Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Its seems interesting that the PAP these days needs to have the old guard go around 'helping' to dish out the freebies. While this blog has not made much effort to follow every story coming out of the rumor mill, it seems absurd that the PAP will want to try to win an opposition sit and then remove the whip on the guy who wins. The question therefore becomes has the election become such a farce that the government or the PAP (there really is no difference anymore) must play up the small single sit constituencies so as to downplay the lack of competition in the other 95% of Singapore.
Of course the argument can be made that the PAP has a birth-right to a absolute majority in the government, given the exponential and nearly continuous growth of the pass 4 decades or so. Indeed, it is difficult envisioning the oppposition even remotely mimicking this track record, far less surpass it. However, we have come to a cross-road where the linear extrapolation of pass successes will not ensure steady growth in the future. The government is seemingly increasingly indecisive and unsure about its policies. From foreign trade (Shin-Corp), to media industry (Channel i), to education (just ask any secondary school kid), the common link is the failure of the government to live up to its expectations. The Singapore government is increasingly looking short on ideas to push the nation into the 21st century.
While her next generation ministers are vying to fill up the bastions left behind by the retreating old guards, its not surprising to see at least some mistakes in public policy. But this cannot be forgiven nor forgotten, and not least when committed by this arrogant party that believes a member of itself can be a check and balance against all the odd, the illogical and the impactical policies that go through parliament.
But do this blog expect to see any promise in this General Election? Sadly no. Until we learn the names of the opposition MPs, this government is here to stay and rule over the stupid people of Singapore.
4:46 AM
