriegner guards.
Hell! I'm sure our infantry soldiers alone, led by our modern and able officers will kick the shit outta these security guards should the need arise, but hey, there aint no need of it all at present and hopefully in future. So all these 'battles' are purely moot.
Go write a fiction book or join Jack Neo to film some comedy instead.
This pain old ass still so evil oppressive, never wanna do good for good karma.
Shame on you, bloody old evil man!
Haha.. Last time LKY rally, a lot of people will listen one. Now, maybe wun.
Originally posted by Itedino:Haha.. Last time LKY rally, a lot of people will listen one. Now, maybe wun.
His "magic" losing effect
Commandos don't even need any weapons to kill.
I just use my hands to twist the neck of the Gurkhas and they will be dead
Originally posted by automator:Commandos don't even need any weapons to kill.
I just use my hands to twist the neck of the Gurkhas and they will be dead
Take it easy boy. REAL Singapore commandos dont brag or advertise themselves. No need to. They are real men. The steel lies within.
Heck!, you wont even know who they are in a civilian crowd. Swift, silent, efficient and deadly, they only appear when called upon in a national crisis. Other than that, you wont get to see them. Real actions speaker louder than words and more effective, as proven by them throughout our national history and into the future.
Dont play play.
I think it's safe to say that with the amount of time Singaporean boys spent on their national service, they are not as dangerous as they have bragged and imagined themselves to be.
Who is better? Airforce Pilot, Army Commando, Navy Seal/Diver?
Then who is more likely to beat up and abuse their girlfriends and wives?