TR EMERITUS

The PAP and the state media have always propagated and perpetuated the myth that "multi-party" politics is "messy", "confrontational" and "partisan" in nature and detrimental to the long-term interests of the country. Law Minister Shanmugam said no less than two times that Singapore needs a "strong" government with a "clear majority" to govern, in explicit reference to the PAP's overwhelming dominance at the expense of a vibrant democracy in Singapore. The orderly transfer of power from the Labor Party to the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats in the recent U.K general election is ample proof that politics can be both "confrontational" and "gentlemanly" at the same time. For those of you who have been watching the U.K parliamentary debates, you will not fail to notice the intense rivalry between the outgoing Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his nemesis David Cameron. However, both only have kind words for each other after Brown tendered his resignation for Cameron to take his place at the next Prime Minister of U.K. After announcing his resignation, Brown said: "I wish the next prime minister well as he makes the important choices for the future. Only those who have held the office of prime minister can understand the full weight of its responsibilities and its great capacity for good." David Cameron returned the compliments hours later: ''Before I talk about that new government, let me say something about the one that has just passed. Compared with a decade ago, this country is more open at home and more compassionate abroad and that is something we should all be grateful for and on behalf of the whole country I'd like to pay tribute to the outgoing prime minister for his long record of dedicated public service." This is what "gentlemanly" politics is all about, not threatening to "fix" the opposition should more of them get elected into Parliament or calling in the army in the event of a "freak" election. The United Kingdom may have bequeathed its Westminister form of parliamentary democracy to Singapore, but obviously after fifty years and eleven general elections, we resemble more of a one-party totalitarian fascist police state than a functional democracy.   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 →

Following the much publicized spat between the Reform Party and the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) over the failed negotiations between the two for a possible alliance, Reform Party's Secretary-General Kenneth Jeyaretnam has written to the Straits Times Forum not to limit the damage from the fallout, but to "add fuel to the fire". Mr Jeyaretnam now claims that no "tie-up" has been agreed and neither did the Reform Party's CEC decide to "push ahead with the negotiations". He laid the blame on SDA for imposing unnecessary "demands" his party: "It would appear that the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) has thrown out the baby with the bath water in deciding to treat the summary of broad areas of agreement already reached by both parties as a list of demands." He also accused SDA of being mired in internal disputes: "We have written to the SDA informing it that it may contact us about the possibility of continuing talks only after two conditions have been met: It needs to settle its internal disputes, and; It needs to take steps to trace and deal with the source of the leaked documents as all negotiation must begin with a presumption of trust between the parties." Mr Jeyaretnam's comments do not reflect well on his party, SDA or the opposition on a whole, reinforcing the public perception that the opposition is a motley crowd who is unable to set aside their petty differences and work together for a greater goal. As expected, the state media is quick to capitalize on the fiasco and make a mountain out of the molehill while conveniently ignoring the split within the PAP camp over the mother tongue language weightage reversal. The perennial inability of the opposition to collaborate with one another is a key reason why the PAP is able to romp home victories after victories at the polls. Pragmatic Singaporeans will not fail to see the inherent weaknesses of both RP and SDA in this unfortunate saga which cast aspersions on their ability to serve their interests.   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 →

By Andrew Porter from The Telegraph Mr Cameron, 43, becomes the youngest premier since Lord Liverpool almost 200 years ago, and the first Conservative in No 10 since John Major departed 13 years ago. He promised there would be “hard and difficult work” ahead and said his administration would focus on “rebuilding family, rebuilding community, above all, rebuilding responsibility in our country”. His appointment followed Gordon Brown’s resignation and brought to an end five days of tortuous negotiations in the wake of last week’s election, which resulted in a hung parliament. After falling 20 seats short of a majority, Mr Cameron was forced to accept a deal to lead a coalition government with the Lib Dems. It means that up to six Lib Dems are likely to hold Cabinet posts while a number of high-profile Tory policies have had to be shelved. The Conservatives have also been forced to offer the Lib Dems a referendum on voting reform. The government will be the first coalition since Winston Churchill’s wartime administration 70 years ago. Nick Clegg is expected to become Deputy Prime Minister, the first Liberal Democrat in a Cabinet post since Sir Archibald Sinclair was Secretary of State for Air in Churchill’s wartime government. Read rest of article here.  Read More →