PAP and the Politics of Manipulation

Politics is about helping the people, about coming into power and running a government as clean and honest as possible. Politics to many in fact is about fame, fortune, recognition and 'high-flying'.

In the history of political hegemony, many atrocious and inhuman occurrences had befallen innocent humankind just because of personal agenda of power, of control, of corruption, of dishonesty, of nepotism and even criminal mass-murder of opponents with the recent Philipines incident as the 'disconsolation ' of human ruthlessness.

Singapore has always been at crossroads to a world of happenings. PAP has ruled S'pore for about 50 years. The years teaches much which the days never known. Many good has come out of the PAP government. The most notable was the struggle Singapore faced for the first 20 years of nation building. We salute and give kudos to the old guards of PAP for their relentless spirit and wisdom of foresight to bring S'pore to 'First World' today. The team led by then PM Lee Kuan Yew was 'for the people', 'with the people' and 'by the people'. Lee Kuan Yew was a born leader in his own rights.

With life impermanence, one after another old guards passed off in memory and eternity embraced them. S'pore progress with the vision of PAP, wise and noble, almost no corruption. And life was LG, I mean 'Life is Good or rather was good, not anymore in this present context of Singapore-( not advertising for LG products lah!) Succession was in place.


The non-compassionate approaches on many issues left a lasting mark of social upheaval in the lives of countless citizens. Public housing is one such 'affordable' dwellings for the poor with noble intention, has degenerated into a billion dollar money making business for the HDB, for the government and Mah Bow Tan in fact single-handedly revolutionised the 'AFFORDABILITY' of HDB with unprecedented mercilessness. The sad Poors are greatly marginalised and forever the citizens of S'pore become beholden to the government in the form of maybe 70% of the population become debtors to the HDB, to the government. Only, a mere 10% may have paid in full. The lucky lot.

How can a nation of debtors look towards a cohesive social upbringing of new families. Many young couples are couping with the stress working their minds out to service their houses (HDBs or private) mortgage, car, credit cards, lifestyles,( lifestyle, being a misnomer), many have no lifestyle left trying hard to make all ends meet. So, the population fails to produce the cute, cuddy and sweet little darlings that the government wants and ironically the couples cannot want and many do not want for obvious reasons. A sad truth of a 'First World' Singapore.

Hence, in come the foreigners, in whatever the fashion the government wants it. And forever the demographic , social pattern of lives of every ordinary S'poreans are curtailed and affected. Quality of lives compromised and social norm and social graciousness goes to the 'cats and dogs'. SBS, MRT, Shopping Malls, etc all fighting for space to move, which is not bad for the government and government-linked businesses - all of them laughing to the bank.

The ordinary citizens suffered much and more. Do the government care? For the needle is not poked into their flesh because most of the Ministers flesh are of thick hides. It needs the spurs to do it as MM Lee said but it should be done to his ministers not the citizens.

The National Day rally is always touching, to the extent that many shed tears not of joy, but tears of disappointment and disorientation. We cry for S'pore...Always the good projections, the achievements, the glory of YOG and the little success story of some individuals. and the last straw was highlighting the success of the foreigners. Not that we are envious, but it surely stuck out like a sore thumb !! Nothing on the social fallouts, the deprived, the marginalised and of uttermost important the ageing population of senior old folks.

The death knell to many of these old folks is not so much as robbing them of their pride, the dignity but implementing drastic policies that slowly but surely will be the killing arrows that strike the little few years of wretched lives left in them in 'First World' S'pore. The final bombshell was dropped when distance travel was imposed on the broad spectrum of the population all dependent on public transport. And the 'death sentence' to the Senior citizens was the cancellation of concession travels.

Are we all not human with a benevolent and compassionate heart? We live to cry out what is a 'cheating heart' to the very discarded pillars of their colourful, albeit simple contribution to the success of S'pore. Many sobbed silently with a shattered heart !

The Politics of Manipulation. A Big sigh! on the political scene of Opposition politics in S'pore. Little unity, self-serving and over-manoeuvring each other. This coming multi-party talks that will take place in a couple of day's time, inviting PKMS, NSP, SPP, KJ, SDP and WP (but WP may not want to participate). Notably SDA is left out in cold Siberia. Is that the way to form a United front to counter PAP's dominance?? Four important people are invited to be moderators, one a lawyer and ex-NMP; another a champion in his own rights and past CEO of a government-linked co-operative; a doctor and politician and a fourth is a financial consultant and writer.

The politics of doom may be surfacing and I sincerely hope not. But to forge a strong cohesive and co-operative unity to agree to disagree with PAP on drastic policies and be other voices in parliament will be greatly appreciated and it comes at the right time , the right place and the cycle of change (50 years is too long for comfort). So, please work out a broad base understanding and common platform with each party's manifestos to engage fairly and magnanimously against PAP. Many reckon an URGENT move to bring in more credible Opposition voices in, not as (Bryan Ti) said on one of this write-up, "just slip in the lumps"
We do not want lumps, we want solid characters of honesty, of dedication to the citizens, of caring for the people, not self-serving.

On a personal front, I am a simple man, no doubt sometimes a 'weebit' outspoken but many times humorous. Laughter is the best medicine. Three months gone by and I was working as a Lone Ranger without even Tonto and my horse Silver (died many years ago haha!) meeting a few SGs of opposition parties and got invited to their functions and interaction of thoughts. I have learned much and plenty from those encounters.

The only reason I associated with Desmond Lim was I find he has a strong vision for the betterment of lives of the citizens. (Not that other SGs do not.) So, I helped him as a friend and I categorically am not a Member to any opposition party. I do not need to be. I agreed to go for the first outreach of Desmond's Sinpo mascot during National day at Sengkang and City Hall and the rest seems history is in the making. Sorry no, not yet. I was requested to write the launching of the Sinpo mascot and outreach in SDA Supporter web-site in Facebook. I did it conscientiously and Desmond insisted I used the title "Chief of Mass Communication'. I relented. But in life what is a title? what is fame? what is fortune? It is but a delusion of life, of our pride to be , of our ego (unable to let go)....

I am only helping and I am not interested in 'Politics of Manipulation.' I just want to live a simple happy life with my sweet, cute, innocent grand-daughter of one year 5 months old, (interpersed with my volunteer work and para-counselling for the poor, the deprived senior citizens and the unfortunate souls). Claire now calls me 'Kong Kong' not King Kong please, hahaaa! and always kisses me when she is home with my daughter and son-in-law in the weekends. That is the happiness in life and that is all I need to look forward to. The rest is just secondary and of no relevance.

I love the nature of the cosmic exuberance and everyday is a learning.

"The mind's perspective is the awareness of self in harmony with the elements of occurrences."
And we live to learn much from each occurrence.


A successful life is to pursue one's own path, not to follow the dreams of others.


patrick lee song juan (leesjuanpat)