PAP losing power should not be the concern

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An honorable member of the Coffee Shop Has Just Posted the Following:

By Andrew Loh

In the past week, much has been discussed about how the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) could lose power.

Ho Kwon Ping, former detainee and current chairman of Banyan Tree Holdings, laid out various scenarios at a public forum last week of how this could happen.

On Sunday, Straits Times opinion editor, Chua Mui Hoong, picked it up and went one step further – she said that the gap between the ruling elite and the masses “is [the] biggest political risk for the PAP.”

“I think the biggest and most dangerous political divide in Singapore that can arise is that between the political and socioeconomic elite, and the hoi polloi,” Ms Chua wrote.

It is ironic that she used the term “hoi polloi” to describe the masses, in an article to raise the alarm about the detachment of the elite from the common folk.

“Hoi polloi” is often used in a derogatory sense.

Be that as it may, before we get into what Ms Chua and Mr Ho said, it is worth remembering that a collapse of the PAP is not a new idea.

Presidential candidate, Tan Cheng Bock, had raised this scenario in 2011, after the conclusion of the presidential elections.

Dr Tan, who lost to the PAP’s chosen candidate, Tony Tan, said:

“There’s definitely a division in the PAP. I can see many of the grassroots openly come and tell me they support me in spite of being told by others not to. They obviously abandoned that expected stand and it’s reflected in the votes. The PAP split is right down in the middle.”

So, there is nothing new in the idea that the PAP may collapse and how this can happen, which seems to be the focus of Mr Ho and Ms Chua.

What we should realise is that the PAP will lose power – because nothing stays permanently, forever.

So, to speculate why this will happen is really quite a meaningless and useless thing to do. It is a waste of time because it is a given that it will happen.

The real question we should focus on is, instead: do we have a system in place which is robust enough to carry Singapore forward when the PAP loses power, and when a new party takes over, or if we have a coalition government?

This is the more important question which will focus our minds on what is crucial – for the country, not for a political party which will come and go, be it the PAP or the Workers’ Party or any other.

And if the PAP govt is failing the people, isn’t it good that it loses power?

Isn’t it the responsible thing to do to vote them out?

The real question is thus: how can the system be changed or improved – so that no matter which party is in power, Singapore will not go under.

And for this, it is clear that we cannot depend on the PAP to change or for it to change the system. This is because even if it wants to, it cannot. Why?

The vested interests are too entrenched.

Do you think a grassroots chairman, for example, will tell the PAP Govt that the grassroots should be allowed to serve any MPs who have been elected by the people, whether PAP or opposition MPs? Has any grassroots chairman ever told the PAP Govt this?

And even if some have, will the PAP listen and agree to this?

Of course not.

The chairman of the grassroots umbrella organisation is also the secretary general of the PAP.

And the Board is filled with ministers from the PAP as well.

On Monday, the Straits Times reported how PAP MPs and activists were in Sembawang GRC helping to paint the homes of some rental flats residents.

It reported MP Hawazi Daipi emphasising “the importance of having grassroots organisations and party activists working together and gelling in GRC-wide activities.” [Emphasis added.]

You may well ask, “Why are grassroots organisations ‘working together and gelling’ with PAP activists?”

One would have hoped that the grassroots organisations would be apolitical or politically neutral.

The same grassroots organisations do not seem to want to work with the opposition WP or its activists.

This is but one example of how the PAP cannot change the system – it is too valuable for it at times. Being able to make use of the grassroots organisations to further its political agenda is something which it will never give up, unless there is a change from the outside, even as Singaporeans keep telling the PAP Government that the grassroots should be politically neutral.

So, it is not whether the PAP will lose power which should concern us. Instead, it is a question of how the system can be improved, which can only happen via others outside the PAP.

There are also other examples of how the PAP will not listen even to good ideas and suggestions....

http://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2014...e-the-concern/


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