by Judy Tan
I refer to all the recent disquiet by members of the governing party, regarding Dr Thum Ping Tjin’s and other persons visit to political leaders and civil activists across the causeway.
I cannot comprehend why this has become an issue as it is not really a cause for concern at all! What Mahathir, Anwar, Lim Guan Eng or others in Malaysia have to say about our political scene, carries no weight as it is ultimately we who will decide the fate of the PAP in upcoming elections. Unless of course, they have evidence of wrongdoing which they should go public.
Golden rule when going into an election: “NEVER question the intelligence of the electorate”, period! A general election is akin to a year-end exam where members of the constituency present their “achievements” (lessons drawn from the last poll) to voters and we will decide whether they “pass the post” or receive a red card and shown the exit. The incumbents should have no worries if they have been working the ground and representing their residents.
The divide and rule strategy or distractive politics will not work in this current climate as people will simply not buy what is told to them when suffering from growling stomachs due to spiralling out of control prices and costs as well as mere lip service being paid towards alleviation of their hardships.
Other major factors are, if voters will be patient enough to trust Lawrence Wong’s 20 year plan to fix the issue of deteriorating housing leases, which surfaced recently, the leadership succession crisis of the ruling party, several high profile corruption and exposure of certain establishment figures that the Opposition has not been able to take to account; i.e. the 38 Oxley Rd and Keppel scandals, in addition to lots of policy missteps and foreign miscalculations.
Another key area of utmost concern will be whether the rule of law is still respected post-LKY and judgements to that effect are being immensely scrutinised! For these reasons, public outcry to the court cases of Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC by-election, tragic deaths of Pte Dominique Lee, CPC Dave Lee, Benjamin Lim etc. and ongoing persecution of the Aljunied MPs are not entirely unexpected.
Eventually, “to learn who rules over you, simply find out the hard way, who you are not allowed to criticise.”
p.s. Mdm Felicia Seah, your son’s death is not forgotten and I always say a prayer for him whenever I visit my late husband who is buried next to him. May his blood be avenged
