TR EMERITUS

To all TR readers, Please note that in the Singapore General Election 2006, the 66.6% of votes that went to the Pro Alien Party (ie: PAP) was only from a fraction of the registered voters that were able to cast their ballot papers. The mandate that the Pro Alien Party claimed will be laughed at when compared to the election results conducted in real democracies. The Population in First World Singapore during Election Year 2006 was 4,401,400. The registered list of voters was 2,117,840 – which is only 48.1% of the population. The number of voters that actually participated in Election 2006 based on the number of votes counted at 1,123,273 – represent 53% of the registered list of voters. While the Pro Alien Party lay claim to 66.6% of the votes – its claim to receiving a clear mandate is questionable when the 748,130 votes represent only 35.32% of the registered list of voters. When one compare the Singapore Election Results with the Indonesian Presidential Election in 2009, many questions will need to be asked. In 2009, Indonesia’s position as a Third World Country – had a total population of 240,271,522 and a Registered Voter List of 171,265,442 citizens – which is 71.28% of the population. The votes cast was 104,099,785 votes, or 60.79% of the registered list of voters. The Indonesian Presidential Election in 2009 had near universal participation when one consider that the country is spread over more then 1,000 islands – compared to the pathetic citizen participation in Singapore’s Election 2006 on this Little Red Dot. The Election Process in First World Singapore can only be looked at as a farce when compared to the Election Process in a Third World Indonesia. . . Singapore Population in Year 2006 – Table 1 http://www.singstat.gov.sg/pubn/popn/population2009.pdf Singapore Election 2006 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singaporean_general_election,_2006 Indonesia’s Population 2006 (est) https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/id.html Indonesia 2009 Presidential Election Result http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_legislative_election,_2009 Election Strategy and Ethnic Politics in Singapore – Joel S Fetzer http://www.tfd.org.tw/docs/dj0401/135-154-Joel%20S.%20Fetzer.pdf The Truth About the Election System’ http://www.singaporedemocrat.org/elections.html   Atobe  Read More →

OPINION During a discussion on our Facebook,  a netizen compared the contrasting styles between opposition leaders Chee Soon Juan and Low Thia Kiang, claiming that the public sees the latter as a more credible politician than the former. "Take the case of CJS vs GOV, that guy keeps barking nonstop at anything and everything that the gov do without so much of any viable solutions. what do the general public see of him now? still credible? Take the other case of LTK vs GOV, he doesn't bark like a mad dog. he criticizes, yet gives credit where its due, what's the general public's perception of him?" It is a common misperception among many Singaporeans perpetuated by PAP leaders and the state media that Chee who minced no words in his criticisms of the PAP regime is a "destructive" politician while Low who almost never does, is a "constructive" opposition. A real opposition leader should behave like Chee - keep asking difficult questions and take the PAP to task. That's why the PAP and the state media tried so hard to demonize and fix him. Chee is pretty mild compared to opposition leaders in other parts of Asia. Take for example the current Chief Minister of Penang Lim Guan Eng. He was jailed for 18 months under the Sedition Act in 1995 for distributing fliers calling for the arrest of Malacca's former Mentri Besar Thamby Chik who was implicated in the molest of a minor. Lim also took part in several protests and rallies against the Barisan government. He "barked" much louder than CSJ and did not offer any viable solutions too. Now that he's the CM of Penang, he introduced so many reforms such as calling for open tenders in public projects and releasing the salaries of public officials online. Another example is South Korea's former President Kim Dae Jung who was considered a "radical" in the 1970s. He organized a number of strikes and protests against the autocratic government of President Park Chung Hee and was almost assassinated by the Korean secret police in Japan. He did not offer any alternative vision for Korea either when he was lampooning the government. After he was elected the President of Korea, he dismantled the chaebols and democratized the entire nation. Korea is now a vibrant first world democracy. Low Thia Kiang will be considered a stooge in other Asian democracies by cuddling up to the PAP leaders instead of taking them to task. When asked by PM Lee in Parliament if Wong Kan Seng should resign over the escape of Mas Selamat, Low dared not even make a single sound. Singaporeans are getting more and more educated and exposed. Public perception towards Chee will change slowly and gradually. That's what we have been trying hard to do - to expose the dirty tricks of the state media, to highlight the flaws in the PAP system and to educate fellow Singaporeans on their rights as citizens of this country. Remember what Joseph Goebbels, the head of Nazi propaganda once said: "Repeat a lie again, again and again several times and it will become the truth to the masses." That's how Chee got fixed by the Singapore media. He may not be politically savvy, but that doesn't mean we should dismiss all his criticisms about the PAP as mere "barking." Addendum by Nicholas Lim: People who see Low Thia Kiang and Chiam See Tong as "credible opposition" just because they've been given the rubber stamp of approval by PAP are seriously deluded and need to get their heads cleared of the cotton wool so carefully stuffed in by the mainstream press. Over the years the so-called opposition has been watered down and diluted into 2nd and 3rd class version of PAP or "PAP Lite" if you prefer. After all, what have they been able to achieve in terms of truly opposing the government WHEN IT COUNTS? GST went up with nary a bump when the government wanted, Mas Selamat checked out and stayed out of the country, floods are now an expected feature with a National Day award as a pat on the back, the drastic increase of foreigners, the financial and international embarrassment of the YOG, wanton increase in fares despite the overcrowding of the public transport system, the need for a proper nationwide debate on mandatory vs judicial discretion on the death penalty, hell there was even a petition in Malaysia on highly probable serious miscarriage of justice: seriously the list can go on and on and just where is the "opposition" in all of this? Oh sure Low Thia Kiang had his 15mins of fame over the SM&C issue and then? You mean that's all they can do? Or is the the "you only elect me to Hougang hence I only speak up on Hougang issues" tactic? I can definitely see how the PAP continually awards their "Preferred Opposition Party" status to the ilk of the Worker's Party and the rest. After all who needs to worry about losing elections with such "foes" around? Who is a more credible and effective opposition leader? One who dares to challenge the PAP leaders directly and exerts pressure on them constantly or one who works hard quietly in the background to serve his constituents, but seldom question the PAP over its national policies? Please share your views with us here. Please join our Facebook page here and invite your friends to do so to create awareness of the current affairs affecting Singaporeans. Please use our online web form to contact us.  Read More →

In an interview with Lianhe Wanbao yesterday, Bukit Panjang MP Dr Teo Ho Pin admitted that it may be too early for the PAP to call for an election this year. It was rumored at the beginning of the year that the next general election will be called either in June or December during the school holidays after the electoral registers were updated. Many believe that the PAP will call an election after the expected euphoria from hosting the inaugural Youth Olympic Games and with the strong performance of the Singapore economy, but with public disgruntlement against the PAP at an all-time high after the recent spates of flooding coupled with the failure of the YOG to inspire young Singaporeans, it may be postponing the election till sentiments on the ground improve. Dr Teo listed down three key issues which the PAP must resolve before the next general election: the frequent floodings, sky-rocketing HDB prices and the new distance-based bus fair which has led to a portion of commuters paying more. "If I am the one making the decision, I will definitely not call for an election this year. There are still issues which are not settled which may result in some Singaporeans bearing a grudge against the government. Next year will be a better time," he was quoted as saying in Lianhe Wanbao. Dr Teo who won Bukit Panjang with 77.9 percent of the valid votes in the 2006 elections against SDP Chairman Ling How Doong, said he is confident that he will be able to retain his seat again.   Please join our Facebook page here and invite your friends to do so to create awareness of the current affairs affecting Singaporeans. Please use our online web form to contact us.  Read More →