At the Global Asia Conference held yesterday (Sep 19), Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong launched a post-election political attack against the Opposition parties calling their approach “dangerous and going against human nature” because his government is “doing good”.
“The opposition’s storyline was (that) the Government is doing good; you vote for us, the Government will work even harder. That’s a very dangerous approach and it goes against human nature”The PM went on to add that the strong mandate in the recent election shows that Singaporeans agree with the PAP government policies and has nothing to do with more or less social policies for Singaporeans. He however acknowledged that there are some “anxieties” over specific policies but his government will try to address them:
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‘If you believe in me, support my team’: PM Lee
“It’s perverse, it’s upside down, you confuse yourself. You mess things up, you weaken the team, you end up with outcomes you don’t want, an Opposition which is strengthened but incapable,” said Mr Lee, who is the PAP's secretary-general.
“Actually, the argument is the other way around,” he said. “The Opposition is not working hard enough. They make a mess of things, they’re not active enough in Parliament, they’re not talking much sense – vote PAP to make the Opposition work harder!” he added, to the roar of the crowd.
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Vote PAP to make the Opposition work harder!
“It’s perverse, it’s upside down, you confuse yourself. You mess things up, you weaken the team, you end up with an outcome which you don’t want, an Opposition which is strengthened but incapable,” he said.
Since campaigning started, opposition politicians have maintained that policies have changed because of an opposition presence in Parliament. WP, which is fighting for 28 seats, wants the voters to return at least 20 of its candidates.
PM Lee said: “Actually, the argument is the other way round, let me tell you what should be the argument. Please write it down and send it to your friends on Whatsapp. The Opposition is not working hard enough. They make a mess of things, they’re not active enough in Parliament, they’re really not talking much sense – vote PAP and make the Opposition work harder!”
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Straits Times took PM Lee Hsien Loong’s ‘went against human nature’ quote out of context
The Straits Times published this story on Sept. 19, 2015, with the headline “PM Lee: Opposition’s narrative in GE2015 ‘went against human nature'”
It was also sent as a news alert to the subscribers of the Straits Times app.
This was later edited — without informing readers — to “PM to actively push for succession in new Cabinet line-up”:
Why the change?
Because ST mucked it up.
Here is the original story, about PM Lee speaking to 400 policymakers and business leaders at the Singapore Summit at the Marina Bay Sands on Friday, Sept. 18, which can still be found copy-&-pasted wholesale on Business Times:
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Opposition's narrative in GE2015 'went against human nature' : PM Lee
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the Government intends to honour its promise to work with Singaporeans and form a closer bond with the people, as he took a look back at the results of the GE2015.
When asked about his reaction to the outcome of the polls, which saw the People's Action Party returned to power with 69.9 per cent of the vote, PM Lee said he was "surprised and relieved". But he would never use the word "vindicated" to describe his response, he added on Saturday at the Singapore Summit 2015.
For more, read here.
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Dr Chee: Singaporeans Must Put a Stop to “Political Imbalances” or the PAP will Always Win
He said that the PAP’s tight control over the mainstream media, and use of the People’s Association for party purposes have led to a climate where Singaporeans believe only the PAP can take the nation into the future.
He added that this also made Singaporeans fear that Singapore will collapse without the PAP at the helm.
Calling for depoliticisation of the media, Dr Chee, who fought and lost in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, said that Singaporeans will have to fight to deny the government the leeway to make key appointments in print and broadcast media.
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Jenny Teo's Comment on TODAYonline Facebook
Update: Jenny Teo's comment on 17 Sep 2015 deleted
I would like to ask Mr Singh what he thinks of the PAP's integrity in the way it redraws electoral boundaries, selectively dispenses upgrading funds only to its constituencies through MND's CIPC and the CCCs, the funding of politicised grassroots machinery PA/CCC/RC/CC using taxpayers money, the real motive of AIM, the control of all mainstream media in SINGAPORE, the town council system and the giving away of money in the run up to elections.
In my view, all of the above policies and tactics violate our National Pledge, the part that says "to build a DEMOCRATIC society based on JUSTICE and EQUALITY". No PAP MP or Minister, past or present, has ever suggested that these policies may need to be reviewed, much less pointed out that they are fundamentally unethical.
Clearly this is ok with 70% of voters, but I can never vote against my own conscience.
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An open letter to the Prime Minister
Dear Mr Prime Minister, I congratulate you on the PAP’s victory in the general election. As the leader of the PAP much credit must go to you for leading your party to such an overwhelming victory. I ask you to understand that the 30% who voted against your party did so because many felt that in a democracy there should be a plurality of voices in Parliament.
You said that you are humbled by the result. I hope that you can match your humility with an equal measure of magnanimity.
There will be 6 WP MPs and 3 WP NCMP’s in Parliament. These are honourable men and women who got there despite difficult odds and impediments. They are not your enemies, they are not interlopers. They are your fellow Singaporeans and co-lawmakers. They have an important part to play in our political discourse. I hope you will listen to them when they speak in Parliament with civility and respect and give due consideration to their ideas. It is distressing to watch old videos of WP MPs speak in Parliament in the past against a backdrop of the PAP front bench sneering, sniggering, dozing off or looking at their shoes. I hope I will not see similar videos again in the new term.
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UNFAIR WHY WORKERS PARTY MP HAVE TO HOLD MEET THE PEOPLE SESSION UNDER HAZY HDB VOID DECK
GE2015 has ended and all elected MPs started to hold their Meet-the-People session to help Singaporeans. I cannot help but notice the difference in treatment between PAP and WP MPs. All are elected by the people but have different benefits.
PAP MPs have the benefit of using RC or PAP kindergarten to hold their MPS but you see what the people elected Opposition MP from Aljunied GRC has to grapple with? They have to hold MPS in hazy conditions under voiddecks? There is no air con, no computer and there is no army of grassroots helping them.
Is this fair? Where is the one people, one nation, one Singapore spirit? Why the PAP Ministers talk about uniting Singaporeans and serving all Singaporeans be it those who voted PAP or against the PAP but their actions say otherwise?
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Dr Chee: Singaporeans Must Put a Stop to “Political Imbalances” or the PAP will Always Win
He said that the PAP’s tight control over the mainstream media, and use of the People’s Association for party purposes have led to a climate where Singaporeans believe only the PAP can take the nation into the future.
He added that this also made Singaporeans fear that Singapore will collapse without the PAP at the helm.
Calling for depoliticisation of the media, Dr Chee, who fought and lost in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, said that Singaporeans will have to fight to deny the government the leeway to make key appointments in print and broadcast media.
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There is no need to use your vote to play ‘checks and balances’
Titled “Pray for a Strong Government”, pastor of FCBC church Lawrence Khong told his churchgoers there is no need for a check and balance in Parliament.
Starting off the article with a christian verse, the pastor claimed “the word of God” holds Chrisitans responsible to pray for the government. Pastor Lawrence Khong also claimed that it is his duty as a “spiritual leader” to give “spiritual guidance” on how Christians should “fulfill their duties as loyal citizens of Singapore and the Kingdom of God”.
The pastor then told everyone there is no need to vote for checks and balances, a campaign message by the Workers’ Party. You may view his original statement here.
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Keeping Religion out of Politics
Let there be no doubt, while a majority of Singaporeans believe in religion and are happy to seek spiritual advice from their religious leaders on matters pertaining to their faith, they are not keen for these religious leaders to stray into areas where they have no authority. Even if our political system is not entirely democratic - there's still a process - people still have to vote. Political leaders are chosen not appointed unelected. There's no place for an unelected leader of any faith to offer advice on the voting process other than prayer . I don't even like it where other leaders tell their congregations to vote people with integrity and moral values.
We are adults and can choose and decide for ourselves who we want to represent us. We are not electing church or temple leaders. We do not want people from faiths determining what or where the moral standard should be because each faith has a different standard. There are issues which only the people, the Parliament or Courts should determine. 'Apostle' Khong has his own bias against homosexuality and fair enough believers of certain faiths can consider it wrong. But whether that should be legalised or not rests entirely with Parliament and by extension the voting public. Even the High Court has ruled at such, the decision to lift the ban rests entirely with Parliament as the maker of laws. Who the 'f**k is Lawrence Khong to make a judgment when the High Court doesn't want to?
And crucially while a majority of Singaporeans follow religion, there's a substantial minority who don't and certainly don't like it when religious leaders try to force their warped views on everyone else. And as I mentioned, those that follow religion, a vast majority of them too have no need or desire to be lectured on the democratic process by their religious leaders
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A Vote for Change
– Yawning Bread: General election 2015: Looking back, looking forward, part 1
– Six-six: Post-GE Q&A: Dr Paul Tambyah
– Blogging for Myself: Indranee: Selling the Population White Paper
– Seksi Matashutyrmouf: Backstab your Mentors
– Offbeat Perspectives: How can oppo even out the level playing field with PAP
– Singapore Recalcitrant: The immortality of the fortunes of the Workers’ Party
– Thoughts of a Cynical Investor: Denial continues/ Swing voters not stupid, WP
– Yours Truly Singapore: Suggestions for opposition movement 4
– Singapore Alternatives: Post- GE2015 reflections
– Anyhow Hantam: May Lawrence Khong Be Struck By Lightning
– Mothership: Why PAP landslide is NOT a clear-cut vote for authoritarianism
– TR Emeritus: Revealing Singapore’s political psyche
– Spore 2B: The Politics of Sg. (Or “what’s this I hear about the ‘New Normal’?”)
– Akikonomu: Modelling the 2015 GE: numbers, outcomes… and theory?
– Blogging for Myself: Chan Heng Chee: Swing voters will do the talking
– Everything Also Complain: Voting for the Opposition goes against human nature
– NewNation: Sporeans react to LHL’s comment dat oppo ‘went against human nature’
– TOC: How accurate is the GE sample vote count?
– Musings from Singapore: GE2015: Three questions from yesterday’s talk
– Yawning Bread: The survivors’ league: Singapore joins Gabon and Tanzania
– Kirsten Han: Why should Singapore’s Prime Minister be Chinese?
– CW Fong: Spore General Election 2015: Did Social Media Make a Difference?
– Inspiration: Please Stop The War In Singapore!
– Five Stars and a Moon: So you want a “first world Parliament”?
– The New Era: From 69.9% to a history of setbacks
– Offbeat Perspectives: What prevents an equal level playing field with the PAP?
– Top of Word: Spore needs Oppo that can stand up to Intellectual Might of PAP
– My Singapore News: The SDP team that could not have lost
– Anyhow Hantam: The Punggol East Fix – How the PAP Won it Back
– Thoughts of a Cynical Investor: WP’s Punngol East problem/ PAP’s excuse king
– Social Commentator Sg: How oppo parties were sabotage by their own supporters
– Tan Kin Lian’s Blog: Should the “opposition” parties merge into a single party?
– Guanyinmiao’s Musings: #GE2015: Making The Most Of Political Talent
– Yours Truly Singapore: Suggestions for opposition movement 3
– Transitioning: Ten things you can do for yourself after the disastrous GE result
– Abdillah Zamzuri: Preparing for next General Elections – Roles & Responsibilities
– Singapore Alternatives: End of Journey Start from Fresh
– RicebowlSpore: Does PM Lee’s convincing win make it impossible for him to claim
– Rise of the strawberry nation: DJ Hammer VS DJ Xiao Loong – Rally Strategies
– IPS Commons: Ten reflections on GE2015
– The Diplomat: Why Do Outsiders Care About Singapore’s Elections?
– Six-six: The Noisemakers
– Seksi Matashutyrmouf: Questions raised by elections 2015
– Yawning Bread: Constitutional reform to pave way for a better democracy
– Singapore 2B: The state of the opposition after GE2015
– Thoughts of a Cynical Investor: WP faces early test: tiger or mouse?
– My Singapore News: Tharman – Theoretically will never become the PM
– Transitioning: Two reasons why PAP won so handsomely in the recent election
– Loh and Behold: Enthronement of the Bratty
– 否极泰来 Piji Tailai: The Pillar of PAP Integrity: Teo Chee Hean & Charles Chong
– RTSN: GE 2015 Recap: ESM’s Antics Part 2 and ‘Is he a liability’?
– S M Ong: Who’s complaining about who complaining about who complaining?
– [FB] Inderjit Singh: “Many have reflected in the GE2015 outcome…”
– [FB] Jonathan Tay: “4 years ago while I was still a NUS sociology student…”
– The Middle Ground: Ownself check ownself?
– TOC: Walking the talk as a political party member
– TR Emeritus: Reflections on GE2015
– Vulcan Post: Research Team That Predicted The Outcome Of The GE
– Sg Public Law: Textualism vs Purposive Interpretation: Must NCMP Seat B Filled?
– Akikonomu: Modelling the 2015 Singapore general election: theory and outcomes
– Anyhow Hantam: Han Hui Hui Trying to Pinch Another 30k from Singaporeans
– Singapore 2B: Singapore Tune – Post GE2015
– Blinkymummy: Democracy is not Dead, but Something Else Died.
– Mr. Miyagi: Democracy Doesn’t Mean The Minority Must Shut Up
– Offbeat Perspectives: Silent Majority, Vocal Minority and Afterthoughts
– My Little Corner: Don’t complain when you are not recognized at work
– Likedatosocanmeh: Strategy change needed by WP to prevent PAP
– Ray of Light: Dr Chee deserves a second chance
– Social Commentator Sg: Factors contributing to PAP’s victory in GE 2015
– Money$mart: 6 Most Important Policies That May Have Changed Game in GE2015
– Koh’s Space: Enlightened Moments
– Rise of the Strawberry Nation: GE 2015 Recap: ESM’s Antics Part 1
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related:
GE2015: Taking victory in Humility
GE2015: Went Against Human Nature
GE2015: Going Forward
GE2015: Foreign Media
GE2015: 2011 Vs 2015
GE2015: A Humbling Mandate
GE2015: Poll Results
GE2015: Pollling Day
GE2015: Cooling-Off Day
GE 2015: Rallies Round-up & Trolls
GE2015: Hungry Ghost & Optimus Prime
GE2015: One Stone Kill Two Birds, Heng Ah!
GE2015: Nomads, Roosters & "Bits Of Meat"
GE2015: Snapshots
GE2015: Mouse In The House
GE2015: In Parliament, Numbers Count
GE2015: The Game Is On
GE2015: Who's Where
GE2015: Nomination Day
