Absurd anti-something mindset

Based on my understanding and what people have been telling me, quite a number of Singaporeans voted for, and support the opposition parties simply because they don't like the ruling party. They just want to "scare" the ruling party. They want the ruling party to listen up. Even if the opposition parties' members are not good enough or ready to be cabinet ministers, and they are not ready to "replace" the ruling party and run the country, they are ok with it. As long as they can voice their concerns in parliament and keep the ruling party "in check", they will support them.

There are plenty of other reasons given as well: The ruling party's actions irk them; the ruling party "doesn't care about the people"; the ruling party "is using their money without good explanations or not put to good use"; the ruling party uses the "top-down approach and doesn't respect the people"; there is no "transparency, honesty or integrity". They also say, the ruling party's ministers are "money-grubbing people who are in politics for money only", nevermind that they are getting verbal abuses from people on a daily basis, or that they are putting their families at risk of the abuses as well. Some may even have to put their families in the backseat to juggle their work well. Oh and also, nevermind that they are getting judged for everything that they and their families may do privately, as they are always under public scrutiny.

I just don't understand how this would work out. Most of them have/had a normal job to begin with, earning I suppose, a reasonable amount of money (given their level of qualifications), and that is without the public scrutiny and stress... so... I don't see how that's a good trade-off for anyone just for the sake of money.

Oh, and to those people, these kinda sacrifices come with their roles, and that's what they are "supposed to get" when they get paid "by the people" to "serve them" so they should suck it up and take whatever shit people throw to them because "the people pay their salaries". Side note: When someone has this kinda distorted mindset, then don't bother to argue with them anymore. Waste of saliva and energy. Just hope that those people are not your bosses, because if they are, you're technically their slaves and they own you. The fact that you're also a human being would be disregarded because you're now beneath them as you are getting paid by them. :)

Anyway, there are also rumours and conspiracy theories about how the MPs in the ruling party behave. Then of course, there are some real black sheep in the ruling party who have made mistakes and were asked to leave or have left.

Ok, so all these are the people's opinions. Their perceptions. Their freedom to believe whatever they want to. And some are of course, the truths (albeit distorted at times due to subjective interpretation and presentation using biased extracted information).

None of anybody's business, right? Like how my thoughts are none of anyone's business, unless I write or say something malicious and libelous.

However, what baffles me greatly is when the oppositions commit the "same wrongdoings" that the ruling party's MPs have supposedly been doing (according to their conspiracy theories or due to past events/incidents), it's suddenly ok for the oppositions to do so. Those supporters will not question why, but will stand by them, saying things like, "So what? The PAPs have been doing that... The PAPs have been doing this... why not [insert opposition party]?"

Let me understand this. As long as the mistake has been supposedly committed by the ruling party before, it is therefore ok for the oppositions to do so? And why are you supporting the opposition parties again? Oh right, because you don't like what the ruling party has been doing. So now, you're supporting another party who is doing the same thing, but then it's ok because they're not the PAP.

Contradicting and confusing much?

To the mistakes committed by their beloved opposition party, they will say it's a "small issue", and that it's a waste of time to discuss those issues any further. That we should move on and look at how to help "poor people in the country" and to "chase out foreigners".

Which, I suppose those people haven't been reading the news much. Or maybe they are doing selective reading and listening this whole time. So they are unaware or choose to be oblivious to the changes and initiatives that have been made to slowly adjust and rectify those problems that they have been harping on incessantly.

I guess to them, revising legislations, making improvements, and resolving problems must all be instantaneous. The ruling party must be able to solve major national issues in a blink of any eye. No, you cannot take years to solve problems. If you're adjusting things slowly, you're just not doing anything. And I thought only children would unreasonably demand instant gratifications.

The ruling party, is not the perfect party. There are people inside who make mistakes. Who say the wrong things. Who have done the wrong things. But, they have always explained about it, even if their explanations do not please the people, they hardened their balls and explained anyway. They have taken actions to rectify issues, to remove people who have erred. They have apologised when it was necessary to do so. A lot of those ardent opposition supporters just brush those things aside as "wayang", "PR", "acting" and "trying to buy votes". Discrediting all that they have done to change "their ways" because they have listened to what the people have said. No matter what they do, it's never the right thing and it's never good enough.

And, let's look at the number one opposition party. Whenever they are questioned about their supposed wrongdoings. Silence. Deafening silence.

Then, I see nothing constructive presented in Parliament. They were voted in by a lot of people to air their grievances, and at times they did. But they have also agreed to certain things they have previously disagreed about during elections (which had garnered them lots of support, hurhur).

There were plagiarisms, unexplained behaviours and party problems. There were immature jibes made online, insults thrown and just silence most of the time. But those people cut them slack because they are the underdogs. To them, those things are not big issues because they are not national issues. Even if those issues reflect on the integrity and moral standards of the people involved, it's ok. As long as they are not national issues, they simply don't care. Though the same can't be said about their expectations for the ruling party's MPs.

When a PAP MP commits a mistake, when a member of a Ministry or Stat. Board makes a mistake, it's totally unforgivable. The matter must be explained and an apology must be given. No matter what. Suddenly, integrity, honesty, transparency become important "national issues". It becomes the PAP's fault no matter what because the people under them made the mistakes. The people they choose must be screened and perfect, they must know them inside out and no bad eggs must slip through and surface one day.

As for the opposition parties, it's ok if bad eggs surface in their parties, it's just a slight misjudgement on their part. No biggie. Really? Come on, there are bad eggs everywhere in this world. People who can act and are capable of performing. Look around you... you think there's a way to only hire innately good people all the time?

Of course they must take responsibility for people under them when they err, or if signs are there and were ignored. But if they realised the people they trusted have betrayed their trust and took actions to remove them and come clean to the people, then shouldn't that be respected? It's a hundred times better than how a party handled their issue by quietly waiting for it to blow over.

Sigh.

The irony. The double-standard.

Unbelievable.

I really don't know how to end this post. It's just so absurd, I can't wrap my mind around it no matter how I see it.

I cannot understand the logic behind the mindset of those people, but yet, I am also glad I do not understand it. For if I did, I would most probably be as unreasonable and illogical as well.

The current hoo-ha.

This post is with regards to the current controversy surrounding a MP's choice of a quote on his Facebook page.

In my opinion, the quote in itself is not right or wrong. It's subjective as everyone has his/her own thinking and belief. As shocking or offensive as the sentence may be to some people, it was meant to explain a point that was further elaborated on in the paragraph that came after. And the author's intended meaning was clearly not to "trivialise rape" as how most people are seeing it. It was to explain his point of view regarding the current state of "democracy" (for some people or places) as becoming the "tyranny of the majority". Thus, "a group of people forcing themselves onto an individual". Obviously not literally, but more in terms of their beliefs and mindset.

However, I think his (the "quoter") fault is that he overestimated people's ability to understand that quote fully, their level of reasoning skill to things they don't agree with, and chose a wrong timing. He also forgot that he's in a position where people are always looking for reasons to attack, regardless of whether the reasons are actually reasonable or not. Which is very ironic in that those people calling for blood (regarding him quoting "inappropriately"), are actually kinda proving that quote right.

Did he mean to offend? No. Did people care? No.

Also, what I don't understand is that when some so-called politicians that those people support can plagiarise or say whatever they want without any basis/truth, they can get away with it without explaining themselves or with a seemingly insincere apology. Yet when one quotes something to express his thoughts on the current state of democracy, people look past the intended meaning and are so eager to condemn him. Shouldn't the same standards we expect of our leaders be applied to all? I would expect the same for all of those who want to be our leaders. Regardless of their affiliation. Just saying.

Facts or opinions based on prejudice?

There is this letter going around on Facebook that is supposedly written by a young mother. The content of the letter is about the recent White Paper and Budget 2013 released by the Government.

I agree with some of her points, but there are a few points that are quite "unbalanced" if you think about it carefully. A lot of points used are: to stir emotions, based on emotions or are slanted views due to biasness.

I just want to address some issues I have with that letter. I may not be right about those stuff that I will be writing, but I will try my best to base them on what I have seen, read or know. 

The first point about her friend's boss threatening her (friend) that he can easily replace her with a China worker, well, the MOM is there for a reason. I've had friends who approached MOM and got their problems resolved. We don't know the exact details and the full picture of what happened, it shouldn't have been an illustration provided as a legit point that this situation is a rampant issue at all workplaces in SG due to the influx of foreign workers.

The next point I really have a bone to pick with is her saying this, "a top educational institution in Singapore who rejected our own SINGAPOREAN children and accepted PRC STUDENTS because their parents were able to contribute greatly to the school funds. Is there no cause of fear for my children's future?! Will my children be deprived of a proper education just because I cannot afford to bribe the school?". So, looking at this paragraph, I feel that she is saying only TOP educational institutions are providing "proper" education? I have never heard of any child in SG who has been denied of a proper education because the parents are too poor. If to you, only top institutions can give your child a proper education, then I think you've got it all wrong. Huge insult to all the educators in the other so-called 'non-top' institutions.

Next point - Expats enjoying life, buying private properties; SGreans suffering with owning HDB. Yet another biased point given. This is like saying, because most Singaporeans eat "normal economical food" on a daily basis, rich people living here cannot eat expensive food because it's not fair; even though they've earned their money through legit jobs. Well, I can't find the statistics to show if more Singaporeans own private properties or more foreigners own them, but I am sure the numbers are somewhere on the internet.

And, does building more private properties = less public housing?

Sure, more lands could have been given for BTOs, but from what I see, I don't see BTOs slowing down. The Govt. has been pushing out so many more BTO projects since the previous year. As for cost of HDB flats now, yep, I agree... they are very expensive. But it's like that in a lot of countries too. Look at Hong Kong and Taiwan's urban cities. Of course, I also want it to be much cheaper. No argument with that.

Next, "all major corporations should have child care services like in America''. I don't know if she's been hiding in a hole somewhere, but I know some private child care operators are already in a lot of work places like Biopolis, NUS, NTU, MND, MOE, Polytechnics, Science Park, Hospitals, Changi Business Park, JE's Business Park, Raffles Place etc. All these are business areas/major workplaces right? The Govt's already encouraging them to expand their businesses, even Govt-related operators like NTUC and PCF are also opening more centres. This way, more workplaces would have childcare centres eventually. Is she expecting the centres to pop up in all workplaces magically? A lot of progress and expansion require time, money and effort by a lot of parties involved. Be patient.

Regarding the point about the MP's comment on protecting our nation "for foreigners". Did you just see the print-screen provided by the opps supporters? Did you read/listen to his full speech? If anything, I just think a lot of them need to learn to write better speeches to express their thoughts more coherently to avoid misunderstandings.

Also, last point, if her friend is in such dire state, she can always get help from NGOs, CDCs, etc. I am sure, very sure, she would get the help that she and her family need. And yes, I agree, only people like her friend has the right to say if 1k is enough to "survive" and own a HDB flat with all the necessary Govt aids (that point made by the MP was presented really poorly, he definitely wasn't saying everyone should remain "poor" and make do with it, but it was somehow interpreted that way by most people). People struggling to cope, should not try to be "heroic" about their situation. Seek help! If not for themselves, at least for their family. If her friends care, help her to get help from relevant organisations. Not look at her daily struggles and just complain that "nobody" (READ: Govt) is helping her. Hello? You know about the situation, raise the alarm! YOU can be the one to take the first step and give her a helping hand - by getting help for her and her family.

Sigh.

There are things we will often say in the heat of the moment. But, don't mislead others with your own biasness. People should also be more discerning and expect claims to be backed with up facts before they believe all the things they hear. I am biased, I'd admit that.

However, I will also get upset if some policies/changes/ideas given by the Govt are really ridiculous, unfair or ill-planned too. I also know it's very important to be level-headed and to base what we know on facts and not rumours/prejudice. I always try my best to be neutral and think about things they say or do.

That's something everyone should learn and practise in view of the current political atmosphere in this country.