Thursday, July 06, 2006

Mr Brown Saga

Yet, I have to defer my postings on GE 2006 as something more interesting pop up recently.... Mr. Brown has been told off by the PAP government and suspended from newspaper Today column.

This is what I wrote in Mr. Brown blog comment

Dear All,

I am really touched by the support that many of you have shown here for Mr. Brown. However, I feel very sad that there are so many Singaporeans here who are still having some fantasies about PAP government. Some even believe in PAP's constant calling for "Open Society" when we know very well in reality, this "Open Society" has deliberately "excluded" people (regardless partisan or not) who voiced against PAP.

How could people ever truly believe in the PAP's concept of "Open Society" when the GE has shown us that PAP is constantly thinking of ways to "fix" its opponents? And PAP has consistently labeled its opponents as "donkeys", "troublemakers", "people with doubtful characters" etc . Hey, what we merely did were to contest against PAP's monopoly of power!?

To some extend, Today's editors have somehow kept the fantasies of PAP's "Open Society" alive by inviting Mr. Brown as its columnist. This gives people just a little hope that PAP is serious in building an "Open Society" when they see the "bold moves" by local newspaper. I think unwittingly, PAP has thrown a big stone at its own toe. It has totally destroyed the only iconic resemblance of "Open Society", that have kept the illusion alive all this while.

Incidentally, I do not blame those editors or reporters at Today. Please don't blame them as I know most of them, who are young and idealistic, have been pushing the boundaries as far as they could. I think some of them might just quit from their jobs after this incident as their own illusion of hope for a change towards "Open Society" has been totally dispelled.

The only consolation we have here is the rapid awakening process of Singaporeans at large about the reality of PAP rule. But I guess, this is just too little, too late.

Please people! We should not have any more fantasies about PAP rule, least "Open Society" under its charge. It has happened to Catherine Lim, it now happens to Mr. Brown. Why? It is something for us to ponder about. It is basically because elections after elections, Singaporeans have voted PAP and given it total grip on power. Singaporeans have given PAP the mandate to rule as it wishes and ineviatble, those who are talking against it, would be considered as talking against those people who voted them in.

I have made "politically incorrect" comments to some of the reporters who called me when James Gomez was being detained at the Airport. I said, "Is this country worth fighting for?" Yes, I may be speaking at a time of great emotions, but this is a question that constantly rings in my mind. Are Singaporeans worth fighting for? Worth sacrificing for? Worth risking our jobs, families and life for?

Put it simply, what Mr. Brown received was just a slight slap on his wrist but this created a big hoo-haa. However, when some AP politicians got a blow by the sledgehammer, there is apparently silence among the masses, overwhelmed with fear. Yes, Singaporeans keep looking for excuses or anything that could prolong whatever little fantasies they have in PAP. They are quite forgiving towards PAP but the same could be said about AP politicians. Somehow, they believe or chose to believe in what the local media said about AP politicians.

I was told by many, Singaporeans have very short memories and we should not have any fantasies about Singaporeans being awaken and support for a more balanced political system five years later. I wish to prove them wrong but when I was standing right in front of the ballot boxes in the counting centre, looking at the votes given to PAP team, I knew, I have too many illusions and fantasies on Singaporeans for a start.

Voters have chosen to believe in the smear campaign and the carrots thrown at them instead of thinking of the bigger picture of political development.
I no longer have any illusions or fantasies on Singapore voters and I hope you should not have any on PAP.

Goh Meng Seng

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi GMS,

Pardon me, I just feel that your comments are tad unfair to the 40 plus percent of S'poreans in Aljunied GRC who voted FOR you in the recent GE.

Keep the faith!

Admin said...

Dear Sgland_man,

Yes, I know that. And this is basically why I am still hanging on, fighting on. If it is not for this 44% of supporters, I would have given up already.

But somehow, we need more than this 44%. We need a massive awakening that could sustain and eventually turn into something more concrete than screaming on the sideline. We need a healthy development for our political setting.... yet, I could only say that we are not seeing it just yet.

Keeping the faith is one thing but I will no longer have any illusions or fantasies on the majority voters in Singapore. I will just do what I can, that's all.

Goh Meng Seng

prokidz said...

Go!Go!Go!Workers' Party!

Warren said...

That's right! The war is only just beginning. War are never easily won. Rest assure, there will always be people behind you.

:)

Go WP!

Anonymous said...

I guess only PAP is right and citizens are wrong in these KIND of situation. These KIND of situation have repeated many times over the years.

What is more scarier is that PAP took the most popular blogger in Singapore to put on chopping block and use it to show as an example to everyone who wants to blog about politics. (Kai Dao: Open Knife)

It is a very good political move by PAP.It has increased the fear factor by many notches. We are back to the 70s & 80s again.

Most probably after this episode, there will be less activity on political blogs and Singaporeans will be apathetic again which PAP always 'advocates'.

Maybe Mr Brown might even fizzle out.

Anonymous said...

This would not have happen if PAP did not politicise everything deem to their advantage.

PAP should not politicise the media.

I mean it is like PAP have politicise everything including NDP.

But why the need to politicise?

Is controlling Singaporeans right down to the bone that important and advantageous to PAP? Nothing more is important to them?

This would not have happen if the media was not politicise. The determination by PAP to control all things is scary.

They want to control but refuse to be responsible or apologetic when things go wrong is even scarier.

All we ordinary people can do is vote Opposition in every election even if the Opposition loses. I cannot think of any other way to make PAP eat humble pie.

Then no one would have the need to feel fear,tension and paranoid in their own homeland.

PAP has to be Opposition for some time for Singapore's culture and climate to change, that is the only way.

My vote is nothing but many votes is something.Please do not forget today's lesson even if PAP loosen control come GE 2011.

Anonymous said...

I agree with your prognosis, but increasingly, I realise CSJ is right to say that no amount of playing by the PAP's rules are going to change things sufficiently. The WP has been almost winning for quite a few elections now, but the PAP will keep raising introducing new hurdles even as the WP raises its performance. So I certainly think there is room for CSJ's brand of politics outside the PAP defined playing field. His methods may be crude, but they're getting better, and unlike the WP, CSJ will not need to depend on the PAP's grace to play his game. Ultimately, the PAP must realise that if it denies the public legitimate channels to challenge its monopoly on power, it invites illegitimate forms of challenge, and perhaps eventually violent ones.

Anonymous said...

Isnt TODAY guilty of politicization of the issue and being partisan by dropping Mr Brown?

I mean Mr Brown gave some private opinions and PAP replied. End of story.

Let the people decide who is right and who is wrong.
Not PAP or Mediacorp.

There is no need to drop Mr Brown and make this issue a political fight between PAP and Anti-PAP.

In fact, it is Mediacorp who is politicising the whole issue. It is Mediacorp who is partisan.

Anonymous said...

You should know who controls the mediacorp... this is not the pap and non-pap fight but democracy, openness, 1st world government.....

Anonymous said...

Please suspend all the Pro PAP Journalists as well for being partisan and politicised.

There are train loads of them. Everyday churning out Pro PAP news until like PAP is God.

They paint Opposition like demons so they are partisan as well.

Please be fair in implementing laws(if any) and policy.

I can name some for you: Chua sisters, Loh Chee Kong, Aaron Low, Nicholas Fang etc.

Please suspend all of them as well.

Anonymous said...

GMS

Let me cheer you on but I want to add that for the WP or any AP to succeed, you must have real conviction and lots of fire in your belly. Low TK exhibits them and people voted.

cheers

Anonymous said...

GMS,

I empathise with your frustrations.

I hail from the 33.3% group.

This Brown issue is another of PAP's salvo to instil fear in Singaporeans to vote for them and obey them.

The older generation of Singaporeans would be hard to enlighten, their fear being deeply entrenched. This latest move is to validate this fear in the young, repeating the same cycle once more.

Thus, it is still perpetrated despite a possible fallout from the debacle. But, they wanted to win psychologically.

The only victory for an alternative Singapore is when Singaporeans overcome this fear. Some had. Some of the 66% had not.

This is where we need to work harder. Nullify that fear. If Mr Brown can pick himself up and move on unscathed, it will tell many there is nothing to be feared.

Thus, we should support MB wholeheartedly.

This aside, please convey my regards to Glenda and please tell her to manage her pub very carefully. There is nothing to be feared but a party that resorts to every dirty trick in the book, you can't be too careful.

We have a 66% of us who prefers to let the local newspapres do the thinking for us.

Anonymous said...

I think it's only partly the fear factor. Many believe (rightly or otherwise) that they owe their achievements at least in part to the PAP and want the same policies to continue. There are also others who have been sold on the PAP vision of a materially comfortable society (for the majority). These people will complain, but not knowing any alternatives, will support the only party the only confortable way of life they have known all their lives. The government knows (or perhaps even encourages) these weaknesses in the people and continues to play on them.

Anonymous said...

Down with PAP. hope Lao Lee faster die.

Anonymous said...

WP will also at Tampines GRC? Ha ha ha, it is a gd news although i not staying there.

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To All Donars

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Anonymous said...

Dear Mr Goh & to everyone,

i myself has strong Anti PAP sentiments. I refuse to speak proper english and chose my own Singlish to express myself. Advance apologies to those who feel offended.

"People should not be afraid of the govt, its suppose to be vice versa"

For Fuck's Sake, the oppression and totalitarian-like governing is making me sick. 66% of the SG ppl please fuckin wake up, they know very well wats going on but they chose to be silent. for Fear is working in their minds, Bunch of cowards. I stay in Bishan and got no chance to vote, those idiots and retards who got the chance, threw it jus like dat.

im a smoker and i like to say my piece for all smokers in SG. 80% of the whole world's population are smokers, majority of SG ppl are smokers, stop pushing us to the wall with your PAP shit. I DARE PAP to ban cigarette if they wan to create a smoke free SG. Smoke free my ass, whos the one paying the tax for cigarettes? Gettin all dat huge juicy revenue from US, smokers. We feed your government dogs not u dogs feed US, the PEOPLE.

I respect MM Lee for all that he has done to build SG but please, stop being a control freak, let it go, its our young ppl's show now. If still don get my message, den plainly it means, Fuck off, let us run our own lives and our own show.

Stop being so superficial, so bloody fake n plastic, all the fuckin money PAP tok abt for upgrading are our hard earn money, so don talk sif its yours and u earn it. Where is the equality and democratic society i used to recite in my pledge every bloody morning during my Pri & Sec sch. Your propaganda is lame and not working. Why? cos its lame.

Why is opposition ward not being upgraded? Cos the ppl didnt vote for PAP. In the past, PAP say its HDB's duty to allocate and they handle it. Now say PAP got 80 million for potong pasir. U mean ppl in opposition ward are not singaporeans? they don pay tax? get real for fuck's sake. Stop being so lame, we are not blind nor deaf.

Some people can call me a brute, uncivilised barbarian etc, sif i care, i know wat i want n the kind of life n govt i want. well im not the only one, there are many ppl like nme out there but jus too afraid to even fart in the presence of those in power, suffer in silence, dats how we are being oppressed and the magnitude of the FEAR that is being incorporated into the people.

The Govt can deny for all they wan, i still believe everyone got their own eyes n ears to see n hear wats going on.

Im not a politician, jus a normal Singaporean speakin out wats in my mind and in my own fuckin words. i wan my rights to SPEAK for fuck's sake

PS. Moderator or anyone who has the power, please feel free to remove my comments should u feel it inappropriate. watever...
This is crap.

Anonymous said...

GMS definitely wants a mother fuckinv supporter like u hahahahaa !!!

Anonymous said...

Mr Goh, if you feel Singaporeans are not worth fighting for, please migrate elsewhere. Nobody asks you to join politics. Nobody asks you to fight to be elected. Nobody asks you to represent us. Most importantly, nobody is keen to vote for you. The elections are square and fair. You have been rejected by the votes and should accept it gracefully. Stop sulking here like a sore loser.

Anonymous said...

Mr Goh, you have been exposed as a low-class arshole. We don't need politicians like you around. Please migrate, you will never never win an election.

Richard said...

Dear Mr Goh
I fully understand how you feel. You ask if Singaporeans are worth fighting for. I say with regret no they are not worth your time and effort. A majority of them have been socially engineered and are not aware of it. They are mere robots and even the politicians they have voted into power time and time again have lost respect for them. These politicians are using these people to hold onto power to enjoy the priviledges that these very people have given them. They are no longer able to understand the meaning of freedom and they are going around like a remote control toy and feeling miserable and frustrated at the same time they cannot understand why they are feeling this way. When we tell them why they are feeling like that they call us traitors. Leave them be, I feel sorry for them but how can we help people that do not want help.