Election "Cooling of Day" - Cool?
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Originally posted by whycannot:
Low Thia Kiang: “Cooling-off” period will give PAP an extra day of campaigning
Written by Our Correspondent
Opposition MP Mr Low Thia Kiang has slammed the “cooling-off” day proposed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong as a ploy to give the PAP an extra day of campaigning.
All mass rallies, door-to-door visits and the wearing of party logos and symbols will not be allowed on the day which is extended even to the internet though it is unclear on how the law will be enforced.
There is one exception: Political parties can still give their traditional TV broadcast on the eve and news reporting on the election will continue as before.
The ruling party controls the only news agency in Singapore – SPH as well as broadcasting station Mediacorp which is owned by Temasek Holdings.
The Singapore media is ranked a pathetic 133rd position in terms of press freedom on the World Press Freedom index conducted yearly by respected international NGO Reporters without Borders.
The late Singapore Chief Minister Mr David Marshall once described the Straits Times as the “running dogs and prostitutes of the PAP”.
The Chairman of SPH is Dr Tony Tan, a former PAP minister. A number of PAP MPs are previously SPH journalists including Irene Ng and Seng Han Tong. It was rumored that some of the Straits Times’ senior correspondents are former ISD officiers such as the Chua sisters.
Mr Low feared that the “cooling-off” day will be used by the PAP to sway public sentiments towards its side.
“For instance, if opposition parties campaign on issues of health care and public housing policy and managed to get the message across to the voters, the government department or relevant civil servants can always come out on the day of the cooling period with some announcement of policy changes or explanation to counter what opposition parties said during the campaign period, in an attempt to sway public opinion. The mass media can also run a ’story’ for the same effect without the need for any PAP candidate to appear,” he said.
Mr Yeo Guat Kwang, PAP MP for Aljunied GRC, which was fiercely contested in the 2006 polls, said the mass media had been fair and balanced in its election coverage.
During the 2006 elections, the mass media was used by the PAP to character assassinate the Workers’ Party candidate James Gomez over a trivial incident. Previous victims of the media’s smear campaign includes J.B. Jeyaretnam, Dr Chee Soon Juan, Tang Liang Hong, Jufrie Mahmood and Francis Seow.
The state media is known to portray PAP candidates in a positive light while casting aspersions on the characters of opposition candidates.
Mr Low also said PM Lee’s concerns over public disorder is an ‘over-imagination’, noting that assigning each party a stadium for their supporters to gather prevents such potential problems.
But Mr Ong Kian Min, PAP MP for Tampines GRC, argues that the long-running political strife in Thailand shows Singapore cannot take for granted the calm it has seen in recent elections.
Unlike their neighbors, politics is a low-key affair in Singapore and few Singaporeans are so passionate about politics to create “trouble” during the campaign. Besides, the police which is omnipresent at all the rallies should have taken active measures to maintain public order and security without a need for the “cooling-off” day.
Not known to leaving things to chance, the “cooling-off” day is probably one of the many new rules introduced to counter the rising influence of the new media in order to ensure the PAP’s continued political hegemony in Singapore.
Singaporeans should expect more “interesting” changes to pop up soon as the election approaches under the guise of “benefitting” the voters.
can you see the reasoning they give? I think they can't even believe in their excuses themselves. -
I believe there is something up their sleeves when they make this decision. PAP will never do anything that will not benefit themselves.
"Suka suka" - normally election is held once in 4 to 5 years, this time they arrange it to be 6 years after the last election. hahaha, perhaps they have done some risk calculations and know that next year may not be a good year for them to win. Afterall they are not putting in their utmost effort during this worst global recession to help Singaporeans cope, instead they keep increasing charges to add on financial burden for the people.
Was watching the news on TV. Sylvia Lim was interviewed on this topic. Unfortunately, Mediacorpse did not show the full reponse from Sylvia, they cut her off. Well, if Sylvia is a PAP member she will not treated such. Mediacorpse is practising double standard. Pity our oppositions in Singapore, they have to work with limitations, unfair treatment from the ruling party.
lhl, the sicko was smiling when he talked about not letting public knows the date of the election. This is the one and only country whose politicians are so damn bloody hush hush about election date. A leopard never changes its spots. "Jiang shan yi gai ben xing nan yi".
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Originally posted by Fantagf:
I believe there is something up their sleeves when they make this decision. PAP will never do anything that will not benefit themselves.
"Suka suka" - normally election is held once in 4 to 5 years, this time they arrange it to be 6 years after the last election. hahaha, perhaps they have done some risk calculations and know that next year may not be a good year for them to win. Afterall they are not putting in their utmost effort during this worst global recession to help Singaporeans cope, instead they keep increasing charges to add on financial burden for the people.
Was watching the news on TV. Sylvia Lim was interviewed on this topic. Unfortunately, Mediacorpse did not show the full reponse from Sylvia, they cut her off. Well, if Sylvia is a PAP member she will not treated such. Mediacorpse is practising double standard. Pity our oppositions in Singapore, they have to work with limitations, unfair treatment from the ruling party.
lhl, the sicko was smiling when he talked about not letting public knows the date of the election. This is the one and only country whose politicians are so damn bloody hush hush about election date. A leopard never changes its spots. "Jiang shan yi gai ben xing nan yi".
'I believe there is something up their sleeves when they make this decision.'
I wouldn't put much hope in their acts either. From what I have seen thus far, amidst their main priorities to do "good" for the citizens, there's always a agenda hidden within their sleeves which only serve their masterplan.
'this time they arrange it to be 6 years after the last election.'
And that's just one classic example of how they can tweaked the system to their own whim. Talk about democracy in "sg context" when the rules have been thrown out of the windows, and the common folks resigned to the fates of the legislative changes.
'Mediacorpse did not show the full reponse from Sylvia'
Fixing the opposition - this was one of the phrase coined by lhl taken from one of his key speech addressed to the public. Mercilessly, they acted without remorse on their part, not to mention the infamous ISD event. Enough said.
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Originally posted by Alp:
'I believe there is something up their sleeves when they make this decision.'
I wouldn't put much hope in their acts either. From what I have seen thus far, amidst their main priorities to do "good" for the citizens, there's always a agenda hidden within their sleeves which only serve their masterplan.
'this time they arrange it to be 6 years after the last election.'
And that's just one classic example of how they can tweaked the system to their own whim. Talk about democracy in "sg context" when the rules have been thrown out of the windows, and the common folks resigned to the fates of the legislative changes.
'Mediacorpse did not show the full reponse from Sylvia'
Fixing the opposition - this was one of the phrase coined by lhl taken from one of his key speech addressed to the public. Mercilessly, they acted without remorse on their part, not to mention the infamous ISD event. Enough said.
The people of Singapore and oppositions are so oppressed by the despots.
I sincerely hope there will be continuous drop in their winning percentage in the next election.
ya, he said that but after that he said something to cover his ass.
We have to remind people that we need politicians who are solely interested to serve the public and not act as businessmen to suck us dry.
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Originally posted by deepak.c:
This means less 1 day of campaigning for the opposition, if I were him I would suggest a 2-3 day cooling off period.
Elections are by surprised, they don't give opposition any time to prepare, then they shorten the days.
Smart move.
Reasonable assessment.
I've yet the chance to vote either, walkover districts and whatnots.
Quite frankly, I'll take a free and fair election anytime over 1 or 3 days worth of cooling off before polling day.
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Proposed cooling-off period designed to benefit PAP
Tuesday, 01 December 2009
Singapore Democrats
In
its continuing attempt to manipulate the already opaque and unfair
electoral process, the People’s Action Party has come up with yet
another move called the “cooling off period” to handicap the opposition
even more.
Based on news reports, this cooling-off period outlaws rallies, door-to-door visits and wearing of party badges and symbols on the eve of polling.
Not surprisingly, it does not apply to party political broadcasts and news reports. This is because the media is controlled by the PAP and will give the ruling party more opprtunity to disseminate its news while the opposition has no such means.
Such a move is clearly designed to further disadvantage the opposition.
If the PAP really wants a cooling-off period all party political broadcasts and news reports should also be banned during this time.
Direct communication through rallies and groundwork have been opposition's mode of reaching out to voters. Eve-of- polling rallies have remained crucial to the opposition because of the media's negative spin of news against the opposition.
Besides, elections in Singapore are already devoid of any heat. Any more cooling and the elections will go into deep freeze, sending voters into hibernation.
For these reasons, the SDP opposes the proposed cooling-off period and wants to see a genuine electoral process that would include:- an independent elections commission to run and oversee elections, not the current set-up controlled by the Prime Minister’s Office,
- a free and pluralistic media that report fairly on all contesting parties,
- enough time (at least 3 weeks) for campaigning.
Without these changes and as long as the rules and regulations continue to be changed to benefit the PAP, elections in Singapore will remain a charade staged by the ruling party to hoodwink the people once every four or five years.
Gandhi Ambalam
Chairman
Singapore Democratic Party -
Actually election dates should be fixed, not up to the whims and fancies of any person. Of course, that is a fair electoral process, but then in Singapore it's never fair.
Can you imagine the consequence MOE calls a surprise exam for your A and O levels exam?
Singapore's electoral process is constructed to suit the power mongers.
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Robert Ho alleges that Lee Kuan Yew rigged 1963 Elections
In the 1963 GE, LIE KY cheated again. The Barisan was leading by a landslide in the counting, in 30 constituencies out of the 50. Then, PM LIE KY caused an electricity ‘blackout’ around the City Hall counting centre, ordered everyone out, and changed the votes. After 6 hours, when electricity was ‘restored’, LIE ‘won’ by a landslide. Go to the National Library and check the microfilms of all the Chinese and English newspapers then...
http://i-came-i-saw-i-solved-it.blogspot.com/2009/06/rh-on-lky-lhl-wks-cheating-elections.html
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Originally posted by Fantagf:
I believe there is something up their sleeves when they make this decision. PAP will never do anything that will not benefit themselves.
"Suka suka" - normally election is held once in 4 to 5 years, this time they arrange it to be 6 years after the last election. hahaha, perhaps they have done some risk calculations and know that next year may not be a good year for them to win. Afterall they are not putting in their utmost effort during this worst global recession to help Singaporeans cope, instead they keep increasing charges to add on financial burden for the people.
Was watching the news on TV. Sylvia Lim was interviewed on this topic. Unfortunately, Mediacorpse did not show the full reponse from Sylvia, they cut her off. Well, if Sylvia is a PAP member she will not treated such. Mediacorpse is practising double standard. Pity our oppositions in Singapore, they have to work with limitations, unfair treatment from the ruling party.
lhl, the sicko was smiling when he talked about not letting public knows the date of the election. This is the one and only country whose politicians are so damn bloody hush hush about election date. A leopard never changes its spots. "Jiang shan yi gai ben xing nan yi".
MediaCorp is state owned, I don't expect objective reporting from them.
For example, during 2006 GE, how often do u see the camera pointed towards a crowded WP rally, or any other rally by opposition parties on TV?
Journalists reporting on the site of opposition parties almost always stand before rundown kopitiams with drunks in the background, while those reporting on site of PAP almost always report before an uplifting environment. It could be a blatant attempt at swaying public confidence, could simply be coincidence. Who knows?
You'll have to know those who work in the news and current affairs dept for MediaCorp to know what exactly it is they do.
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Originally posted by heathers:
It could be a blatant attempt at swaying public confidence, could simply be coincidence. Who knows?
What do you mean by "could be"?
The entire mainstream media in Singapore is controlled by PAP govt to BRAINWASH Singaporeans.
This is a fact.
There is no "could be" or "who knows?"
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What are you, the thought police?
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Originally posted by Fantagf:
The people of Singapore and oppositions are so oppressed by the despots.
I sincerely hope there will be continuous drop in their winning percentage in the next election.
ya, he said that but after that he said something to cover his ass.
We have to remind people that we need politicians who are solely interested to serve the public and not act as businessmen to suck us dry.
Seriously speaking, whatever they are doing right now isn't helping the citizens on the common ground. It's doing more harm than good. And, I believed they know it as well. Those past events that happened irreversibly have become one of the biggest scandals in sg history. It's a sad thing to hear how many people do actually know and care about it.
Precisely, we need politicians who are sincere to serve on the ground without any form of prejudice, not a jumbo pay check delivered on golden wheels to justify their committment to serve.
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Originally posted by heathers:
What are you, the thought police?
You seemed to be doubtful of role of state media, so I wanted to make things clearer.
State media is used as a propaganda tool by PAP govt to sell whatever policies they have, praise themselves, cover up their bullshit and to attack their critics.
This is a complete and total fact.
On this issue we must be clear, we cannot afford to have any sort of doubts about state media in Singapore.
It's role is to serve the interests of PAP govt.
It won't do anything that harms PAP govt.
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Wait they use it as an excuse to disqualify opposition candidates.
Maybe on that day, one candidate eating at the kopitiam suddenly talk about politics with the kopitiam owner and he gets kicked out of the election.
Or a candidate forgots to take off his party logo T shirt and goes downstairs to buy bread and then he also gets disqualified.
Remember, one person standing alone doing nothing can also be considered as illegal assembly.
Go figure.
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Originally posted by angel3070:
You seemed to be doubtful of role of state media, so I wanted to make things clearer.
State media is used as a propaganda tool by PAP govt to sell whatever policies they have, praise themselves, cover up their bullshit and to attack their critics.
This is a complete and total fact.
On this issue we must be clear, we cannot afford to have any sort of doubts about state media in Singapore.
It's role is to serve the interests of PAP govt.
It won't do anything that harms PAP govt.
This is scary. Why the sudden interest in what my ideas about the state media.
I don't have to subscribe to what you assume is fact, do I? Likewise I don't have to believe everything I'm told on TV too. Do you speak for the opposition? Will I be subjected to the same treatment if you have my vote?
Cmon!
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Originally posted by heathers:
I don't have to subscribe to what you assume is fact, do I?
I only state facts about our state media. I don't think that what I have stated is incorrect. Do you think it is inaccurate?
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SDP opposes “cooling-off” day and calls for a genuine electoral process
Written by Our Correspondent
The Singapore Democratic Party has lambasted the “cooling-off” day proposed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong as another attempt to “manipulate the already opaque and unfair electoral process” in order to “handicap” the opposition.
The move was announced yesterday by PM Lee and would be introduced in the next general election due by 2012.
All mass rallies, door-to-door visits and public display of party symbols will be banned on the eve of polling day while the mainstream media is permitted to carry news on the election.
SDP Chairman Gandhi Ambalam felt that this “will give the ruling party more opprtunity to disseminate its news while the opposition has no such means.”
He challenged the PAP to ban all political party broadcasts and news reports on polling day itself.
SDP also calls for a genuine electoral process that would include an independent elections commission, a free and independent media and at least three weeks for electoral campaigning.
Singapore’s electoral commission is under the purview of the Prime Minister’s Office as well as the Electoral Boundary Commission which enables the ruling party to redraw the electoral boundaries of constituencies at will to suit their own partisan interests.
The mass media remains tightly controlled by the ruling party which has become its propaganda mouthpiece.
Before 1963, the campaigning period for the legislative council elections in 1955 and 1959 used to stretch for as along as three months.
The minimum campaign period of 9-day was introduced in the 1963 elections by the PAP government to thwart the chances of the opposition Barisan Sosialist.
The opposition has long complained about the short campaigning period which hampers their efforts to reach out to the voters to discuss the real issues of the day affecting their lives.
The agenda of the 2006 elections waas hijacked by “Gomezgate” which saw the PAP leaders and mass media firing their guns at the hapless Workers’ Party candidate continuously for one entire week thereby diverting public attention from important national issues.
After the PAP won the last election with a “resounding” mandate, the salaries of ministers were increased, GST was raised to 7 per cent and the floodgates are opened for foreigners who now made up 36 per cent of the population, up from 14 per cent in 1990.
Mr Gandhi wrote that “without these changes and as long as the rules and regulations continue to be changed to benefit the PAP, elections in Singapore will remain a charade staged by the ruling party to hoodwink the people once every four or five years.”
According to U.S. NGO Freedom House, Singapore is not an “electoral democracy” as it lacks the other important ”pillars” of democracy such as a free and independent press, a robust civil society and an informed citizenry.
Unless Singaporeans vote enough opposition MPs into parliament to deny the PAP its traditional two-thirds majority, it will continue to fiddle around with the rules to entrench itself firmly in power.
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PAP MPs jump to the defence of “cooling-off” day proposal
Written by Our Correspondent
The PAP MPs have jumped to the defence of the “cooling-off” day proposed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to enable voters to make a “rational” decision on who to vote for.
No mass rallies, door-to-door visits or public display of party symbols will be allowed on the eve of polling day.
The new rule, to be introduced in the next election due by 2012, will extend to cyberspace as well.
The opposition has complained that the “cooling-off” day will give an unfair advantage to the PAP since the the mainstream media which is largely pro-government, will still be allowed to report news on the election.
Opposition and Hougang MP Mr Low Thia Kiang believes this would give the PAP an edge.
‘For instance, if opposition parties campaign on issues of health care and public housing policy and managed to get the message across to the voters, the government department or relevant civil servants can always come out on the day of the cooling period with some announcement of policy changes or explanation to counter what opposition parties said during the campaign period, in an attempt to sway public opinion,’ he said.
Mr Yeo Guat Kwang, PAP MP for Aljunied GRC, dismissed the concerns of Mr Low. He felt that the mass media had been fair and balanced in its election coverage during the 2006 elections.
While Mr Low opined that PM Lee’s concerns over public disorder is an ‘over-imagination’, Mr Ong Kian Min, PAP MP for Tampines GRC, argues that the long-running political strife in Thailand shows Singapore cannot take for granted the calm it has seen in recent elections.
Mr Lim Boon Heng, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office thinks that it is important to give voters an extra day to “reflect” on their decision.
“Choosing your representative in Parliament is a serious matter. So I think it is a good idea to allow people to reflect what has been said during the campaign period and then to make a considered decision on how they would vote on Polling Day.
A 24-hour reflection shouldn’t make people forget about the essentials of the campaign. It will make a difference when emotions are stirred up too high for whatever reasons. It is not something new that we have thought up. It is something which has been adopted in some countries too,” he said.
YPAP Chairman Teo Ser Luck claimed that the “cooling-off” day will have minimal impact on the election.
“I think cooling-off could be good, whether for the opposition or the main party to consolidate and take a breather and to review their positioning.
I don’t believe it would have that great an impact on anyone. It would give people some time to consider but, as I say, some of them would have decided before the nine days of campaigning begin.
And a lot of Singaporeans would almost look at the whole GE as uneventful, as their life would go on as per normal. But for another segment of the society, it would impact. But I wouldn’t look at it as the majority,” he said.
Only Aljunied MP Zainul Abidin Rasheed is a bit more circumspect. He suggested PAP ministers and MPs stop making speeches on the day itself to ensure the new system is fair to all.
The electoral system was never fair to the opposition in the first place. The mainstream media is controlled by the ruling party which tends to portray its candidates in a positive light.
Furthermore, the electoral boundary commission under the Prime Minister’s Office allows the PAP to redraw the electoral boundaries of constituencies at will to suit its own partisan interests.
Unless there are genuine reforms made to level the playing field, the opposition will always be fighting the battle on bended knees.
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As usual, all incumbent MPs like the idea and support it.
If it was the opposition who proposed the cooling period, all the incumbent MPs would be saying no to the idea.
Yes sir!
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Originally posted by Alp:
Seriously speaking, whatever they are doing right now isn't helping the citizens on the common ground. It's doing more harm than good. And, I believed they know it as well. Those past events that happened irreversibly have become one of the biggest scandals in sg history. It's a sad thing to hear how many people do actually know and care about it.
Precisely, we need politicians who are sincere to serve on the ground without any form of prejudice, not a jumbo pay check delivered on golden wheels to justify their committment to serve.
Not only that, we need to level the playing field for all parties alike.
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Originally posted by angel3070:
I only state facts about our state media. I don't think that what I have stated is incorrect. Do you think it is inaccurate?
I'll dismiss your assumption as inaccurate. After all, I've come across a few rare articles written by ST columnists with ideas I can swallow. To each his own.
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Mr Low feared that the “cooling-off” day will be used by the PAP to sway public sentiments towards its side.
“For instance, if opposition parties campaign on issues of health care and public housing policy and managed to get the message across to the voters, the government department or relevant civil servants can always come out on the day of the cooling period with some announcement of policy changes or explanation to counter what opposition parties said during the campaign period, in an attempt to sway public opinion. The mass media can also run a ’story’ for the same effect without the need for any PAP candidate to appear,” he said.
Now then he realizes why we citizens need only a few opposition figures or vocal NMPs? Time to justify his salary, because for sure the current opposition is in no position to form a govt, let alone handle our economy or our diverse social needs.
He would have justified his purpose in parliament provided what he and the opposition offered are credible, rational and pragmatic solutions that the ruling party have to 'change policies' in the interest of the voters.
If not, then I doubt anyone would listen to levelled playing field opposition hot air on TV or in the media, or even re-elect them. It's gonna be tough, but sweeter the victory if citizen's interest are taken care of. Leadership of a society is neve easy, but the honours and respect by the majority are forever.
So is the cooling off period a good thing or a bad thing for us citizens?
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haha one day less for oppositions to prepare
for exampe LHL suddenly say election date is 2 days later
that means opposition only left 1 day to prepare
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Originally posted by deepak.c:
Actually election dates should be fixed, not up to the whims and fancies of any person. Of course, that is a fair electoral process, but then in Singapore it's never fair.
Can you imagine the consequence MOE calls a surprise exam for your A and O levels exam?
Singapore's electoral process is constructed to suit the power mongers.
The very fact that the Election Dept is under PM Lee Hsien Loong tells us that election is never and will not going to be fair in Singapore as long as the present ruling party runs the country.All in all the ruling party is always the winner who takes it all.
They are so damn kiasu kiasi, might as well convert to monarchy, then we will have King Lee ky, Queen Kwek Geok Choo (don't know her status - alive or alive as veg)Prince Lee hl, Princess Ho ching and so on.
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Opposition will consider using internet to reach out to voters on “cooling-off” day
Written by Our Correspondent
The opposition has not dismissed the idea of using the internet to reach out to the voters on the “cooling-off” day which will be introduced in the next general election.
Under the new law, the minimum campaign period will be extended from nine to ten days.
All forms of mass rallies, home visits and public display of party symbols will be banned on the eve of polling day to enable voters to reflect “calmly” on their choice.
Assistant Secretary-General Desmond Lim said that the Singapore People Party has planned to use the “cooling-off” day to do some administrative work.
He hopes that supporters will continue to disseminate the message of the party on the day itself in cyberspace to urge Singaporeans to cast their votes for the SPP.
However he admitted that SPP has not come up with any concrete plans yet as the rules are still unclear on campaigning via the internet.
Though PM Lee acknowledged that it would be difficult to enforce the law in cyberspace, he hoped the spirit and principle of the “cooling-off” period would be upheld by Internet users without elaborating on the topics they should refrain from writing or discussing.
“I can’t control several million videos on YouTube. But your website, what you are putting out in your own name, I think that should end on the day before cooling-off day,” PM Lee added.
National Solidarity Party Chairman Yip Weng Yew felt that the impact of the internet will be minimal as only those who are interested in politics and the English-educated Singaporeans will look up for political news on the internet.
Sylvia Lim, Non-Constituency MP and Workers’ Party chairman, said:
“You have to remember that the eve of Polling Day is a very critical period for the voters and in Singapore’s context, you can say there is a bar on political parties campaigning on this cooling-off day, but you must remember that the role of the PAP as a political party and its role as the government is often blurred.
We may have situations where civil servants could come out to clarify certain government policies and even announce policy reviews for that matter. So practically, I think it is difficult to ensure that the cooling-off period serves its purpose.”
The Workers’ Party organizing secretary Yaw Shin Leong and Reform Party Secretary-General Kenneth Jeyaretnam had refrained to comment on the matter.
News source: Shin Min Daily