May Fantasy
The election is finally over. PAP won 82 seats and the opposition retained their 2 seats, Chiam See Tong at Potong Pasir and Low Thia Khiang at Hougang. It had been an exciting election for me, superimposed by a very exciting exam in the middle of it. My side at Bukit Panjang SMC won 77.18% of votes, therefore becoming the highest scoring ward in the whole of Singapore. Sembawang GRC became the highest winning GRC with 76% vote. Well, as usual, I would have something to say for this election, my own take on the results and issues.
Firstly, let's talk about Bukit Panjang SMC, which is the place I live in and the branch which I'm working, now represented by my boss, Dr. Teo Ho Pin. We won 77.18%, which is the highest score for this election. It will be a great stress for us to maintain this result in the coming election, if the WP or the SDA comes over to contest. But the result also showed one thing. Bearing in mind that this ward is one of the most quiet contested area, with Ling How Doong not actually actively campaigning and us actually going for walkabout and house visits, it shows something. It revealed to us that about 23% of the Singaporeans would support the opposition no matter what the PAP does, be it just for the sake of opposing, some discontentment with the PAP or what. This is the estimated figure of support for the opposition (IMO) without active campaigning.
Coincidentally, the highest winning GRC is Sembawang. And both Bukit Panjang and Sembawang are contested by SDP (aka Surely Disintegrating Party). From this election, it has been clear that the SDP is currently in a disarray and divided. Why? Look at their rallies and you would get an idea. The Sembawang team is always wearing the dark blue polo tee and Ling How Doong and his teams are always not seen doing the same. Instead they wear their own shirt and put on their party badge. A united party would never do that. At the very least, they try to sync their colour, which is obviously not so.
Nationally, the PAP won 66.1% of the valid votes. Last election saw 75%. Some people told me, 'hey, PAP won but they are losing their dominance.' I say,'bullshit, which election are you comparing with?' We must always bear in mind of the context behind all the elections, especially the 2001 election. The 2001 election took place in the context of severe economic downturn and the 911 incident. Naturally, in such a circumstances, voters will tend to turn to the PAP. But if we compare the result fo 1991, 1997 and 2006 elections, we would find that the general trend of support for the PAP lies around 65-66% like that. So a result of 66.1% for the PAP is actually quite a strong mandate for PM Lee Hsien Loong. Then, we must always bear in mind the Gomez issue. According to analysis, the Gomez issue would have swung some votes away from the PAP.
Then, here comes the Gomez issue. The question here now is whether the PAP has overdone it or not. I would say, the PAP knows in the first place that pursuing this issue during the electio would cause them votes, as saied by George Yeo. Given PAP's mission to gain a strong mandate, this statement certainly implies something,since the PAP is out to win votes, not lose votes. Whether they have done an overkill, I dun know. But what I can get out of this issue, given PAP's allegations and statements, and the videos released by the election dept and Gomez's statement, I am inclined to believe that there are more to meet the eyes. What has really happened, it all remains to be uncovered.
The opposition has retained 2 wards at Potong Pasir and Hougang. I was generally not surprised at Hougang but was quite surprised by Potong Pasir. Nevertheless, it was a 50-50. The result at CCK also shocked me though. But here, I would say that now, the key factors which could determine whether PAP can get back Potong Pasir depends whether Chiam See Tong can deliver his lift upgrading using his TC sinking funds and whether Chiam See Tong can groom a credible successor or not. These are the issues which may decide the fate of Potong Pasir the next election. But from the way I look, Chiam See Tong still had a long way to go. From what I see, the whole SDA is still anchored by the personality of Chiam See Tong. I saw the campaign posters at Pasir-Ris-Punggol and was shocked at the fact that I see Chiam's face at the SDA campaign poster. I dun see Goh Chok Tong's or Lee Hsien Loong's face on any of the PAP campaign posters... save for the Manifesto posters. Something came out of this is that Chiam cannot really compare himself with Lee Kuan Yew regarding the age factor, because the amount of work and energy needed for each individual is different. Unlike LKY who only needs to run his own ward and to advise the individual ministers and to help speak a few words for the election, Chiam needs to constantly coordinate his SDA and because he is the anchorman for SDA, his responsibility within the party is even higher, plus he needs to be on his toes to retain Potong Pasir. The energy level needed is certainly a bit too vastly different, I must say.
I would not say much about the WP but honestly, I think that they should break away from the opposition network and began to seriously rebuild their party to the level that they can challenge the PAP on all 84 wards. I must say that only an opposition party which is serious enough to go all out to try to form the next government is worthy of admiration, though the efforts of the opposition this time round should be commented.
Now the election is over, and my semester is over too. Till I write again.
Firstly, let's talk about Bukit Panjang SMC, which is the place I live in and the branch which I'm working, now represented by my boss, Dr. Teo Ho Pin. We won 77.18%, which is the highest score for this election. It will be a great stress for us to maintain this result in the coming election, if the WP or the SDA comes over to contest. But the result also showed one thing. Bearing in mind that this ward is one of the most quiet contested area, with Ling How Doong not actually actively campaigning and us actually going for walkabout and house visits, it shows something. It revealed to us that about 23% of the Singaporeans would support the opposition no matter what the PAP does, be it just for the sake of opposing, some discontentment with the PAP or what. This is the estimated figure of support for the opposition (IMO) without active campaigning.
Coincidentally, the highest winning GRC is Sembawang. And both Bukit Panjang and Sembawang are contested by SDP (aka Surely Disintegrating Party). From this election, it has been clear that the SDP is currently in a disarray and divided. Why? Look at their rallies and you would get an idea. The Sembawang team is always wearing the dark blue polo tee and Ling How Doong and his teams are always not seen doing the same. Instead they wear their own shirt and put on their party badge. A united party would never do that. At the very least, they try to sync their colour, which is obviously not so.
Nationally, the PAP won 66.1% of the valid votes. Last election saw 75%. Some people told me, 'hey, PAP won but they are losing their dominance.' I say,'bullshit, which election are you comparing with?' We must always bear in mind of the context behind all the elections, especially the 2001 election. The 2001 election took place in the context of severe economic downturn and the 911 incident. Naturally, in such a circumstances, voters will tend to turn to the PAP. But if we compare the result fo 1991, 1997 and 2006 elections, we would find that the general trend of support for the PAP lies around 65-66% like that. So a result of 66.1% for the PAP is actually quite a strong mandate for PM Lee Hsien Loong. Then, we must always bear in mind the Gomez issue. According to analysis, the Gomez issue would have swung some votes away from the PAP.
Then, here comes the Gomez issue. The question here now is whether the PAP has overdone it or not. I would say, the PAP knows in the first place that pursuing this issue during the electio would cause them votes, as saied by George Yeo. Given PAP's mission to gain a strong mandate, this statement certainly implies something,since the PAP is out to win votes, not lose votes. Whether they have done an overkill, I dun know. But what I can get out of this issue, given PAP's allegations and statements, and the videos released by the election dept and Gomez's statement, I am inclined to believe that there are more to meet the eyes. What has really happened, it all remains to be uncovered.
The opposition has retained 2 wards at Potong Pasir and Hougang. I was generally not surprised at Hougang but was quite surprised by Potong Pasir. Nevertheless, it was a 50-50. The result at CCK also shocked me though. But here, I would say that now, the key factors which could determine whether PAP can get back Potong Pasir depends whether Chiam See Tong can deliver his lift upgrading using his TC sinking funds and whether Chiam See Tong can groom a credible successor or not. These are the issues which may decide the fate of Potong Pasir the next election. But from the way I look, Chiam See Tong still had a long way to go. From what I see, the whole SDA is still anchored by the personality of Chiam See Tong. I saw the campaign posters at Pasir-Ris-Punggol and was shocked at the fact that I see Chiam's face at the SDA campaign poster. I dun see Goh Chok Tong's or Lee Hsien Loong's face on any of the PAP campaign posters... save for the Manifesto posters. Something came out of this is that Chiam cannot really compare himself with Lee Kuan Yew regarding the age factor, because the amount of work and energy needed for each individual is different. Unlike LKY who only needs to run his own ward and to advise the individual ministers and to help speak a few words for the election, Chiam needs to constantly coordinate his SDA and because he is the anchorman for SDA, his responsibility within the party is even higher, plus he needs to be on his toes to retain Potong Pasir. The energy level needed is certainly a bit too vastly different, I must say.
I would not say much about the WP but honestly, I think that they should break away from the opposition network and began to seriously rebuild their party to the level that they can challenge the PAP on all 84 wards. I must say that only an opposition party which is serious enough to go all out to try to form the next government is worthy of admiration, though the efforts of the opposition this time round should be commented.
Now the election is over, and my semester is over too. Till I write again.
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
- Romans 13:1-7
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