I refer to the 10 Dec 2014 Straits Times report “Rallying party for next GE”.
Contrary to what PM Lee said, the PAP doesn’t always deal with the problems they face. More often than not, they conveniently explain problems away. They don’t lie low, they lie.
Their so called settle now is to give excuses. Instead of hoping that the public forgets the problem, they hope the public remembers their excuses.
For example, between 2007 and 2011, the public could obviously see housing prices running out of control. But PAP kept explaining the problem away. First they insisted it was the natural outcome of demand and supply which the government had no control over. Then they rationalized it wasn’t a problem at all and that correcting it was tantamount to robbing from state reserves.
But immediately after the election setback of 2011, suddenly both housing demand and supply can be controlled, with measure after measure to rein in both demand and supply. Discounts to new flats were also increased, never mind it reduced already heavy inflows to state reserves. That’s how the PAP operates; explain problems away first rather than solve them first.
Contrary to what PM Lee said, PAP doesn’t behave as though it owes people responsibility. Instead, it behaves as though people owe them our First World status despite the fact that Singapore was already very prosperous as a British Crown Colony and became more so under the economic plan written by Dr Albert Winsemius.
Contrary to what PM Lee said, PAP is neither transparent nor accountable. It continues to hide behind the safety of state controlled media that shield it from answering really tough questions that transparency and accountability calls for.
PM Lee knows no shame when he asked other political parties to measure up to its lowly standards. It is not up to PM Lee but Singaporeans to decide who is up to the mark and who falls short. Neither PM Lee nor the PAP sets the mark. PM Lee’s own mark is less than half past six (60.5%).
Thank you.
Ng Kok Lim
Straits Times, Rallying party for next GE, 10 Dec 2014
PRIME Minister Lee Hsien Loong, at the PAP rally on Sunday, touched on these topics:
ON LEADERSHIP SUCCESSION
“We will reinforce the team further in the next General Election. We have already identified many promising candidates, including a few potential office holders. Some from the private sector; some in the government; quite a number from the activists, from the grassroots, men, women, different age groups, different races. A good representation of Singapore and the way Singapore’s leadership should be.
Of course, the elections are still a bit off yet and we have not stopped and will not stop looking for good men and women who can join us. So, after the next General Election, with the support of the voters, I will have a renewed, strengthened and more seasoned team of MPs, and of ministers.
Whoever will succeed me as Secretary-General and Prime Minister, will most likely be amongst the PAP MPs elected in the next General Election….Well before the end of next term, I am confident we will have a younger, passionate and capable team, ready to take over the reins”.
ON OPPOSITION PARTIES
“When we face problems, we acknowledge them publicly and deal with them. We do not pretend there is no problem – no comment, studying the matter, thinking about it, we’ll clarify one day. We settle now! You lie low, hoping the public will forget the issue and the issue will go away and the public will forget you, and you might as well go away.
Because we are the People’s Action Party, we owe a responsibility to the people, to be honest, to be transparent, and to be accountable. In fact, it is our responsibility to set the standard that other political parties in Singapore should be measured by and should aim for. I cannot tell them what they should aim for, but I can tell you who is up to the mark and who falls short. And we have to set that mark.”
ON POLITICAL BATTLES
“This is democracy. People are entitled to try. It is the way the system works or is supposed to work. But for democracy to really, truly work in Singapore, the PAP also must fight, and fight to win the battle. Because if the other side fights and we sit down and we are good guys and nice and friendly to everyone, I think we deserve to lose. We are friendly, yes. To win, we must fight for what we believe in. If you get flamed, so what? I have the thickest skin in town and if you are doing the right thing and if 10,000 people go against you, proceed. We are charging in the right direction.”