[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by TinyRedLeaf

I was never a Nicole Seah supporter, leh (but I still support more pretty faces in Parliament; another five years of Lee Bee Wah, OMG). I was being sarcastic the previous time. Anyways, I cannot anyhow endorse or criticise MPs-elect or candidates, otherwise people say I biased.

Admit it. You are one of those people who would willingly vote for her because she's cute.

Like the mad fanboy at one of the rallies who waved a banner "Nicole, will you marry me?".

Not true at all. The Holland-Bukit Timah Group Representation Constituency comprises the highest concentration of "upper-middle" and "upper-class" Singaporeans of all wards, and despite predictions of a close fight, the opposition Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) "A" team was soundly beaten. The results there were PAP 60.1% versus SDP 39.9%.

And this was despite a great deal of unhappiness with the PAP anchor candidate Vivian Balakrishnan, the Sports Minister who busted the Youth Olympic Games budget by S$200 million (US$161 million). There was also resentment broiling against Mr Vivian for his clumsy use of a smear tactic, implying near the start of the campaign that the SDP team had a gay agenda.

The way I read the results, it's clear that richer, better-educated Singaporeans were able to distinguish between good or bad proposals, and chose the candidates who they felt could implement the best policies (SDP candidate Tan Jee Say proposed raising income taxes to 30% for the rich... dumb much?).

If they tax the rich, they would pull their domestic businesses they have nurtured in Singapore out of here. And in 5 years time, we wouldn't even have enough money to lend Malaysia to pay off their sovereign debt.

What I am actually worried about is the income tax. As abovementioned, if their finance ministry continues to spend stupidly, the rest of SEA will have to bail them out and they will definitely borrow most from their closest neighbours - and the money will come from our pockets. Who knows, they might even reinstate the tax on private investment.

GST will definitely rise. The question is when : I was hoping for a delay of at least until start of 2013 or near end 2012 so I can rebuild my savings (which is burned thanks to the goddamn expensive piece of paper called a degree). Also, I am still wondering how Singaporeans, being so pampered by the government, are going to cope with that emotionally.

On the contrary, I believe she has cost former prime minister Goh Chok Tong severely. Mr Goh was a highly popular PM and his ward of Marine Parade has always been a PAP stronghold, considered well-nigh unassailable. But in this election, the PAP team in Marine Parade garnered only 56.7% of the votes, versus the opposition's 43.4% (the "Nicole Seah" effect).

That's 56.7%, folks, significantly below the national average of 60.14% for the PAP. That result speaks volumes — people there were very likely voting against Ms Tin Pei Ling than for the opposition.

She screwed up. Big time. Really, really big time. Goh Chok Tong is really Bo Cho Kang (not working) when it comes to grooming her speech skills - and she damaged PAP's credibility.

Her number of haters seem to be rising though. She better do something right, or she will never be able to live in Singapore again.

Originally Posted by MakubeX2

Such are the sign of the times as we have lived through the past 50 years or so without much political upheaval and spoon fed by the Governement in more ways then one.

I think we need a major disaster to jolt those complacent portions of the population awake. Failing that, a second coming of the MM to lead us.

It is no use. See the flooding of Orchard Road? The only thing they did was complain, grouse, whine, <insert an uppity and childish act of Singaporeans when something screws up>.

If an earthquake hits, they will go "Where is the SCDF?".

If someone invades us, they will go "Where is the SAF?".

When we got hit by a terrorist attack, they will go "Mata zho simi?" (What are the police doing?).

My generation (1985-1995) is probably the start of the decadence, though I don't know what it will take to wake them up. Maybe it is like what one of my Warrant Officers back in my army days said, "Stupid got medicine or not?"

Originally Posted by TinyRedLeaf

Heck, my hopes for true reform includes dismantling the many laws that effectively turn our constitutional right to free speech into a privilege.

My dear sir, people often cry out for the freedom of speech when the freedom of thought is seldom used.