The Opposition Constituency

The WP Constituency

Finally I thought I should share my thoughts on about what has been going on with the whole Election 2011 that has been putting Singapore at her edge.

I would like to congratulate my ex-lecturer on her winning team, WP over their win. I will continue to support this particular opposition team. They have been in it for quite some time now. I believe they do have the calibre to hold the seats in the office.

On one hand, I am a little upset that the overall opposition percentage won is a little lesser than expected and that it ended up with Aljunied being the only constituency won by the Opposition. So why is that after the big hoo ha that took place online, the results are such? Because this is what Singaporeans are made up of. They talk big only. They are quite the empty vessels. But I'm glad they are like that to a certain extent. They are definitely not ready to take a big leap. They are not ready to simply hand over this country to the hands of a group of people who lacks the shining resume. Honestly I don't think the country is ready for such a situation as well. Lastly and definitely one of the biggest reason is they are not ready to accept the blame should anything happens when another team run the government (the ones they voted for). Yes that is the true nature of Singaporeans. Whatever is being done, they need somebody else to blame. They do not have the GUTS to stand up and say that this is their decision and the guts to stick by it. Anything good they celebrate, anything bad they blame.

So why all the uproar online? The angry forum pages and then it only came down to this?? Cause I reiterate THIS is the nature of Singaporeans. A complaining lot. No matter what it is… the spoilt brat that they are… they are quick to point fingers and even quicker to open their mouths. Personal experiences get them emotional and cloud their rational thinking to look at the COUNTRY's INTERESTS at large... They speak base on their own personal bitter experience that they cannot brush off... experience that feeds on their anger that in turn get them rebelling for no true valid reason.... It has always been about “ME! ME! ME!” Have they stopped to think about the country as a whole? Singapore as being their home? The complains equates to the big uproar. But what is the outcome of it all? What happened to the thousands that attend the rallies and shouting their support for the opposition at the top of their lungs? Sets you thinking doesn't it... Did we fall to Tom Bradley effect? The SHY VOTER syndrome? Or is it just that at the end of it all despite the quarrels and arguments with the “parents”… You realised you have to come back home to your parents for support and to be taken care of….

Fact is… The only party that has been able to take all the crap from the people and continue on with the best interest for the people in mind is PAP. You might say it is because they are the only ruling party. But has the opposition convince me otherwise? No they have not. Most of the oppositions are not able to say or show the confidence that they are capable to hold the fort should anything happen. Are they able to say that they will say “NO” in the best interest of the people. For the majority?? Of course they will not admit such aggressive strategies openly to the people whom they are asking votes from. For this I admire the PAP, they openly say that they will do so for they think of the country’s interest at large. They are being the parent with the rotan in their hands who are not afraid to use it should the children scream “ABUSE!”

I love analogies so let me tell you another as I am a parent myself… The PAP has been that kinda government or that kinda parent who will force down the medicine down the tantrum throwing child because they know that is the only way for the child to get well. They will not try to cajole the child, slow talk the child and then have the child throw the medicine in your face and then running away. They are the no-nonsense government/parent figure. They know very well what kind of people they have been taking care of. They have gotten that experience. But on the other side, we do need to groom "new parents". "New parents" that might have a different set of ways in running the "house".

Hence, a little competition in my opinion is healthy. A little competition, meaning putting perhaps just one more Opposition party with more seats. We are a very small country, I don't think we need that many Opposition parties. I initially thought this will be the case where the WP will get more seats this time round, however this situation is far from becoming a reality at the moment and probably is going to take even more years before we can have something like the Republicans/Democratic in the House of Representatives. We do need parents with different parenting style to step in sometimes to take a softer approach BUT not necessarily all the time. I'm sure many are well aware of the FOUR different styles to Parenting/Discipline? Authoritarian, Permissive, Authoritative or Neglectful?? The government is very much like that don't you think? Just that they need to see what kind of children they are dealing with... The people of 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and NOW are all different set of people from different set of moulds...

So what is my take on this? What I want for my constituency is that I want the WP to build a resume. I think they are the only candidates that are somewhat ready to be the Opposition. They have people with experience and educated for the purpose of holding seats in the Parliament and do not simply speak with the heart alone and/or do so just to please the crowd. I hope they will let the next few years be a learning journey for themselves and the same goes as well for the people of Aljunied. The people need to be brave enough to stick to their decision and not have cold feet now because it is too late. In fact, I believe a lot of the voters did back out when they were finally at that booth marking down that 'X'. The support does not end there. Their support is an on-going process for the WP to prove themselves they are worthy of the 6 seats they are holding out in the Parliament. Small but let it be significant. They will not be the backbenchers. They are given this opportunity, let them seize it with pride and support them. Give them that chance, that chance to mingle in the parliament and learn the ropes of how the PAP has run the country. Mistakes and successes are learning stones... PAP has done a darn pretty good job with the country all these years despite the blunders. The good outweighs the bad...

I hope the opposition are well aware the nature of the people they are dealing with. We are a naive lot. We are a complaining lot. We speak with lots of heart and little thinking. BUT please do not falter or waiver your main agenda in pushing this country towards having the First World Parliament that you have promised. The 54% are entrusting you those seats so that some voice of the citizens can be heard in that long room. So that you are given that small (might be insignificant but I think a huge step) liberty to slap the driver who is sleeping and get the people in the Parliament to stop and think before they make another policy or pass law or whatever that they do in the name of the people's interest.

I can’t help feeling anxious. It’s the first day as we are now in the constituency that is under the Opposition. Let the next five years be a learning journey for the constituency and Singapore as a whole. We need to assess what the Opposition can do for the country and giving them this constituency is a start. May this be a start to a smooth and pleasant journey! Cheers!