February 8, 2010 - Temasek Review
OPINION
Time for Singapore opposition to come up with a Common Policy Framework
The next general election will be a watershed in the history of Singapore. With young Singaporeans joining the electorate and public sentiments turning against the ruling PAP, the opposition stands a fighting chance of denying the PAP its traditional two-third majority in Parliament.
An increasing number of Singaporeans including even PAP supporters are starting to accept the idea of a two-party system to ensure the continuing survival and prosperity of Singapore.
Being a small nation without any natural resources, human resource is our greatest asset. We need not only one strong ruling party, but one credible opposition or government-in-waiting as well ready to replace the incumbents should they screw up.
The PAP’s track record over the last few years speaks of the flaws of a one-party system: many policies are hastily implemented without proper discussion and debate in Parliament and neither were the people adequately consulted with disastrous results for the common man in the street who have to bear the brunt of the its mistakes.
The immigration policy is one classic example: too many foreigners were allowed into Singapore within too short a period of time and now we end up with a big headache of how to integrate them into our society.
The PAP’s solution to the problem they have created is one-dimensional: dumping $10 million dollars of taxpayers’ monies to conduct free language classes and events to make the newcomers feel welcomed in Singapore.
There is an urgent need for an alternative center of power to emerge in Singapore to challenge the PAP and to put an end to its political dominance which is killing Singapore.
With Singaporeans more inclined to vote for the opposition now, it should ride on the wave of public support to build a credible alternative to the PAP.
Of utmost importance is for the opposition to come together under a common coalition and put forth a common policy platform to Singaporeans without which it can never hope to pose a serious threat to the PAP.
The opposition cannot afford to campaign on the tried and tested methods of providing checks and balances to the PAP anymore. While they can always count on 20 to 30 per cent of core supporters who will always cast protest votes, they have to sway the fence-sitters over and to do so, they must come up with a vision for Singapore which is radically different from the PAP’s.
As past elections have shown, the opposition’s voice tends to get diluted amid the cacophony of election fever which distracts the attention of voters from the real issues concerning them.
For example, in the 2006 election, the Workers’ Party was embroiled in the James Gomez controversy while Singapore’s Democratic Party was sued for defaming the government. In the end, Singaporeans still do not know what the opposition can offer them on the eve of the election.
To put it bluntly: if the opposition do not come together in the next general election and continues to fight individual battles on their own, they will never be able to achieve any breakthrough and the status quo shall remain.
All the opposition parties in Singapore should come together under a coalition like Malaysia’s Pakatan Rakyat which allows each party to preserve their own individual entity while giving them a common platform to stand on.
We propose the following steps for the opposition to take to increase its chances of taking on the PAP in the next general election:
1. Forge a common alliance – the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) is a good platform to begin with.
2. Draft up a common policy framework proposing to Singaporeans changes to be made in the following areas should they come to power: immigration, housing, education, economic, labor policies etc.
3. Come up with a simple slogan which resonates easily with voters, e.g. “Singapore for Singaporeans”.
4. Bring the message out to the people via weekly public forums, seminars and exhibitions and use the New Media to reach out to the young voters, e.g. the opposition leaders can take turns to give a short speech on the policies which they propose changing which will be uploaded to Youtube.
5. Repeat their common policy platform again, again and again such that the message is ingrained in the minds of Singaporeans come election day.
The opposition has no time to lose. The 9 day election campaign period is too short for them to achieve anything. They have to work the ground right before the battle begin.
There is no point participating in the elections just to make your voices heard and be satisfied with not losing the election deposits. To stand a realistic chance of bringing down the PAP behemoth, the opposition has to stand united and speak in one united voice.
The Malaysian opposition has taught us an invaluable lesson: they won only 27 seats in the 2004 elections when they contested the elections as individual parties, but 82 seats in the 2008 elections after they come together as one single coalition to fight the Barisan Nasional heads on.
If the Islamist PAS and Chinese DAP can work together, why not the Singapore’s opposition parties which have a lot more in common than their own petty differences and animosities?
The situation is very much in favor of the opposition now: public unhappiness at the PAP is at an all-time high, young Singaporeans are clamoring for change, the New Media is enjoying an increasing readership and more credible candidates are joining the opposition.
The opposition only has itself and nobody else to blame if it fails to deny the PAP its two-third majority in the next general election. With a proper electoral strategy and slick marketing to deliver their message across, the opposition should have no problems winning one or two GRCs and a few more SMCs. The onus lies on them to set aside their differences and to work together for a greater common goal.
The oppositions will need a uniting figure, in the case of Malaysia, that's Anwar Ibrahim. Seriously such figure seems to be lacking here. Don't tell me CSJ, he's a wreck.
Originally posted by Chew Bakar:The oppositions will need a uniting figure, in the case of Malaysia, that's Anwar Ibrahim. Seriously such figure seems to be lacking here. Don't tell me CSJ, he's a wreck.
I doubt any opposition parties will want to make CSJ a uniting figure. Believe they have their own goals and objectives to attain. It is not easy they get down to agree and work for a common goals if they are adamant in fulfilling their own agendas.
Originally posted by Fantagf:
I doubt any opposition parties will want to make CSJ a uniting figure. Believe they have their own goals and objectives to attain. It is not easy they get down to agree and work for a common goals if they are adamant in fulfilling their own agendas.
Given that Chiam is getting old and Low isn't vocal enough, I can't shift through the lot to get such a uniting figure among the opposition. They have to come up with someone better to forge a coalition.
Originally posted by Chew Bakar:Given that Chiam is getting old and Low isn't vocal enough, I can't shift through the lot to get such a uniting figure among the opposition. They have to come up with someone better to forge a coalition.
Anyway, I have somehow given up on WP. Low has no more fighting spirit which is making him look bad. Let's see how does the late JB's son fare.
Originally posted by Fantagf:
Anyway, I have somehow given up on WP. Low has no more fighting spirit which is making him look bad. Let's see how does the late JB's son fare.
I much prefer a new face. Let's see what they can come up with.
Originally posted by Chew Bakar:I much prefer a new face. Let's see what they can come up with.
Ok, wait and see.