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Next GE a deadly serious fight for S’pore’s future: PM
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Every seat will be a contest, he says; it is not a by-election, but about who forms the Govt
BY
NEO CHAI CHIN
chaichin@mediacorp.com.sgPUBLISHED: 4:03 AM, DECEMBER 8, 2014(PAGE 1 OF 1) - PAGINATE
SINGAPORE — The Republic’s future and society are at stake in the next General Election (GE) because it will be about who forms the Government and not merely how many seats the Opposition captures, said People’s Action Party (PAP) chief Lee Hsien Loong to 6,000 party activists yesterday, as he characterised the coming contest as a “deadly serious fight” that his party must win convincingly.

Speaking at the PAP60 Rally at Singapore Expo, Mr Lee hinted at the prospects of a freak result, saying the 12th GE of independent Singapore, which must be held by January 2017, “will be about whether we continue to have a First World Government”. It will not be about a “so-called First World Parliament”, he said, taking a dig at the opposition Workers’ Party’s (WP) campaign slogan of working towards a First World Parliament in the 2011 GE.

“The next GE is critical for Singapore and for us. It is not just about expressing approval or disapproval. It is not just about winning a seat in Parliament. It is not a by-election,” he said, adding that every seat will be a national contest. “The next GE is about choosing a clear vision for Singapore, choosing a capable leadership for Singapore, choosing a brighter future for Singapore.”

Mr Lee added: “A great deal is at stake, comrades. Our future is at stake because if we do not remain a nation of opportunity, our children will have no future. Our society is at stake because if we do not uphold a fair and just society, our society will be pulled apart. Our country is at stake. If the PAP fails, Singapore is in deep trouble. We shall not fail.”

Issuing a rallying cry to activists to fight to win the hearts and minds of Singaporeans, he signalled that the PAP, which has run Singapore since 1965, will fight to win every seat and do its best to regain the Aljunied, Hougang and Punggol East wards it lost to the WP.

He starkly contrasted how the PAP was different from other political parties here. The PAP, he said, brings different groups together, solves problems and plans for the future. “In short, only the PAP truly cares for the people and for the future of our children and grandchildren,” he said.

To this end, the party yesterday amended its objectives — encapsulated in Article II of its Constitution — for the first time since 1982 to put forth its updated vision for Singapore as a nation of opportunity, a fair and just society, and a democracy of deeds. The revisions to the party’s objectives represent the PAP’s promise to Singaporeans, he added.

The Opposition, on the other hand, does not see any duty to bring people together and plan for the future, simply saying to “do more” when the Government puts out a popular policy, Mr Lee said in a speech that was peppered with cheers from the activists.

“They say they can’t form the Government, no need for (a) vision. In fact, they dare say that, not because they can’t form the Government, but because they are trying to avoid answering hard questions, until well after they are elected. Maybe even after that, they will waffle,” he said.

Arguing against the Opposition’s perennial proposition of being a check on the ruling party, Mr Lee said: “If everybody accepts what they say, we’ll have a lot of checkers, but no workers ... For every one more checker you have in Parliament, there’ll be one fewer doer, thinker or leader in the Government to serve the nation, to serve the people.

“And eventually there’ll be no more PAP to check. There’ll be no able team of ministers working and solving problems for Singapore, no progress for Singapore, no future for Singapore. That will be the last ‘check’, because it will be checkmate!”

The ruling party, however, is a national party that looks after the interests of a broad range of Singaporeans and spends what it can afford and that which is justified, he said.

“When we face problems, we acknowledge them publicly and deal with them. We do not pretend there’s no problem: ‘No comment, studying the matter, thinking about it, will verify one day’. We settle now,” he said. “If you lie low, hoping the public will forget the issue and the issue will go away, the public will forget you and you might as well go away.”

The PAP’s responsibility is to set the standard that other parties here should be measured by and should aim for, he added.

Mr Lee also said the party has identified many promising candidates, including a few potential office holders, for the next GE. They comprise individuals working in the government and private sectors, as well as grassroots activists. With the support of voters, his team after the next GE — including faces inducted in 2011 — will be renewed, strengthened and more seasoned, he promised. And his successor is likely to be among them, he added.

Party activists and Members of Parliament (MPs) welcomed Mr Lee’s call to action. Mr Justin Foo, 57, of West Coast GRC and Mr Chandroo Methani, 54, of East Coast GRC said working the ground and serving the people were continuous efforts not reserved to the GE period.

Holland-Bukit Timah MP Christopher de Souza added: “It’s very easy to be a people’s party or a party for the people and speak about ideas; all the more difficult to translate those ideas into action. It’s also the PM telling us to continue the effort and to meet every resident, every home in every estate, and that every vote and every seat matters.” ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY LAURA PHILOMIN
Maybe SG will see rise of the independents like in TW...
88 total seat in the house 84 pap vs 4 opp. What serious fight is there? come on lah? You see the all the g department are all deeply entrench by PAP they control all the key and non-key element like military law telecommunications economy they really have nothing to fear they already taken care of their 江山 long long time ago even if over 50% vote opp I dare say they still will run the g lets not forget about those boundary changes.

This coming out of the blue could be a signal that elections are coming but I see it takes time to build "feel good" - now everybody black face go polls sure black swan so my time table for elections round abt 2016/17 by then maybe different picture in property stock exchange.
(08-12-2014, 09:16 AM)sgd Wrote: [ -> ]88 total seat in the house 84 pap vs 4 opp. What serious fight is there? come on lah? You see the all the g department are all deeply entrench by PAP they control all the key and non-key element like military law telecommunications economy they really have nothing to fear they already taken care of their 江山 long long time ago even if over 50% vote opp I dare say they still will run the g lets not forget about those boundary changes.

This coming out of the blue could be a signal that elections are coming but I see it takes time to build "feel good" - now everybody black face go polls sure black swan so my time table for elections round abt 2016/17 by then maybe different picture in property stock exchange.

Exactly !
(08-12-2014, 09:16 AM)sgd Wrote: [ -> ]88 total seat in the house 84 pap vs 4 opp. What serious fight is there? come on lah? You see the all the g department are all deeply entrench by PAP they control all the key and non-key element like military law telecommunications economy they really have nothing to fear they already taken care of their 江山 long long time ago even if over 50% vote opp I dare say they still will run the g lets not forget about those boundary changes.

This coming out of the blue could be a signal that elections are coming but I see it takes time to build "feel good" - now everybody black face go polls sure black swan so my time table for elections round abt 2016/17 by then maybe different picture in property stock exchange.

In the last election, there was a more than 6% votes swing against PAP, and the overall results was slightly over 60%, the lowest margin since independence. It had also for the first time in history lost a GRC. So no doubt the PAP won 81 out of 87 seats, but we should not forget that 40% of Singaporean are not supporting the party. If this continues unabated, in 2 GE times we will have majority of Singaporean not supporting PAP, even if they can form the next govt. And what can a govt do if they do not have the support of the majority of its people? Just look around some of our neighbouring countries and you can get a feel of that situation. So, I think it is right that PM Lee says the next fight is a serious fight, and as a citizen, I am happy that the govt is working hard to win back its people support!
(08-12-2014, 09:32 AM)Ben Wrote: [ -> ]
(08-12-2014, 09:16 AM)sgd Wrote: [ -> ]88 total seat in the house 84 pap vs 4 opp. What serious fight is there? come on lah? You see the all the g department are all deeply entrench by PAP they control all the key and non-key element like military law telecommunications economy they really have nothing to fear they already taken care of their 江山 long long time ago even if over 50% vote opp I dare say they still will run the g lets not forget about those boundary changes.

This coming out of the blue could be a signal that elections are coming but I see it takes time to build "feel good" - now everybody black face go polls sure black swan so my time table for elections round abt 2016/17 by then maybe different picture in property stock exchange.

In the last election, there was a more than 6% votes swing against PAP, and the overall results was slightly over 60%, the lowest margin since independence. It had also for the first time in history lost a GRC. So no doubt the PAP won 81 out of 87 seats, but we should not forget that 40% of Singaporean are not supporting the party. If this continues unabated, in 2 GE times we will have majority of Singaporean not supporting PAP, even if they can form the next govt. And what can a govt do if they do not have the support of the majority of its people? Just look around some of our neighbouring countries and you can get a feel of that situation. So, I think it is right that PM Lee says the next fight is a serious fight, and as a citizen, I am happy that the govt is working hard to win back its people support!

Other countries don't have something call boundary changes.

We see 40% sporeans in total voted opp but only 4 candidate made it leh 10-1. So even if there are 50% this time round I think maximum only 5-6 in total will be sitting in the house only 5%. If PAP really serious about having a real fight fine then don't change boundary this coming election lets see what the true result is.

They don't dare one lah all just fighting words only for sure going to be some boundary changes again.
(08-12-2014, 09:32 AM)Ben Wrote: [ -> ]
(08-12-2014, 09:16 AM)sgd Wrote: [ -> ]88 total seat in the house 84 pap vs 4 opp. What serious fight is there? come on lah? You see the all the g department are all deeply entrench by PAP they control all the key and non-key element like military law telecommunications economy they really have nothing to fear they already taken care of their 江山 long long time ago even if over 50% vote opp I dare say they still will run the g lets not forget about those boundary changes.

This coming out of the blue could be a signal that elections are coming but I see it takes time to build "feel good" - now everybody black face go polls sure black swan so my time table for elections round abt 2016/17 by then maybe different picture in property stock exchange.

In the last election, there was a more than 6% votes swing against PAP, and the overall results was slightly over 60%, the lowest margin since independence. It had also for the first time in history lost a GRC. So no doubt the PAP won 81 out of 87 seats, but we should not forget that 40% of Singaporean are not supporting the party. If this continues unabated, in 2 GE times we will have majority of Singaporean not supporting PAP, even if they can form the next govt. And what can a govt do if they do not have the support of the majority of its people? Just look around some of our neighbouring countries and you can get a feel of that situation. So, I think it is right that PM Lee says the next fight is a serious fight, and as a citizen, I am happy that the govt is working hard to win back its people support!

A capable leader will not have such hallucination and phobia, moreover the real war is not even started.Huh
He just have to fix the High Housing Price and Stop Immigration for the next 5-10 years at least. Is all within his power.
I sense a lack of will ?
(08-12-2014, 11:01 AM)corydorus Wrote: [ -> ]He just have to fix the High Housing Price and Stop Immigration for the next 5-10 years at least. Is all within his power.
I sense a lack of will ?

He shouldn't be so afraid to lose votes if he can defend his policies.
As usual, the topic will be moved to Other Subforum.

Thanks

Regards
Moderator
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