Sunday, May 01, 2011

General Election 2011

First of all, I have to admit that I am quite apathetic in the coming elections despite following news and updates on various websites and Twitter. Why?

I may not come from a low-income family but rather from an average income or median range. Inflation and cost of living have gone up although salary did not go up, we still able to live within our means. The government have in a way, help us to offset the inflation by giving us rebates and monetary forms like dividend growth and etc. But the consenus of Singapore believed that more could be done to tackle the inflation and cost of living.

Secondly, previously my area was a GRC and now, it become a Single Member Constituency. I do know the PAP minister that is contesting in SMC, but I have no idea who is contesting against PAP, although I remembered which party he is from. That's give a pretty straight forward fight, no?

I could have included other reasons for it like Mas Selemat escape, HDB flats price escalating, YOG budget got tripled but does it matter to me? Is more of the day-to-day bread and butter issue that is more concerning to me.

But my interest aroused when PAP announced the youngest candidate for Marine Parade GRC, Tin Pei Ling. Alamak, another candidate that go through by back door? Somehow, when she make her maiden speech on Youtube and subsequent interviews by the press, she seem very raw, inexperienced and worst of all, speaking without get the facts right. By that, Singaporeans are not willing to let her in to the Parliament even through back door. Very malu right?

When NSP introduced Nicole Seah as part of GRC to contest in Marine Parade, my thoughts were the same as Jaywalk - this election machiam like a circus act. But I was wrong after Nicole Seah did the same as Tin Pei Ling for her maiden speech and press conferences. Nicole shows more conviction and determination in her speech, even at the rallies that is taking place in various part of Singapore. Tin Pei Ling's rally and Nicole Seah's rally is so big different that had Nicole Seah is in my SMC, I would have voted for her. I mean seriously, take a look for yourself.


Nicole Seah rally at Whampoa


Tin Pei Ling rally at Marine Parade

I cringed at the proposals that Tin Pei Ling had come out with. Would the youths really make an effort to come and discuss or wanted to make a change for a better Singapore? Would it really implemented straight away after the election? I do believe that these proposals have to go through bureaucratic red tape, right? And my belief in today's youths doesnt really care about politics, but more of and for themselves.

If our voices and complaints are not heard in the past, why would we think that our voices and complaints will be heard in the future.

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