CPF: The Middle Finger We Need To Show PAP

I have been telling my close associates since 2010, CPF is the hot issue that may create tremors on PAP's power base but back then, GE2011 is not the right time to blow it up as the main issue. I have tried to raise the CPF issue way back in GE2006 but it didn't gain much traction because the demographic time is not right.

The baby boomers of 1960s to 1970s (I am born in 1970) have not reached the "CRITICAL AGE" past 45 years old whereby they will start to think about their retirement financing.Thus in GE2011, among the 5 Hot Button Issues (HDB Mortgage Enslavement, Lack of Hospital Infrastructure, FT policy, Public Transport and CPF ) I have chosen HDB issue as the key issue. This is because HDB high pricing is linked to the adequacy of CPF for our retirement financing.

But now, I am already 44 and by 2015, most of my generation of baby boomers will reach the critical age whereby retirement linked to CPF will be our main concern. 

Although my prediction is that BOTH CPF and FT policy (now termed as 6.9m Population Policy) will topple PAP government eventually, but FT policy is an emotionally highly charged and divisive issue which will create explosive impact if it is not managed properly. CPF on the other hand, will keep us in solidarity against PAP's absurdity in carving the present CPF policies. It is going to be an explosive issue as well but all the explosion will be aimed at PAP directly.

PAP government isn't stupid and it knows this very well. This is why they are very very afraid and frightened that this CPF will explode right into their face. They have used all means to try and stop people from carrying out effective discussions on CPF issues.

At first glance, PM Lee's libel suit against Roy Ngerng is about his first article which has defamed him. However, if you notice how PM Lee, through his lawyer, tried to ask Roy Ngerng to remove a few more articles on CPF, citing "aggravate damage" to his reputation, you will realize that this is not merely about defamation only. These articles were written moons away in the past and the CPF issue they have touched on have no impact on the current defamation issue! I can only conclude that it is an attempt to curb free speech and discussion on THE CPF issue which may just create a big dent in PAP's legitimacy as the ruling party.

Beside trying to silence Roy, who undoubtedly has made stupid mistake in making such a direct defamation of PM Lee,  PAP machinery has done into overdrive to put up scare tactic and instill FEAR in everyone. First, it was targeted at property owners who used to support opposition parties and NGOs by renting out their conference rooms for forums organized by these organizations. Suddenly and strangely, everyone has one common reason to decline rental, even return deposits at the very last minute, citing "CPF ISSUE VERY SENSITIVE" when NSP tried to rent the room to conduct their forum or dialogue session on CPF issue.

But nevertheless, NSP still went ahead to conduct the dialogue session at their HQ and has its HQ totally packed. It was a successful event.

Then you have banner printers who usually don't mind printing banners for opposition cause, including the 6.9million protest, suddenly refused to print simple words like "Return OUR CPF"! Yes NONE of the printers dare to print, again citing the SAME REASON, "CPF issue very sensitive"!

Then you have stage supplier suddenly decline to build the stage for tomorrow's (7 June 2014) CPF protest because not only "CPF issue very sensitive" but they are afraid of losing business for the NDP dinners and lunar 7 month Hungry Ghost celebration! (Elaborated by Uncle Leong)


My Dear Singaporeans, this is definitely NOT a coincidence but rather, a COORDINATED effort to threaten and instill FEAR in all vendors and service providers, to deny any logistic support to anyone who is organizing any forums or protest on this "sensitive" CPF issue.

It is IRONIC for all these things to happen right now when in parliament, PAP claims that it wants "Constructive Politics"! Is this "Constructive" at all? In a normal functioning Democracy, opposition organizing public forums to discuss hot button topics and holding protest are all NORMAL workings. There shouldn't be any interference or FEAR instilled to prevent smooth organization of such activities. So, why is "Constructive Politics Advocates" like PAP trying to deter people to have a HEALTHY PUBLIC Discourse on such an important issue like CPF? The only conclusion I have is, they are just self-serving.

PAP knows that it can't possibly defend all aspects of its badly manipulated CPF system and there are more and more people with adequate knowledge and expertise to put up a good challenge on its current position. Public Trust has been lost when PAP keeps manipulating the CPF system for reasons only known to itself. It has scrambled to regain public confidence by putting up token notion of "CPF Refrom" but what they are willing to give, are just token tweaking only.

My Dear Singaporean, I may not be able to attend tomorrow's CPF Protest at Hong Lim Park because I am currently in Hong Kong but my heart is all with them.I wanted to show my anger at PAP which has basically screw up our CPF system for all these decades, since they started "Asset Enhancement Program" in the 1990s. I wanted to show my DISTRUST of PAP in making all sorts of excuses when it tried to delay and limit our withdrawals for our retirement. I wanted to show my disagreement when they tried to replace a totally contradicting system of Life Annuity to dislodge their responsibility as a government to take care of Singaporeans when the CPF system failed to take care of them. I wanted to protest against PAP treating our CPF as a source of cheap fund for them to invest and make money while deprive us with a higher return so that we could grow our retirement funds for our future usage!

I may not be attend tomorrow's CPF Protest but for those of you, my fellow Singaporeans, who are in Singapore, YOU CAN SHOW UP at the Protest to send a very STRONG SIGNAL to PM Lee that he and his PAP government has screwed up our CPF system and you need to show your Middle Finger to them for attempting to silence and deny our rights to question them on OUR CPF money! The most people attending the CPF Protest, the Bigger the Middle Finger you will be pointing at PAP!

PM Lee once said,  “People support CPF cuts because there are no protest outside parliament.”

Do you want our Prime Minister to mistaken your inaction, your absence at the CPF Protest as a "support" of his current CPF policy again? If we fail to have substantial turnout for this CPF protest, he will laugh at us and conclude "Singaporeans didn't show me their middle finger therefore you support me!"

So don't make the same mistake which we have been making all along. We need to send a CLEAR and UNDISTORTED signal to Lee Hsien Loong Administration that we are pissed off by their constant raping of the CPF policy and we want our CPF BACK for our retirement, no delay, no excuse, no all sorts of limits...etc. So, please show them our strength by attending the CPF protest tomorrow. We need at least 5,000 attendance to be credible, 10,000 to put forward a strong message of Middle Finger to PAP. Don't miss it.

Goh Meng Seng