Pritam Singh of the Workers’ Party gave the best speech, I think, in the political party broadcasts tonight.
Kenneth Jeyaretnam of the Reform Party delivered the best line when he said, at walkabouts, “Some of you say: “I just want to vote once before I die.” But although he spoke well, every time he smiled, it was painful to watch. It looked as if he had a toothache.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was absolutely right. Singapore is a world-class city with an able leadership which can take credit for the country’s progress. Singaporeans’ living standards have gone up, he said, which is true. He spoke of the money people will be getting from the government and all that has been done to make life better for Singaporeans. No Singaporean will be left behind, he said, echoing the “no child left behind” education programme in America.
But there was no “Ah-ha” moment in his speech. No great sound bite or memorable quote.
That’s what Pritam Singh delivered. “A First World parliament is neither a national feedback unit nor a rubber stamp,” he said. He added: “The Workers’ Party needs your vote to make a First World parliament the cornerstone of our Singapore way of life. A life which is holistic, not materialistic. A Singapore which is caring, where every Singaporean matters and where every stranger is treated with consideration.” He spoke of how a lack of alternative voices led to popular uprisings in the Middle East.
The fact is the PAP government is cannily allowing more alternative voices to be heard in parliament. The government is increasing the number of non-constituency MPs who weren’t elected to parliament but admitted, nevertheless, because they polled the most votes among the losers. They can’t vote in parliament but can speak up on issues.
The government is tolerating criticism online. It hasn’t cracked down like China or some of the countries in the Middle East.
And that is why we could hear Pritam Singh. It’s not that he took a hard line against the government, but he stressed the need for an alternative so Singapore wouldn’t suffer even if the government failed. We heard the same argument from Gerald Giam in an earlier television broadcast. Pritam Singh delivered it in greater detail. He was fluent, comfortable and spoke naturally.
But was he a little too idealistic? A “life which is holistic, not materialistic” – can it afford the latest gizmos and gadgets and the 5 Cs?
The PM stuck to bread-and-butter issues while outlining his vision of the future. And we know the economy has prospered. The Prime Minister could rightly claim to have protected jobs during the recession. It’s possible he deliberately spoke plainly and simply, in terms anyone with a job and a family and wanting peace and stability could follow.
I guess the PAP could claim actions speak louder than words and supporting the opposition entails a leap of faith. To go for an alternative means switching from the tested and proven, leaving one’s comfort zone.
Is the government banking on older voters? The reason I am asking: The PM usually looks smart and comfortable in his clothes. Today he was dressed in all white. Granted white is the colour of the PAP, but it didn’t go well with the white (silver?) and beige backdrop with a swirly arrangement that looked like a genteel version of psychedelia. With the PM in all-white against that backdrop, it looked like a scene from a 1960s movie. Not The Graduate, but a low-budget 1960s B movie. I love the Beatles and all things Sixties, but even to me it looked old-fashioned.
Chiam See Tong looked really frail.
Tan See Jay of the Singapore Democratic Party also reminded me of the 1960s with his glasses and severe haircut – not the Swinging Sixties but the squares and trads who didn’t like the liberated spirits of those days. The SDP, I thought, was a little more edgy.
Today has posted all the videos on its blog.
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