Sugar Coating of New PAP Candidates Part I - What questions would you like to ask them most?

Introducing the first 3 new candidates from the PAP, DPM Teo Chee Hean said they “represent Singaporeans and have lived the Singapore story”. [PAP introduces first batch of new faces; 22 Mar 2011 – TODAY]. What does this really mean? Do they represent Singapreans and lived the Singapore story or the PAP's own self-centred story?

Among the 3 new faces, 2 are the sons of former Opposition members. Beneath all the sugar coating demonstrated by the PAP new candidates, what would you really want to ask them?

Here are my own questions for each of them. What about you?

Mr Ong Ye Kung

The son of a former Barisan Sosialis MP, he said; “We are living in momentous times, with major forces changing the world we are in. I will try my best to play a part, however small, to shape Singapore’s future.” [It was an offer he could not refuse; 22 Mar 2011 – TODAY].

It was also reported in Mypaper 22 Mar 2011 on why he changed his mind on the IRs. He said: “I told the PM I was against the IRs. But after visiting some resorts, I was surprised they weren’t just casinos and had different facilities that could create many jobs. Considering the long-term benefits, I decided to support the PM on the IRs.”

But considering long-term adverse social ills from the IRs, perhaps we should get his long term views on this "true test of our social fabric" (My Blog Posting - 21 Mar 2011) since he seems to share same views of our PM, not forgeting PM Lee also has long-term plans to go 'nuclear" as alternative energy.

Dr Janil Puthucheary

The son of a PAP founding member and defector to Barisan Sosialis - was borned in Malaysia and came to Singapore in 2001, and took up citizenship only in 2008 at the age of 36. He broke a promise to his wife in entering politics and said, “The question is not where we come from. It’s who will be prepared to stay and fight … I’m that person. I am staying and fighting. I’m fully invested.” [He broke a promise to his wife in entering politics; 22 Mar 2011 – TODAY].

His father was among those detained under the ISA in 1963 and was exiled from Singapore until 1990. Considering his background, perhaps we would like to see the true depth to his logics for “contemplating a path of conflict”. While his father had “defected” from the PAP to Barisan Sosialis, and then stayed in exile from Singapore until 1990, Dr Puthucheary had “defected” from his country of natural birth which he had chosen not to ‘stay and fight’ on. What is it that he could not ‘invest’ on in his country of natural birth to contemplate this “path of conflict”?

DPM Teo Chee Hean said these PAP candidates “represent Singaporeans and have lived the Singapore story”, but in what ways; although Dr Puthucheary might have saved a few lives in his profession? Are we on the retrograde path back to Singaporean ‘quitters’? Imagine the average Singaporean male voter had fully invested at least 2 years on NSF and another 13 years in Reservist training cycles. Perhaps Dr Puthucheary would like to clarify what he had “fully invested” in Singapore. It would be honourable if he had taken this new route so as to avoid a 'collapsible' course similar to that in Dr Susan Lim’s case.

For someone who has never served National Service, it is hard to imagine the real feeling of a Singaporean who does. Imagine in an extreme real battle condition, the feeling could be as bad but true as if in the shoes of this accidental nuclear samurai  in The Fukushima Fifty when the top leaders go MIA or KIA. I wonder if he has even been put through a week of crashed course in our army's National Education programme. So what has he "fully invested" ?. Certainly not his youth for National Service.

DPM Wong Kan Seng said during the introduction of the second batch of PAP new faces, "But what is this election about? Is it about the interests and ambitions of political parties and individual interest to create a legacy and make history? That is what voters should ask themselves." Obviously, Mr Wong forgot about his young new comrade Dr Puthucheary and made him an instant 'accidental political samurai' even if Dr Puthucheary may not die under 'friendly fire' but may grace through under the 'support fire' of our GRC system.

If the first batch of new PAP candidates announced were not about the  "the interests and ambitions of political parties and individual interest to create a legacy and make history", what else is? Imagine DPM Wong is our Co-ordinating Minister for National Security and he could not even coordinate with his fellow DPM Teo Chee Hean who is also the Minister for Defence in their Election strategy to introduce the new PAP candidates.

No wonder Mas Selamat could escape without 'all round defence' just because another Minister had not served National Service. I pray he would not escape again to return and work under disguise as a 'nuclear samurai' in future nuclear power stations to be built under PM Lee and the new cabinet, like the amateur Tobacco Farmer in The Fukushima Fifty.

What has Dr Puthucheary "fully invested" that he is "staying and fighting" ?


Mr Desmond Choo

At age 33; he must be the chosen in PAP’s long-term strategy to re-capture Hougang SMC due to his young age. Current WP MP Low had admitted that there is a need for political renewal even in the opposition camp. [Leadership renewal comes under the spotlight; 21 Mar 2011 – TODAY].

Mr Choo has chosen the PAP political route to alleviate himself from further “poverty”. The poverty trap is not for him. For the average poor Singaporeans, it concerns their daily upkeep with ever-rising cost of living. [“How the Poor cope with rising food prices in Singapore; 8 Mar 2011 - Diary of A Singaporean Mind and “Bring back medical fee guidelines”; 22 Mar 2011 – TODAY]. Perhaps, he should tell the voters in what ways he would provide for the poor, so as to answer his senior comrade Dr Vivian Balakrishnan’s multiple choice question on food choices – hawker centre, food-court or restaurant?

In contrast to these new PAP high-flying candidates, the Electorate must be amazed by how the “Old Guards” are campaigning. They are not sugar coating but had contemplated whether to burn more sugar.

The PAP veteran, MM Lee;  had chosen to 'burn less sugar' by touring to showcase the wetlands at Alexandra Canal as upgrading election “carrots” in a buggy [Tanjong Pagar GRC launches five-year masterplan; 19 Mar 2011 – CNA], while Chiam See Tong had chosen to  burn more sugar by climbing up a 30-step flight of stairs in an anticipated fight for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC. [Chiam all geared up for GRC fight; 21 Mar 2011 – ST Online].

I hope to hear your own questions for these PAP new faces.

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