New Cabinet a start, but public must continue scrutiny

PM Lee promised to make real changes to his government. Having looked at the list of names making up the new cabinet, here are some thoughts I have.

Mr Teo Chee Hean - Deputy PM, Home Affairs Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security

Mr Teo is a capable minister who has performed well throughout his years in politics and I am confident he will continue to do so.

Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam - Deputy PM and Minister for Finance, and Manpower, and Chairman of MAS

Mr Shanmugaratnam is one of the most capable and qualified ministers, having handled himself very well during the TV debate. He has also kept out of controversies by choosing his words carefully and treating residents with proper respect. He may be a potential successor to PM Lee.

Mr Lim Swee Say - Minister in PM's Office

I don't know why this joker is still around. A complete waste of taxpayers' money.

Mr S Iswaran - Second Minister for Trade & Industry, and Home Affairs

Mr Iswaran is an underdog who is generally well-regarded and affable. He should have little problem with his new duties.

Dr Ng Eng Hen - Minister for Defence

Dr Ng had a relatively uneventful ride at MOE, except for the issue over Mother Tongue weightage in the PSLE. He quickly backed down after an outcry. Dr Ng will find little more breathing room in Mindef, where he might face increasing scrutiny over SAF deaths and the oversized defence budget.

Mr K Shanmugam - Minister for Law, and Foreign Affairs

I'm not too sure about his experience in diplomacy, but Mr Shanmugam needs to buck up on his performance after coming under some criticism over the mandatory death penalty and the clemency process. His handling of the Thaipusam noise regulations was also poor and created unnecessary tensions. The independence of the judiciary will also come under scrutiny if defamation suits are filed by PAP leaders in the future.

Mr Lim Hng Kiang - Minister for Trade & Industry

Mr Lim has always stayed out of the spotlight, but may not remain so for long. The debate arising over Mr Tan Jee Say's arguments against manufacturing will force Mr Lim to relook his priorities with regards to the promotion of industry sectors like services and justify them more forcefully in Parliament.

Mr Lui Tuck Yew - Minister for Transport

Mr Lui has been frequently criticised for his regimental style and inflexibility. But he needs to get rid of them if he is going to make serious changes to our overburdened transport system. A more humble approach would be advisable.

Dr Yaacob Ibrahim - Minister for Information, Communication and the Arts

Dr Yaacob survived because he is the only Malay full minister in the cabinet. His poor and lacklustre leadership in the handling of the floods makes it difficult to trust his competency in his new portfolio. He is unlikely to ease censorship and reform other obsolete licensing rules.

Mr Khaw Boon Wan - Minister for National Development

I am surprised that he volunteered for the job. Cleaning up the huge mess left behind by Mah Bow Tan is a daunting task. It remains to be seen if he can fulfill Singaporeans' expectations by reducing housing prices and increasing the supply of new HDB flats. Mr Khaw will be one of the most scrutinised in Parliament, especially by the WP MPs.

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan - Minister for the Environment and Water Resources

An obvious demotion for Dr Balakrishnan. Having messed up badly at MCYS, he has been pushed to one of the Cabinet's dead end jobs and is lucky to even remain as a minister. If any floods occur in the future (and they will), expect him to be blasted with public criticism.

Mr Gan Kim Yong - Minister for Health

Mr Gan did not control the entry of foreign workers into Singapore properly, being too liberal in the issuance of permits and other approvals. He also did not take harsh action on employers who abused their workers or sacked pregnant women. But he has another chance to prove himself by helping to increase hospital capacity, control health costs and reduce waiting times. With Singapore's ageing population, he has his work cut out for him.

Mr Heng Swee Kiat - Minister for Education

He really needs to prove himself worthy of the post, being a newbie to Parliament itself. Mr Heng has to reform the "teach less, learn more" concept that has become astray and needs to reduce the pressure on our children. The excessive dependence on tuition must be checked and less emphasis made on academic paper qualifications in defining intelligence and progress.

Mr Chan Chun Sing- Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports

An odd portfolio, considering how he carried himself throughout the election period. But if he's willing to cut the "Ah Beng" attitude and the "Lanfang Republic" analogies and focus on our needy and desperate citizens, I'm willing to give him a chance. Besides, he has a capable Minister of State, Mdm Halimah Yaacob to mentor him. Better take her advice.

Overall, PM Lee has made some much needed changes to his Cabinet, but whether it goes far enough is up for debate. Singaporeans must continue to scrutinise each and every move that ministers make. There will be no more tolerance of further policy mistakes.

The hammer has struck

History was made today when Aljunied GRC finally fell to the Workers' Party.

Photo: Yahoo SG

When the returning officer (and mini-celebrity) Yam Ah Mee announced the results just after 2am, it dawned on millions of Singaporeans that the impossible had been achieved: the PAP had lost a GRC.

In addition to Aljunied, WP chief Low Thia Khiang's protege and successor Yaw Shin Leong managed to keep Hougang SMC with an increased majority, easily entrenching the WP in its traditional stronghold.

Other opposition parties fared less, with the NSP and SDP losing despite fielding very capable candidates in certain constituencies. I particularly felt that the NSP's strategy of dispersing its "star" candidates was a mistake and that they could have won if they had been concentrated in either Marine Parade or Tampines.

The WP had run a disciplined and clear campaign from the start. Speeches and campaign materials emphasised their vision of "Towards a first world parliament" over and over again. They were also well-prepared to counter the fierce attacks from the PAP on their manifesto. Mr Low's use of the co-driver analogy was easily understood, unlike Lui Tuck Yew's "mushroom mess".

Now with victory confirmed, the WP has its work cut out. Running a GRC is a lot different than a small SMC. The WP must be wary of uncooperative town council staff and hostile PAP grassroots leaders. It should also fight to retain the existing town council offices and the right to use the community centres and RCs that they had been denied thus far.

The Aljunied voters have done Singaporeans and the opposition a big favour by giving them the crucial chance to prove themselves in a GRC. I have the confidence that Chen Show Mao, Mohd Faisal, Sylvia Lim, Low Thia Khiang and Pritam Singh are worthy of this challenge.

Here's to more alternative voices and robust debate in Parliament!

Now that the rallies are over...

... it is time for all Singaporeans to make a choice.

It is a choice that will determine the direction of this nation for the next five years.

A choice between arrogance and humility.

A choice between more of the same and much needed change.

A choice between servitude and dignity.

A choice between being ignored and being engaged.

A choice between being a passive drone and being an active citizen.

My fellow Singaporeans, you have the chance to perform your sacred duty and cast your vote in this election.

Vote for a better future. Vote for change.

Majulah Singapura!

PAP becomes increasingly rattled

At yesterday's Workers' Party rally at Moulmein-Kallang GRC, party chairman Sylvia Lim reminded voters of the aftermath of the 1991 general election, the first contested by Goh Chok Tong as PM.

The PAP faced its worst ever election results, losing four seats to the opposition, including one to current WP secretary-general Low Thia Khiang.

Ms Lim recalled how the government convened a cost review committee to look into the rising cost of living. She reminded voters how the election of four opposition candidates had shocked the PAP into actually doing something to address voters' concerns. Ms Lim also warned that giving the PAP another overwhelming mandate would make them ignore voters and rule as they see fit for the next five years.

Today, PM Lee offered a rare apology for some of the mistakes that his government had committed: housing and transport.

According to the Straits Times:

He said that although growth had brought with it certain side effects, such as risk of gambling addiction, and more foreign workers, the PAP would tackle these issues in the years to come, and asked for the public's patience.

'These are real problems. We will tackle them. Please bear with us. We are trying our best on your behalf,' said Mr Lee to applause from the crowd. 'If we didn't get it quite right, I'm sorry. We will try and do better the next time.'

Is he giving a sincere response to the relentless assault of the various opposition parties on his record? Unlikely. It seems to be more of a desperate measure to appease voters angry with the PAP's ignorance and arrogance.

In the last few days, we have seen various ministers, notably MM Lee, PM Lee and SM Goh, pleading with Singaporeans to not vote George Yeo out of parliament. SM Goh even claimed that Mr Yeo's loss could affect our foreign relations!

Speaking at a rally in Marine Parade GRC, Mr Goh in particular spoke of the potential impact should Mr Yeo lose his seat.

Mr Goh said Mr Yeo has been handling delicate negotiations with Malaysia and Indonesia on border issues.

As if the ministry will collapse without him.

Mr Mah Bow Tan, who has stubbornly insisted for months that HDB flats are "affordable" and that he would work to "keep them affordable" is now saying that the government will review the HDB income ceiling after the elections.

He said:

Asked why this review is being announced in the middle of the election campaign period, Mr Mah said he has received feedback from residents, the public and other ministers as well.

Many Singaporeans have been urging him to do so for years, but he only chooses to listen to them just five days before polling day. Perhaps, he has been rattled by the loud boos from voters at the mention of his name at opposition rallies.

Vivian Balakrishnan, who tried to smear the SDP's Vincent Wijeysingha with allegations of a "gay agenda" saw it backfire dramatically, as did MM Lee's threat that Aljunied voters will "regret" voting for the WP and that they have five years to "repent" if they did so.

With nerves wracking at the PAP side, some candidates are also slipping up very badly.

Teo Ser Luck's rally speech on April 30 was so painfully comical that it was mysterious deleted by TODAYDigital after two days. But it has now been uploaded by someone else. You can even see DPM Teo Chee Hean cringing at Teo's speech, which is more like a ghost month auction than a rally address.

On the same day, the PAP candidate for Hougang, Desmond Choo, in an attempt to use an analogy to explain how an MP should be chosen, said:

If your wife is unable to cook, there’s no point. You must choose a wife who is able to do things for you,

That was a poor choice of analogy that will cost him female votes.

The mainstream media has become more and more one-sided in its election coverage despite starting off relatively balanced. It is now fiercely defending the PAP and issuing rebuttals to opposition arguments. The crowning "achievement" is definitely the story in the New Paper about the alleged attempt by Dr Chee Soon Juan to conduct a "protest march".

The story was slammed as an obvious attempt to convince voters of the SDP's "radicalism" and undo the positive response from the public over the past few weeks. This attempted smear might have worked in the past, but with the plethora of videos and photos taken by the audience showing otherwise, the New Paper and its journalists Melvin Singh and Bryna Sim have been thoroughly discredited. A Facebook group calling for the New Paper's boycott has attracted over 2900 likes in just two days.

With three days left to May 7, one wonders how many more missteps will the PAP take, as it sees a real chance of its grip on Singapore loosening.

Dr Balakrishnan, have you no decency?

It was only a few days ago that SM Goh declared a more gentlemanly approach to this year's election campaign. Hopes were raised a little. But it has all come crashing down once again.

Starting with a cryptic announcement about a 'certain' Youtube video allegedly suppressed by the SDP, he has now openly accused them of pursuing 'gay causes', whatever that means.

If you have not watched the video, it is the one below.

As you will clearly see, Dr Vincent Wijeysingha was merely asking a question about Section 377A. How this translates into "pursuing a gay cause" is anyone's guess.

The SDP fired back within the day with its rebuttal.

Even the most apathetic layman can see that Dr Balakrishnan's accusation is an unwarranted personal attack WAY below the belt. If he thought this would divert attention away from his dismal handling of the YOG, or the neglect of our needy citizens, he is sadly mistaken.

I only have this to say to him: Have you no decency?

Ministers contradict each other within the same day

I was reading the CNA and Straits Times websites for amusement when I saw this article appear.

Entitled "Ministers not out of touch with ground sentiments, says Grace Fu", it quotes Ms Fu claiming:

"I am not out of touch with the ground. And I don't think our ministers are out of touch with the ground. Our ministers work very very hard...they spend a lot of time with their residents. But there are decisions that we have to do that is for the overall good of Singapore.

"They may be tough decisions but we believe that they are in the best interest of Singaporeans. So we have convince; it's our job to communicate and convince Singaporeans of the rationale behind those policies. But we're not out of touch."

She was speaking at an event this morning (24 April).

Alas, a perfect contradiction to Ms Fu conveniently appeared on the Straits Times website 53 minutes later.

Mr Mah Bow Tan, entangled in a losing battle with the Workers' Party over his housing policies, was quoted at a press conference today claiming that housing is not a 'make or break' election issue.

HOUSING will not be a make-or-break issue in this year's general elections, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said on Sunday.

'There are so many other issues,' he told reporters at a press conference after a youth dialogue on the new Tampines Town Hub.

One wonders whether a finer example of how much PAP ministers are out of touch with ordinary Singaporeans can be found.

While several surveys have shown that cost of living is the top concern of voters, housing is certainly a red hot election issue, whatever Mr Mah would like to believe. The rapid escalation of once affordable prices to astronomical levels is a huge failure that is the responsibility of the minister.

He was further quoted in a CNA article saying:

Mr Mah said the opposition party's proposals would devalue the assets of a million HDB home owners.

He added that those ill-conceived suggestions would distort the market.

Mr Mah said the Workers' Party avoids answering the questions directly when the very serious flaws in its proposals are exposed.

He pointed out that the government understands Singaporeans' concerns about the recent rise in prices, and is committed to ensuring that housing remains affordable for present and future generations

Really, he says housing is not a make or break issue, yet the government 'understands' our concerns?

Mr Mah has not offered any concrete rebuttal, instead relying on emotive rhetoric like how Dr Ng Eng Hen called the WP's proposals 'dangerous', 'wrong' and 'time bombs' during the 2006 election.

If Mr Mah really believes his own words, why is he constantly attacking the WP's proposals as 'irresponsible', 'ill-conceived' and 'dangerous'? An awful lot of effort for a 'minor issue'.

While the WP has been robustly defending its manifesto, all he can come up with are personal attacks on the loyalty of the WP to Singapore's welfare.

In a detailed four-page statement he issued on Sunday, he reiterated that the WP's suggestion to reduce new flat prices would 'distort the market and destroy the value of the million flats owned by Singaporeans today'.

'Despite WP's denial, it's proposal to lower flat prices by paying less for land will constitute a draw on reserves,' he added.

Mr Mah also described Workers' Party leader Low Thia Khiang as 'mischievous' for alleging that the Government has been guilty of taking from Singapore's reserves for years.

His continued rejection of criticism just enlarges the disconnect between the PAP and Singaporeans who are struggling to pay off housing loans, applying in vain for HDB flats and unable to get rental flats which are somehow available for foreigners to rent.

Ms Fu should just stop talking nonsense. Nobody will believe her, just like nobody believed George Yeo when he argued the same point. The PAP had long since lost its moral compass and it shows, clear as crystal.

GE D-Day: 7 May

It's time to do what's right for Singapore.