Re: The Watershed Singapore 2011 General Election - It's Time To Vote Wisely

Further to my posts on 3 March 2011 and 3 April 2011 and as at today the rhetoric, exhortations,arguments, counter-arguments, accusations, red herrings, created confusions have come fast and furious from both the Ruling and Opposition Parties. My take is  how you vote is important!  If you vote for the Ruling Party, you are saying you agree to status-quo - more upgrading of estates, leadership renewal, etc. One important point you also agree to is it's strategy of keeping legitimate Oppoisition Voices out of Parliament  by substituting it with its obtrusive NMP,NCMP Scheme.   If you cast your vote for the Oppositions Parties, you are saying - OK, I will give you this chance to prove yourself in the Parliament; if you fail I will vote you out in the next election.  To get to know more about the Opposition Parties you need to  visit their dedicated Parties' websites and ATTEND THEIR RALLIES!  This is because the main media be it print, visual or sound  hardly give good coverage of their speeches, etc. In fact most of the Oppositions Parties' speeches are heavily edited sometimes even censored and eschewed to give them a bad light and image.  So, it is important to ATTEND OPPOSITION PARTIES RALLIES to hear and see what they really say and articulate.  You do not need to attend the Ruling Party's rallies as they are carried fully on TVs in the late night broadcasts and published  in the major newspapers the next morning.  At this stage of our political development we need a Singapore Parliament that is in step with our First World Economy.  So, on Polling Day on 7th May 2011 cast your vote wisely.  If the Oppositions Parties manage to capture 1 GRC and 3 to 4 SMCs, I will consider it a " peaceful revolution" of a kind compared to the "violent & bloody" revolutions we saw happening in the Middle East/African crisis. Your vote is your power!

The 2011 Singapore General Election.

I see the coming Singapore 2011 General Election as a watershed in Singapore politics.  Firstly, many of the candidates are highly qualified and have good credentials; the interesting thing is both the Ruling Party and the Opposition Parties manage to attract as many such candidates as they can garner. The Ruling Party has managed to induct many of their high-flyers in the Civil Service, Army, Union, etc. to help them embark on nurturing a "Fourth Generation" of leaders and self-renewal. But what then lure the candidates of the Opposition Parties you may ask.  Is it purely "personal agenda" or higher motives like "wanting to make a difference", "speaking up for the poor or the underpriviledged" or " wanting to see real democracy at work in Singapore", etc.  I see this group of people has the most to lose as they face great odds!  Secondly, with more choices, the electorate can think and cast their secret votes wisely.  They now have a less dilemma in the choice of candidate based on credentials.  Lastly but not least, Singapore will gain from  this momentous Election "political capital" in attracting good and qualified people in our Parliament. This is a "win-win" for Singapore.  I hope this will set the momentum going in generating and cultivating "a political culture and maturity" that is worthy of our "First World Economy" status.