Save Our PAP
Business Law paper in 10 hours. The last of it. Took a break just now and watched the dialogue session that MM Lee Kuan Yew had with a group of under-30s, the post-independence generation of Singapore. Yes, if you're reading this blog, most likely you'll fall under this category.I was particulary interested in watching because Alvina (our beloved former president of SMUBE) and Kenneth (who tutored me physics while I was in sec 4) were part of the group.
One of the girls stood out, and I felt, in not such a good way. To me she came across as quite rude when addressing MM Lee, and she cut off some of the others when they were mid-way through their questions. The questions mainly centered around, how the PAP was getting too powerful, and that we should give a level playing field to the opposition parties. They were also questioning the purpose of the opposition since, well let's face it, they don't pose much of an opposition at all.
I think MM Lee answered the questions really well, and I agreed with him on most points. Come on, seriously, which party in the world would want to give the opposition party a level playing field, give concessions, or worse still, give them advantages? Where got such thing?
"Eh... you sweep all the other GRCs already, give chance la...just give me Tampines or Potong Pasir." Right.
I understand the need for credible opposition, because if we let things be, and if the PAP, God forbid, becomes corrupt in the future, there will be no checks and balances to remove the corrupt politicians. That said, we sure as hell shouldn't vote the opposition, just because we don't like to see the PAP get too powerful. If they're doing a good job, which they are, then why not vote them in? The opposition has to sort itself out and bring in the talent, but it doesn't seem likely at the moment, seeing as how most of the brighter people are joining the PAP. (No offense to Chiam See Tong and his crew. I still think he's cool)
I agreed with one of the issues brought up, that the way the JB Jeyaratnam lawsuit was handled, was a bit high handed. Surely there wasn't a need to sue him till bankruptcy? I see poor old JBJ at City Hall MRT now while on my way to school, selling his ideologies and convincing fellow Singaporeans to stand up for their rights. He gets ignored most of the time, sadly.
I was wondering, if I were someone around my Dad's age, the generation who witnessed Singapore's phenomenal rise from third-world nation to first, I would be frickkin pissed at the way some of the questions were asked. Totally undermined the efforts of the government to bring Singapore to where it is today. Have we, the post-independence generation, taken Singapore's prosperity for granted? Then again, do we even care about Singapore's politcal scene?
There really has to be more awareness about the political system in Singapore. Reminds me about the conversation I had with Daphne, Siang and co. the other day. Daph was saying that in the UK, they teach politics in schools at about JC level, about Labour, Conservative and all. I agree it's seriously needed in Singapore, if you don't want us to turn into a nation that doesn't think for itself, and lets the government's opinions be our opinions.
Tsk. I think studying all that business law really made me "lor-soh". Ah well. Our generation needs to be more politically aware and not assume the PAP will win it all the time. Guess we could all start by learning who's running in our GRCs.
What's that you say? No need? Cos' it's a walkover in your GRC? Oh well.
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