On integrity & hypocrisy & setting bad examples at Bukit Batok By-election

By Jentrified CitizenIt is really shameful to see our Prime Minister and senior ministers behave in such a despicable manner during the Bukit Batok by-election. Ministers Grace Fu and Halimah Yacob continued the PAP’s bashing of Dr Chee Soon Juan last night at the Bukit Batok rally. They threw various slurs at him including mocking him for being “unemployed” and for being rude to former PM Goh Chok Tong, something that happened eons ago.It is very ironic and hypocritical that we have highly educated Singaporeans buying into the character assassination of Chee based on what the PAP-govt have claimed and what the local MSM have reported including over some flimsy allegations. Yet these same people have never spoken up against the numerous unethical actions committed by Lee Kuan Yew and the PAP against the citizens (including likening us to dogs)  and against hundreds of innocents who were jailed for opposing them.So it is really laughable to hear PAP supporters and some Ministers bitch about petty little things like Chee being rude to Goh ONCE when they have never objected to the numerous reprehensible injustices committed by the PAP leaders against the people of Singapore.The top leader of this country PM Lee Hsien Loong has also joined in the demonising of Dr Chee. During his support visit to Bukit Batok the morning after the BE rally he disparaged Chee (which was unsurprising). What was shocking was he actually called Chee crazy when there is no truth to it!Quote LHL: “So, when I read the Wanbao interview with Dr Chee I was saddened but not surprised. Because he is not sorry for anything he did. He is not – he is proud of his record, he is proud of his craziness streak. And yet when he comes today, he presents himself as a changed man.”

Bad habits die hard indeed. LKY used to excel in sticking labels on people to stigmatise them and now Lee junior is continuing with this tradition. In 1988, ex-President of Singapore Devan Nair wrote in his letter to LKY :”Your genius for sticking labels on people does Singapore no good. The truth of things often requires the removal of the labels on them. Nowhere more so than in the brand of politics you have developed. Thanks to you, Singapore has rapidly become a vivid illustration of the political adage: ‘Give a dog a bad name and hang it’.”As a citizen of this country, I hope my fellowmen and women realise that such leaders who indulge in ad hominem attacks set a deplorable example for their country and even more so for their supporters. When they behave deplorably in an adversarial manner in attacking their critics it sets the tone for their supporters.This may explain why the PAP supporters have also adopted such an unpleasant adversarial behaviour online.  It is evident online in the increasingly hostile way in which they defend the PAP and in the way they attack in droves in an arrogant and  patronising manner to mock those who dare criticise the ruling party.The growing nastiness of some of the PAP is troubling. This is becoming a nation increasingly divided. We do not need such hostility to worsen the cracks. Where is the civility and graciousness that was preached by the government? What will happen to the unity and harmony of Singaporeans if such hostile behaviour continues to be encouraged by the ruling party?PM Lee also called Chee hypocritical.There are no greater hypocrites than the PM and his PAP gang in the way they constantly preach integrity while abusing their power and indulging in actions that smack of no integrity.These politicians draw the highest pay in the world for a government while mocking Chee for being “unemployed” (in reality he has been working hard by supporting his family through his writings despite being demonised by the PAP); they play the race card in politics and at BB by-election while claiming that Singapore is not ready for an Indian PM; they use all sorts of dirty tactics to destroy their most vocal critics and the opposition leaders; they go against our Constitution in oppressing the people’s right to free speech; they have jailed hundreds of innocents without fair trial; and they shamelessly milk the state-funded island-wide People’s Association resources to promote PAP and their leaders.These are but some examples in a long list of their litany of sins.In closing, allow me to quote PM Lee who said it is”completely wrong and bad” in reference to those calling on Chinese voters to pick a candidate on racial lines. I agree.  It is indeed “completely wrong and bad” to pick any political candidate – including the next Prime Minister – based on race. It is also “completely wrong and bad” to call an opponent crazy when he is not.Hypocrisy and Integrity? You, PAP leaders, are not worthy to even mention these words.This post was first published at jentrifiedcitizen.wordpress.com