Tuesday, May 03, 2011

This is home, truly

The elections are heating up. It's exciting and I'm glad a lot more people are reading manifestos and making informed decisions. No matter what happens, it's great to know that singaporeans are beginning to ask questions, debate and getting involved. Much of it has to do with the cyber world and how people are "thinking aloud" through Twitter, fb. Opinions made public are infectious especially when it plays up on emotions. Its so powerful that it can topple any person or party. singaporeans are forming strong opinions about how the lil red dot should be run instead of just merely leaving it to the men in white. With all these opinions going public, it can be viral and inconvenient to parties whose underlying belief is to silence people and get on with the job. But what they fail to see is that in this election and age, singaporeans are no longer mere followers that can be silenced.

I cannot deny that the men in white has done an exceptional job in bringing the country to a comfortable position. It has done the impossible. It has done wonders. Policies are formed by people in white, carried out by them and intentionally or otherwise has benefitted them to a far greater extent. So they are getting disillusioned that their policies and decisions are the best.

I have understood their decisions from time to time, but one thing I really hope they will see is that different opinions should be welcomed and not undervalued with smugness and arrogance. I'm not comfortable with the term "opposition" and I hope they wld change it one day. The idea is not to oppose but to give an alternative voice, ideas and opinions so that policies can be implemented with singaporeans interest in mind and our ecoonomy at it's most stable. An alternative party should also be there to ask tough questions, not to expose ill intentions but more to get them to reconsider plans which were not fully thought through. Men in white can never accept this and it's making me more suspicious as to their underlying thoughts and long term intent.

As much as I applaud the increasing number of opposition but at times I am disappointed by some opposition parties that merely "oppose" but fail to "propose" credible alternative plans. They ride on emotions and harp on ministers large paycheck or the unfairness of trivial matters that are merely trying to magnify the ruling partys arrogance, knowing full well that this is exactly what people have strong feelings for.

What I want to hear is, how will the "opposition" ( again I do not like this word, the idea shld not be to oppose but to give a different perspective, an alternative voice)will do it differently? Some opposition parties hv spelled it out, some have made it sound too airy fairy and too good to be true. Some have said that opposition role is merely to ask tough questions and the ruling party is responsible in coming up with an alternative plan, given their obscene paycheck. If that is really the role of the opposition, then it doesn't take a credible intellect to be an elected opposition mp, coz we all know that every single person in Singapore has at one point in their lives questioned the ruling partys decisions with much dissatisfaction and disgust.

Save the analogies and banter, they can talk about the need of pilots and copilots, about slapping bus drivers to wake them up, about rojak government, till the cows come home. It's pretty entertaining actually and adds to the colour and excitement of the elections. Drama is always good and if that is what it takes to get singaporeans involved in political decisions, then we should relish on the childish nature of the matter. But there is also a need to look beyond after we have had a good laugh.

Dont worry, whatever your vote is, and if the party you choose gets in, but eventually did not deliver, just repent and all will be all right:p (said with much sacrasm here)

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