Confrontational model not ideal for Singapore
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Apr 6, 2010 - ST Forum
POLITICS OF DEMOCRACYConfrontational model not ideal for S'pore
I REFER to the report, 'Chiam's SDP exit: Wife speaks up' (March 29), and Dr Chee Soon Juan's response last Friday, 'No one forced Chiam out: SDP chief'.
I do not know either of them personally, nor have I voted for them. But I regard Mr Chiam highly as an opposition MP - he has contributed in no insignificant way to Singapore politics.
Dr Chee, however, seems more intent on introducing a confrontational Western-style democracy in Singapore. While that model may work in some countries, it does not mean it is the best and only model for us.
In the West, individualism is supreme. But at what price?
In the United States, something as basic and fundamental as health-care reform has taken years to push through because of bipartisan politics.
Teens continue to be shot at in schools because the right to bear arms is more important than the lives and safety of children. Politicians do what is necessary to be elected instead of doing what is right.
Nearer home, look at what is happening in Thailand. Once a peaceful country, it is now torn apart because of the confrontations between two main parties.
Singapore is a young country with a multiracial population. While we have enjoyed peace for many years now, our society remains fragile. Harmony is key to our survival and our future. In this scenario, political contests by rival parties based on a confrontational approach are not the best model.
The West may not view this as democracy. But so what? What is more important is that it works for Singapore and Singaporeans.
There are policies of the People's Action Party (PAP) government I disagree with. And there are many areas it can improve on. But it has to be admitted that the PAP has transformed itself over the years. More and more, the focus is on bottom-up participation.
Also, under the PAP government over the years, Singapore has continued to achieve progress and prosperity. The little red dot is now the envy of people around the world.
To quote Chinese leader Deng Xiao-ping: 'It doesn't matter if the cat is black or white, so long as it catches mice.'
The criterion should be what works and what does not, to enable Singapore to achieve its best potential.
It does not matter if we have a full Western-style democracy, partial demo-cracy or socialism that works the Singapore way. What is important is that we continue to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress based on justice and equality.
The opposition parties can and do have a role to play. That is, if they are willing to be constructive, as Mr Chiam has been, rather than destructive.
Patrick Tan
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And who is this AhTan patrick?
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Originally posted by Clivebenss:
Apr 6, 2010 - ST Forum
POLITICS OF DEMOCRACYConfrontational model not ideal for S'pore
I REFER to the report, 'Chiam's SDP exit: Wife speaks up' (March 29), and Dr Chee Soon Juan's response last Friday, 'No one forced Chiam out: SDP chief'.
I do not know either of them personally, nor have I voted for them. But I regard Mr Chiam highly as an opposition MP - he has contributed in no insignificant way to Singapore politics.
Dr Chee, however, seems more intent on introducing a confrontational Western-style democracy in Singapore. While that model may work in some countries, it does not mean it is the best and only model for us.
In the West, individualism is supreme. But at what price?
In the United States, something as basic and fundamental as health-care reform has taken years to push through because of bipartisan politics.
Teens continue to be shot at in schools because the right to bear arms is more important than the lives and safety of children. Politicians do what is necessary to be elected instead of doing what is right.
Nearer home, look at what is happening in Thailand. Once a peaceful country, it is now torn apart because of the confrontations between two main parties.
Singapore is a young country with a multiracial population. While we have enjoyed peace for many years now, our society remains fragile. Harmony is key to our survival and our future. In this scenario, political contests by rival parties based on a confrontational approach are not the best model.
The West may not view this as democracy. But so what? What is more important is that it works for Singapore and Singaporeans.
There are policies of the People's Action Party (PAP) government I disagree with. And there are many areas it can improve on. But it has to be admitted that the PAP has transformed itself over the years. More and more, the focus is on bottom-up participation.
Also, under the PAP government over the years, Singapore has continued to achieve progress and prosperity. The little red dot is now the envy of people around the world.
To quote Chinese leader Deng Xiao-ping: 'It doesn't matter if the cat is black or white, so long as it catches mice.'
The criterion should be what works and what does not, to enable Singapore to achieve its best potential.
It does not matter if we have a full Western-style democracy, partial demo-cracy or socialism that works the Singapore way. What is important is that we continue to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress based on justice and equality.
The opposition parties can and do have a role to play. That is, if they are willing to be constructive, as Mr Chiam has been, rather than destructive.
Patrick Tan
The article written by "Patrick Tan" is a no brainer to begin with.What has individualism got to do with confrontation politics - and what has both to do with all the pitfalls of American bi-partisan politics ?
Is American Politics the measure for all Western Democracies - when there are closer models as featured in the British Parliamentary System, and also the other democracies featured in major European Union countries - as well as the model democracies of small population countries such as Israel and Switzerland ?
Since his first entry into politics in Singapore - has Chiam been able to push his own relevance to make any impact to counter or even influence the PAP thinking in any of the PAP policies that were later apologised by LKY to be a mistake ?
Chiam has not even bothered with national politics beyond his Potong Pasir Constituency - which allowed LKY and the PAP to accept his existence.
If Chiam had been a force of some political substance - he would have been deemed to be a threat to LKY's scheme of things planned for LHL, and Chiam would never have been allowed to exist politically.
Chiam should consider his lucky star to have lasted so long with the blessings of LKY.
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I think in some way the public was not ready for Dr Chee SJ. Rather than having the notion that confrontation is not the model for Singapore.......
Our political cultured is only an infant.....the net probably help to share ideas but SG remain to be silent protesters. I would like to see more political talk show on T.V. allow TV air time for more discussion.
For once we got to stop telling people what is good for them....All this phrase from our media and ministers ...... "Should not do this" and ..... "Must do that" they got to stop telling people what is good for them.....Singaporean is not 3 yr old kid.
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what a joke by Mr Tan.
Hello Mr Tan,
You got mix up with Dr Chee personnal issue and our politic, how on earth can you said Dr Chee adopt a confrontational model when he has yet to rule here??? Yes, Dr Chee can be tempermental, but that is his personnal style, a person being busy with personnal legal trials and actions tends to be abit tempermental toward the prosecutor who charged him, dun tell me you laugh and smile at the one who is sueing you??
What, Chiam is constructives??? omg! he and that low are living in a cave, that is why LKY dun care them so much, they are merely local minded politician who knows how to patronise kopitiam and funerals. But people like late Uncle JB and Chee are different, these are the clever ones that can influence the world in a way of looking at Singapore, that is why LKY worry about them and that is why he prosecuted them hard hard...understand!!!
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Originally posted by Atobe:
The article written by "Patrick Tan" is a no brainer to begin with.What has individualism got to do with confrontation politics - and what has both to do with all the pitfalls of American bi-partisan politics ?
Is American Politics the measure for all Western Democracies - when there are closer models as featured in the British Parliamentary System, and also the other democracies featured in major European Union countries - as well as the model democracies of small population countries such as Israel and Switzerland ?
Since his first entry into politics in Singapore - has Chiam been able to push his own relevance to make any impact to counter or even influence the PAP thinking in any of the PAP policies that were later apologised by LKY to be a mistake ?
Chiam has not even bothered with national politics beyond his Potong Pasir Constituency - which allowed LKY and the PAP to accept his existence.
If Chiam had been a force of some political substance - he would have been deemed to be a threat to LKY's scheme of things planned for LHL, and Chiam would never have been allowed to exist politically.
Chiam should consider his lucky star to have lasted so long with the blessings of LKY.
i would like to disagree with you here..chiam actually made a good move if you can see in my angle that
1) he did not end up like JBJ which also unearth the "dirty" side of politics
2)since JBJ did take the full brunt of the warth of you know who, however in a global scale it would put him at a disadvantage where other leaders especially likely the US would brand LKY more to dicatorship rule that what he promised, should he put the same effect to chiam too.
i hope you think of policies for the sake of the people here and how it affects the country both locally and on a global scale s it would be the only option left to seriously challange the "iron fisted" rule here in this country.
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Originally posted by Arapahoe:
I think in some way the public was not ready for Dr Chee SJ. Rather than having the notion that confrontation is not the model for Singapore.......
Our political cultured is only an infant.....the net probably help to share ideas but SG remain to be silent protesters. I would like to see more political talk show on T.V. allow TV air time for more discussion.
For once we got to stop telling people what is good for them....All this phrase from our media and ministers ...... "Should not do this" and ..... "Must do that" they got to stop telling people what is good for them.....Singaporean is not 3 yr old kid.
i believe they already let the cat out of the bag recently when vivian balakrishnan announced their way of doing things is force it down our throats and persuade us to take it easy later " cause it' right for us" which is a tanamount to a huge backlash ..it tallies with the "overflow" that chiam predicted some time ago.
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Originally posted by angel7030:
what a joke by Mr Tan.
Hello Mr Tan,
You got mix up with Dr Chee personnal issue and our politic, how on earth can you said Dr Chee adopt a confrontational model when he has yet to rule here??? Yes, Dr Chee can be tempermental, but that is his personnal style, a person being busy with personnal legal trials and actions tends to be abit tempermental toward the prosecutor who charged him, dun tell me you laugh and smile at the one who is sueing you??
What, Chiam is constructives??? omg! he and that low are living in a cave, that is why LKY dun care them so much, they are merely local minded politician who knows how to patronise kopitiam and funerals. But people like late Uncle JB and Chee are different, these are the clever ones that can influence the world in a way of looking at Singapore, that is why LKY worry about them and that is why he prosecuted them hard hard...understand!!!
i think you made an error there..both JBJ and chee made a fatal same mistake- they cornered a tiger with power and fail to realized the danger behind it.
in one of the steratergies in the art of war- never corner a powerful enemy to the extreme, it could turn a win into a disaster overnight.
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Originally posted by Annilator47:
i would like to disagree with you here..chiam actually made a good move if you can see in my angle that
1) he did not end up like JBJ which also unearth the "dirty" side of politics
2)since JBJ did take the full brunt of the warth of you know who, however in a global scale it would put him at a disadvantage where other leaders especially likely the US would brand LKY more to dicatorship rule that what he promised, should he put the same effect to chiam too.
i hope you think of policies for the sake of the people here and how it affects the country both locally and on a global scale s it would be the only option left to seriously challange the "iron fisted" rule here in this country.
What is the purpose of being a survivor in politics and at the end of the day being seen as an inconsequential and ineffective politician ?
1) What or how did JBJ 'unearth the "dirty side" of politics' ?
Politics had been made dirty by the dubious standards of politics practised by LKY that began in 1962 in his desparate attempts to manipulate the population in a false Referendum to fulfill his own ambitions to enter into a merger with Malaysia.
2) Are you suggesting that it is worthless for JBJ to have done what he did, and it is better to follow in the quiet footsteps of Chiam - to be docile and survive ?
Is Chiam being honest with himself as a politician ?
At the end of the day, JBJ died an honorable man, respected at the end even by LHL - who had little choice but to admit his admiration in public even when his publicly expressed view was hypocritically and diametrically against his father - MM LKY.
Even as JBJ had not achieve any political landmark - he did give his honest best to represent the plights of all Singaporeans suffering under LKY guided PAP policies.
JBJ was a voice for Singaporeans and had at least served the purpose of revealing the wicked venom in the political animal that LKY had displayed.
Can Chiam display the same honesty that JBJ had shown in representing the voices of Singaporeans ?
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"our popular culture celebrates ostentatious wealth, it exalts the trivial..... virtues of courages and sacrifice are too often ignored in favour of cynical. "
quote by fergal keane.
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Lee family and PAP ruling forever is model for Singapore.
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Originally posted by Annilator47:
i think you made an error there..both JBJ and chee made a fatal same mistake- they cornered a tiger with power and fail to realized the danger behind it.
in one of the steratergies in the art of war- never corner a powerful enemy to the extreme, it could turn a win into a disaster overnight.
Even if they make a mistake, at least they tried with guts and all rights reserved, and such precedences will set the motion and lesson for the juniors like JB's Son and others to look at it and revise the way of handling PAP.PAP had infact never answered a single question post by JB or Chee, whatever they said or asked is consider defamation that came with brutal prosecution that not only put them down and out, but also shown to the public that you dun mess with LKY and his PAP. For LKY, he actually love peoples like JB and Chee, it is for him to show his power and for him to skill two birds with one stone. One to shut up the opposition, the other to draw a clear line to any Singaporean who try to be funny or oppose him. And when no one oppose or take him on, his emperor chair remain warm.
I like to take LKY as in my young bedtime fairy tales of the Emperor New Cloth, if today LKY is to walk nake on the street, people would still said his clothing is very nice, oppositions should therefore work in a way of getting better understand of the influence of LKY and his PAP
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Because the PAP wants this kind of Opposition in Parliament... Opposition member: We would like to know the exact figure of Singapore citizens hired by the I.R ... PAP minister: Don't want leh! Today not free. Opposition member: Ok ok, nevermind. How about this Friday? PAP minister: Don't think the government will be free this Friday! May I remind this Opposition member that if he keeps asking questions we don't want to answer in Parliament, you become a non-credible politician like Chee Soon Juan! You trying to be confrontational or what? Opposition member: Ok ok, sorry sorry. Nevermind. Forget I asked that question, ok?
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Patrick Tan could be from a cadres from PAP, who knows.
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Originally posted by Annilator47:
i think you made an error there..both JBJ and chee made a fatal same mistake- they cornered a tiger with power and fail to realized the danger behind it.
in one of the steratergies in the art of war- never corner a powerful enemy to the extreme, it could turn a win into a disaster overnight.
Yes, they make mistakes in their life, but their struggle for a different, more open and just society is very much appreciated, that is part we feel they deserve some respect, LKY was at JB funeral to respect his courage, his fighting spirit and his believes. The way a Man sacrifice his interest for the benefit of the society is much an honor to call for, and their mistakes helped their successors to learn from it and be wary of not making the same mistakes again. The struggle will never end, and each step, we learn the mistakes we make and improve on it, success will not succeed without failure or mistakes. The Art of war also learn from failure and mistake make in world to spell out the essential needs when dealing with enemy, it is not something that come out of a person mind and put it in writing without experience failure or war mistakes.
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Can the angel7030 be serious with its attempt to offer any intelligent opinions in this Speaker's Corner, or has it not been an established character flaw with its idiocy and frivolity in every thread that it had shown its clear intention to provocate responses that will drive all attention to its own controversial idiocy only ?
The agenda of this Taiwanese 'hum' was very clearly stated by itself - ‘to make sure the audience moving/divert toward you’ (*1)
This is an OPEN statement to all participant in this Forum - to resist and ignore the idiocy of this 'angel7030' and not to indulge this 'hum' from Taiwan in useless exchanges that stretch into multiple pages to drive the thread off-track.
The persistence of the Taiwanese 'hum' to post its irrelevant and irreverent idiocy is to drive the thread off-track.
Its declared agenda is to draw the attention of any participant to engage with its idiocy - so as to pile up the pages in the thread with nonsensical exchange with itself - and the thread being ignored.
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Serious??
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All I want is some checks and balances.
The incumbent party cannot be right everytime.
As evidenced by the recent boo boos over the past few years.
Is that too much to ask for?
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Originally posted by charlize:
All I want is some checks and balances.
The incumbent party cannot be right everytime.
As evidenced by the recent boo boos over the past few years.
Is that too much to ask for?
Yeah and when will checks and balances be without red tape?If changes are held up by red tape, even lives can be lost due to such delay.
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Originally posted by charlize:
All I want is some checks and balances.
The incumbent party cannot be right everytime.
As evidenced by the recent boo boos over the past few years.
Is that too much to ask for?
Charlie Chaplin, u dare to read their check and balance statements, if so, then you better get a doctor and some nurses on A and E standby. You may get a heart attack for how they checked and balanced our reserves and tax funds. -
Originally posted by Herzog_Zwei:
Yeah and when will checks and balances be without red tape?If changes are held up by red tape, even lives can be lost due to such delay.
So you are okay with no checks and balances because of red tape?
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Who is Patrick Tan? Most likely to be one of those ghost writers!
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Originally posted by angel7030:
Charlie Chaplin, u dare to read their check and balance statements, if so, then you better get a doctor and some nurses on A and E standby. You may get a heart attack for how they checked and balanced our reserves and tax funds.I only know how to read ST.
Most unbiased news you can find out there.