December 30, 2009
Written by Our Correspondent
In an uncharacteristic Freudian slip, Singapore’s octogenarian leader Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew finally confirmed the suspicions of many Singaporeans – that all grassroots organizations are part of the PAP and not “non-partisan” as they are supposed to be.
Dispensing his usual “pearls of wisdom” on China yesterday during a dialogue, Lee said that the Chinese have been studying Singapore for several years, sending many teams of officials, at different levels of government, to attend courses at, for example, the National University of Singapore, the Nanyang Technological University, and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.
To illustrate one lesson the Chinese learnt, he said:
“They discover that the People’s Action Party (PAP) has only a small office in Bedok. But everywhere they go, they see the PAP – in the RCs (residents’ committees), CCCs (citizens’ consultative committees), and the CCs (community clubs).”
[Source: Straits Times, 30 December 2009]
Over 85 per cent of Singapore’s population lives in public housing estates built by HDB. Every estate is subdivided into various zones, each with its own RC.
A RC usually comprises of residents living within the zone and serve to promote interaction between Singaporeans by organizing events such as “block parties” at the void decks of HDB flats.
Community Clubs cater to residents of the entire estate and offers a broader range of activities such as yoga classes, language courses and cooking classes.
All grassroots organizations in Singapore are under the purview of the People’s Association, a statutory board set up on 1 July 1960 “to promote racial harmony and social cohesion.” Its Chairman is none other than the Prime Minister himself who is also the Secretary-General of the PAP.
Though grassroots organizations are non-political organizations, they are often involved in “pseudo-political” activities which serve the partisan interests of the PAP.
The premises of RCs are used for the weekly “Meet-the-People” sessions of PAP MPs. Dialogue sessions with ministers are often held in the halls of Community Clubs.
To further complicate matters, the Chairpersons of RCs are sometimes PAP members who sit on many boards. A PAP branch secretary may be the Vice Chairman of a Community Club Management Committee and a RC Chairman at the same time.
As an example, a YPAP member and moderator of the YPAP Facebook Network Mr Fong Yoong Keong, is the Vice Chairman of Eunos Community Club Management Committee and Assistant Secretary of Eunos Zone “3″ RC at the same time.
The RCs and CCs give the PAP a powerful grassroots machinery on the ground which enables it to steamroll over the opposition election after election.
Since the PA is a statutory board funded entirely by taxpayers’ monies, Singaporeans have been unwittingly “sponsoring” the PAP’s partisan activities over the last four decades.
In fact, the PAP is found not only in grassroots organizations, but everywhere in Singapore as well from the mainstream media, trade unions, police, Internal Security Department, state-linked companies and what not – you name it, you have it!
Lee once boasted unashamedly about the PAP’s complete dominance in Singapore during an interview with its mouthpiece Petir in 1982:
“I make no apologies that the PAP is the (Singapore) Government and the Government is the PAP.”
No wonder the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is so interested to learn from Singapore.
Wow, that is interesting.
Something like infested with virus all over the body.
reminds me of the matix
Of course grassroots organisations are part of PAP. I doubt the ruling party allows any oppositions to be in these grassroot organisations.
The old man is still human.
Now, he trying to show off his bags of dirty tricks.
It is like washing dirty laundry in the public.
But, it is already well know that lipassroot people are there to get the goodies that coupled with the job. Just like their respective bosses and up the rank.
Not forgetting you get good day medals during aug when u donate more money to support.
Either he is trying to show off or he is losing his head to retain control.
He is really in a sorry state.
When the PAP loses in the next election, than we will all know what a stupid pig that old man LKY is
Originally posted by keeptouch:When the PAP loses in the next election, than we will all know what a stupid pig that old man LKY is
And when they didnt....you planning to strip yourself naked and roast yourself on a spit with a tongue sticking out or a hoof in your mouth?
PAP loses in next election? chun bo?
again sure got walkovers again.......u dontknow meh?
They will never lose.
Cos you are dependent on them for every single element of survival in this prison.
Think water, electricity, gas, bus, taxi, police, army, supermarket, telco, bank, mall ........
Vote them out ? Vote who ?
There is no superman or wonder woman here to save you.
So, this stupid idea will never work.
If you are them, what is there to worry when u have NO enemy ?????
If pap not happy, pap will declare all grc walk over.
Originally posted by Medicated Oil:The old man is still human.
Now, he trying to show off his bags of dirty tricks.
It is like washing dirty laundry in the public.
But, it is already well know that lipassroot people are there to get the goodies that coupled with the job. Just like their respective bosses and up the rank.
Not forgetting you get good day medals during aug when u donate more money to support.
Either he is trying to show off or he is losing his head to retain control.
He is really in a sorry state.
All are humans
they will never get voted out one lar
come on
they rule telecoms , SP Power , Media ,
almost every big and small co in sg
voted out liao
Who going to take over?
give to oppos. party?
The grassroots of Potong Pasir and Hougang?
Originally posted by noahnoah:
they will never get voted out one lar
come on
they rule telecoms , SP Power , Media ,
almost every big and small co in sg
voted out liao
Who going to take over?
give to oppos. party?
As said many times already, the grassroots strength from CC, CCCs and CCCCs, NTUCs, UCC, Univeristies and RCs already won the election for them liao, that is why LKY dare to say, Dun ever think you can change the govt. The sentence already hide so much meaning to it.
I dunno, it either opposition supporters are too naive, stupid or simply dun want to understand it, PAP had already built it base so strongly that they need only another 15% from the ground out of all the grassroot CCs n CCCCs, to regain it 66.6%, anything more than that, will be a big bonus for them.
Originally posted by mancha:The grassroots of Potong Pasir and Hougang?
Potong pasir and hougang grass look ok, i think their town council did a good job in tending the roots of those grass. So, you got a problem with these 2 towns grass? Place dun play football or dig worm ya, you may damage the grassroots
I think in singapore's context, the grassroots work of all parties are partisan in nature. Haha this article is nothing new.....
grassroots?
should be thankful to them
that we not eating grass liao
at least got cai png to eat
It is just like working in a big organisation where 1 country trying to take over the other countries as a regional hub.
The other country (existing regional hub) will buy lots of machineries, lots of servers, lots of pcs, lots of programes, lots of applications until it was virtually very difficult to ship to another country (new regional hub).
That is what they are doing now.
Untouchable and our opposition are no where near them.
If opposition take over, the whole system will break down and create choas.
Look at our ministers, going overseas and shake hands and to mingle and to introduce themselves to the leaders. Imagine they gone, who go overseas to make friends with the foreign leaders? Foreign leaders know the opposition members? Very hard isnt it?
everyone in the world know
Mr LKY
but who in the world know our opp party
doubt they ever get a chance to handshake
with any president in the world
Originally posted by noahnoah:
grassroots?
should be thankful to them
that we not eating grass liao
at least got cai png to eat
cai is grass also mah? eveytime eat png? become png tang lor...me go eat laksa
Originally posted by noahnoah:
everyone in the world know
Mr LKY
but who in the world know our opp party
doubt they ever get a chance to handshake
with any president in the world
Our neighbouring countries might know our opp party.
The rest will scretch their head and ask themselves : who is that guy behaving like a gangster?
Originally posted by noahnoah:
everyone in the world know
Mr LKY
but who in the world know our opp party
doubt they ever get a chance to handshake
with any president in the world
got, only some Hip Hop students down in some cheap US colleages know about opposition of Singapore, because oppositon leaders of Singapore like to go there and lecture. But they forget understand these hip hoppers are useless bum, can about getting sex party and more pot to smoke only
Originally posted by angel7030:got, only some Hip Hop students down in some cheap US colleages know about opposition of Singapore, because oppositon leaders of Singapore like to go there and lecture. But they forget understand these hip hoppers are useless bum, can about getting sex party and more pot to smoke only
If opp take over pap, all illegal things will become legal.
Spore will be in chaos.
Originally posted by likeyou:
If opp take over pap, all illegal things will become legal.Spore will be in chaos.
We, as citizens of Singapore, must be able to weight the situation in balance, first and foremost,
PAP we already know that so well, thanks to our opposition players comments and also confused notions. In another words, we know how PAP rules and what they achieved for this country and benefits we got from it.
Oppositions becoming rulers here is still unknown, we dunno what they are going to do, and what happen to singapore, or are they to do what they preached freely without much responsibilities in their rallies, or after attaining govt status, forget about what they said but concentrate more on gaining power, struggle and end up Chao.
Is Singapore ok without the oppositions? well, since we are all here, still enjoying life and post freely, money in bank, got a business or job, dun have to beg for 3 meals, dun have to sleep on the street, dun have to work like a slave, do you think we want to take the risk to vote for opposition.??? Foods for thought ya.
thunder or hammer party ..
no need to think so much
can eat and zzz and watch tv
can go shooping
can collect comission
can see houses here and then
thats consider life..