“life will be better in spring”

January 2011 February 2011 March 2011 April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 August 2011 September 2011 January 2012 February 2012 July 2012 September 2012 December 2012 June 2013

for one i have to really say.. elections and exams dont go well together. when you are battling for time to study, the last thing that u really want is waste time on stuffs other than studying which ensures you better grades and (hopefully) a better future. however, precisely the fact that this elections holds out more stakes than the previous one, and that the competition the PAP are facing are increasingly stronger and harder to ignore, its why i guess many apathetic youths in Singapore are coming out of their nutshells to be more concerned about the political situation now.

like many Singaporeans, I too am a first time voter. But, i can be counted as lucky. I am only 23 this year but in my maiden election, i am given a chance to choose who to vote for. looking back at the location that i called home for the past 15 years, i clearly remember 2001 election being contested by Dr Chee's Singapore Democratic Party (SDP). however, the following year, my GRC was being walked over.

let's not look to the past for answers. these past 5 years, there has been many changes around the world. it seems that change is the only consistent thing now. America voted for their first black president to help bring them out of recession. In Middle East, a fruit seller sparked off deadly riots for freedom against oppression. And now, this wind of change has been blown to Singapore and are fanning fires of people who are not happy with how things are right now.

Honestly speaking, has this past 5 years been good for you? I know it wasn't for me and my family. In the past, I used to be able to call my family a middle-income class group. A family who can afford slightly more than average living. However, in the past 5 years, I have seen how my dad's business suffered, how we as a family have to cut down on expenses. With every hike in GST, transport fees, utility bills and cost of daily necessities, I would see how my parents furrow their brows to think of new ways to cut expenditure and make do with our ever tightening pockets. Do the MPs in my GRC know that? Or do they think that for a family who lives in a 5-room HDB, they must be doing fairly well so we do not need to think about their troubles?

In the past 5 years from the 2006 elections till now, I have not once seen my MP at all. Now with the polling day being 7th May 2011, they seem to appear out of nowhere and saying hi to the residents. Let's be fair, the opposition contesting my GRC too are nowhere to be found until recently.  But is it fair of the ruling party then to say that the opposition does nothing when they themselves are not doing anything too? But one might argue back saying that the MPs have monthly meet-the-people sessions. ok. How many can they meet in a month? Are those people who they meet the same few people who consistently need their help? What about the rest of the residents who do not meet them?? Are they not in their radar of concern too?

There used to be a lot of respect reserved for the ruling party. However, in the past few years, this respect has been slowly lost. Trickled away, to be collected by the oppositions. Many more Singaporeans are getting dissatisfied with the kind of leadership and policies implemented by the ruling party. However, there is still respect for the PAP of yore. The people who committed themselves in ensuring that the people of Singapore are not getting short changed by the government. Yes, PAP continue to ask voters to 'vote wisely' and that 'PAP has a track record'. However, that is the past. The current candidates being fielded are at times not of calibre to be standing in the parliament (look at Tin Pei Ling!). No one is saying that the PAP of yore wasn't good. Its the current PAP that makes people shiver and rethink about voting for them.

In the past five years, real wage has only increased by 1.1-1.2% per annum, while inflation has risen by 10 times the amount. This clearly shows that the real wage increment was outstripped by the rising cost of living. Was there anything done by the government other than handing out that once-in-a-year-few-hundred-dollars growth and share package? Will that few hundred dollars make much difference when it is going back into the government coffers through means of goods and service tax (GST)?? The current GST is 7% now. which means for every $100, $7 goes to the government. Thus, if u are getting a $600 growth and share package, $42 goes back to the government. So then, is the package then good enough for you? Or do you want to fight for more? Each year they government claims that they are able to get surpluses. Despite the bleak economic forecast, they were able to increase their surplus year after year. One can then safely conclude that Singapore is a very rich country. Then why is it that I see people struggling to pay utility bills, daily living expenses and even healthcare services??

In a recent interview with Mah Bow Tan, he claimed that housing prices are affordable to Singaporeans and are made even more so to first time home owners. I asked my dad how much the current house was being bought. Although he didn't quite remember the amount, he told me that he is still paying for the flat in installments. 15 years. I have lived there for 15 years. There is still about $100k more to pay for. So how long more do my dad have to slog to pay off the house? He is already in his 50s. How long more can he work? The current price of a 4-room flat can range from anything between $400k to $550k. The price might still inflate further in the next 5 years. In that case, how will I be able to afford my own house then? Am I to be my house's slave for the rest of my life? It's really unfair after having to slog so hard to pay off my debt, after 99 years (or 1.5 generation living in the house), the flat would belong to the government once more.

PM Lee said that Singapore has to be reliant on foreigners and that it would be beneficial to Singaporeans as these foreigners can help create jobs too. However, it has been shown that in the past year alone, 60% of the jobs created went to foreigners instead of locals. Singapore being land scarce and quite squeezed up have 1.3million foreigners compared to 3.5million locals. Already living in such a condition has resulted in difficulties appearing in the transport system. Yet, PAP has paid no heed and said we need to import in a further 1.8million foreigners. Hands up those of you who travel by PUBLIC TRANSPORT to and from school or work everyday during the peak hours. You know the madness of trying to squeeze onto the train or bus so that you are not late and having to face the terrible traffic jams in the peak hours. Let's take it that half the foreigners will drive and half take the public transport. So now you have an additional 0.9 million people vying with you to get on the bus/train to get to work on time or get back home. Not a pretty sight. And add on to that, an additional 0.9 million cars to add to the already quite jammed up traffic. Are you willing to vote for that??

This election is all about choice. Choices that we as Singaporeans make to let our voices be heard. I ask myself. Am I willing to let the ruling party run amok unchecked, or do I want a co-driver to be there to help keep them in place? This May I make my stand. I plead that those of you who are apathetic to not spoil your votes. However, if your future were to be destroyed by the influx of foreigners and skyrocketing costs of living, will you still be living in apathy to what is surrounding you and continue to drown out those voices that instigate change for the better?? I also heard many a times, parents asking their child to vote for the ruling party saying that if u were to vote for the opposition, your future will be destroyed. Compare a destroyed future with one that is bleak. What difference then will it make? I read on facebook, a certain 22 year-old written: "What am I voting for? What are you voting for?" I vote for change. I vote for the voice to stand against policies that do not protect the citizens. And I vote for the right to have a say in how my country should be governed. Not the oppression felt whenever there is an election around the corner, for fear of being sued for defamation, sued to bankruptcy and detained for disturbing the "peace" in my country. Now the question is thrown at you.

WHAT WILL YOU STAND FOR THIS COMING 7TH MAY?