In an earlier post, I stated how illogical critics of opposition supporters are, also called propaganda parrots (PP), and provided my answers. Recall how bad planning has led to hospital patients staying in tents, the first first-world country with such a creative idea.
Other frequent and illogical statements of propaganda parrots:
PP: Our public transport system is one of the best in the world.
Ans: What we should not be concerned with is having the latest or new hardware but the the reliability, and also standard of our leaders, of public transportation which is below par. We now have a new record in January where the MRT broke down 5 times within 2 weeks on the 11th, 19th, 20th, 22nd and 25th. This happened after years of promises of improvement. Commuters did not cow peh cow bu for fun because we have been shortchanged and still forced to accept another fare hike.
PP: URA Concept and Master Plans ensure there is sufficient road and expansion is ongoing to meet our needs.
Ans: URA Concept and Master Plans have turned out to be a joke on Singaporeans. You should read about the URA Master Plan instead of speculating. The 1991 Concept Plan’s (40 to 50 years planning) stated objective of a 4 million population target was achieved in 9 years. Subsequent Concept Plans likewise. If a planner repeatedly misses the objective by a long shot, this is more like speculation. Any Tom, Dick or Harry can also be called a planner. Our Population White Paper – isn’t it then more of a guessing game? Email to DPM Teo
On road planning, the government seems to think it could create roads from thin air, not unlike David Copperfield who many paid to be entertained. Facts – there are physical limitations to the expansion of roads and in some areas, they have been maxed out. Road expansion in certain parts of our island may not bring relief to other congested parts. So you should not simply absorb all the MSM print as the devil is in the details.
Original photo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outline_of_Singapore
PP: Government set up system of grassroots to help the citizens.
Ans: On every major issue affecting Singaporeans, the collective voice of our grassroots is perhaps louder than a squeak at best. TRS article “Grassroots leaders are the silent voice of the majority” linkexplains in more detail. It’s a fact that the majority of grassroots members have personal agendas. If grassroots members had highlighted major issues in Punggol East prior to the by-election, would the ‘Son of Punggol’ have lost big time to the opposition? Do you think people are just voting in the opposition for the fun of it?
Original photo: http://www.clker.com/clipart-mouse1.html
PP: The PAP government is accountable to the people not unlike other countries.
Ans: For all major screw ups, the government will set up committees of inquiry (COI) and appoint its own ‘kaki’. SOP for the mainstream media to report that the government views the issue very seriously. COI findings are usually a slap on the wrist vs being given the boot in the private sector. The standard of our government has continued to decline because the issue of accountability has never been addressed. Regardless of major cock ups, ministers are transferred to another ministry after the election. Our political system becomes a game of musical chairs with citizens footing the bill. How many CEOs/key management personnel of statutory boards and government agencies have been held accountable during the last few decades? It seems you do not have supporting facts.
PP: Our country must be doing extremely well for foreigners to want to migrate here.
Ans: If it is indeed doing well, then the government should not be providing handouts to half a million citizens. Foreigners migrate here for personal reasons and it’s usually related to MONEY. Rich foreigners come here to take advantage of the low tax rates. Due to their immense wealth, this group of foreigners could actually reside in their country of choice. Westerners also uproot and move to countries like Malaysia, Thailand, etc. Are these countries better off than Singapore? For citizens from less well off countries, the reason to migrate is obvious. Many have used Singapore as a stepping stone to migrate to their ultimate destination. Tens of thousands of PRs have given up after making enough money to retire in their homeland.
PP: For decades, media reports have mostly praised our government and therefore this must be true.
Ans: Are you referring to the AssT?
PP: I read The Straits Times daily and there are lots of facts.
Ans: It is not what the AssT prints but what it does not print that matters more. The ‘facts’ are simply what the government wants the people to know. The government controls the mainstream media and it does not tolerate any dissenting views. In 2006, a regular column in Today stated the obvious about costs going up. The columnist was fired, compliments of our unhappy government. Bear in mind that since 10 years ago, HDB housing prices have doubled link along with other costs. The only thing which has not gone up is our standard of living. I hope you can see that mainstream media ‘facts’ are defined by the government, and inconvenient ones are not allowed to be published.
PP: I am partially convinced by your argument and will certainly read alternative news sites from now on.
Ans: At a more convenient time, I hope to convince you 100 per cent.
Next: Government’s upside down planning.
Phillip Ang
*The writer blogs at http://likedatosocanmeh.wordpress.com/