3 May 2006 - Washington, speech to reporters
"The PAP is not out to have a clean sweep. What we are trying to offer is certainty of good government and good people in charge. So my message is this: Have your desire for opposition fulfilled, but never to the extent of changing the government."
--- Peanut Goh
Get your decoding rings ready!
1. "I do not have the calibre to function in a true democracy."
2. "In Singapore, the PAP decides how many opposition MPs Singaporeans are allowed."
Peanut Goh should grow up and accept the challenge of governing in a democratic country, where the voters decide how much of an opposition they want in Parliament. If he's unable to deal with the decision of the voters, he should either step down or work for peanuts.
My question to Peanut Goh: Let's cut to the chase and forget about elections, in this case. How many opposition MPs do you allow us to have, at maximum? Please, I want some more.
3. "We will do what we can to prevent Singaporeans from voting in more opposition MPs."
Peanut Goh admits he wants to control how Singaporeans vote! We need a clarification on what legal or extra-legal means he is contemplating. Does this include fixing opposition candidates? Or finding more ways to buy his supporters votes?
4. "The PAP will never allow voters to change ruling parties."
But Peanut Goh, you have no right to make this kind of statement. It is not your place to dictate to voters who they can and cannot vote for; how many seats the opposition is allowed and not allowed to win. It is not your place to tell voters they can vote in opposition politicians, but not too many.
Need I say that this is scandalous? Peanut Goh should withdraw from Marine Parade GRC for the insult to Singaporean voters he has made. The PAP should take clear, unambiguous steps to do the right thing, to sack Peanut Goh from the party before he damages their credibility any further.
"We can't fight the next battle using today's strategies," says Peanut Goh. But it is clear that the objectives of the Whiteshirt battle still remains the same as yesterday's battle. It is clear that the Whiteshirts still view voters as frightened children who must be told who they can vote for, and how many sweets they're allowed. It is clear that the Whiteshirts continue to be wildly out of touch with reality.
if they want a clean sweep, they should add an Upper House
ReplyDelete1. Seats should be allocated to parties by proportionate representation
2. This ensures PAP will have majority of seats, giving retired ministers a forum where they can use their experience to provide advice to the cabinet, which will continue to be appointed from the Lower House
3. It also ensures that the larger opposition parties will have a forum to discuss government policies and provide alternative views, making it less necessary to have non-constituent members of parliament; the voters might be happier to see a Lower House clean sweep
4. The Upper House should take over the approval of Presidential candidates from the current 3-men committee; such an arrangement would look more authoritative, since the people making the decision are elected by voters, not appointed by the government
I am sick to e death of the endless blogs recording complaints about the PAP.
ReplyDeleteIt is up to the stupid people of this Island, who I am sure havfe been born with their brains up their anuses, to take matters min their own hands. A country is only as good as the people who vote for particular party.
The solution is simple, spoil your voting slips, this will have the effect of making the GE null and void.
You people mare just too lilly livered to vote outright for the opposition in your own ward, so my sollution is the answer.
Change of gov is not his call, it's the people's call, How come so many years in politics still don't understand such basic rules.
ReplyDeleteUnless he consider SG on par with Iraq and North Korea.
Despite the complaints of injustice, the sitting government is in the hands of the people when they vote. Singapore has happily voted for the PaP at the last GE, that party was their choice. Now they complain.
ReplyDeleteThe problem also lies in the fact that Singaporeans have never been taught the meaning of the word party politics. The country of populated by blind yes none questioning yes men who continue to vote foer a party secretly they detest, but have not got the courage to vote out, a third world attitude from people like pees in a pod.
Despite lack of other parties, enough spoiled ballot papers will always make an election null and void.
I challenge you to find where the Singapore Constitution says an election can be declared null and void.
ReplyDeleteOtherwise, what you're giving is plain irresponsible and stupid advice.
Akikonom u, I do not recognise the singapore constitution, only what would happen in europe if this situation occured. If more than fifty percent of ballot papers are spoiled, any democratic constitution will ask for another vote, and so the situation continues.
ReplyDeleteSay forty % of votes are spoiled, the remaining papers in favour of opposition, then the opposition becomes the next party in power. So I am saying to the people if you are sick of the PAP, spoil your voting papers, opposition supporters, vote as usual.
these are the views of the minority who can see through the pap. we vote for the opposition but there are still the huge number of peabrains on this isle who vote for the pap, who can we blame?
ReplyDeleteand the internet is a free world. if you are sick and tired of reading such stuff, why are you still here?
meep, you have missed my point. The internet is the only real voice left for thinking people.
ReplyDeleteI am however, sick of reading about people moaning because the PaP displeased them.
Singaporean stop winging and begin to take matters in your own hands. And may this blog and the internet go from strength to strength.
Potong Pasir already in PAP's hands - SDA stands for Singapore Democratic Action Party
ReplyDeleteit isnt as easy as you think it is, taking matters in our own hands. the pap is out to snuff out people who dont vote for them or who write the truth about them. plus all media is blatantly biased towards them. i suppose you could suggest some ways in which we can take matters in our own hands?
ReplyDeleteThese people have been drunk in absolute power for so long that when they open their mouth with such crappy talk, they do not know they are the laughing stock of the real democracies. A former PM and now SM can arrogantly tell the people he would allow them to change government. Only the docile Singaporean electorate would allow him to talk like that without protest.
ReplyDelete