Alamak

“Water Ponding” is PUB’s New Term for “Flood”

Look at this Straits Times photo. Do you call that a flood?

What PUB said:

There was no flooding at Orchard Road. However, water ponded at the open area of Liat Towers, the underpass between Lucky Plaza and Ngee Ann City, and the basement of Lucky Plaza due to the sustained heavy downpour.

Alamak! It is called a flood! Flood!

Here’s What I’ll Vote For. What About You?

Humility, Not Arrogance

• I will vote for representatives who listen to my countrymen, instead of scaring, threatening and punishing them
• I will vote for representatives who admits and apologizes for their mistakes once they happen, instead of telling me that my expectations are unrealistic
• I will vote for representatives who listens to my feedback earnestly, instead of saying that I am complaining too much or that I am looking at things with the wrong perspective

Fairness, Not Cheating

• I will vote for a system that only allows representatives that the people chose to enter parliament, not the unworthy and disliked who are put in place by the dominant group
• I vote for a system where representatives not of the dominant group are not deliberately disadvantaged when they are trying to serve the people who rightly voted for them
• I will vote for representatives who contests cleanly, instead of using smear tactics, money and promise of material gains that should rightfully be given by the country to the people without condition, just to secure votes

Competition, Not Domination

• I will vote for a system that allows the best ideas to surface, where everyone has real debates and is free to vote, disagree and negotiate with one another
• I will vote for representatives that bring new ideas and solutions to improve my country, not those who reject and criticize everything that doesn’t originate from their group
• I will vote for a system where there is pressure and accountability to perform, not for a single dominant group that can do anything they please

Potential, Not Only Experience

• I will vote for an inexperienced representative if I can see that they have the conviction to serve, otherwise I would never have got my first job after I finished school, if experience and track record were all that mattered
• I will vote for any representative, regardless of whether they are in the dominant or opposing group, as long as they have the heart to serve my countrymen and provide good ideas for the betterment of our lives
• I will vote for passionate young representatives who are able to speak up for their generation, as they belong to my country’s future, even after I am not around anymore

Life, Not Money

• I will vote for representatives with policies that promote life, happiness and health of my countrymen, not the sole and relentless pursuit of GDP growth and money
• I will vote for representatives who sincerely want to improve our lives, and not benchmark and put themselves amongst the rich, at the expense of the people they serve
• I will vote for representatives that value the the life of each of my countrymen equally, and not discriminate against some of them because of how much they earn, the colour of their skin or who they love
• I will vote for a system that does not collect money from the people to solve every problem

Future, Not the Past

• I will vote for what I have seen in the the past five years, and not out of gratitude to a group of representatives that did good for the past fifty years, because elections are only a report card for the previous term of representatives
• I will vote for representatives that have the best plans for the future, not those that continue to do what they are doing while expecting different results
• I will vote for a future where the next generation of Singaporeans will have a better Singapore, not one where my countrymen want to migrate because they feel that Singapore is turning into a place that does not feel like home

Vote wisely my fellow countrymen, for our future is at stake.

A Warning at the Polling Booth

Forget about talk about the rising cost of living, foreign talents, HDB prices, GRCs and other common gripes. The tides are turning and people are really unhappy? This will be a watershed election? Big deal.

Some of these memes, true or otherwise, are already spreading on the ground:

• Election votes can be tracked to you
• Your kids will have a lower chance of getting into their school of choice
• There’s a serial number, of course it can be tracked to you if they want to
• You may not get the HDB flat you want
• If you work in the civil service or a government-linked company, your promotion and pay will be affected
• The country will collapse
• Your assets will be devalued

When you reach the polling station, your name & NRIC will be called out loud and you’ll think “they know who I am”.

When the ballot paper is in your hands and with these things swirling in your mind, this insidious thing called fear will do it’s job. You, like many others, will check in that box and guarantee a win for the party that manages this system.

Whine all you want about pork barrels. This fear is real. And it works wonders.

“Fear defeats more people than any other one thing in the world.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Men are moved by two levers only: fear and self interest.” — Napoleon Bonaparte

“The best political weapon is the weapon of terror. Cruelty commands respect. Men may hate us. But, we don’t ask for their love; only for their fear.” — Heinrich Himmler

“Fear is the passion of slaves.” — Patrick Henry

“If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed.” — Albert Einstein

Have no fear. Your vote is secret. You are exercising your right as a citizen to choose the people that will represent you.

Vote wisely, and good luck to the future of our country.

UPDATE: Harish Pillay advocates wearing a rubber band on your right wrist as you go to vote.