TR EMERITUS

Living up to its reputation as the unofficial mouthpiece of the PAP regime, the Sunday Times has published yet another distorted, twisted and lop-sided article to deflect blame from the increasingly unpopular PAP regime for a series of lapses in public governance. In an article titled "Don't gripe, take action", the Sunday Times tried to manage public expectations of the PAP regime: "The Government has successfully turned Singapore from a Third World into a First World country in a breathtakingly short time. It has also prided itself on its efficiency and how it has always delivered on its promises. So much so that citizens have come to expect nothing but perfection from the Government." It is not true that the PAP regime is responsible for Singapore's success. We owe it to what we have today due to the hard work of our parents and grandparents. Transplant the PAP regime to Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand and see if it can transform them from third to first world countries in such a short period of time. Singaporeans are not expecting "perfection" from the PAP regime. To put things in perspective, is is acceptable to have flooding almost every month? Is it reasonable to have the MRT platform (Jurong East) packed with passengers till there is no space to move? The Sunday Times went on to quote the example of Dr Audrey Tan, a resident of Tessarina condominium, who videotaped the floods in Wilby Road and convinced the authorities to raise a stretch of the road to prevent future flooding in her condo, as a fine example of an "engaged citizen". While the actions of Dr Audrey Tan is commendable, we must realize that not everybody is as fortunate as the dermatologist to afford the time to videotape the flooding and lobby the authorities about it. If one find the food served by a restaurant distasteful, it is only natural that one complains about it to the chef and not help the chef think of better ways to cook the dish. No amount of excuses can defend the PAP regime's miserable track record in recent years - from the recurrent flooding, sky-rocketing HDB flat prices, relentless influx of foreigners to the recent YOG fiasco. When you demand to be paid the highest salaries in the world, you should expect to deliver out of the world and not just mediocre results.   Please join our Facebook discussion on this article here and invite your friends to do so as well to raise awareness among fellow Singaporeans.  Read More →

By Irene Ho Yesterday, a Singaporean wrote to me “Hi Irene, I applaud u for your FIRED UP PASSION into your volunteer work and even though we are from different camps, keep it up!” I exchanged a few emails with this Singaporean but I am not going to tell anyone about the details. Anything discussed (other than viewpoints to improve Singaporean's lives) between me and a Singaporean is private and confidential - I will not reveal any names! However, I would like to say this; if I want to support a political party, I believe I should support one which has similar beliefs and views as me. It follows that I would continue to support a political party if its beliefs and views continue to be similar to mine. Basically, what is the objective of volunteering, joining or supporting a political party or even performing a walkabout? For me, our ultimate objective is to improve the lives of Singaporeans. I would never support a political party if I don’t believe in its policies even if it has in place, the networks in reaching out to the most number of Singaporeans. So what if it can reach out to the most number of Singaporeans? Does it have the right solutions? And does it wants or have the heart to see/hear and to resolve Singaporeans’ problems? I rather support one which (in my opinion) has the best policies and start establishing my own networks (which is why I participates in the Reform Party’s walkabouts whenever I can). I know that there may be some disagreements, it happens in any organisations. But at the minimum, the overall (or essential) beliefs and views must be similar to mine in order for me to continue supporting or volunteering for a political party. :) Read rest of article here.  Read More →

After being lampooned by Singaporeans for his ridiculous suggestion to scrap the retirement age, PAP strongman Lee Kuan Yew now tried to portray his "soft side" to soothe frayed nerves among his detractors, especially the younger generation. In an interview with New York Times which he recently sued successfully for defamation, Lee claimed that he keeps his wife, Kwa Geok Choo, who suffered from a series of strokes every night. He will tell her about his day's "work" and reads her favorite poems, according to Channel News Asia. At 87 years of age, Lee still holds the position of "Minister Mentor" in the Singapore government, an unique position not found anywhere else in the world. By his admission, though he is not doing much work lately except "forecasting", he is paid more than $3 million dollars  a year, excluding the pension he is entitled to. Lee added that he meditates every night before his sleep to keep his mind peaceful: "The problem is to keep the monkey mind from running off into all kinds of thoughts. A certain tranquillity settles over you. The day's pressures and worries are pushed out. Then there is less problem sleeping." He must be having problems sleeping lately as the next general election draws closer with the increasingly unpopular PAP expected to lose a few more seats including GRC. With public disaffection and disgruntlement against the PAP at an all-time high, the possibility of a "freak" election is becoming very real indeed.   Please join our Facebook discussion on this article here and invite your friends to do so as well to raise awareness among fellow Singaporeans.  Read More →