Politics

Dr Tan Cheng Bok wants all Singaporeans to be involved in making a difference.

Because it is after all our moral duty to do so, according to him.

He felt that it is because of fear that stops talented and smart people from joining him.

Fear, instead, should be the catalyst for all people to come out and make a change!

Watch more in the clip here.

What say you fellow Singaporeans?

Will you join Dr TCB and his party?

Dear Friends, yesterday morning as I took a train ride from Kallang Station to Pioneer Station I could see that most of the paxs onboard were foreigners -either working here as our newly-minted PR or citizens.

What I'm trying to emphasise in this write-up is that I am amongst those few Singaporean who is always away from home on outstation assignments like handling certain project beyond Singapore.

That's right. Doesn't matter what line you take; green, red, circle, downtown etc.

What I realised on the train ride was that unlike Singaporeans working away from their shores in other jurisdictions, most of the countries I had worked would NEVER offer “foreigners” like me and the rest easy citizenship or PR like what Singapore does LIBERALLY.

Take for instance countries like United Arab Emirates (UAE), Brunei, some European nations, China, India and Japan which will NEVER invite other guest workers to become their citizens. 
The outsiders working there are to benefit these host countries economy. Absolutely nothing else.
To become a citizen in this countries is a far cry. 

Because Singapore is generous and kind, Singapore is not like those countries.

The reason is straightforward. These countries care more for their own citizens and will never allow a situation (like in Singapore) to ever happen.

I have good reasons to bring up this point because this morning when my colleagues and I did our walkabout in Pioneer constituency, we received a lot of feedbacks from the local residents and of course from foreign talents too. Some of the latter had been here for a long time. 
By and large, most of these FTs were a happy and satisfied lot.
Why shouldn’t they be? Jobs, homes, education here are better off then their own natural countries. 
Sadly this isn’t so for the locals because the cost of living, education for their kids, jobs and employment aren’t to their expectations. So naturally many were very disappointed with the PAP and its policy in this area.

The feedback coming from many of the locals was therefore negative and mostly against the ruling PAP - a political party that had been supported by their grandparents, parents and in many cases themselves. Many felt cheated and were openly talking about their frustrations and future concerns for their loved ones. Some even regretted the past support given to the PAP by their elders in the past. 
Isn’t this such a sad state of affairs?

Perhaps? 

That's why as Singaporeans we have to stand up for our rights. 
When there is an opportunity for a change, why must we wait?
Many already know that a change for the better would be best. 
To many of them the PAP isn’t the only political party which can govern Singaporeans. 
They are aware that there many much better ones in waiting.

Finally ask yourselves, at the end of your working age where is your retirement?
Where has your CPF ended up? 
To say or even think that the current government is looking after your healthcare, kids education, jobs and where you’ll end up is but a mere illusion today.
Think of your future. 
Change when we still got the chance..!!!
Time and ride awaits no one.

Nassir Ismail

#peoplesvoiceforyou

#donthesitateforachange

Do you agree with Nassir Ismail from People's Voice Party and what was said?

Does that mean that Singapore gov care less about Singaporeans compared to the foreign talents?

And is SG really the top 5 easiest country to get a citizenship? Omg.

Two different groups have their own version of a fire chute. Who do you believe?

According to a Eunos Zone 1 RC network post on 'Simply Eunos' page, two of their grassroots leaders handled a bin chute fire that occured at Blk 602 Bedok Reservoir Road.

Their account was disputed by a resident who goes by the name of 'Rosalind Lee' on Facebook. Rosalind claimed that she was the one who informed the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC) when she spotted the fire.

AHTC subsequently dispatched two cleaners who single-handedly pulled out the burning bin and doused the fire. According to Rosalind, SCDF and SPF later sent vehicles to investigate the cause of the fire.

She claimed that no one else appeared to be handling the fire. For her, the post by the RC was a disingenious way of trying to score political points for PAP.

It was only later that 'Simply Eunos' clarified that the two grassroots leaders were only there after the call through the SCDF.

However, they did not acknowledge the work done by the cleaners who were the ones to put out the fire.

This prompted WP Chief, Pritam Singh, to write a Facebook post on the role of the PA and its links to the PAP, and his own experiences dealing with PA's grassroots members.

This is what he had to say:

Over the past eight years, I have gotten to know, albeit briefly, a few People’s Association grassroots volunteers in my constituency of Eunos in Aljunied GRC. I am grateful for the part they play in the community. Some are incredibly fair-minded, independent and work with the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council, and are cautious about associating themselves with the PAP or WP.

In other cases, some RC or CCC chairpersons and/or their committee members, are PAP cadre members. Some are just there to do a hit job on the opposition, stirring the ground with half-truths.

I also know a fair number grassroots leaders who would be at polling centres during elections - within the RC zone they serve - working as PAP polling agents on polling day. Inevitably, residents notice them and connect the help/assistance they may/would have received from these PA volunteers in the past. One can imagine the political influence a PA grassroots leader and an unelected PA Grassroots Adviser can wield during elections.

He also called for a reform of the PA, alluding to the WP's manifesto in 2015.

In our 2015 manifesto, the Workers’ Party proposed doing away with the current structure of grassroots organisations, advancing the creation of a unifying People’s Association under the leadership of a non-political institution – i.e. the President, not the Prime Minister as is currently the case. Amongst other things, we believe this would take the political element out of grassroots work and focus the MPs’ and volunteers’ hearts and minds to singularly serve the community, regardless which party forms government.

We continue to work on our manifesto for the next elections. The screenshots of this post between a Eunos grassroots organisation and a resident today reminded me that the ethos of community service in Singapore through the PA remains in need of a revamp - The outcome of such a review should substantively align the grassroots with the values enshrined in our flag and represented by the stars therein, particularly values like justice, equality, democracy.

It will be an uphill task. Because the status quo as it stands wholly benefits the PAP. It will take an enlightened leadership that puts the country and our parliamentary democracy first, to create a more caring, gracious and cohesive community.

The WP will try its best. Because there are some things in life that are worth fighting for.

(P.S. - The cleaners who put out the fire are well.)

The PAP government has gone out of its way to combat fake news.

What will it do for such half-truths, or misrepresentation by its RC members? 

The Opposition in Singapore are ramping up the pressure on PAP. 

Dr Tan Cheng Bock lamented how PAP has changed, a sentiment later echoed by Lee Hsien Loong's own brother Lee Hsien Yang.

Now, Lim Tean, the Secretary-General of the People's Voice Party (PVP) has challenged PAP to a live-telecast debate in the coming GE.

The Arabs are a small but significant community in Singapore.

During colonial times, the Arabs played prominent economic roles in the retail, wholesale and production trades, the Muslim pilgrimage industry and real estate development. They were also involved in philanthropic works such as establishing religious schools and donating land for community projects. The majority of Arabs in Singapore are descendents of Hadhrami Arabs who originally came from the Hadhramaut region in Yemen.

General Syed Mohammed Alsagoff was an Hadhrami Muslim born in Singapore and grandson of Nong Chik. He had his education at Victoria School and later joined the Malayan Armed Forces, the predecessor of the Malaysian Armed Forces. He rose to the rank of major-general before his retirement in the 1970s. His mother was Raja Siti the daughter of Hajjah Fatimah. His father was Dato Syed Ahmad bin Mohammad Alsagoff, a renowned philanthropist who also brought the Boy Scout movement and St. John's Ambulance brigade to Singapore.

Calvin Cheng said this in his post, 

BICENTENNIAL HISTORY TIDBIT

My own thoughts on the post below, regarding the Arabs in Singapore:

Lee Kuan Yew in his memoirs, recounted how he decided to set up the SAF in response to General Syed Mohammed Alsagoff, then the commander of the armed forces in Singapore. The Alsagoffs were the leading Arab clan in Singapore back then.

Alsagoff insisted that his (Malaysian) troops escort LKY from City Hall to Parliament, during the opening of first Parliament of Singapore. Alsagoff then joked he could have had LKY shot and taken over Singapore.

LKY did not find Alsagoff funny and proceeded to not only form the SAF after independence, but also dismantle the vast wealth of the Alsagoffs.

What was once one of the richest families in SE Asia are now a footnote of history, after LKY confiscated their property for a pittance under the Land Acquisition Act, including the whole of Geylang Serai.

You may come across modern day Alsagoffs in Singapore. They were once one of the richest clans in Singapore (Raffles Hotel and the land it sat on was owned by them), and their clansman commanded the troops here.

But they lost it all due to his unfunny joke to LKY ?

Is this legit?

Also, can't tell whether it was a joke or a real death threat.

But who knows, all is in the past.

Just now, the Secretary General of Progress Singapore Party, Dr Tan Cheng Bock voiced his opinions about foreign talent policy and the lack of transparency by the current government on appointments, such as how individuals such as the Prime Minister's wife, Ho Ching is being appointed as the CEO of Temasek and a wife of a People's Action Party Senior Minister of State being appointed as audtior-general.

On the foreign talent issue, Dr Tan say that he is not against foreign talent, and that he welcomes those that are good. However he would like to relook into the criteria.

He also touched about the Prime Minister's wife, Ho Ching who was appointed as the CEO of Temasek and a wife of a People's Action Party Senior Minister of State being appointed as audtior-general. 

"We are not questioning the credibility of these people who are there, what we are worried is the process"

 What do you think? 

Do you support Dr Tan?