The euphoria engendered in the opposition parties of their respective prowess leading to the mad scramble to carve out the SMCs and GRCs they consider their preserves to contest in the upcoming General Election is intriguing. This is an unhealthy trend and can only be described as madness. This gross disunity of the opposition is something that will be viewed by the PAP leaders with infinite glee as it would make their election effort a shoo-in. They will certainly want to see the opposition parties continue their fight over the rights of their respective constituencies up to Nomination Day when the die will be cast and they find themselves in a zugzwang.
There is a Chinese saying:"Unity is Strength" (团结就是力量). During the Sino-Japanese war the Chinese were able to resist the more superior Japanese army because the Kuomintang and the Chinese Communists were able to unite against the Japanese and eventually defeated them. It is hardly called unity if opposition parties are engaged in three-cornered or four-cornered contests in SMCs and GRCs. It is already an uphill task for the opposition in a one to one contest with the PAP, so what chances of success have the opposition in a three-cornered or four-cornered contest?
It would be a pity for the opposition parties to fritter away their golden opportunity because over the last one or two years they have been able to win over considerable support, not only of the young voters but older electors as well. They have even been able to disaffect a considerable number of erstwhile PAP supporters who are disillusioned by the PAP government's inequitable policies. There is also the new media which is staunchly behind the opposition parties.
Some of the opposition candidates are of such a high calibre that they are more than a match to their PAP opponents and are well placed to capture a considerable number of SMCs and some GRCs in the General Election. This favourable situation has not escaped the sharp attention of PM Lee Hsien Loong and his Cabinet colleagues and in fact has rattled them. It will be noticed that their election campaign has been particularly high-powered and intense, especially in their colossal efforts in discrediting the opposition's offensive.
It is not too late and is in fact timely for opposition parties to pull up their socks and transcend their selfish interests to put up a marvellous show of unity by agreeing to only one party to contest in a SMC or GRC against the PAP. Which is the most suitable party in terms of candidates' qualities may be quite subjective but some sacrifices may have to be made so that the pro-opposition electorate should not be let down. When there is a will there is a way. The writing is on the wall that the opposition parties will triumph in the upcoming General Election.
The so-called independent candidate who wants to contest in the Joo Chiat SMC may prove intransigent. Anyway, his intention and background are not very illustrious. It will be a surprise if he does not lose his deposit. So the opposition candidate chosen to contest this SMC can easily take him in his stride.
Good luck and God willing.
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7 comments:
有听说百花齐放吗?
"During the Sino-Japanese war the Chinese were able to resist the more superior Japanese army because the Kuomintang and the Chinese Communists were able to unite against the Japanese and eventually defeated them."
Please get the facts right. Japanese was not defeated in Chinese Soil. During so-called Unity Force (your term), Kuomintang almost single-handedly fight against the Japanese (loss of resources and man power), the communist most of the times never fight directly and preserve the strength. That's also part of the reason why after World War 2, the communists (though still inferior in numbers) were able to defeat the kuomintang.
Well said, and we will have to see if the oppositions take heed instead of bickering amongst themselves.
There be an increased no of sympathisers for the opposition but if they continue to bicker in this manner, and be unable to compromise, they may lose their chance to get into the parliament to represent the people who may vote for them.
The likes of Goh Meng Seng's party NSP collecting desserter from other parites, who may be potential PAP moles with questionable integrity, pricnciples? laying claims to territories where they have only just started their walkabout? leaves much to be desired. GMS also stated that he will leave Singapore for HK if he loses in this election. Let's see.
Quite a few has attempted to warn the opposition camp on this issue, but apparently to no avail.
Personally, I believe there are PAP plants -both individual party/parties and individuals. For instance, the convenience of the scholar couple waltzing into the NSP. GMS himself may be one, seroiusly.
At this point,I see only two clear and genuine opposition parties -SDP and Reform.
They should get together and identify the culprits and neutralise them.
Ref my earlier post.
The clearcut opposition parties: inadvertently left out the WP, apologies Mr LTK!
The parties therefore are: SDP, RP and WP.
The rest are either vague or suspicious.
@ Li Feng
Its true that the Japanese were defeated by the USA and surrendered as a result of the bomb, not due to Chinese troops. However, unless my lecturer is feeding me misinformation,I believe that it was the CCP that put up most of the resistance towards the Jap, thats why they earned so much support from the masses later on even though KMT had American backing.
Sorry for the off-topic.
The stubborn and pig-headed independent candidate for Joo Chiat SMC cannot be dissuaded from contesting. I know of many people in Joo Chiat who have told him direct to his face to step aside as he will only serve to split the opposition votes, and that no independent candidate has ever succeeded in an election here. He is not stupid and cannot know that he will not win but will serve to give the seat to the PAP on a platter. One can only conclude that there is a hidden agenda somewhere.
TMT
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