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09-08-2023, 06:31 AM
Today is National Day our 58th year as a nation. Yes, Happy Birthday Singapore.
In case you don't know, this year's slogan is
"Onward as One...."
This concept of one-ness, together-ness, seems to be a recurring theme. A long term vision of a country united as one. But the reality is the stratification has never been worse. The gap between us, the ordinary people and those who live in Ridout is bigger than ever before.
The leadership has gone on auto pilot pushing down policies with no understanding of the concerns of the people.
As soon as the pandemic was over, the PAP leadership was back to its old ways eagerly reviving its import of foreigners causing housing prices to spiral up. This resulted in inflation surging to historic highs biting the greying population whose goal is to save enough for retirement and cost of living is one of biggest concerns.
If being ONE and building an inclusive society is the vision what that the Singapore leadership done to take is towards the vision? Every year we see the inequalities expanding. The debate in parliament to argue the 2 ministers living on Ridout have technically done no wrong is painful to watch as leaders stood up to justify behaviour that takes us away from the vision.
Today, there is this pervasive sense of hopelessness. I really think the leadership of this country is lost and hopeless. Not only is there a lack of vision, the disconnect from the ground has never been worse.
All this is not unexpected. The concept of selecting and grooming leaders from class of elites inevitably leads to leaders who only good at answering to the top to move up and not to the people.
The problems faced by the people - high cost of living, CPF, housing woes, job insecurity, inequality - just gets worse every year.
Instead of putting effort into improving the lives of the people, the leadership is most energetic at going after critics and the opposition. We see frequent use of POFMA and defamation lawsuits. We see inquisition style interrogation of the opposition but never the same effort to improve the CPF to address the issue of retirement inadequacy, an issue that so many Singaporeans struggle with.
Our National Day slogan "Onward as One..." rings hollow unless Singaporeans put those words into action. Yes, the ruling elites have culled us with their fear tactics and forced us to take a path away from our collective vision. But it is up to us to overcome our fears and embody the aspirations in our pledge to build a Democratic Society based on Justice and Equality. Each of these, the ruling elites have attempted to erode. Inequality has become so pronounced today, our elderly poor have to struggle in menial jobs to survive in the world's most expensive city that caters to the global rich. Democracy too has been undermined. Implementation of POFMA to selectively curb free speech - it has only been used on criticism of the govt. Systematically shutting down alternative media and jailing of critics like Terry Xu brings about a climate of fear.
We have to put a stop to the rot and put this country back on the path towards our vision. We do not have the luxury of time and choice anymore as our hand is now forced into action. They are 2 elections coming- the PE and GE. We really need to make the right choices when we vote to get back on the right path.
In case you don't know, this year's slogan is
"Onward as One...."
This concept of one-ness, together-ness, seems to be a recurring theme. A long term vision of a country united as one. But the reality is the stratification has never been worse. The gap between us, the ordinary people and those who live in Ridout is bigger than ever before.
The leadership has gone on auto pilot pushing down policies with no understanding of the concerns of the people.
As soon as the pandemic was over, the PAP leadership was back to its old ways eagerly reviving its import of foreigners causing housing prices to spiral up. This resulted in inflation surging to historic highs biting the greying population whose goal is to save enough for retirement and cost of living is one of biggest concerns.
If being ONE and building an inclusive society is the vision what that the Singapore leadership done to take is towards the vision? Every year we see the inequalities expanding. The debate in parliament to argue the 2 ministers living on Ridout have technically done no wrong is painful to watch as leaders stood up to justify behaviour that takes us away from the vision.
Today, there is this pervasive sense of hopelessness. I really think the leadership of this country is lost and hopeless. Not only is there a lack of vision, the disconnect from the ground has never been worse.
All this is not unexpected. The concept of selecting and grooming leaders from class of elites inevitably leads to leaders who only good at answering to the top to move up and not to the people.
The problems faced by the people - high cost of living, CPF, housing woes, job insecurity, inequality - just gets worse every year.
Instead of putting effort into improving the lives of the people, the leadership is most energetic at going after critics and the opposition. We see frequent use of POFMA and defamation lawsuits. We see inquisition style interrogation of the opposition but never the same effort to improve the CPF to address the issue of retirement inadequacy, an issue that so many Singaporeans struggle with.
Our National Day slogan "Onward as One..." rings hollow unless Singaporeans put those words into action. Yes, the ruling elites have culled us with their fear tactics and forced us to take a path away from our collective vision. But it is up to us to overcome our fears and embody the aspirations in our pledge to build a Democratic Society based on Justice and Equality. Each of these, the ruling elites have attempted to erode. Inequality has become so pronounced today, our elderly poor have to struggle in menial jobs to survive in the world's most expensive city that caters to the global rich. Democracy too has been undermined. Implementation of POFMA to selectively curb free speech - it has only been used on criticism of the govt. Systematically shutting down alternative media and jailing of critics like Terry Xu brings about a climate of fear.
We have to put a stop to the rot and put this country back on the path towards our vision. We do not have the luxury of time and choice anymore as our hand is now forced into action. They are 2 elections coming- the PE and GE. We really need to make the right choices when we vote to get back on the right path.
I, being poor, have only my dreams; I have spread my dreams under your feet; Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.
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