Dissonance and Delusion

Opposition’s Scholar Candidates a Worry (26 April 2011)

AS AN older citizen, I am uncomfortable about the presence of former government scholarship holders in the opposition.

To me, it seems as if they are abandoning their parents who paid for their excellent education.

Yes, one could argue that these candidates were in fact supported by taxpayers and will now serve all Singaporeans, and not only the People’s Action Party.

But, are they really sincere about helping Singapore achieve a better society by joining the opposition?

Can they effectively check the Government or will they create more fighting or quarrelling like the parliamentary sessions in Taiwan?

Aren’t there enough ways of giving feedback to the Government?

I can contact my Members of Parliament any time; I don’t even have to make an appointment and can e-mail them when I need help.

It takes time to know these scholar opposition candidates and I wonder if I should risk the four to five years it will take to know such a candidate’s ability, and compromise national progress.

A better answer for me is not to vote them in for this General Election and see if they continue contributing.

I would even apply my answer to the Workers’ Party’s star candidate, Mr Chen Show Mao.

I would like to see if he really relocates his family to Singapore, as he has told the press he would, if he fails to win the election.

A candidate like Workers’ Party chairman Sylvia Lim is too academic for an average voter like me. She makes good speeches but rarely champions a voter’s bread-and-butter needs.

A good MP to me must not only act as a check on the Government, but also serve the ground and offer effective solutions to the Government.

I would prefer a few good opposition MPs than many who are merely interested in the glamour of being in the opposition in Parliament.

With the General Election coming up, the press has predictably been flooded by writers eager to, colloquially speaking, angkat bola. But this letter takes it to a whole other level. I am at a loss at to how people who can think this way even exist. Don’t they for a moment stop to consider the absurdity and illogicality of their opinions?

To deal with the letter systematically:

1) AS AN older citizen, I am uncomfortable about the presence of former government scholarship holders in the opposition. To me, it seems as if they are abandoning their parents who paid for their excellent education.

Are you fucking serious. Are you seriously making this argument. One central assumption seems to be that people living in opposition wards don’t pay taxes. I am pleased to inform our reader that they, in fact, do. And they pay these taxes at the exact same rate as Singaporeans living in PAP wards. And even if they did not, former government scholarship holders – “former” being the key word here – are not beholden to the government their entire lives. They take scholarships, serve their bonds, and the contract is considered fulfilled. There is absolutely no reason they have to uncritically back the government their entire lives. Furthermore, to finally put the seal on this completely absurd argument, the PAP is a political party and does not constitute the Government. The distinction might be lost on many, but it’s a fair one to make – especially considering a rule exists that civil servants cannot be members of any political party.

In short: “Yes, one could argue that these candidates were in fact supported by taxpayers and will now serve all Singaporeans, and not only the People’s Action Party.” Yes indeed, that is the only sensible argument to make, not the one you are making, dear writer.

2) But, are they really sincere about helping Singapore achieve a better society by joining the opposition?

What particular reasons have you got to doubt them? The fact that they don’t wear all-white and have a lightning symbol pinned to their chests?

3) Can they effectively check the Government or will they create more fighting or quarrelling like the parliamentary sessions in Taiwan?

Yes, opposition candidates run for Parliament so they can get the privilege of punching each other out in its hallowed halls.

But even then, you know what fighting and quarrelling shows? It’s not pretty, but what it shows is passion. And that is exactly what our tepid Parliament lacks. There is absolutely no sense that most of the MPs want to serve the people. Better them fighting to push through their agendas, than falling asleep all the time during speeches.

4) Aren’t there enough ways of giving feedback to the Government?

Singaporean doesn’t understand what democracy is. Colour me surprised.

5) It takes time to know these scholar opposition candidates and I wonder if I should risk the four to five years it will take to know such a candidate’s ability, and compromise national progress. A better answer for me is not to vote them in for this General Election and see if they continue contributing.

Here’s an idea: why don’t you flip that thought and not vote for the new PAP candidates and see if they continue contributing? I also resent the implication that the PAP is the only party capable of giving us “national progress”, whatever that incredibly vague term means. But knowing Singaporeans, it probably means “make the rich lots more money”.

6) I would prefer a few good opposition MPs than many who are merely interested in the glamour of being in the opposition in Parliament.

Where the hell is the glamour? Show me the glamour that our current opposition MPs are currently enjoying. What the fuck, do you think they get a red carpet and a horde of paparazzi clicking away every time they show up at Parliament? Are reporters crowding their abodes for quotes and whiffs of scandal?

This is a thoroughly silly letter. Unbelievable that someone thought about it and decided to write in, and even more unbelievable that someone looked at it and decided to publish it.

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