There is always a need to have people like Jee Say and Kin Lian to maintain the ‘biodiversity’ in Singapore

I voted with my heart and has no regret even Jee Say did not win the race. In Singapore, we really need people like Jee Say and Kin Lian to act differently from the main stream and provide alternative ideas and views.

Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. (Source: Wikipedia)

Hence, biodiversity of ideas and views is the measurement of the health of our politics and society. 

If there is no biodiversity in our society, in Singapore, sooner or later we will be extinct because we will be too homogeneous and lack of anti-body mechanism.  However, political diversity under the government propaganda has always become a bad word, likes confrontational, anti-unity, and of course, anti-establishment.

Contributions or sacrifices

If not because of Jee Say and Kin Lian, voters will not be aware (and concern) of moral, value, and responsibility.  Their contributions in PE2011 have helped to push the pro-PAP voters towards the central; this is why Cheng Bock is getting so many votes, a surprise not only to himself and also to the PAP.

However, I am always uncomfortable with Cheng Bock even he is the second best and only lost by 0.3%. This is because some academics have suggested that the PAP had in fact achieved 70% of the total votes when the two Dr Tans combined their votes in this PE. If this is true, then we have to re-examine whether the 65% voted against Dr Tony Tan is a real discontent of the people.  No wonder, Dr Tony Tan said the vote was decisive.

Two whites, one white or market testing

If this is true, how independence can Cheng Bock be? So, voters were voting two whites, one is pure white and the other is not so pure.

The PAP is testing the market with a new right to central product – Cheng Bock.  It seems they have achieved their aim.  Voters like and prefer this new product and in the next election, more Cheng Bock type of PAP candidates will appear. And they will recruit more ‘independent’ minded candidates rather than pro-establishment candidates in the next GE.

No chance for Jee Say in next GE

I feel sorry for Jee Say. Being a Mohism (Mozi) type of person, he would have to do more sacrifices for Singapore.  He may not even be elected as an MP in the next GE because of his negative image published in the main stream media.

Bad name

Bad name a candidate is always a strategy for the PAP. They have systematically been doing so since independence. JBJ, Francis Seow, Chee Soon Juan, Tang Liang Hong, and now Tan Jee Say.  Besides JBJ, have any one of them being elected before?

It will be hard for Jee Say to change his ‘bad’ name to ‘good’ name under the present circumstances. As Jee Say said one of the reasons that he failed in PE2011 was he could not reach out to the old voters.  I have mentioned in my post on the non-English speaking voters as king makers in this PE.

http://pijitailai.blogspot.com/2011/08/will-non-english-speaking-voters-be.html

I believe most of Dr Tony Tan’s votes are from this group of voters (who should also include new citizens). And those English speaking, better educated PAP supporters were supporting Cheng Bock.

Always maintain 35% die-hard supporters

When the PAP realises the non-English speaking voters are declining, they quickly replace the drop by increasing the number of new citizens. Therefore, they can continue to maintain 35% of die-hard supporters.

    

However, for Jee Say, it will be very hard to get 50.1% in a one-to-one parliament contest. The other 25% moderate pro-PAP supporters will not vote for him.  In addition, there is another 10% pro-opposition voters will not choose Jee Say even he tries to change his image.

Quite sad but this is a political reality in Singapore.  Perhaps, Jee Say is ahead of his time in political idealism in Singapore. This has to take time, may be after 2 or 3 more GEs later, then Singapore voters can accept Jee Say.  Otherwise, to change the mindset of people in Singapore, some big changes in the PAP something like the Jasmine revolution will need to take place.

As far as Jee Say is happy with what he is doing even being projected as a confrontational figure and face with unfair treatment in the main stream media, he should continue to pursue his cause as there are a quarter of population supporting him.

Good luck for Jee Say and Kin Lian.  Thank you we know you have already tried your best.