Ex-scholarship holder in opposition? No big deal
Jan 30, 2010
Ex-scholarship holder in opposition? No big deal
I REFER to the report on a former government scholarship holder joining an opposition party ('Ex-Admin Service officer joins Reform', Jan 20).
While some have hailed this as a significant plus for the opposition, I view it as a non-event.
First, many talented graduates have joined the ranks of the opposition in recent years, but many of them have opted to keep out of the spotlight, preferring to build a credible profile first. For example, Workers' Party secretary-general and Member of Parliament for Hougang, Mr Low Thia Khiang, mentioned recently that his party has been recruiting new members, many of whom are probably academically well qualified.
Second, I agree with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's assessment that we should not judge political candidates based on their paper credentials, but on what they can do for society. Using Mr Lee's yardstick, I judge many opposition candidates favourably as they provide an alternative voice for the people, regardless of their qualifications. In fact, good grades are irrelevant to being a good politician, as the work of serving the community requires the heart more than the head.
It is time we look past superficial measures of success like academic credentials, and pay more attention to an individual's track record at work and in community service, which are more accurate indicators of his calibre.
Ng E-Jay
was the nerd slapping himself as well as all his comrades in the SDP CLAN?
....story soon to come, stay tuned.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Sunday, January 24, 2010
SDP clan's GABRA dinner
it's moni moni cum again. last year was bony bitches wearing cockconut shells and ruffia skins. there wasn't a slightest meat to flaunt.
this year, it's GABRA DINNER. they must be taking a lead from the recent RENCI CHARITY SHOW. maybe they would hit 8 M and save their butts from the many charges lining up with the local magistrate court. 8M in ruppiahs maybe.
this time participants must go in smart business casual, i.e, no RED T-SHIRTS, not hot pants, no revealing low cuts and definitely no push up wonder bra. LOL!!
SDP's 30th Anniversary Gala Dinner
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2010 marks a special year, it's the 30th anniversary of the Singapore Democratic Party. And we are commemorating it like we have never done before.
We're starting off with a bang! On 27 Feb 2010 (Saturday) we're having a gala dinner entitled An Evening of Dazzle with the Democrats to showcase what the Singapore Democrats have done through the years as well as to peek into what we have in store for the future. It promises to be a meaningful evening of fun and entertainment.
Tickets are priced at $50 which includes a full cocktail dinner, free flow of wine and great entertainment. Plus you will receive a complimentary copy of the commemorative magazine worth $20. It is a publication full of colour and life, like none you've ever seen before in Singapore's politics.
So come and join us this evening and help us commemorate 30 years of democratic service in Singapore.
For tickets, call Jaslyn at 9239-3133 or email us at sdp@yoursdp.org .
The evening will take us from 1980 when SDP was first formed to the present. We hope to have the pioneers of the party and dignitaries join us for the evening cocktail event. We will also be launching the SDP's commemorative magazine. It will be an evening filled with nostalgia, music, fine foods (Halal) and free flow of wine.
Date : Saturday 27 February 2010
Time : 7.30pm
Dress code: Business Casual
this year, it's GABRA DINNER. they must be taking a lead from the recent RENCI CHARITY SHOW. maybe they would hit 8 M and save their butts from the many charges lining up with the local magistrate court. 8M in ruppiahs maybe.
this time participants must go in smart business casual, i.e, no RED T-SHIRTS, not hot pants, no revealing low cuts and definitely no push up wonder bra. LOL!!
SDP's 30th Anniversary Gala Dinner
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2010 marks a special year, it's the 30th anniversary of the Singapore Democratic Party. And we are commemorating it like we have never done before.
We're starting off with a bang! On 27 Feb 2010 (Saturday) we're having a gala dinner entitled An Evening of Dazzle with the Democrats to showcase what the Singapore Democrats have done through the years as well as to peek into what we have in store for the future. It promises to be a meaningful evening of fun and entertainment.
Tickets are priced at $50 which includes a full cocktail dinner, free flow of wine and great entertainment. Plus you will receive a complimentary copy of the commemorative magazine worth $20. It is a publication full of colour and life, like none you've ever seen before in Singapore's politics.
So come and join us this evening and help us commemorate 30 years of democratic service in Singapore.
For tickets, call Jaslyn at 9239-3133 or email us at sdp@yoursdp.org .
The evening will take us from 1980 when SDP was first formed to the present. We hope to have the pioneers of the party and dignitaries join us for the evening cocktail event. We will also be launching the SDP's commemorative magazine. It will be an evening filled with nostalgia, music, fine foods (Halal) and free flow of wine.
Date : Saturday 27 February 2010
Time : 7.30pm
Dress code: Business Casual
Friday, January 22, 2010
eric, eric, eric....HOW are you?
Breaking News > Singapore > Jan 23, 2010
Who is the real 'Eric How'?
Two innocent people dragged into fray after 'Eric How' posts diatribe on YP's Facebook page
By Rachel Chang
http://www.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/image/20100123/a23-1.jpg
Salesman Eric How, who is a YP member, has made a police report
IT IS a tale of three Eric Hows - and a Facebook post.
The first 'Eric How', real identity unknown, first made waves on the social networking website on Jan 1 with an inflammatory diatribe posted on the Facebook page of the Young PAP (YP), the People's Action Party's youth wing. Claiming to be a member of the YP, he said critics of the ruling party should blame their woes not on the party, but on their own misfortune not to be born into a rich family, like him. In the ensuing cyber uproar which continues until today, two real-life Eric Hows were dragged into the fray. Both have lodged separate police reports on the incident.The YP issued a statement on Friday condemning the posts by 'Eric How', saying they lacked empathy and did not represent 'what YP stands for'.The first inflammatory post by 'Eric How', made on New Year's Day, said: 'My folks did the right thing... and we will never need to nag the Government about giving jobs to foreigners instead of locals. In fact, we create jobs for others.'
Read the full story in Saturday's edition of The Straits Times rchang@sph.com.
Who is the real 'Eric How'?
Two innocent people dragged into fray after 'Eric How' posts diatribe on YP's Facebook page
By Rachel Chang
http://www.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/image/20100123/a23-1.jpg
Salesman Eric How, who is a YP member, has made a police report
IT IS a tale of three Eric Hows - and a Facebook post.
The first 'Eric How', real identity unknown, first made waves on the social networking website on Jan 1 with an inflammatory diatribe posted on the Facebook page of the Young PAP (YP), the People's Action Party's youth wing. Claiming to be a member of the YP, he said critics of the ruling party should blame their woes not on the party, but on their own misfortune not to be born into a rich family, like him. In the ensuing cyber uproar which continues until today, two real-life Eric Hows were dragged into the fray. Both have lodged separate police reports on the incident.The YP issued a statement on Friday condemning the posts by 'Eric How', saying they lacked empathy and did not represent 'what YP stands for'.The first inflammatory post by 'Eric How', made on New Year's Day, said: 'My folks did the right thing... and we will never need to nag the Government about giving jobs to foreigners instead of locals. In fact, we create jobs for others.'
Read the full story in Saturday's edition of The Straits Times rchang@sph.com.
wow! appearances of 3 ERIC HOW, so how?
January 23, 2010 by admin
Filed under Review
Leave a comment
By Rachel Chang from Straits Times
IT IS a tale of three Eric Hows ¨C and a Facebook post.
The first ¡®Eric How¡¯, real identity unknown, first made waves on the social networking website on Jan 1 with an inflammatory diatribe posted on the Facebook page of the Young PAP (YP), the People¡¯s Action Party¡¯s youth wing.
Claiming to be a member of the YP, he said critics of the ruling party should blame their woes not on the party, but on their own misfortune not to be born into a rich family, like him.
In the ensuing cyber uproar which continues until today, two real-life Eric Hows were dragged into the fray. Both have lodged separate police reports on the incident.
The YP issued a statement yesterday condemning the posts by ¡®Eric How¡¯, saying they lacked empathy and did not represent ¡®what YP stands for¡¯.
The first inflammatory post by ¡®Eric How¡¯, made on New Year¡¯s Day, said: ¡®My folks did the right thing¡ and we will never need to nag the Government about giving jobs to foreigners instead of locals. In fact, we create jobs for others.¡¯
¡®Our folks even make sure we guys do not need to squeeze into public transport by getting each of us a personal car,¡¯ continued ¡®Eric How¡¯.
In a second missive on Jan 19, he taunted: ¡®BTW I am changing my car again and so what?¡¯
The reaction from other Facebook users was swift. Forum posters were infuriated by the elitism his comments displayed. Said a poster named Clement: ¡®I was until very, very recently a staunch PAP supporter. Now, with young people like Eric¡ If senior PAP members are reading this, please tidy up your home.¡¯
Meanwhile, two flesh-and-blood Eric Hows with Facebook accounts were caught in the crossfire.
One of them is the nephew of a grassroots leader in Kampong Kembangan.
Netizens, assuming he was behind the ¡®Eric How¡¯ posts on the YP network, delved into his background and posted his pictures and personal information online.
They also said his father was Mr How Jong Wan, vice-chairman of the Kampong Kembangan Community Club Management Committee and the managing director of a marine supply business. Mr How is actually Eric¡¯s uncle.
One netizen, ¡®Kojak Bt¡¯, sent an e-mail to the elder Mr How, asking him to ¡®discipline¡¯ his son.
Mr How Jong Wan told The Straits Times yesterday that this e-mail was how his family came to know about the ¡®Eric How¡¯ posts.
¡®This concerns me and my reputation,¡¯ said the incensed Mr How. He lodged a police report with his nephew on Jan 6.
His nephew Eric, 33, told The Straits Times he is not a YP member. Still, he became a target of netizens¡¯ wrath because of his prominent uncle. Pictures of him engaged in ¡®elitist¡¯ activities, like one of him leading a horse at the Bukit Timah Saddle Club, added to netizens¡¯ ire.
The second Eric How, a 33-year-old salesman, is a YP member, but an ¡®inactive one¡¯, he said.
Although he has not received much attention from netizens, YP members themselves thought the comments were his at first.
He said he first came to know of the incident when a friend told him that a screenshot of his Facebook profile was being used on the Temasek Review political commentary website in a report about the ¡®Eric How¡¯ posts. That screenshot has since been taken down.
He lodged a police report on Wednesday after receiving a phone call from YP chairman and Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC MP Teo Ser Luck, who wanted to speak to him about the ¡®Eric How¡¯ posts.
That was when he realised the seriousness of the situation, he said.
¡®I come from a very humble background,¡¯ he said yesterday, displaying bewilderment about the situation.
Hong Kah GRC MP Zaqy Mohamad, who is vice-chairman of the YP, told The Straits Times the incident was ¡®unfortunate¡¯. ¡®But this is the reality of the Internet, who can you trust?¡¯
The Eric How fracas is the latest in a string of publicity snafus for the youth wing of the ruling party. A vitriolic online feud has been raging between YP members and anti-PAP netizens ever since the YP banned an outspoken 22-year-old, Mr Alex Tan, from its Facebook page in November last year.
Mr Zaqy said the YP would attempt to ¡®better prepare¡¯ its activists for engagement online.
¡®We have to prepare them for politics, online or in the real world.¡¯ ¨C Straits Times
EDITORS¡¯ NOTE:
We have never posted the screenshot of Mr Eric How¡¯s Facebook and linked him to the comments. The only screenshot we ever posted from then till yesterday is a screenshot of the YPAP Facebook of ¡°Eric How¡± making the comments. Hope that clarifies.
the martial arts in local politics has never gotten so excitingly interesting and intruging until the appearances of 3 ERIC HOWS. now how huh? how leh?
in the martial arts world of local politics, the silent are the strong; the boisterous are the coward and probably the losers. those who rant the loudest in public are the biggest losers in the making.:
Filed under Review
Leave a comment
By Rachel Chang from Straits Times
IT IS a tale of three Eric Hows ¨C and a Facebook post.
The first ¡®Eric How¡¯, real identity unknown, first made waves on the social networking website on Jan 1 with an inflammatory diatribe posted on the Facebook page of the Young PAP (YP), the People¡¯s Action Party¡¯s youth wing.
Claiming to be a member of the YP, he said critics of the ruling party should blame their woes not on the party, but on their own misfortune not to be born into a rich family, like him.
In the ensuing cyber uproar which continues until today, two real-life Eric Hows were dragged into the fray. Both have lodged separate police reports on the incident.
The YP issued a statement yesterday condemning the posts by ¡®Eric How¡¯, saying they lacked empathy and did not represent ¡®what YP stands for¡¯.
The first inflammatory post by ¡®Eric How¡¯, made on New Year¡¯s Day, said: ¡®My folks did the right thing¡ and we will never need to nag the Government about giving jobs to foreigners instead of locals. In fact, we create jobs for others.¡¯
¡®Our folks even make sure we guys do not need to squeeze into public transport by getting each of us a personal car,¡¯ continued ¡®Eric How¡¯.
In a second missive on Jan 19, he taunted: ¡®BTW I am changing my car again and so what?¡¯
The reaction from other Facebook users was swift. Forum posters were infuriated by the elitism his comments displayed. Said a poster named Clement: ¡®I was until very, very recently a staunch PAP supporter. Now, with young people like Eric¡ If senior PAP members are reading this, please tidy up your home.¡¯
Meanwhile, two flesh-and-blood Eric Hows with Facebook accounts were caught in the crossfire.
One of them is the nephew of a grassroots leader in Kampong Kembangan.
Netizens, assuming he was behind the ¡®Eric How¡¯ posts on the YP network, delved into his background and posted his pictures and personal information online.
They also said his father was Mr How Jong Wan, vice-chairman of the Kampong Kembangan Community Club Management Committee and the managing director of a marine supply business. Mr How is actually Eric¡¯s uncle.
One netizen, ¡®Kojak Bt¡¯, sent an e-mail to the elder Mr How, asking him to ¡®discipline¡¯ his son.
Mr How Jong Wan told The Straits Times yesterday that this e-mail was how his family came to know about the ¡®Eric How¡¯ posts.
¡®This concerns me and my reputation,¡¯ said the incensed Mr How. He lodged a police report with his nephew on Jan 6.
His nephew Eric, 33, told The Straits Times he is not a YP member. Still, he became a target of netizens¡¯ wrath because of his prominent uncle. Pictures of him engaged in ¡®elitist¡¯ activities, like one of him leading a horse at the Bukit Timah Saddle Club, added to netizens¡¯ ire.
The second Eric How, a 33-year-old salesman, is a YP member, but an ¡®inactive one¡¯, he said.
Although he has not received much attention from netizens, YP members themselves thought the comments were his at first.
He said he first came to know of the incident when a friend told him that a screenshot of his Facebook profile was being used on the Temasek Review political commentary website in a report about the ¡®Eric How¡¯ posts. That screenshot has since been taken down.
He lodged a police report on Wednesday after receiving a phone call from YP chairman and Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC MP Teo Ser Luck, who wanted to speak to him about the ¡®Eric How¡¯ posts.
That was when he realised the seriousness of the situation, he said.
¡®I come from a very humble background,¡¯ he said yesterday, displaying bewilderment about the situation.
Hong Kah GRC MP Zaqy Mohamad, who is vice-chairman of the YP, told The Straits Times the incident was ¡®unfortunate¡¯. ¡®But this is the reality of the Internet, who can you trust?¡¯
The Eric How fracas is the latest in a string of publicity snafus for the youth wing of the ruling party. A vitriolic online feud has been raging between YP members and anti-PAP netizens ever since the YP banned an outspoken 22-year-old, Mr Alex Tan, from its Facebook page in November last year.
Mr Zaqy said the YP would attempt to ¡®better prepare¡¯ its activists for engagement online.
¡®We have to prepare them for politics, online or in the real world.¡¯ ¨C Straits Times
EDITORS¡¯ NOTE:
We have never posted the screenshot of Mr Eric How¡¯s Facebook and linked him to the comments. The only screenshot we ever posted from then till yesterday is a screenshot of the YPAP Facebook of ¡°Eric How¡± making the comments. Hope that clarifies.
the martial arts in local politics has never gotten so excitingly interesting and intruging until the appearances of 3 ERIC HOWS. now how huh? how leh?
in the martial arts world of local politics, the silent are the strong; the boisterous are the coward and probably the losers. those who rant the loudest in public are the biggest losers in the making.:
Sunday, January 17, 2010
catch some rat to feed the snake
#1 16-07-2008, 02:37 PM
LaMei
Alfrescian Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 94
My Reputation:Points: 117 / Power: 20
A Nice Begining
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Sam,
When you first announce this new forum, I was many hours late to register LaMei nick, and LaMei was already registered by someone else.. Even my name JaslynGo, GoHuiLeng in whatever combination were also taken.
NgEjay and TiLik (in whatever combination) was also registered.
Today I saw the posting by ptader that his nick too was registered by someone other than himself and shortly you responded by asking him to quickly go register his ptader nick as you have reopen the nick to him.
I decided to try and was pleasantly surprise that I too can register back my LaMei nick. Same goes for NgEjay and TiLik..
Thank you for making the effort to let us keep our nicks from your the other forum, though our nick was no big deal, but the effort some people go through to 'chop' all our nicks is rather malicious and with the clear intention to impersonate us.
I applaud you for taking the initiative to de-registered the nicks and allow the genuine ones to register back their respective nicks.
This will keep impersonators with the malicious intention at bay...
This in my view is a good start to your new forum.
Thank you Sam and congrats on your new forum..
My well wishes to your new forum, hope you are able to achieve greater success than SBF..
LaMei
lamei had proclaimed that "she doesn't post in sbf forums or any other besides those linked only to SDP...."
who then is the posing and posting in her name? ngejay is also making such claims. but a quick check in 3in1 shows that he was there in dec 2009. lamei and ngejay might not be posting in their ORIGINAL nics but nobody can tell when they put on their nasty clones' disguises and do the spams.
my entire thread of the same name has been unceremoniously OBLITERATED from sbf kopitiam. scroobal is the despicable culprit behind it. one who is so prejudiced and jealous cock being made a "moderator" must be the greatest joke for a forum to claim they are for FREE SPEECHES.
this was the sbf thread that was DELETED suddenly:
how credible are their words? the original scrobal (one 'o') was also probably banned by combined effort of ngejay/lamei along with many others who probably up till now still didn't know how they were hit and then banned.
Ng E-Jay screws Screwball!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have been impersonated on Sammyboy Alfresco forum again
Announcement from the Editor
06 Jan 2010
I have been impersonated on Sammyboy Alfresco forum again.
At least two monikers have used my photograph in their avatar and fraudulently made posts in my name.
I have observed their postings are very crude, vulgar, and if I may add, highly defamatory in nature.
There is even one moniker who tried to parody my website name, Sgpolitics.net, by registering the nick “AssGeePolyTicksDotCom”.
I regard these actions are intimidation, harassment, and criminal defamation.
I have not lodged a complaint for two reasons: Firstly the moderator Scroobal had previously posted in the old and new SBF forum that he has very little regard for me and my pals (Lamei and Tilik), and will not entertain any correspondence from us. Secondly, even although he has taken action against imposters in the past, that does not seem to have stopped them. They simply register new nicks and repeat their rabid filth.
Please note that I have not been participating in online forums EXCEPT the SDP website for a few months now, and will not do so henceforth.
Therefore any moniker in an online forum with the exception of the SDP website claiming to be me should be regarded as an imposter.
and this.....
3 Comments on I have been impersonated on Sammyboy Alfresco forum again
1. Jaslyn Go on Thu, 7th Jan 2010 11:27 am
Knight..
any moniker registered with the intent to impersonate us is deem as our detractors..
but any moniker registered to attack LTS/LTB or to voice their negative views about other political parties is always the F4 gang / SDP IB…
and all this coming from the newly appointed Scrobal who openly claimed he has little regards to us when we never cross path with him…expect him to be fair moderator??? you guess is as good as mine Knight..
I stop going to the forum altogether as the way some of them mutually masturbate each other just make me sick..
some points to ponder:
1. it's strange that lamei always appears to back ngejay's words and vice versa.
2. "has very little regard" appears 2 times. it does appear synchronise to match words by words so that least suspicion would be created. but it already has.
3. "i stop going to the forum altogether"....could this be taken seriously?
lamei's claim that she was "least interested in politics" is really contradictory. she's tremendously popular now with SDP but she refuses to be a full fledged sdp member instead brags that she's "partyless". why create such ambiguity that could be really confusing?
well, i do not think they are posting - at least not in their original nicks. that would make bad impression on SDP which they are adhered to now. but in other clones' nics, the possibility is most likely but we never know. no one has the guts to admit to that. if they are honest enough, they don't have to create any extra clones.
Ptrader - an ISD operative fox? how do u guys derive that? by alleging him such might give him an illusive superiority and pride posting in forums.
ISD has better and far more important things to do than to deal with little people entertaining in forums.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Singap...3113516?ref=ts
Alex Tan
the new kid in the martial arts kungfu politic is none other ALEX TAN who was ungraciously booted out from stating his honest to goodness opinions in the YPAP or in full form: YAYAPAPAYA tit4tat bulletin board.
or in a more standard representation: Young Poo And Pee - a Leegime organisation to counteract opp clans.
there are now so many new young faces hot in the forums squabbling. fortunately, those were just verbal kungfu where one word or a phrase shoot out to create injury to integrity. characters assasination are now plentifully executed. great suspicions, intrigue and mystery are also beginning to sprout.
basically, it all boils down to 2 factions: PAP IB vs SDP IB. partyless trolls and ninja turtles enhance all the funs.
whatever it is, time would tell if ALEX TAN is really the hero the martial arts world of politics is waiting for or the heelo many were skeptical about.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
catmama and the deadly knuck duster
saving this news from the national shit times for later story addition....
Cat Lim: PAPee is Feeling Very Insecure
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------##
Jan 13, 2010
GENERAL ELECTION
Surprised by 'cooling off' idea
MY REACTION to the recent announcement of the 'cooling off' period of 24 hours before Polling Day ('24 hours to cool off before Polling Day', Dec 1), was of great surprise, followed by a single thought: 'Why, the People's Action Party (PAP) must be feeling very insecure.'
My analysis of the situation went something like this:
The decision must have been driven by self-interest.
It meant that the PAP is convinced the new ruling will give it an advantage at the polls, that is, more Singaporeans would vote for the PAP than if there were no ruling.
Since 'cooling off' can only refer to emotions, there must be a PAP fear that the wildly enthusiastic display of emotions by the large crowds at opposition rallies in past general elections is likely to be exploited by the opposition in this coming one. It will build up to a climax towards the end, affecting the voting pattern, and hence, must be prevented.
The emotional approach, though it has its uses, is completely alien - and contemptible - to the pragmatic, no-nonsense PAP leadership that has always prided itself on its rational approach, solidly backed by charts and figures showing its many achievements, and by constant reminders of the good life made possible by strong, efficient leadership.
Despite its distrust of emotions, the PAP realises that in the coming General Election, emotions could actually become the rogue factor in the political equation.
For, the electorate will include a large number of new, young voters who belong to the noisy, rumbustious world of the Internet, where emotions rather than cool reason prevail. The opposition is sure to make opportunistic use of this new force.
Since the PAP could never adopt the 'If you can't beat them, join them' strategy of using the same emotional approach, the only way is to reduce its impact especially at the point where it is expected to be maximal, that is, just before Polling Day itself. Hence the 24-hour clampdown.
I was surprised that a shrewd leadership like the PAP could come up with a ruling that first, is of doubtful value and could even backfire; second, exposes an anxiety that could provide political fodder for the opposition, and third, exposes an insecurity that must make even its supporters wonder about how strong, after more than four decades of leadership, the bond between the Government and the people really is.
Catherine Lim (Ms)
Cat Lim: PAPee is Feeling Very Insecure
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------##
Jan 13, 2010
GENERAL ELECTION
Surprised by 'cooling off' idea
MY REACTION to the recent announcement of the 'cooling off' period of 24 hours before Polling Day ('24 hours to cool off before Polling Day', Dec 1), was of great surprise, followed by a single thought: 'Why, the People's Action Party (PAP) must be feeling very insecure.'
My analysis of the situation went something like this:
The decision must have been driven by self-interest.
It meant that the PAP is convinced the new ruling will give it an advantage at the polls, that is, more Singaporeans would vote for the PAP than if there were no ruling.
Since 'cooling off' can only refer to emotions, there must be a PAP fear that the wildly enthusiastic display of emotions by the large crowds at opposition rallies in past general elections is likely to be exploited by the opposition in this coming one. It will build up to a climax towards the end, affecting the voting pattern, and hence, must be prevented.
The emotional approach, though it has its uses, is completely alien - and contemptible - to the pragmatic, no-nonsense PAP leadership that has always prided itself on its rational approach, solidly backed by charts and figures showing its many achievements, and by constant reminders of the good life made possible by strong, efficient leadership.
Despite its distrust of emotions, the PAP realises that in the coming General Election, emotions could actually become the rogue factor in the political equation.
For, the electorate will include a large number of new, young voters who belong to the noisy, rumbustious world of the Internet, where emotions rather than cool reason prevail. The opposition is sure to make opportunistic use of this new force.
Since the PAP could never adopt the 'If you can't beat them, join them' strategy of using the same emotional approach, the only way is to reduce its impact especially at the point where it is expected to be maximal, that is, just before Polling Day itself. Hence the 24-hour clampdown.
I was surprised that a shrewd leadership like the PAP could come up with a ruling that first, is of doubtful value and could even backfire; second, exposes an anxiety that could provide political fodder for the opposition, and third, exposes an insecurity that must make even its supporters wonder about how strong, after more than four decades of leadership, the bond between the Government and the people really is.
Catherine Lim (Ms)
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