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Wednesday, 06 August 2008

Singapore Democrats



If a picture is worth a thousand words, this one writes a library.

It tells the story of the political elite glorifying themselves in ever larger-than-life images while they see not the toil of little Singaporeans.

The National Day billboard, placed strategically at the busiest junctions in Toa Payoh, symbolises all that is decadent about Singapore. While Mr Wong Kan Seng and colleagues live lives cocooned in their own opulent world, ordinary Singaporeans grind out an existence devoid of hope and security.

Yet, in cruel mockery, these rulers beckon tired and desperate souls to join them in “celebrating the Singapore Spirit.”

The story is always about them, never the people. The PAP takes front and centre in everything Singaporean with the lumpen masses, to use the words of our Minister Mentor, filling up the backdrop.

Notice how on the billboard ordinary folks are packed into the little corner on the bottom left while Mr Wong and colleagues beam in resplendent colour. In fact, the poor guy with the beard just about manages to squeeze into the picture (photo, below left).

Meanwhile in the faded, little corner...Notice also how the colour for these people is faded. But of course. We can't have them stand out and draw attention away from their rulers, can we? And just to be doubly sure, the pictures of the MPs are placed in front of the backdrop so that their images standout even more (see photo, bottom right).

How much more of the people's money (yes, including that of the bedraggled man pushing the cart) was spent in this vanity campaign?

Happy National Day? Thanks, but no thanks. We're not in the mood. Not when the occasion is hijacked by the few in the ruling party.

Tellingly, Singaporeans are not bothered to fly the national flag. The few flags that are see fluttering are, more often than not, put up by Residents Committee members.

What sort of nation have we become when our youths have no loyalty and our talented are leaving by the thousands?

Propping them upYes, the system has grown rich. But whom has that wealth benefited? Our elderly cannot retire, a 15-year-old boy commits suicide after the police stops him from begging, a man, out of financial desperation, jumps in front of an oncoming MRT train, and a mother is forced to live with her daughter on the void-deck because she cannot afford HDB's rent.

In the meantime Mr Wong Kan Seng rakes in $10,000 a day as salary. This amount is, of course, independent of portfolio foul-ups.

And how have our riches come about? We let in foreign “talent” that fill the lorongs of Geylang (and are creeping into the housing estates), we make our banking laws so secret that we've become a money-laundering hub, we open our doors to notorious dictators for shopping and medical treatment, and we build casinos to attract yet more cash, clean or otherwise.

This is a Government that has lost its moral compass. It is a Government that has betrayed the people of Singapore. Singaporeans fought for an independent and free nation. What we've ended up with is a money-laundering, vice-promoting political joke.

Singaporeans, let us stop the rot.

Let us not continue to look the other way for our children will inherit our negligence.

Let us accept our duty and responsibility as citizens of this country.

Let us do something meaningful this National Day.

Shake off your apathy and fear. Do something. Do anything. Just don't look away any longer.

We will be at Toa Payoh Central on August 9 for a walkabout and to distribute Tak Boleh Tahan! flyers. It's the perfect opportunity for you to do something for our society. Won't you join us? We'll keep a TBT t-shirt for you.

Happy National Day? Yes, one day in the not-too-distant future we will celebrate. In the meantime soldier on with us. There is a battle to be won.

Date: National Day, Saturday
Time: 12 noon - 3 pm
Place: Toa Payoh Central, Blk 190 (outside the KFC restaurant)
Activity: Distributing flyers and walkabout
Dress: Tak Boleh Tahan! t-shirt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



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C J  -  There's Shit, under the Icings    Wed, 06 Aug 2008 7:35 pm
Without SDP's pointing out these self-glorifying banners & larger than life pictorials of these so called 'rulers', 'leader', my stomach churns everytime I pass and see one glaring brightly along busy roads & byways. Their plastic smiles & cliched portraiture poses only served to further infuriate me DEEPLY.

SO, every National Day, I always avert my eyes away from such self-gratifying visual displays in public places and along roads. I don't want to see any of them. Apart from infuriating me, they may even kill me by agravating my gastritis!

I have one phrase for this National Day 2008: ".... ooooohhh.. I HATE THEM! Please go and die!"
Anonymous  -     Wed, 06 Aug 2008 8:41 pm
Happy PAP Day, to Mike, Victor and clones/clowns.
Michael Chan  -  Dearth of national flags everywhere!    Wed, 06 Aug 2008 8:44 pm
Yes indeed. This afternoon at abt 3pm I took a bus all the way from AMK thru Bishan thru Serangoon central through Hougang South and finally thru the whole stretch of Pasir Ris HDB estate b4 reaching T3 of Changi Airport where I had tea with a friend.It's very true...it's worst than last year.Practically for every HDB block I past by, I could count the no of flags on the fingers of one hand.Many blks did not even have 1 solitary flag.
The few blks that have >10 flags were invariably blks that housed the RC or CCC offices.
Sadly I think that S'poreans are not in any mood to celebrate the NDay this year due to the high inflation making it difficult to make ends meet.
Furthermore, the PAP Ministers just increased their salaries upwards the 3rd time in feb2008 making a total of 24% increase. (eg WKS's salary jacked up from $180,000 pm to $225,000 pm now. This notwithstanding his comedy of errors at the WRDC where MSK chabotted, the courts where 2 prisoners almost escaped and the Budget Terminal where an uncle was able to fly off using his nephew's pport)
And what did they give the rest of S'poreans to ease their conscience? Crumbs in the form of workfare payouts (Abt $225 every 3 mths but ending in Oct08).
How long more will the people tolerate the GREED and cruelty of the PAP Govt causing this widening gap betw them and us? Let us hope the next GE will come in 2010 or even earlier.We will show them what people-power is all about as did our neighbour upnorth on 8Mar08.
Low Fuk Seng  -  How much this hoarding worth ??    Wed, 06 Aug 2008 8:48 pm
During National day celebrations, you people will see these unsightly billboards along the roadside displaying the Baboons and Monkeys.

Does National day links to these animals ??? Is sinkapore in the mood of election's hustings?

One such hoarding with floodlights(300 watts)would easily costs thousands of dollars depending the colors and materials used.

From designing to erectting the hoarding, the job is usually undertaken by signcraft company or Adverstising companies. Cost will be even higher if they use Ad companies becos Ad company must sublet the task.

I think it is the CCC or RC people who get these things done.

I hope some signcraft company or ad companies would illuminate the sinkaporeans how and where their invoices are sent to in order to get their payment.

These Hoardings seem very personal as it depicts PAP candidates, how are they link to the national day?

is good to know who pay for these hoardings around the island.
Tan Tai Wei  -     Wed, 06 Aug 2008 9:03 pm
It's, once again, electioneering for the ruling party, while their "rule of law" rules this out for other parties until some 10 days before polling day!

And who paid for such election posters? The town councils, using tax payers' money allocated for GRCs' managing?

And then, where we will, again, clench our fists against our hearts to vow to build a society "based on justice and equality", they, and only they, will appear, live this time, marching past holding a hundred PAP banners (not the national flag) before the entire nation, TV and otherwise, effectively carrying on the electioneering.
Anonymous  -     Wed, 06 Aug 2008 10:00 pm
My doggy Mike like to pee and shit at these signboards. Anyone know why ah?
Druid  -  Great Picture for Historical Inference!    Wed, 06 Aug 2008 10:04 pm
History of the elites
History of the squalid

Globalization at its best
To hell with the rest

Stayers in paradise
Quitters are mice

Happy Birthday Singapore
Give the best forever more!

We are Singapore, Singaporeans!
Carlson  -     Wed, 06 Aug 2008 10:18 pm
Quote:

"There is enough for everyone's need, but not enough for anybody's greed." -- Mahatma Gandhi

Extreme inequality is unsustainable. Elitists, happy PAP day, few words of caution for you:
水可载舟亦可覆舟
(Water carries the boat may also capsize it)
Simon  -     Wed, 06 Aug 2008 10:22 pm
You Hypocrite do not think that you will escape the judgement from God.

Luke 16: 19 to 25

19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:

20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

There is a Chinese Saying, 'Wicked things people do on Earth, God in Heaven will see'.
My interpretation is not so good. Can someone give me a better one?
Tan Tai Wei  -     Thu, 07 Aug 2008 7:44 am
Simon,

their answer to that parable has been that that beggar outside the gate would not have fallen crumbs from the rich man's table to pick had that rich man not been so rich.

So, make him even richer, so that bigger crumbs will fall.
SPOKE UP well against S'pore g  -  Keeping money for what???    Thu, 07 Aug 2008 8:26 am
The Nepalnese top Neuro Surgeon Dr Pant is one who SPOKE UP well indeed against the S'pore govt and SGH Drs:

'FINISH UP THE SHOW YOU STARTED" regarding the Nepal twins!

That should be the way- SGH custodian of the funds S$661,000 and yet holding back on post op treatment for the twin!

What logic?? All money minded suckers!

Lucky Dr Pant is educated and noted the loophole and incomplete job by our so called talented medical team?? If ordinary layman sure kena suckered by our govt team!

Now they are desperately calling the twin back for reconstructive surgery after everything is out in Public?

Keeping money for what???
JBJ's interview with Malaysia'  -  the atrocities of PAP and Lee Regime    Thu, 07 Aug 2008 9:10 am
[quote]Being in the opposition in Singapore all these years has cost you dearly and you even had to sell off your properties. Any regrets?

I did not have many properties but I had to sell a bungalow in a very fashionable area in Singapore to pay the judgement obtained by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew. Having sold that, three years later I bought a small apartment, and then I had to sell that too. All in, I had easily about 12 to 13 suits to pay off. Some people say I was a fool. All I can say is I do not regret it because, to me, life is not all about making money and acquiring wealth. Life is doing something for the people around you.[/
quote]

You were prohibited from active politics between 2001 and last year due to a defamation suit against you. How was it for you during this period?

I was angry, I suppose. The reason was obvious, as the reason for commencing bankruptcy procedures against me was to take me out of Parliament. I tried to resist but I did not succeed. As a bankrupt I was not allowed to leave the country without getting permission from the official assignee. Even to come to Johor Baru over the weekends, I had to make an application. So there was a complete restriction on my travel. Apart from that, there were all the other little things, like you cannot have a bank account when you are a bankrupt. I was not even allowed to assist other candidates in the elections. They said I was not to go anywhere near an election rally. I was not allowed to go and speak. I was not to go and even assist any candidate because they said that was election activity and as a bankrupt I cannot do that.


Are you not tired of being in politics since you started in 1971 with the Workers Party (WP)?

It is just my conviction that when things are wrong, and if there is anything I can do to put them right, then I should do that. I think every citizen should feel like that. It is a citizen's duty.

JBJ's interview with Malaysia's Star -
http://singaporeindianvoice.blogspot.com/
TROW THEM OUT PAPEE  -  SAYONARA NAT DAY    Thu, 07 Aug 2008 9:54 am
Quote:
As for PAP, time to bungkus (pack up)!


HAPPY DAY TO NATIONALS!
Uncle Ver Sg  -  Happy Holiday! 09/08    Thu, 07 Aug 2008 9:59 am
What to do when your FT boss wishes you a happy national day?

Give him/her the bird?
Meeko  -  who pay for these?    Thu, 07 Aug 2008 10:02 am
Low Fuk Seng wrote:

is good to know who pay for these hoardings around the island.


I am quite sure the town council will be more than happy to pick up the bill. Why not, is not their money, is ours!

That's why you see all the monkeys are smiling broadly.
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