Opinions

As the world grapples with COVID-19, PAP has one eye on the elections, which is due to be called by April 2021. Various opposition leaders have criticised the PAP for even considering to have an election very soon.

One of those who spoke against calling for a General Election (GE) now is Dr Tan Cheng Bock of the Progress Singapore Party (PSP). 

As a medical doctor himself, Dr Tan is acutely aware of the threat from COVID-19 and how it can transmit during the election period, through the dense crowds that normally throng opposition rallies

During the campaign period, there will be rallies and many large group election activities being held. Is this a risk we want to take? There is this potential mass exposure to the virus.

So, holding a general election at this time should not be considered. We should put politics aside. Take care of our people's health and welfare first," he added, pointing out that the United States and Britain have postponed elections so far.

Dr Tan also suggested that the President can also use her executive authority to form a caretaker government should the pandemic situation not abate, by the time the PAP's full term ends.

At the crux is the well-being of Singaporeans. Without the citizens, Singapore, and the Singapore government is nothing.

If the PAP is confident of itself and its policies, it should not fear postponing the elections till the global situation is clearer. The people will decide. 

PAP appears to have lost sight of the purpose of its existence - to serve the people, not its own political self-interest. Don't gamble with the life of the people.

PAP MP Yaacob Ibrahim spoke up in Parliament on the issue of panic-buying and hoarding of basic necessities after the government's move to raise the alert level to DORSCON Orange.

Yaacob called it an irrational response that "showed the worst of Singaporeans" which could've led to further chaos. He felt that this was symptomatic of people who did not have full trust and confidence in what the government is communicating. 

If people have trust and confidence in the government, they would not have put themselves in such a position.

He is not far from the truth. That panic was a sign of people who were confused, and who didn't know what to trust, and who to trust. And that includes the government.

The fault doesn't merely lie with the proliferation of social media and fake news.

The government can earn the trust of the people through their actions. The use of POFMA also demonstrates that the government does not have enough confidence in the facts that they possess, and the manner in which they are communicated to the people.

The ability to relate and to convey information, ideas, and policies to different groups of people is critical, but sadly, one which the elitist PAP is sorely lacking.

It must learn to go back to basics. It must understand that they are governing because the people gave them the mandate. 

Thus, they must do all they can to earn the trust of Singaporeans, and not take it for granted.

The Wuhan virus is spreading on an unprecedented scale, and the total number of "reported" infections has already surpassed the previous SAR epidemic. However the Singaporean government is still taking the line that Singapore should not close our borders to PRC visitors. The question is why not, when other countries have taken the decisive step to shut its borders temporarily to help stem the spread of the virus. 

Education Minister Ong Ye Kung's reasoning is this: 

“Imagine that at the height of Sars… other countries (decide) to get Singaporeans out of the country. We will become a target as well and can be hit hard. Do not do unto others what you do not want others to do unto you.”

Minister Ong's explanation reeks of a deference to big nations and reflects a reactive attitude to this potential crisis. Shouldn't the well-being of our citizens come first at the expense of all other things like economic growth and global business? Why can't Singapore make the sovereign decision to safeguard Singaporean lifes and adopt a kiasu kiasi attitude at this point of time. If there is a time and place to be kiasu and kiasi, isn't now the best time? Shouldn't we pre-empt problems instead of responding to the crisis only when things deteriorate beyond control and only when there is local community spreading? 

The Singapore Government often blows its trumpet on how it has drawer plans for all sorts of contingencies but when push comes to shove, their response is severely out of sync with Singaporean's expectations. Our lives, health and well-being should take precedence over all else, if they do not care for us in this time of need, we too will abandon you during the next election. 

If countries like Hong Kong, Mongolia and Russia can take steps to ban all PRC travellers, there is no reason why a high density high risk country like Singapore not do likewise. If we end up all infected, would there still be a country to run or defend? 

NO. Wake Up Singapore Government! 

Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing, a.k.a. Kee Chiu, revealed that between 2015 to 2018, about 50,000 jobs went to Singaporeans and more than 9,000 went to permanent residents (PRs). 

Pritam Singh raised the question of the breakdown of jobs between Singaporeans and PRs in the parliament about two weeks ago. Kee Chiu answered Pritam's question with another question - "What is the point behind the question?" and everything went unanswered back then. Kee Chiu was probably pressured by Pritam and the netters who questioned the ability of our ministers and released the information out. 

This obviously shows that our oppositions are helping us by pressuring the current Government by asking the right questions. For all the talk from PAP about how our oppositions are untrustworthy, it seems like they are doing more good than bad.

Without the opposition, the PAP will probably continue sitting on their high horses. Thinking that they are the best and can do no wrong. With the upcoming General Elections, we should seriously consider voting in more opposition voices. So as to achieve a better Singapore for our future and kids.

According to the Centre for Domestic Employees, all six victims of the accident last afternoon are foreign domestic workers (FDWs) from the Philippines. Lucky Plaza, is widely known as a popular hangout for many of these Filipino FDWs. Some of the footages of the accident showed the Filipino workers enjoying themselves as they embrace the year-end festivities.

The accident brought an abrupt end to the merry-making. Many more could've been injured.

Apart from Lucky Plaza, there are some other areas that foregn workers gravitate to. Paya Lebar is usually frequented by Indonesian domestic workers over the weekends. Workers from the South Asian continents also come to Paya Lebar and Lucky Plaza on the weekends, in search of company. 

However, these areas are not purpose-built for the large gatherings that we normally see at Lucky Plaza and Paya Lebar. Apart from the seats available at restaurants or coffee joints, there are inadequate seatings in the malls in these vicinities. The limited seats at the pedestrian areas outside the malls are also limited, and taken up quickly. Thus, they take to relaxing in any oen areas they can find, some of which are dangerous due to their proximity to the roads.

But what else can they go?

Male foreign workers can return to their dorms where they can use the facilities such as basketball and badminton courts etc.

We need the FDWs. But they do not have access to such facilities.

And that, unfortunately, is an indictment of where we are as a society. There are many failities available in our neighbourhoods, we have the beaches and open spaces in our gardens, yet these FDWs do not feel that they are wanted there.

We try to treat them like human beings on weekdays because they work for us and live in our homes but when it comes to leisure, we expect them to make themselves scarce. Clearly, many of us are not yet the First World people that we claime to be.

If we don't welcome them into our spaces, then where else can they go? The pavements? The road side? 

The government too must do more to create such safe, leisure spaces for the FDWs. They can't just leave that too the FDW agencies or the NGOs because they do not have the resources to engage the FDWs on that scale.

As we welcome the new year, use this accident to reflect on our values as a society. How far away are we from being a truly open and welcoming society?

A netizen, Kelvin Ling, urged new citizens to give the opposition parties a chance by listening to them and voting for them.

Ling was of the view that many of them were transfixed with Singapore because they wanted a better environment for themselves and their families. 

However, the safety and security found in Singapore should not translate into votes for the PAP. The safety and security was borne out of many years of a great PAP leading Singapore. This is not the case now. The netizen felt that the current PAP is greedy, to the detriment of Singapore.

There are those fear-mongerers who think that Singapore will be less safe and secure when the PAP goes out of power. For Ling, these concerns are unwarranted because agencies like the Police, SAF, SCDF, and other civil servants will continue to serve the citizens even when PAP is no longer in power.