by Ariffin Sha
If you receive such messages, do not forward them and let the person sending you know that this is fake and completely baseless. Stop these messages when you come across them to prevent a whitewash at the polls.
Such messages aren’t new. They featured in GE2015 where many awaited the latest “odds” every night to see how the electorate was feeling throughout the course or the elections. For some reason, it never occurred to anyone to ask where they can place bets.
Towards the start of the hustings, it showed that the results were status quo but towards polling day, the odds showed that the People’s Action Party (PAP) may actually lose their majority. These widely circulated odds, coupled with Khaw Boon Wan’s famous solemn declaration that PAP may not form the Government (which was the front page on ST) probably solidified the fear that PAP may not form the Government.
These messages are carefully designed and calibrated so as to paint a picture that PAP will lose its majority in Parliament. Such a scenario is highly unlikely. PAP needs to lose no less than 46 seats to lose their majority. To put this number in perspective, ST identified 10 hotspots this GE. Even in the unlikely event that all of these 10 hotspots swing towards the opposition parties, the PAP’s majority and ability to govern remains undisturbed.
What is a lot more likely is an opposition wipeout and a PAP whitewash.
Don’t give it to such fake news – especially ones that are designed to make supporters of the opposition feel shiok in the hopes that it is forwarded without critical analysis.
Call it out when you see it and put an end to such guerrilla tactics. The PAP will in all likelihood get their mandate which they have never lost for the past half a decade.
The only question is whether, as Jamus Lim put it eloquently, whether you want to deny them a blank cheque.
