Gerald Giam / Deputy Editor

As August 9th draws near, springing up all over the island are posters of smiling People’s Action Party Members of Parliament (MP) and Government ministers wishing Singaporeans a Happy National Day. While this might be a regular sight that Singaporeans have been conditioned to accept all these years, I question its necessity.

Like most other Singaporeans, I love National Day and the festivities that come with it. Singapore has achieved much over the past 43 years and we have much to be proud of and grateful for.

But why is there a need for politicians to splash their faces across every other National Day poster? In my little sub-constituency of Canberra in Sembawang GRC, I have counted at least two giant sized billboards.

When I travel through Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Timah and Tanjong Pagar, almost every other lamp post on the main roads is decked with smiling pictures of PAP politicians superimposed on pictures of children. The main intersection of each town has a giant billboard with all the MPs in the GRC waving, some even with their names and titles labelled on their photos, lest any resident forgets.

One huge billboard in Joo Chiat even has a politician with his fist clenched across his chest, as if reciting the Pledge. (Picture right).

The purpose of these billboards is quite clear: to give the MPs more visibility so that residents will recognize them and hopefully vote for them at the next elections.

Who pays?

I am guessing all these posters and billboards are not paid out of PAP coffers, but from town council funds — to which I contribute over $740 each year.

I emailed Sembawang Town Council and Tanjong Pagar Town Council to ask, but they did not reply. Strange, since my town council has always been very prompt in replying to the municipal problems I have raised.

Is this a prudent use of my hard-earned money, particularly in a time of a slowing economy and high inflation? Why should my town council payments be used to further my MP’s political interests?

Worse, some giant billboards are lit up the entire night with bright spotlights. What happened to our eco-friendly drive? And what about the cost of the electricity used, keeping in mind that the prices of fuel have increased recently.

In fact, some of these posters look no different from election posters sans the lightning symbol. Doesn’t the Parliamentary Elections Act prohibit election advertising outside of the campaign period?

I do not see posters of MPs in opposition wards of Potong Pasir and Hougang. In Potong Pasir, there are some posters, but without Chiam See Tong’s face. Hougang has a simple landscaped display of the Singapore flag along Avenue 2 – and no, Low Thia Khiang’s picture is not included either.

Views of other Singaporeans

I checked with a Singaporean friend living in the US whether such banners and posters appeared on the 4th of July, America‘s Independence Day. There were none in the city where she lives.

She emailed me, “I personally think that the banners…look hideous and distasteful. When I tried to raise this matter up with someone a long time ago, I remember being told off that those posters were being targeted at the heartlanders.”

She added, “To put banners like the one you sent me…when there is no GE (General Election) near in sight, that’s definitely propagandistic”.

Another friend, who works in the media, told me: “It gets very confusing here. Can’t tell the difference between country, state, government and ruling party.”

Suggestions

I would like to suggest that the PAP and its town councils immediately stop the use of public funds to promote their partisan causes. For a start, all the spotlights for the billboards should remain off at night to save electricity.

I hope our ruling party MPs realise that National Day is a day of celebration for the whole nation, not a season to honour themselves.

Click on pictures to enlarge.———

Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
You May Also Like

Lee Weiling: “I continue to be ashamed at Hsien Loong’s disrespect for his father’s dying wish”

Expressing her disgust over a report by the Sunday Times, Dr Lee…

MOH: Update on increased capacity for worship services, wedding events & cinemas

As the number of COVID-19 community cases remains low, the Ministry of…

1.6kg heroin and synthetic cannabis oil seized in CNB operation

The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) conducted two separate operations on 7 and…

【选举】白沙-榜鹅集选区、先驱单选区爆发三角战

白沙-榜鹅集选区(Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC)与先驱单选区爆发三角战,由行动党对垒新加坡民主联盟与人民之声。 本届大选的提名程序于上午11点开始,中午12时30分结束。如今提名结果也已尘埃落定,共11个政党中192名候选人角逐31个选区,共计93个议席,265万馀名选民都有机会投下神圣一票。 而其中最引人注目的,除了已故总理李光耀次子加入前进党,还有众多选区是否会爆发三角战。如今结果出炉后,仅白沙-榜鹅集选区和先驱单选区将会爆发三角战。 白沙-榜鹅集选区目前由人民行动党的张志贤领军,对垒新加坡民主联盟与人民之声。 人民之声将由林启超和吴家和等人出征,吴家和早前曾传出有意参选。 新加坡民主联盟则由林睦荃领军,新加坡民主联盟于2006年来,每届大选都会到白沙—榜鹅集选区竞选,林睦荃在2006年和2015年大选率队竞逐,该党在上一届大选中以27.11巴仙的得票率,败给时任副总理张志贤领导的行动党团队。 其次是,先驱单选区也爆发三角战,原由行动党对垒前进党,但却在提名站出现一名无党籍人士张炳华搅局,让该区出现三角战。 而今早另名无党籍人士赖力翔亦出现在先驱提名站,但在进入提名站约10分钟后,竟宣布退选,并没有说明原因。