The Online Citizen A Community of Singaporeans
By Norman Wee
The Bukit Batok By-election which ended 7 May 2016 could spell the end of Dr Chee Soon Juan's political hopes.
During campaigning, the programs unleashed by Dr Chee would stand out as impressive and unique from the oppositions. Pledging to be a full time MP what he offered could be the best that any opposition candidate could ever offer.
Yet Bukit Batok voters rejected him choosing instead the "sacrificial lamb" but upright Murali.
Thus, it is not difficult to conclude that "character" is all that matters to the Bukit Batok voters. The unforgiving majority regards leopard spots not eraseable even though the misdeeds were committed by a much younger Chee.
The Bukit Batok By-election was touted as Dr Chee's golden chance to enter parliament, given that the PAP has been entrenched as the government after the General Election, and it's candidate Murali is from the minority race.
Contrast that with General Election 2015, the sights of overwhelming attendance at opposition rallies and the onslaught of social media, my wife was worried of the upheaval over a change in government and talking of migrating. My 2 kids are just out of Singapore Management University and trying to build a career, were also worried. So the 3 of them invariably voted for PAP. I am sure the rest of Singaporeans shared the same sentiment and that's why the 70%.
Therefore, if Chee can be rejected by Bukit Batok this time based on the sentiment that character is all important, then voters elsewhere are likely to have similar feelings given the common education, upbringings and Confucius ethics.
There goes Chee's political aspirations.
Editor's note - While the conclusion of the majority on Dr Chee's character may be debatable but the reaction of the reader's family should be taken into consideration for the results of GE2015.
About the point of Confucius ethics by the author, I think it is pretty amusing given that voters supported a political party whose member who resigned due to an extramarital affair and failed to carry on his duties to residents who voted for him for the interest of his party.