GE2011 Rally - Ms Lim Hwee Hua and her definition of personal attack

"Is it just messy or are they holding back till after the elections so that whoever wins Hougang will then inherit the accounts?"

Second Finance Minister and adviser to Aljunied grassroots organisations, Mrs Lim Hwee Hua said her comments above on the finances of Hougang Town Council were not meant as a personal attack on WP chief, Mr Low Thia Khiang.

So, Mrs Lim, teach us then what is considered a personal attack?

What has SM Goh been busy doing during GE 2011?

Throwing another minister under the bus to protect another

“What mistake has he made? You can take a minister and criticise him for not delivering on perhaps housing and transport. Like Wong Kan Seng you can say he let Mas Selamat escape. George Yeo, what has he done to deserve this? And he is a core member." -- SM Goh.


Having hallucination that majority not concerned about ministerial pay

Describing the issue of ministerial salaries as the Opposition's "favourite flogging horse", Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said that the "majority" of the population were not concerned about it.

"All they want (to know) is: Have we produced jobs for them, can we look after their medical care, can their medical care be affordable, can we cope with the cost of living, can we deliver good housing at affordable prices? These are the issues that are of concern to them and these are the issues the Government is addressing."

"But, by and large, the people understand," said Mr Goh.


Complaining not able to feel and understand the young ones

"The thinking of the younger ones, they are not at home even during house-to-house visits, which I have done. In Marine Parade, most of them are not at home. So for them, their thinking I'm not too sure. That group they are open, they assess the candidates and their policies before they decide, and they probably will decide at the last minute."


Giving nickname and laughing at other parties

Mr Goh about NSP: "My sense is that it is a "No Substance Party".

"They have just one attraction, the rest are just being carried along. So, am I worried? If the people in Marine Parade GRC vote for that team and I'm out, I think Singapore will be in deep trouble, as simple as that."

GE2011 Rally - PAP's Desmond Choo all out to anger Singaporean women

"If your wife is unable to cook, there’s no point. You must choose a wife who is able to do things for you" -- Desmond Choo, PAP Hougang candidate


After starting the flame in Hougang residents' eyes by commenting that their houses, the place they live in, are slums, Desmond Choo upgraded his insulting skill to piss off all Singapore women.

Nice move to win the election.

GE2011 Rally - PAP's Teo Ser Luck and his auction

My advice to Mr Teo Ser Luck: At least have a heart and try to write a speech with real content.

You meant it is against the spirit of democracy to vote against you?

"THE Workers' Party (WP) is making use of Aljunied GRC voters by placing on them the burden of pushing the opposition cause. It's an emotional dilemma for many people,' said George Yeo. 'I get many people (writing) on my Facebook wall who feel very uncomfortable about this. They said, because of this, even if they vote for WP, please do not feel that we have anything against you.'

He added: 'I find that it's against the spirit of democracy.'


Just when the whole of Singapore (well, almost) has finally gotten a taste of democracy, the freedom to choose, the chance to vote, Mr Yeo feels that it is against the spirit of democracy to vote for the opposition.

Does Higher bus, LRT frequencies come with Higher fares?

"Higher bus, LRT frequencies if you vote for me" -- Lam Pin Min


People's Action Party (PAP) candidate in Senkang West Single-Member Constituency (SMC) Lam Pin Min has promised his residents he would fight for higher frequency in bus and LRT services if he were re-elected.



Wondered how can Mr Lam make such promise...

Did he recently treated the SMRT CEO for lunch? Or did he recently played golf with the SBS Transit CEO and won the bet so the SBS Transit CEO has to pay with more buses?

And if he did managed to get these money-making public transport CEOs to promise higher buses and LRT frequencies, was there a fine print stating higher fares are required for that promise?

Vivian Balakrishnan - punching below the wrong belt

The PAP statement, undersigned by Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and candidates Liang Eng Hwa, Christopher de Souza and Sim Ann, reads as follows:

"A video has been posted on the internet showing Vincent Wijeysingha participating at a forum which discussed the promotion of the gay cause in Singapore.

"The discussion at the forum also touched on sex with boys and whether the age of consent for boys should be 14 years of age.

"In the video, Wijeysingha was introduced as being from the SDP.

"In addition to other comments, Wijeysingha stated: 'I think the gay community has to rally ourselves. Perhaps one outcome of today's forum would be, for those of us who are interested, to come together to further consider how we can address the 377 issue as well as further rights issues in relation to gays and lesbians.'

"We believe that candidates should be upfront about their political agenda and motives, so that voters are able to make an informed choice.

"The issue is not Wijeysingha's sexual orientation. That is a matter for him.

"The video raises the question on whether Wijeysingha will now pursue this cause in the political arena and what is the SDP's position on the matter."

And the video actually says...




So for most of us without hearing problem, ask yourself this: Did Vincent Wijeysingha himself ever so briefly mentioned anything about sex with boys or lowering the age of consent for boys? Because I didn't. So if like me, the rest of you did not hear anything, either Vivian Balakrishnan was hearing things or he had accidentally shouted his deepest desire out loud.

Of course, with such accusation, the national newspapers is quick to top its headline with "Is Singapore Ready for Gay MP?". If this did not boost sales for the day, I don't know what else will.

As a result, majority, if not all, of the netizens in Singapore were disgusted by Vivian Balakrishnan. But so what? Vivian Balakrishnan still had the upper hand because majority of the conservative Singaporeans will now vote for him instead of the opposition because they are not "ready for a Gay MP".

Lui Tuck Yew - walking around without listening

Lui Tuck Yew Shocks a Citizen During His Walkabout

Resident: Could you please tell me why I should vote for you?

Lui Tuck Yew: You should NOT vote for the Opposition because they ...

Resident: The Opposition? No, I want to know about you. Please tell me why I should vote for you.

Lui Tuck Yew: You should vote for the PAP because we ....

Resident: The PAP? No, no. I'm not interested in the PAP or the Opposition. I'm interested to know about you. Why should I vote for you?

Lui Tuck Yew: We could spend all night talking about me! (pointing to the newsletter) It's all in the newsletter!

Either Lui Tuck Yew is not listening, or perhaps to him, we are just noises that can be ignored.

Chan Chun Sing - When you selected an ah beng to be your candidate

http://www.razor.tv/site/servlet/segment/main/specials/General_Election/62556.html

Former Army Chief Chan Chun Sing. Would really like to write a transcript of his speech here, but have problem understanding his ah beng accent.

Read more about BG Chan Chun Sing in "Wake up Chan Chun Sing!"

Yaacob Ibrahim - Always ready to shove aside his own mother tongue as a foreign language

"Teaching Malay as a foreign language rather than a mother tongue could be one way to halt the decline in fluency among the community"

Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, Yaacob Ibrahim. The same man who ignored the old canal that was too small and called the Bukit Timah flood a "freak" event.

Read more about Yaacob Ibrahim in "Yaacob Ibrahim - Is this guy worth his million dollar salary?"

Indranee Rajah - Who believes in fast policies, not sound policies

WP's fictional First World Parliament
Source: Straits Times

MS SYLVIA Lim's attempt to explain what the Workers' Party is saying exposes the inconsistencies in the WP's position ('What First World Parliament means: Sylvia'; April 15).

Ms Lim, astonishingly, says that WP's vision of a First World Parliament has no reference to any particular developed country! It is obvious why she refuses to name any specific country - there is no successful model that she can point to.

On the other hand, there are numerous examples of multi-party legislatures stuck in gridlock and engaged in political theatre, while governance, the economy and the people suffer.

The WP paints a picture of a Parliament in which it would simply act as a check on the Government, in order to help it govern better. The WP would, so it says, act only in the national interests, leaving aside party interests.

No such opposition party exists anywhere in the world, because any party with such an agenda is effectively resigning itself to never being in power or forming a government.

Indeed this is contrary to what the WP says it eventually wants to do, and to the stances its MPs have taken in Parliament up to now.

If the WP really only wants to speak up in Parliament and question government policies, and act as a check on the Government, then the Non-Constituency MP scheme provides for exactly that. But in truth, the WP wants more MPs in Parliament to form a base for greater electoral success in the future.

They will act as a bloc to bargain with the Government. They will also seek to block constitutional amendments - thereby again preventing effective governance. Ms Lim has said as much publicly.

This is exactly what we see in the United States, Taiwan, Belgium and other similar systems, which the WP claims it does not have in mind.

The result? Policies which would benefit the people cannot get passed. Many thoughtful American observers lament that this is happening in the US right now. In reality, the WP's vision is a 'Fictional World Parliament'.

"They will act as a bloc to bargain with the Government. They will also seek to block constitutional amendments - thereby again preventing effective governance."

MP Indranee Rajah. Like the rest of her comrades, having opposition in the parliament will bring down the productivity of the whole government. Instead of blindly signing off policies efficiently, the government will have to waste time "fixing" opposition, elaborating on empty policies and finding excuses for flaws that were brought up. And the worse scenario she could imagine is how the opposition can have the power to block fishy constitutional amendments.

Read more about Indranee Rajah in "Why MP Indranee Rajah needs a class in elementary logic".

Lim Swee Say - Not sure what is the party's direction for the country but we'll get there. I guess.

"Along the way there will be uncertainties, there will be unexpected events and so on. If we are to jump over the wall, we'll jump over the wall. If we have to go around the wall, we'll go around the wall. But what is important is that, yes, we may adapt to situations in the short term, right, but in the long term, over the next three years, five years, the direction must be very clear"

Labour Chief Lim Swee Say attempting to explain why the PAP's manifesto appears to be missing the "micro" details and policies addressing hot-button issues. And while trying to follow him on his explanation on his party's direction, I got lost along the way. Perhaps due to an unexpected wall which I do not know whether to jump over or to go around.

A reminder of why you should vote for them - Pasir Ris - Punggol MPs

"It will be sad if people vented their frustrations on other new Singaporeans who are here to find a better life. As a politician, I can stand the heat. When you ask Singaporean residents for feedback, they will complain that they have to wait more than 15 minutes for the bus. But when you ask new immigrants, they are happy that the bus comes in under 30 minutes."
-- Charles Chong, Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC MP

“Frankly, I think you give me more credit than I deserve, but I’m very comfortable in a GRC.”
-- Charles Chong, Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC MP, when a resident at Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC had suggested during a dialogue session involving Law Minister and Second Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam and some other PAP MPs that a single seat be carved out from the GRC so that his Member of Parliament, Charles Chong, could “fight solo“.

"Maybe it made lesser mortals envious and they thought maybe he was a little bit boastful...would people have taken offence if his wife (a senior investment counsellor at a bank) had paid for everything?"
-- Charles Chong, Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC MP


But all these are nothing as compared to the majestic screw up of YOG and one of its honorable parent - Teo Ser Luck.

A reminder of why you should vote for them - Marine Parade MPs

“First, we need to make sure that they are called new Singaporeans rather than new migrants. They are not even new migrants – they are an old hand at migrating, and want a new life.”
-- Seah Kian Peng, MP of Marine Parade GRC


"The figures may be right, but the conclusion could be wrong."
-- Seah Kian Peng questioning The Prices and Earnings 2009 survey by the Swiss bank which stated that the Singaporean worker’s wages has decreased over the past 3 years, while the cost of living has shot up.


And the biggest shocker...

"I was an employee of GIC in 1999. I was offered by Ren Ci Hospital and Medicare Centre to be Director, Medical & Paramedical Services in January 2000.

However to leave GIC, I had to pay S$560,000 to settle my outstanding staff housing loan. I agreed to join Ren Ci on condition that I received a loan of S$60,000, to pay off in part the amount of S$560,000 and I paid the remaining S$500,000 from bank loan.

When I borrowed the sum of S$60,000 from Ren Ci, I was not an MP. It was lent to me as staff, and was part of the terms on which I agreed to join Ren Ci. I have since repaid the sum fully."
-- Dr Ong Seh Hong, MP for Marine Parade GRC and COO of Ren Ci Hospital

A reminder of why you should vote for them - Holland-Bukit Timah MPs

"We may be the highest paid, but at the same time it is also important for them to understand we're probably the most effective, the best civil service in the world. And this came about because AUPE and PSD (Public Service Division), we work hand in hand, so on the one hand, we negotiate for fair terms, for good terms, for responsive rewards for civil servants."
-- Labour chief Lim Swee Say

"It's a solution (that) looks easy... but actually we don't believe it will serve the interest of low wage workers of Singapore."
-- Labour chief Lim Swee Say on why minimum wage will not work in Singapore

"All except one frog who did reach the top. And when asked afterwards why he ignored the crowd, the frog said: 'I'm deaf. I can't hear them.' We never give up. We are like the little frog. We are deaf to all these criticisms. So instead of telling us that low-wage workers are having problems, why not be part of the solution?"
-- Labour chief Lim Swee Say


"Even the newspaper report, I didn't even know about it until I read about it in the papers. It shows that I almost didn't care. I had more important things to do, I had good feedback and good suggestions from so many people, and I focused on that. I didn't lose sleep about that."
-- Vivian Balakrishnan, when everybody was trying to tell him about the screw-ups in YOG

"To deny them the right to call themselves Singaporean is very, very selfish. It's very unsportsmanlike... They have made great sacrifices to be here."
-- Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Vivian Balakrishnan

“How much do you want? Do you want three meals in a hawker centre, food court or restaurant?”
-- Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Vivian Balakrishnan on why we should not increase the monthly PA allowance so that its recipients can have three basic meals a day


“I want to clarify that the mayors do not decide on the salaries, the increments, the bonuses of all our staff at the CDC. The mayors are political appointment holders. We chair the CDC to spearhead the CDC, to build a social safety net and help the people. That is our job. If you ask me, I do not know the salaries; I do not know the bonuses of all my staff.”
-- Dr Teo Ho Pin when questioned about two staff member of Northwest CDC receiving 8 months bonus

“They (residents) should thank the Town Council for working hard to come up with a diversified portfolio to generate income so that residents do not have to fork out more money.”
-- Dr Teo Ho Pin about why it makes sense to invest constituency’s funds in high risk funds

A reminder of why you should vote for them - Aljunied MPs

"There would be a group who currently, the ones who are travelling single trips and shorter trips who are not benefiting, but we hope that if they review it say on a weekly travel pattern basis instead of looking at it on a per-trip basis ... look at it as a weekly travel pattern and sometimes also in terms of what is to come later on, more choices ... in due course, I am sure they will benefit as well."
-- Lim Hwee Hua, Second Minister for Transport and Finance


"Singaporeans' concern over immigration issues is understandable but they must avoid developing irrational fears toward new immigrants."
-- Lim Hwee Hua, Second Minister for Transport and Finance


"We will not introduce new cross-country services, because those are really legacies of the past. But we will review every (existing) one to see whether they need to be sustained."
-- Lim Hwee Hua, Second Minister for Transport and Finance


And here's the most interesting piece: Vote Zainul Abidin Rasheed Out Facebook group.

Singapore civil servants should have no shame in getting the highest pay

Labour chief Lim Swee Say said Singapore should not be shy about having one of the highest paid civil services in the world.

He said this is because Singapore's civil service is the world's best and most effective and part of the credit must go to the public sector's biggest union, The Amalgamated Union of Public Employees (AUPE).

"We may be the highest paid, but at the same time it is also important for them to understand we're probably the most effective, the best civil service in the world. And this came about because AUPE and PSD (Public Service Division), we work hand in hand, so on the one hand, we negotiate for fair terms, for good terms, for responsive rewards for civil servants.

"And yet at the same time, we mobilise our ground to ensure that the civil service always move ahead, stay ahead to do their best for the citizens of Singapore, because that is our purpose, our mission."


And this is from the man who wants Singaporean to work "Cheaper, Better, Faster".

I'm not sure where did he get that hunch that Singapore's civil servants are really that good and best in the world, but this does helps to prove his point that he is but a deaf frog at the bottom of the well.