How to give Opposition one-third representation in parliamen
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The opposition needs at least a one-third representation in parliament in order to block PAP resolutions. Some of the resolutions that could have been blocked by oppositions in the past 5 years were:
1) GST increase
2) approval to build Casinos
3) compulsory CPF Life scheme
It is not credible for a particular minister to promise no GST increase in the next 5 years. Give opposition the one-third representation, then we can be sure. It is not credible for a particular minister to promise affordable housing, lower living cost, or higher salary increase. We must give opposition one-third representation to ensure that for good.
Since there are 87 seats altogether, for a one-third representation, the opposition need to win at least 29 seats. This means the opposition need to win 6 GRCs, for example:
1) Aljunied = 5
2) Bishan-Toa Payoh = 5
3) East Coast = 5
4) Holland-Bukit Timah = 4
5) Marine Parade = 5
6) Tampines = 5
This will give exactly 29. Opposition shall need to win Hougang and Potong Pasir as well to be above 29. The winning of these 2 SMCs together with the 6 RCs will be key and the only guarantee that there is enough check and balances on PAP. Notice that PAP has a very good "track record" of breaking promises.
Here are the pros and cons of winning the 6 GRCs:
1) Aljunied: Low Thia Khiang team wins, George Yeo team loses.
If Low wins, we shall have a very good voice in parliament. If George Yeo loses, MM Lee said life will go on. Here let me share a story. When Alan Greenspan, the Federal Reserve Chairman of US, was to retire most people in the US financial industry thought no one was good enough to replace Alan Greenspan. They thought this would be a great loss to the finance industry. After Alan Greenspan was replaced, then they realized that Alan was wrong throughout his whole tenure. His action has built up the conditions for the subprime crisis. His low interest rate regime has caused US economy to face a deflation danger now. This shows that whether a minister is good or bad, we cannot tell while he is in the position. Only history can tell.
2) Bishan-Toa Payoh: Chiam See Tong team wins, Wong Kan Seng team loses.
If Chiam wins, we shall have the other very good voice in parliament. If Wong loses, we shall have one DPM less. How many DPMs do we need? Why do we need two DPMs? I am not going to mention about the escaped prisoner case. I'll just say we can most likely do without Wong as a minister.
3) Holland-Bukit Timah: Tan Jee Say team wins, Vivian Balahrishnan team loses.
Tan Jee Say and Vincent Wijeysingha are very good candidates. Just as PAP says they would like to renew themselves, Tan and Vincent represents the renewal of the opposition. As for Vivian, he does not seem to have a good national level track record. I shall not mention the two glaring bad ones.
4) Marine Parade: Cheo Chai Chen and Nicole Seah team wins, Goh Chok Tong team loses.
Goh Chok Tong need not be in the parliament or be a minister in order to be a mentor within PAP. He can mentor all he like within PAP. He was not holding a working portfolio anyway in the last 5 years. Even if he is not elected, he shall continue to be the chairman of MAS. This post does not require him to be a minister. In order words, Goh Chok Tong was essentially doing non-ministerial work in the past 5 years. Therefore he can continue to perform his non-ministerial work if not elected for the next 5 years. Meanwhile it is good to have a NSP team in the parliament. This NSP team has good and trustworthy candidates.
5) Tampines: Goh Meng Seng team wins, Mah Bow Tan team loses.
Who wants Mah Bow Tan to continue to be minister of National Development please raise your hand? Who wants Mah Bow Tan to go back to manning the COE prices please raise your hands? Mah has a track record of unpopular policies wherever he goes. Perhaps it is time to end his political career. Goh Meng Seng on the other hand has a good team.
6) East Coast: Eric Tan and Gerald Giam team wins, Lim Swee Say team loses.
Lim Swee Say is the secretary general of the NTUC, else he is a minister with no portfolio. Do we need so many ministers with no portfolio? He can continue to be the secretary general of NTUC even if not elected. Most recently, he was famous in the youtube for saying, "When I look at my CPF account, I feel so happy." For most people when they look at their CPF account, they say zero because all the ordinary account savings are used to pay housing loan. Raymond Lim is the transport minister. The transportation situation now is plagued with jams (in MRT and buses) and high prices. Meanwhile Gerald Giam who appeared in the TV debate seemed promising. Eric Tan has a good team.
As for the rest of the GRCs, it would be good to give the opposition maximum possible support. If anymore wins, then it makes it easier to have one-third opposition representation. Even if no more wins, it will give PAP a strong signal that PAP need to listen to the people more. Most PAP candidates will continue to exist and contribute to Singapore in public service even if they lose the election. Therefore we would not lose their services. Meanwhile a high percentage vote gives the opposition valuable experience so that they can be better in the next election, and be more credible to form an alternative government.
I hope I'll see the day when there is one-third opposition representation. This is the long term parliament structure we want for our children. We do not know how election policies will change after this election. Hence now is the best time and maybe the only possible time. Some sacrifices have to be made to start this off.
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Winning 6 GRCs is impossible this election. Just winning aljunied is an uphill struggle for WP already. The main priority of this election is to send a wake up call only, and that itself is half the battle won.
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No offence, although I agree on most of your points, I feel this article is slightly biased. I for one do not think that the loss of so many ministers would come down well with investors..... But thats just me
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if we can't we must at least a have one or 2 GRCS taken. this will be important for hippos to have a ground to stand on to prove their credibility this time and build their strength for the next election. if things go smoothly 29 seats in next election is not impossible! but the hippos have to really walk the talk reach out to individuals and people at the people's level do their best to stop silly policies and help improve lifes of sgreans in the lower and middle income group.
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If you ask me, I want to see RP take AMK, and NSP take marine parade. Then can see TPL tweet "there goes my 15K allowance knnbccb!"
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only nicole seah would tweet KNNBCCB .....
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Originally posted by Fatum:
only nicole seah would tweet KNNBCCB .....
If TPL didn't get into parliament, what would she tweet?
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If there's not even one third majority, then the opposition has lost the battle.
PAP can still implement policies whenever they want.
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Originally posted by ditzy:
Winning 6 GRCs is impossible this election. Just winning aljunied is an uphill struggle for WP already. The main priority of this election is to send a wake up call only, and that itself is half the battle won.
Just my sentiments, too. They have been too long in existence to be booted out so easily. -
Bishan-Toa Payoh and Marine Parade you can really dream.
Toa Payoh lots of PAP supporters.
Marine Parade lots of pro GCT supporters.
I am instead looking at the prospects of NSP winning Chua Chu Kang GRC and WP winning Nee Soon GRC. They might not be speculated as will-win, but it seems like they are actually places that will catch us by surprise. -
Lim Swee Say is an auntie-killer. Dont belittle him.
Just like Mr Baey Yam Keng... tats why they send him to Tampines GRC. -
Originally posted by Junyang700:
Lim Swee Say is an auntie-killer. Dont belittle him.
Just like Mr Baey Yam Keng... tats why they send him to Tampines GRC.
Those aunties must be blinded to be supporting a useless bum and a sickly looking hopeless man. -
I think win ajunied better.
At least break a GRC and the day will go down to history.
JBJ name go down in history for winning a first victory in SMC and is a minority candidate.
His win proved GRC is useless as non chinese can win in a SMC.
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i really think no one should alter the geographical origins of the singapore map, bordering the various towns and districts. all areas names should be group as according to how the singapore street directory classify zones and places. voting then should alwasy abide by this categorization. what GRC all sould return to SMC. who started it based on what law? you mean rulin party can just change singapore strret and place zonal classification suka suka?
with this inplace all candidates will have a fair fight come elections every 5 years. and we know good MPs we are not blind.
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How to win Marine Parade? My constituency is Marine Parade. My family will all vote Solidarity Party against Goh Chok Tong. But my family is one of a unique few. Goh Chok Tong is so popular. How to beat him? I want NSP to win but with GCT heading PAP, there is little chance. The only good thing is that if NSP gets 30% votes, at least they won't loose their deposit.
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u never know....shocker of the century. Lau goh gets voted out, likewise for PM. Then again, knowing singaporeans, they will kpkb and still vote PAP on the sly.
I won't be surprised if this time PAP gets 55.5% of the votes yet secure 85 out of 87 seats in parliament.
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The article is too basied. The purpose is to send a wake up call and not to have 29 seat won by the opposition. If the parliment really lose 1/3 of the seats. Then i will say, May god bless Singapore and us.
If we did lose so many ministers at one go.. who is going to fill up the empty minister portfolio? The opposition? I do not think they are up to it yet. Not for the next 10 years at least.
Investors will be shaken and soon the we will experience the aftermath of this election in a very painful way.
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Originally posted by Berner ong:
The article is too basied. The purpose is to send a wake up call and not to have 29 seat won by the opposition. If the parliment really lose 1/3 of the seats. Then i will say, May god bless Singapore and us.
If we did lose so many ministers at one go.. who is going to fill up the empty minister portfolio? The opposition? I do not think they are up to it yet. Not for the next 10 years at least.
Investors will be shaken and soon the we will experience the aftermath of this election in a very painful way.
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Originally posted by Berner ong:
The article is too basied. The purpose is to send a wake up call and not to have 29 seat won by the opposition. If the parliment really lose 1/3 of the seats. Then i will say, May god bless Singapore and us.
If we did lose so many ministers at one go.. who is going to fill up the empty minister portfolio? The opposition? I do not think they are up to it yet. Not for the next 10 years at least.
Investors will be shaken and soon the we will experience the aftermath of this election in a very painful way.
You forgot that some of the opposition candidates have been in government. Mr Tan Jee Say used to work for Mr Albert Winsemius who developed the economy in Singapore and then SM Goh. He can be Minister. His qualifications are not a joke either. Oxford graduate with the seal of approval from the former head of British civil service.
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Likely win for opposition= 2 SMCs
Hopeful win for opposition = 1 GRC + 2 SMCs
Caught us by surprise win for opposition = 2 GRCs + 2 SMCs or 1 GRC + 3/4 SMCs
While the internet, FB and twitter has been hopeful, most of the people who will vote for PAP are the older generation with no / little access to internet. Like my parents. They are grateful to what PAP has done and are very doubtful to what opposition can do. Old fashioned thinking.
And as past elections have shown us, large turnouts at opposition rallies do not translate to actual votes. I have relatives who follow like crazy but in the end still vote PAP.
I really hope social media will have some big impact, otherwise all the efforts wasted. And the past weeks of feeling Singaporean will soon evaporate.
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Originally posted by Plastic Bag:
Likely win for opposition= 2 SMCs
Hopeful win for opposition = 1 GRC + 2 SMCs
Caught us by surprise win for opposition = 2 GRCs + 2 SMCs or 1 GRC + 3/4 SMCs
While the internet, FB and twitter has been hopeful, most of the people who will vote for PAP are the older generation with no / little access to internet. Like my parents. They are grateful to what PAP has done and are very doubtful to what opposition can do. Old fashioned thinking.
And as past elections have shown us, large turnouts at opposition rallies do not translate to actual votes. I have relatives who follow like crazy but in the end still vote PAP.
I really hope social media will have some big impact, otherwise all the efforts wasted. And the past weeks of feeling Singaporean will soon evaporate.
Very good assessment!
I've attended opp rallies in the past. Huge crowd turnout, flag waving, shouting, cheering may not translate into votes. I wondered who these people really were or why they bothered to attend.
Yes, the trumph cards for the PAP are the older generation - simple folks, can't really understanding politic well, never use social media or use the net. More importantly, this generation has benefited from the social programmes from a more benign, humane PAP of the past.
If only 2 SMC are won by the opp, things will go from bad to worse. I'm afraid more mobile, young Singaporeans will leave for good. PAP will open the floodgate wider for more aliens to come. By the next election, the landscape will change beyond what most people can imagine now - sad.
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Originally posted by Berner ong:
The article is too basied. The purpose is to send a wake up call and not to have 29 seat won by the opposition. If the parliment really lose 1/3 of the seats. Then i will say, May god bless Singapore and us.
If we did lose so many ministers at one go.. who is going to fill up the empty minister portfolio? The opposition? I do not think they are up to it yet. Not for the next 10 years at least.
Investors will be shaken and soon the we will experience the aftermath of this election in a very painful way.
Actually, the PM already admitted. The ministerial posts that really matter are the Defense and Finance portfolios.
Currently, too many DPM, Minister of State, Minister without Porfolio. Trim this fat may not be a bad idea. -
My English no good.
Why needed to oppose if the proposal is good for Singapore/Singaporeans. Should support if the ruling parties come out with a good one.
Don't act like the other LEE like what he did in the 60's and 70's.
Opposition Parties should learn from their past defeats and come out with somethings that every singaporeans concerned. What had been done already done. If any, damages should have occurred.
I am no a talent and can't think like one. I think concentrate on one and only issue that is the Public Housing Issues for all Singapore singaporeans.
Lastly, no to forget to say. "I love Singapore". Cheers.
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We also need to think about what PAP would do to prevent the next election to be like the current one. Will they:
1) increase the number of GRCs? or Increase the number of candidates in each GRC?
2) increase the number of parliament seats?
3) increase the election deposits? (currently $16k per candidate up from $13.5k last election.)
4) implement minimum education, work experience, citizenship duration, etc criteria for election candidates?
5) lengthen the number of years in between elections?
6) implement unequal votes, e.g. some people's vote is more significant than others?
7) import more new immigrants to dilute the vote of current Singaporeans?
All these can be implemented into the constitution if there is no one-third representation to block them. Judging from past elections, we can be sure that PAP will do something to prevent the reoccurrence of this current situation in the next election. Therefore this current election may be the only chance in the next many many years for us to ever put in an one-third opposition representation into parliament. There may not be a next chance.
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Next time they would block FB and twitter. Like China.