Q

GE 2011

watching the GE elections unfold, what struck me most wasn’t the alarming strength of the worker’s party, nor the enthusiastic topless uncles screaming in coffee-shops, but rather something more subtle and telling of the citizen’s psyche.

I find myself quite satisfied with the outcome. (at least mostly – TPL out George Yeo in, please!) I’m a supporter of the PAP yes, but ultimately, a supporter of Singapore (succinctly put forth by Celine’s younger brother: ‘I hope Singapore wins!’). if any member of an opposition party proves worthy, he or she deserves in. vice versa for the PAP.

so yes, what I want to address is what I’ve witnessed over several conversations on Twitter. I didn’t participate in any, but by observation I’ve concluded that most of the pro-PAP are so because they truly like the PAP, while the pro-opp are so because they hate the PAP. that, by itself, I don’t have a problem with. I only mentioned it to provide some form of justification for the phenomenon I don’t quite know how to put forth.

being an open supporter of the PAP, I’d inevitably receive backlash, or at least have my view undermined – but I’ve got to say it like I see it. this is it: while the pro-PAP are content lamenting a loss of seat confined to personal grief, the pro-Opp tend to lash out at those who are in favor of the PAP, either damning them as ignorant or just straight out insults.

my question is this – if you hate the PAP because they suppress any opinion that differs from their policies, but at the same time condemn, insult, and label those who made the autonomous choice of favoring the PAP, doesn’t that make you, well.. a hypocrite?

I’m not here to voice out against supporters of the Opposition. In fact, I WANT to hear how – and why – you love the Opp (the why part is unfortunately always meagerly expressed).

maybe I should retract my claim of being pro-PAP, because really I’m more of pro-choice and pro-Singapore. I chose the PAP and I’d love for the Opp followers to respect but challenge my choice (and that’s very much possible since we’ve evolved from the barbarian era where ‘me no like’ means ‘me no like’.)

Singaporeans, you’ve alternately impressed and disappointed me on the most exciting GE media platform of 2011 (ie Twitter). I never wanted it to be this way, nor do I think I’ve been blighted by bias – but the fact remains that the pro-PAP presented their support with way more grace than the other (there are exceptions of course).

again, people, speak for yourself. but while doing so, preserve your dignity by lending others the privilege of independent choice. we’re not communist, we don’t need to be unnecessarily agitated if another doesn’t share your opinion.

And I’d quote Joe again, I hope Singapore wins. whatever the results we’re all voting for a better nation to be part of, never forget that. right now my fatigue induced self would like to say something along the lines of one people one nation one Singapore, but HOW cheesy would that be?

dayum, speaking of.. some cheese right now would be fantastic.

May 8, 2011

Community & Society, Important Events, Too Much Feels, 新加坡

Published by

qing t

Responses

eehsien

May 9, 2011 at 1:42 am

Hey I don’t know whether I should comment but I decided to anyway, since you do want to know why people are pro-opposition. But don’t get me wrong okay! I think you’re hilarious (not in a bad way, in the talking about coffee shop uncles funny way) and perceptive but I really just don’t agree with you on this one (not just because you support the PAP, really). I was thinking I should just shut up and study econs but I’m gonna take a stab at respecting while challenging your choice.

The opposition parties are more down to earth, or at least the ones I support are and they know/understand the problems faced by the common man. I’m not saying PAP members are completely incapable of reaching out to the masses, I really like Shanmugaratnam because I feel he is dedicated to serving his constituency. Lee Hsien Loong is undeniably capable when it comes to communicating with the people with his trilingual godlike abilities (though with his occasional slips in grammar, but that still beats the half-broken Hokkien Chinese mix some candidates have to offer.) But the party itself and most of its candidates seem to no longer understand the priorities of they people they claim to represent. This is especially so for our healthcare and foreign labour policies.

Of course the argument against this is that such grievances (rising cost of living and unemployment) come at the price of economic growth. Most people who support the opposition do understand the basic workings of Economics. What they’re angry about is that the current PAP isn’t doing anything concrete to tackle such issues that come as a result of growth. Opposition parties have made it clear that more has to be done. They have been proposing policies. The PAP (more specifically our Health Minister) has tells us to send our aged parents to cheaper nursing homes in Johor Bahru and that using the 3Ms has made it possible for a heart bypass to cost $8. I don’t believe that’s what the average man on the street wants/eventually gets. In fact, from dealing with healthcare bills for my family (and we’re already above median income), that is not the case. And yes, there were those uncannily well-timed hundreds that appeared the bank accounts of our Singaporeans. But really, that’s not enough for citizens who struggle to make ends meet and live paycheck to paycheck. In a sentence, the opposition hasn’t lost touch of reality, they want more for the people.

For your point on how opposition supporters react to PAP supporters, I think it works both ways. Some PAP supporters say that those who don’t support that PAP fail to respect/recognise what the PAP has done. In return some are told that they’re blinded by what the PAP has done and can’t recognize what needs to be done. Either way, we’re passing value judgements. This shouldn’t be advocated, but it happens. I honestly don’t think either party is more guilty. Not when I get tweets going LOLOLOL he lost his deposit HA or others insinuating that opposition members don’t accept their loss gracefully (when well, we won’t know if Channel 5 chooses to air speeches of all winning candidates except for a few, inclusive of those where PAP candidates lost their seats.) Both sides of the political fence are equally at fault here and this is something most individuals need to work on, be it when it comes to political issues or otherwise.

Also, I don’t see how labelling others as ignorant while being resenting the PAP’s suppression of alternative opinions (though to give them credit, the PAP doesn’t do so that often in present day) links to one being a hypocrite. As long as you’re not actively suppressing others for having different opinions (eg don’t say that/don’t go there/shut up etc), you are not being hypocritical. Dismissing them for their lack of reason doesn’t mean you’re suppressing them. It means you don’t see any value in them. And in all honesty, if that particular view isn’t really valid, it is quite hard to respect it, isn’t it? One doesn’t need to be rude, but one can’t accept an argument if one believes it’s fundamentally flawed. That, would probably be hypocritical I suppose.

I am, like you, in favour of choice. And that’s precisely why I won’t let anyone get away with telling me not to say something that is not the point or not their point, at the very least. This is the case for anything, from politics to religion. Because very much like them, I have the liberty to give an opinion, whether or not they want to hear it. And I will never let anyone take the choice to speak my mind away from me.

Okay I think I’m done! Thanks Weiqing, recently your posts have made me ask myself a lot of questions, something I normally don’t do.

Reply
1. rictusempraa
  
  May 9, 2011 at 5:43 pm
  
  HI EEHSIEN.
  
  Like you, I’m right now supposed to be studying Econs. Buthere I am so yeah. I can’t tell you how excited this makes me, because for once there is actually someone explaining to me coherently, and impressively, why they favour the opposition (which strangely all other pro-opps either fail to or refuse to do.)
  
  It all boils down to personal priorities, and although I have a clearer picture and understanding of your choice, the PAP’s set of values continue to resound more strongly with mine. again, I’m pro-choice and if there is reason pointing to another party that proves to be capable of better leadership (or at least with policies that better resonate with my beliefs), i wouldn’t hesitate to lend them my support as well.
  
  with the whole PAP against Opp issue aside, I’ll explain to you why the behaviour of some pro-Opps alarmed me. in case you thought i was targeting your reply to Jessica on Twitter, i wasn’t – it was a reference to a plague of other tweets I found offensive. that said, I still hold respect for aforementioned people – just not particular comments of theirs at the given time.
  
  to me, suppression of opinion doesn’t have to take place on an explicit level (ie don’t say that, please shut up). suppression has taken on a more sophisticated dimension; in fact, i consider peer pressure quite a significant form of suppression for all age groups (teenage girls desperate to remain cool to the single PAP loving uncle in the coffeeshop petrified of being beaten up).
  
  even if you disagree with that, and consider only explicit directions to ‘shut up’ as silencing others, I assure you there was a whole lot of ‘shut up’s with naughty prefixes.. amongst other uncalled for insults. as you would put it, I saw no validity in their aggression. It was unintelligent, offensive, and on an instinctive level, it was a demonstration of resentment for the sake of resenting. I doubt very much they would have the ability to present their stand in the way you just did.
  
  anyway, thanks. you’ve given me much to think about as well!
  
  Reply
swirlfurlcurl

May 9, 2011 at 3:11 pm

<3 <3 My classmates are so perceptive and engaging!! I didn't really read up/find out more about opp vs PAP so I can't take part in the stimulating discussion but I love the "just want Singapore to win" part! That's how I feel too! :-)

Reply
Vanessa

May 18, 2011 at 1:02 pm

Hello hehe I’m back! (: Kay la this time I’m not gonna take part in this cause I’ve seen what you’ve both said and both sides make sense. I support the PAP but I think more should be done and the opposition is a good dissenting voice to ensure that more will be done. At least for now. Just wanted to pop by to say I’m glad there are sensible intelligent views here and people like this (you guys and I’m sure there are more out there) should go be the politicians and make a change! (: I mean ultimately we all want better for Singapore and with that understanding, we can do our part to make our nation a better one hooray! ;D ack I think I’m a tad delusional frm a whole day at school lolol ah well~

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