GOOD MORNING SINGAPORE!
So the dust is settled, the results are confirmed. For the next five years, Singaporeans will live with the outcome of yesterday’s elections.
For many years, I have been apolitical. I belonged to the category who never gave a damn hoot about the state of politics in Singapore. It was about them, not about me. But increasingly, as I aged, the impact of politics weigh on me and my pockets. I start to become more appreciative of how we have come so far, but also critical of some of the bureacratic thinking in some of our politicians. In short, more interested concerned.
This is the second time I’ve voted. I would state that I’m fairly happy with the outcome. It shows that we are becoming more discerning. I also salute those credible alternative parties who have emphatically made their stand during the past days of campaigning. They may not have won too many seats, but I think they have won in spirit.
Let’s hope that the ruling party will deliver what they say and not continue to ride on their high horses or live in their ivory towers. It’s about time they recognise that this is a different generation of people they’re dealing with. And if they want to stay within power in another 15-20 years like they said, then they better recognise what really is people power and how to connect with us, especially the younger ones. Otherwise, I suggest they clone puppets without brains which they don’t even need to brainwash. Save the taxpayer’s moolah lah!!!
By the way, I also found some interesting tidbits which have emerged from this election:
- the social status of a journalist in Singapore is closely associated with the chickens (prostitutes), the turtle’s head (pimps) and the sharks (illegal moneylenders aka ah longs) according to an online poll.
- new media on the Internet like blogs and podcast will be critically assessed by the garment after the election to see how they were used to shape and influence our opinions.
- a politician must have a good range of vocabulary or else have limited but sensible ones. For example, consider a better alternative to the word “FIX”.
Those interested in the election results can go read the mainstream media. But if you want more than the one-sided, superficial reports, then I suggest you read this article at Singabloodypore.
Oh, one more thing. For some strange reasons, my blog has been persistently attacked by spams in huge quantities these few days. I used to get only between 2 - 5 per day. But strangely, since I wrote this, I get like 50 - 150 per day. I wonder if there are any correlations between spams and politics? *scratches head which haven’t been washed*
And don’t forget “buy my supporters’ votes” if it is at all possible to communicate the idea of bribery in a politically correct way!
I don’t think of it so much as being interested in politics as it is about being concerned about our future and our children’s future. Think about the NKF episode where a supposedly respectable organisation, even endorsed by the Gahmen, and supposedly having a system of internal checks and external checks (MOH, etc) turned out to be such a scam. I stopped supporting the NKF a long time ago; they didn’t fool me and neither do the men in white.
Comment by fuzzoo — Sun, 7 May 2006 @ 11:00 am
I like your “pipple power”. If spelled wrongly, with a n instead… haha,… what am I thinking???
Anyway, I also have been spammed lately (but not the same amount as you), casinos and viagra…. I’m wondering what I have written. Your high spam volume could be due to politics… it might be the “Pipple And Pepple” up there asking spammers to spam you…
Comment by earthember — Mon, 8 May 2006 @ 12:25 pm
I’been reading with interest your post. I think things are not too different here, Italy. I must say that I was in Singapore and worked as an an architect for a few months some ten years ago and my feeling with local social/politics was of being controlled, I mean “big brother style”…that was not a comfortable feeling and I’m sure I shared it with many expats…
regarding spam, I too am attacked massively in these days… I wonder if there is some political correlation!
Comment by aynaku — Mon, 8 May 2006 @ 4:32 pm
Fuzoo: Just hope this result can make them sit up and don’t get too complacent.
EE: Today, I had more spams!!! Wow piang!
Aynaku: That’s interesting that you used to work here! From the few entries I saw on your blog, you seem to have travelled widely and lived in some parts of Asia for a while. Now I know.
Comment by sesame — Mon, 8 May 2006 @ 6:33 pm
I bet everybody voted for the ruling party.. or else they wouldn’t have won so many seats..
Comment by zara's mama — Tue, 9 May 2006 @ 7:49 am
Agreed with you, as we grow older, we tend to show more interest with politics…;)
Hmm..you can’t block spam? like turn on some ’spam check’ or something like that?
Comment by Eileen — Tue, 9 May 2006 @ 10:51 am
I thought the PM’s speech bears some hope (fingers crossed!) for the next round of GE. The part of doing more than just offering the carrot to win back supporters’ votes.
Comment by domestic rat — Tue, 9 May 2006 @ 12:37 pm
I’m the apathetic one here. Maybe I’d feel more strongly about the whole affair if I were at home, but somehow, I still can’t imagine a credible opposition. Perhaps it is all that skewed media reporting - CNA and the ST are the only things I read to get a feel about the elections. Maybe if I had heard WP’s Sylvia Lim, I’d say something different, but for now, the only opposition candidates fielded that were shown on the media came across as clowns.
Comment by Hsin — Tue, 9 May 2006 @ 2:07 pm
ZM: Not everybody. They only got on average 60+ percentage and some wards were walkovers cos no opposition parties.
Eileen: I have a program that catches these spams. Just that the quantity of spams have suddenly increased.
DR: Let’s see what comes up and we’ll know if this is not just lip service.
Hsin: Oh those media are too biased so you don’t see the real picture. The opposition in WP has proven their mettle and is a worthy opponent. Not that they were able to come up with anything new, but they proved to be good enough to be voted in for check and balance. Loh was particularly impressive in the way he held himself and organised the party. Sylvia came across as very credible with charisma too.
Comment by sesame — Tue, 9 May 2006 @ 10:14 pm
[...] Very strange. My blog is no longer deluged with comment spams after the elections. In fact, it seems to be very much back to normal. Really makes me wonder what’s the correlation. Or it’s just a seasonal or rotational pattern. Anyway, I’m not going to post the dirty word here just in case. « About me [...]
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