Skip to main content

“This is me” – A Self Ignorance To Change The PAP


“This is me” is the campaign message that PAP new man, Dr Koh Poh Koon, wants to bring to Punggol East voters.  He wants to be his “own man” not a “status quo” person. He even emphasizes his past and poor background as a proof.

And he hopes to change the PAP internally rather than externally (joining opposition).  So, he chooses to follow the PAP stream instead of against the PAP stream. Perhaps, it is an easy way in Singapore politics, just like joining National Conversation, one think he can change the government.      

In the front page story of today’s Lianhe Zaobao, Dr Koh also said it was not an “in” thing to join the PAP.  But, he chose to join the ruling party in hope of an internal change inside the PAP. #1

Here is the brief translation of what he said and published in Zaobao: 

“If I have strong views on adjusting, strengthening, or changing (government) policy to improve the life of people, there are only 2 ways: joining the oppositions and bring out the alternative suggestions with strong criticisms; otherwise, thinking of how to change, how to change (the PAP) internally.  My view is instead of working against the stream why don’t I follow it.”  
 如果自己对应该调整、强化或改变政策来改善民生有强烈的看法,那只有两种办法:参加反对党,提出替代建议,并且猛烈批评;否则就是去担当思考怎么改变,怎么在内部推动改变。我的看法是:逆流还不如顺流。 

He chooses to follow the PAP and still keeps saying he wants to change the PAP from inside.

So, Dr Koh’s ignorance is “joining the PAP is not the ‘in’ thing, not fashionable.”   (榜鹅东补选 加入行动党不时髦 许宝琨:希望从内部作改变) . He was quite absent minded that he forgot the case of $2 PAP owned company and the AIMgate. Joining the PAP can make one hold several directorships and so there is an opportunity for Dr Koh to upgrade his HDB flat to a private property. Of course, he can follow Halimah, the new House Speaker, continuing staying in a HDB flat.   

Membership of the PAP MP does have its privilege.  It is still fashionable to join the PAP and thinking a ways of how to make use of it. Halimah may be the only exception.

His second ignorance is his “This is me” attitude to change the PAP internally.  There are so many senior members ahead of him, in what capacity, he can initial a change.  Who will support a new man, even George Yeo is not able to do it, how “This is me” can change the PAP.

“Always here for you” better than “This is me”

He wants to project himself as his ‘own man’ like Desmond Choo.  But “This is me’ looks no better than Desmond Choo’s “Always here for you.”   At least Desmond is looking forward to serve You, the residents and voters.  But Me = Self, your interest is not his first choice. He is “me” first, “you” second. Punggol East voters should ask him the difference between “me” and “you”.  Will he always here for you as he promises despite the BE result?  

Dr Koh can choose to be his “own man” but if he wants to change the PAP internally, then his membership of less than one month is really too ‘young’.  And first of all, he must learn to serve You first, before talking about changes of the PAP.

He is a PAP man wearing the logo of the PAP. If a green bird standing for election always want to be his ‘‘own man”, then PM will not be able to sleep well from now. In the next GE, he will have so many independent minded PAP ‘own man’ candidates, where can he find time to ‘fix’ the oppositions?

And in the process of recruiting candidates, all of them want to stress “This is me” and “own man”.   Wow! Suddenly, it is so fashionable to be “own man” and perhaps it is an “in” thing in future Singapore politics, at least for the PAP candidates.

An independent candidate may be an “own man”.  But again, not all independents are really independents in their hearts.


#1 Lianhe Zaobao 13 Jan2013

Comments

  1. LOL LOL LOL
    the same group of species, what kind of
    change???
    Let's see how Punggol residents would buy his
    words??? really can't tell.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sub-standard PAP and the Singapore education system

I make a 'policy shift' when I hear the debate of right politics, constructive politics and sub-standard opposition. My original aim is to discuss about “Su Dongbo, Zhang Juzheng and Singapore education system”. The discussion will end with a sub-standard PAP, in particular from the assessment of the quality of PAP potential candidates. Another policy shift is to discuss it like a play, a drama and make it more entertainment rather than a sub-standard political discussion. Act 1 Gangster’s demand Imagine a sense in the Hong Kong's gangster movie (or a godfather movie), the gangsters' master is shouting at his poor opponent and demand him to give a price for his wrong act. The poor guy without any resources can only offer his body or his service to work for the master. Back in his own chamber, the master is still not satisfied and continues to shout 'don't play, play, you think you are hero, you think you are tiger, or superstar or acting

因为有比较, 才知道做得不够, 才明白什么叫做易通。

  因为有比较, 才知道做得不够, 才明白什么叫做易通。 如果只有一套解决方法,很难看出好坏,方便还是不方便,易通还是不容易通。用新方法代替旧的系统,人们当然会做比较,尤其是科技产品,使用的人很多,一用就马上看到结果。 这是一个竞争的世界,即使一党独大,也要考虑到便民。当人民觉得不方便,不好用,不易通,就会反映,发声,不满。为什么没有预先想到,最可怕的是测试时,已经接到反应,还是不加改善。或许,行动党还抱着“令伯”最大,用者自行解决问题。 易通公交收费系统的整合,似乎缺少一种人文,沟通,反而更加多表现出政府的独断独行。尤其重要的是,如果只有一套系统,我们是看不出问题,做不出好坏的评价。 这其实证明国会里不可以只有一把声音,没有比较,没有进步。

EBRC objectives: Stop “Out of Aljunied”, Stop SDP Breakthrough and “Negative-Asset” Ministers.

First of all, we have to congratulate the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee for creating more competitions, especially, multi-cornered competitions in the East. When making changes, EBRC aims to achieve 3 goals: To prevent “Out of Aljunied” for Workers’ Party.  This is the most important objective. To prevent Singapore Democratic Party making any breakthrough in the North and Central.   To look for a solution to retire “negative-asset” ministers or reduce PAP damages. From the reported claims from different political parties, we will expect multi-cornered contests not only in single constituencies but also in group representative constituencies. The PAP hopes to have a repeat of 2011 Presidential Election. Then Tony Tan won the Presidency when he got only 35% of the votes, a narrow win.However, a win is still a win. He did in even in the very last minute, after recounts of votes.    How to achieve multi-cornered contests? By inserting a single c