Friday, April 01, 2011 @ 7:14 PM: on politics
As I got bored on chemistry (specifically atmospheric chemistry due to its laborious equations involved), I have stumbled upon Straits Times and started to look at the new PAP candidates who were touted to be the '4th generation leaders'. Naturally, as someone who is inherently interested in geopolitics (I do read widely in terms of different political situations and systems), I started to take a short study break (or I had intended to) and look at what the candidates had to offer ad whether our country would be in the right hands. After all, it is an unspoken truth that quite a substantial number of PAP leaders usually get in via the GRC 'backdoor' given the lack of opposition members to run for the GRCs and would especially avoid some GRCs that they knew chances of winning are slim.
First up on the list, as recorded that day, was Tin Pei Ling. 27 years old (wow only 3 years older than me!), NUS graduate and working in some accountancy firm. Looks like a typical Singaporean girl who went through the system and getting a job, so what's so special abt her? There, I started to read that she was involved in grassroots activities ever since a coffeeshop session at her dad's kopitiam, and there was no turning back. Seriously 7 years and fast-tracked to politics so fast? Really impressive, and I decided to, okay, look for alternative sources of information since in Social Studies, it was always taught that we had to have a balanced point of view. And those things really don't impress me (well politics are meant to be a way of life where your personal life is gonna be scrutinised), and addressed some of my initial suspicions. Especially reading her entry on Globalisation and Poverty, about how income gaps are not govt's fault, and her steps are that govt shld help the poorest (with those existing schemes somemore)... lots of fluff and lack of depth (especially talking abt the biggest regret = cannot bring mum to universal studios)... I wonder what's gonna come from her mouth next. But still she's most likely to go into the Parliament given that she's gonna be in Marine Parade, and I see no chance of DPP winning there (perhaps her presence will help DPP save on the deposit)
Other candidates weren't impressive either. Especially looking at Dr. Janil's reply today made me boil. When 'blasted' by the 'anti-establishment' netizens about him not doing national service and him commenting that he has done 10 years of national service as a doctor and would highly demand others take pride in the real NS, he really missed the point. Well, I'm not gonna elaborate about how NS is a big sacrifice for a lot, hated by a lot, though I would say it has been a fruitful personal experience for me. But still memories of how my two comrades got killed in NS had definitely stayed in my mind, along my friends in the unit, and how could you cheapen NS to this extent. Seriously not in touch with half of the local population?
Realistically analysing the current trends, it would really be a big surprise that the non-ruling parties could stand to win a significantly larger number of seats. Wasn't impressed by who SDP and SF are introducing, and the stronger parties who would have a chance at the seats would only be WP, prob SPP and RP combined. And well, let's put our fingers crossed that the 'promising and high-calibre' 4th generation leaders would learn more and be more sensitive on the ground.
Oh yes... I kept seeing the terms about youth's political apathy. At this point, I just couldn't help laugh at how Ms Tin related 'Japanese earthquake as my friends were acutely aware of global issues'. It took quite a bit of courage for me to type this (after all I am not impressed with someone introduced by the party who is partially related to my future job), and I'm pretty sure that on the ground, everyone is watching and we are having meaningful conversations about them. I guess for all, sometimes it is just safe not to err on the side of caution or that taking any action wouldn't help the cause anyway. And for truly passionate people who would really want to fight for their fellow citizens, their appetites had been much reduced at how much they could do to help and thus would not want to step out. But seriously looking at the new candidates make me worry, and as a civic-conscious citizen of Singapore, I worry. To those candidates, I hope you guys can prove me wrong.
thank you for bringing me memories...
