As part of its coverage of General Elections (GE) 2006, Think Centre moves into gear with week-by-week editorials on potential issues that matter to the Opposition.
While you get your regular fix of pro-ruling party viewpoints, government-centric news and occasional Opposition-jibes in our national dailies, TC casts its magnifying glass on some issues that may go somewhat in making or breaking the Opposition's chances.
As you read the dedicated reports and political commentaries on the ruling party's manifesto, TC kicks off its GE2006 Election Watch series with this editorial on a key issue – the Candidates.
So the ruling party unveiled a slate of 24 well-educated and highly-accomplished candidates. With professional backgrounds ranging from legal eagles to corporate honchos to top civil servants, these 24 were touted as the most diverse, representative and finest of potentials to don the white-and-whites.
While it must be reminded that systematic introductions of new candidates smacked of luxury and strategic media-savviness privy to the ruling party, it was hardly surprising how the same party lashed out in ferocity to nullify the unexpected unveiling of the manifesto by a rival.
But this and upcoming editorials will not touch on manifestos as TC would leave it to the local media, wired agencies, internet forums, web blogs and coffee shops to dissect where the "time-bombs", "poisons", "chikus" or "papayas" actually lie within.
It was ironic how the majority of the 24 lacked substantive grassroots contributions despite their oft-mentioned "contribute back to society", "help those left behind", "build a better home" etc reasons for joining politics, or bluntly put, to enter Parliament. While the local media would gave generous features and profile interviews of these elites suddenly immersed in community activities (as if to compensate for their relative grassroots inexperience), the same media have also found it difficult to provide similar coverage on the Opposition candidates.
So why isn't the Opposition unveiling their new candidates as oft-demanded by the ruling party and oft-questioned by the local media?
In any game of poker at the casino or integrated resorts (as coined locally), chances are the Aces are usually kept close to the hearts of the players. Yet in the political game in this tiny city-state, the white-and-whites banker holds all the aces, kings, queens and jades. So logically speaking, no sensible rival players would play their ace card – which would be the "10" – too early into the game.
Without risking the folly of likening GE to poker, "masak-masak" or political campaigning (for the Opposition) here, TC finds no compelling reasons enough for the ruling party to dismiss the Opposition so early on just because it decided against systematic, media-coordinated unveiling of its eventual candidates. Based on insider sources, the quality and quantity of the Opposition candidates for this GE would be relatively superior to the previous two GEs.
Yet it must be noted that collectively, the professional credentials of the Opposition slate would somewhat lag behind the ruling elites – for the simple reason that the brightest talents would have been snapped up by the ruling party and that most family members would rather their beloved one lead a comfort and luxurious political life.
Yet in terms of grassroots credentials, it seemed that the Opposition who would marginally come up tops. For the simple reasons that one, active grassroots work was the single most meaningful way to convince the electorate of genuine conviction towards betterment of society and being their alternative voice; and two, to build strategic local political bases in particular constituencies for future electoral contests whether or not boundaries are changed by the ruling party.
In the coming days, candidates would be profiled in varying degrees by the local media; they could be walking the markets and knocking your doors; they may be shaking your hands and selling themselves to you; they hope to share their ideals and convince you at the rallies; but lets not forget they are Singaporeans like you and I.
Especially your Opposition candidates who would be ordinary PMEBs (professionals, managers, executives, businessmen) - all brave and selfless Singaporeans who dared to dream and ensure our non-elitist voices be heard in Parliament.
If you are still expecting this editorial to do cross analyses of the candidates, think again. You have a vote, you make the choice.
