Chan Jia Hui
DPM Teo Chee Hean gives support to PAP Hougang candidate Desmond Choo
When Goh Chok Tong was tasked by the PAP to help win back Hougang, the latter dangled a 100 million dollars upgrading carrot. We all knew what happened. It improved Low Thia Khiang’s winning margin.
Now, a certain Teo Chee Hean asked a question of the Workers’ Party (WP) though the intention as many observers may agree is to take a swipe at WP:” Is Hougang so special that the WP is sending you a candidate that the WP themselves decided not to sent to Parliament when they had a chance?” Teo questioned why WP did not send Png to the Parliament as a Non-constituency Member of the Parliament (NCMP), and further fuelled the debate with asking whether Png was indeed the best man.
It would probably be better for Teo to understand how the public perceives the NCMP position. To cut things short, an NCMP position isn’t necessarily looked upon highly by everyone – it is not even considered the real deal, not when you can’t vote on amendment of the constitution, public funds, express a vote of no confidence in the government, and removing the president from office. You are just an MP whose wings have been clipped. Although there will be people who salivate at the offer of an NCMP position, I am sure there are others who don’t give two hoots about it.
Teo meant this statement as an attack on Png, asking whether Png is WP’s best man. However, bringing up the NCMP issue may just undermine Desmond’s campaign. This is a different kettle of fish altogether from Goh’s carrot dangling. This is rather what we call “ridicule psychology”.
This happens in the sports field, the use of ridicule by a coach to instil a drive in his athletes to prove him wrong. For example, a coach telling his netball team that they won’t even make it past preliminary rounds. This inspired the girls to train harder, push themselves harder and psyche themselves up for the competition to prove him wrong.
Or a rival claiming that his competitor is of an average standard who lacks behind all other elite competitors in the sport. This form of ridicule psychology can spur the one being criticised to prove his critics wrong.
You see, the issue is not really about whether Png has what it takes to qualify as an NCMP. What Hougang and by its extension, its voters, are concerned with is whether Png can go one better than an NCMP and become a full MP.
Now, by questioning Png’s ability to be an NCMP, is Teo providing a form of “ridicule psychology” and giving the impetus to Hougang voters to prove him wrong and help the former achieve higher than an NCMP as a full MP? Goh suffered a setback with his carrot dangling, but this one, will probably give Hougang voters more motivation to vote in favour of WP. This is what ridicule psychology is all about, even though Teo doesn’t intend it to be that way.
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Photo courtesy of Channel News Asia
Another point. If Desmond Choo was so highly regarded, why didn’t PAP put him in a GRC where he’ll have 100% of entering Parliament? Rather, they placed him in Hougang, knowing very well that LTK was the incumbent MP (who only at the last minute surprised PAP by running for Aljunied), making him a sacrificial lamb.
Hi Jia Hui,
Png has just dug a deeper hole for himself:
1) Firstly, he said he doesn’t believe in and he opposes the NCMP scheme. But his WP did endorsed it and proposed Gerald Giam to be NCMP. So, he is not aligned with his WP’s position?
2) Secondly, in the by-election, he says he wants to be the alternative voice in Parliament for Singaporeans. He sure contradicted himself didn’t he? He could have cherished and taken up the NCMP position to speak up for us earlier. But he didn’t believe in seizing the opportunity to speak as a NCMP. Now he wants to be a MP and be our voice? Come on Png, you were not good enough then and you were not WP’s best choice. So, WP, don’t push your second best to the front for the Hougang residents.
3) Thirdly, Jia Hui, you said some may not give two hoots about the NCMP…but to WP, it seems they do care about using the NCMP scheme and let Gerald Giam take it up. So, does WP value or does not value the NCMP position? If they don’t believe in it, they should oppose it by not appointing anyone to take it up. Lots of contradiction isn’t it?
Further, LTK, Png, Sylvia, all opposed the NCMP scheme. But hey presto, WP took up not one, but two NCMP posts for Giam and Yee through a ballot! What does this say about WP?! The top WP honchos said they oppose the NCMP scheme and yet, as a party, the WP, they all decided to send Giam and Yee to be NCMPs? Come on, where is the logic? It is saying we all have principles, but in this case, we can close one eye, screw our principles! Also, let us understand why WP accepted two NCMP posts? It must be because WP wants more opposition voices in Parliament right? But Png decided he doesn’t buy the NCMP scheme…and thus decided not to take part in the ballot (tikam!?). This shows how not thirsty he is to seize the opportunity to speak up for Singaporeans. Because, if WP honchos can agree to accept the NCMP posts despite their personal beliefs, why can’t Png do the same for the greater good, i.e., speak up for Singaporeans in Parliament?
Kevin Tan,
If you are Low of opposition party, what will you do then ? The Sin gov has told the opp party that they will proceed with ncmp whether you like it or not, and given this no-choice circumstance, will you not give yourself a chance to use ncmp to provide voice ? Maintaining principle is good but the opp party will miss the opportunity to provide the voice if they don’t choose it, and it is exactly this situation that we singaporeans have to understand. As much as we rather have opp party not supporting ncmp, we have to accept that at least it provides a way to voice out under these choiceless circumstance. They don’t have to participate but the PAP will just happily fill all ncmp with sycophants anyway.
If you want to ask where is logic, may I ask where is the logic that 60% still supporting PAP, and that heaven has no eyes not punishing PAP for their abuse of power ?
Eventually someone has to take the position of NCMPs, and if opp party don’t, PAP will be even more happier filling them with their clowns to give more nonsensical remarks in parliament. So you have to pick the choice, the very hard choice and do the right thing.
只要青山在，不怕没柴烧！
There is nothing that opp party has let down Singaporeans, it is more that Singaporeans let down opp party by voting for PAP as these opp party members could have joined PAP against their conscience to advance their career.
this time PNG had it big time.. lying through his teeth and kena exposed. wondered how is WP going to cover their lies up this time. so many troubles within WP ever since last election. jialat jialat liao.
hougang kia,
if you call WP lying then what should you call PAP ? LOL …. you just need to chose a lesser devil … Should you choose a party that speak for you and nation, or should you want a party that confirm screw you 100%. Pick your choice …
AN OPEN LETTER TO HOUGANG RESIDENTS: VOTE FOR WORKERS PARTY TO HELP COMBAT INCEST IN OUR INCESTUOUS LEGAL SYSTEM!
This Saturday, all registered voters in Hougang will be going for your by-election. And I am sure many of you will be voting wisely. I have nothing against Mr Desmond Choo. To me, he certainly looks and sounds like a very good man. But I think having pondered on the difficult choice Hougang voters face—-whether to vote for Mr Png Eng Huat (WP) or Mr Choo (PAP), I feel it makes more sense for Hougang residents to vote once again for Workers Party.
Firstly, by doing so, Hougang resident’s will show the way for political maturity as Workers Party, under the able leadership of Mr Low Thia Khiang and his colleagues, have rightly earned our respect and confidence. They may not be perfect and are still be on their learning curves, which is wonderful. We all should. But they are sincerely keeping their eyes and ears open to the cries of our people as to how best to serve Hougang residents and our citizens well. So Workers Party deserves another round of support.
Secondly, Mr Low Thia Khiang and his colleagues have shown us the high moral standard they subscribe to, which I urge PAP ministers to join in to defend and uphold—even when it requires the sacking of their number three. There should be no cover-ups, as shown by their moral but painful resolve to forego their favourite MP Yaw, for his lack of moral accountability.
So he needed to step down as Hougang people had also not fallen for his material corruption some years ago. And I am game for a drawn-out legal battle in the High Court with him, if he so chooses. So how long can can this corrupt leader Goh Chok Tong continue to evade and hide from me?
But in fairness to PM Lee and DPM Teo, under their sincere, able and honest leadership, things have improved markedly and are still improving, and I thank them for the improvements and their sincerity. I also have the highest respect for our dear leader, our former PM and MM Lee Kuan Yew. May God give him many more good years!
So Hougang residents need to help Workers Party help our PAP government keep on the path of righteousness, as we need more voices and eyes to keep a check on the misfeasance of the PAP government, just as we need the PAP government to keep a check on Opposition figures too, so that we can all be reminded that our first priority is our patriotism to our country, and not be distracted and be gradually destroyed by the moral corruption that is still inherent in our system. Mr Png Eng Huat is on board for this matter. Is Mr Desmond Choo on board for this endeavour too—the moral jihad?
Lastly, PAP already has so many seats in Parliament; Workers Party should not be deprived of their stronghold in Hougang since the fault was in a man Yaw Shin Leong, not the sytemic corruption and/or incompetence of Workers Party MPs, something that we often see in the PAP government. But I am glad that PM Lee and his able DPM Teo CH and colleagues are doing their best to maintain the high standard of morality and competence, and I certainly want them to do more as there is still systemic corruption in the PAP government which has not been rooted out, in particular the incest in our legal system. So we will also need more Opposition MPs as well as PAP MPs to speak out what you will soon be reading from my accounts in cyberspace.
And soon, there will be more stringent laws enacted to protect our already powerful judges. I do not understand why there should be more protection for our incestuous and powerful judicial officers but not for innocent citizens like me. Such incestuous judicial officers should not be protected with stricter laws; they should be sent to jail, but are not. Why not?
Therefore, as sensible voters, please do not mindlessly penalise an innocent person or party for the right action they have taken to combat human wrongs and weaknesses in order to uphold a high moral standard. As the saying goes, self-correction is better than one imposed from outside. For this, I give high marks to Workers Party.
Bravo to Mr Low Thia Khiang and Workers Party! Vote for Mr Png Eng Huat. Give him a chance to be our voice in Parliament!!
May God bless our beloved Singapore! Majulah Singapura!!
cc – PM Lee Hsien Loong, DPM Teo Chee Hean, Mr Desmond Choo (through PM Lee and DPM Teo)
Teo Chee Hean is from SJI. We all know his school background…..