Have you ever noticed that not once, not even once, has any government minister ever referred to the Constitution; and neither has anyone else in the entire history of the island.
You have the perpetual claims in the local state controlled newspapers of what the government is trying to do for their people, this plan and that plan and this idea an that; but that is as far as it goes.
As for the people's ability to challenge anything that the government puts out is simply non existent. The papers are state controlled, so you cannot have your views heard. The TV and radio are state controlled so you cannot have your views heard. You are not allowed to protest even though the Constitution does guarantee it. You cannot criticize even though the constitution guarantees it.
In the end the dialogue ends up simply as one way traffic. The government orders and you obey. On occasions they may reach out to discover what people think but in the end, it is they and they alone who decide what is good for you, not you.
With over eager ministers trying to please the master himself without the steadying keel of the people through debate and criticism, the
For instance today you have the overcrowding and overpopulation of a tiny island thorough indiscriminate immigration. As a result trains are overcrowded, buses are overcrowded and you simply cannot move through the throngs of people. This did not happen over night. It was because the people were completely denied the right to question ill advised government policies which are left to go askew without question.
You have an over populated Chinese sector while the Malays and Indians are becoming extinct through the Chinese racial preference in immigration. The Malay and Indian way of life is disappearing while the island becomes a totally Chinese island. This too did not happen overnight. It took decades to happen under the very noses of a voiceless populace.
As long as you continue to deny the people their rights under the Constitution, Singapore is doomed forever into become something which is completely alien to the character of what it was. I am afraid, it is already too late now, as the people have been so thoroughly brainwashed as to think that opposition to the government is something which is simply not done. They have also completely been fooled into thinking that as along as a law is enacted, it must be obeyed, although they do know that it is nothing but a one party state with no opposition whatsoever allowing them to legislate whatever they want.
As the government continues to silence the people into thinking that they can get away with anything they want, Singaporeans are doomed to hurt themselves more and more, in the economy, in social values and in every other way. Any country that desires to progress, requires the steadying keel of the people's input. Minus that you are, like Singaporeans are now, simply at the mercy of Lee Kuan Yew and his policies, good or bad. As to where it is all taking them, God only knows.
Gopalan Nair
Attorney at Law
A Singaporean in Exile
Tel: 510 491 4375
Email: nair.gopalan@yahoo.com
7 comments:
We have taken to calling LKY, Mr. Stop-at-Two.
With his son's plan to increase the population to 6.9 million, this name is resonating well with people, even those who blindly support the PAP.
One of the biggest policy mistakes in Singapore's history. Non one dared to challenge or question it. If there had been a viable opposition and debate, the country might have been spared the negative consequences of the STOP-AT-TWO policy.
Yes, let's talk about the constitution. Last year the government broke the constitution at least twice. This was flagged up in the auditor general's report. But it seems only one person in Singapore actually read it...
First breach was an illegal loan to the world bank which had to be cancelled. Second breach was something slightly more mundane to do with spending of revenues on land reclaimation.
Strangely the government never had to talk about these unlawful acts in parliament nor were they reported in the media.
But since the government can re-write the constitution at will (just ask Teo Soh Lung) there probably isn't much else to talk about anyway...
Women bore brunt of Lee's draconian population policy
Former prime minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew must take responsibility for the current population issues that Singapore is now facing. The current PAP Government has not acknowledged that it was Mr Lee's miscalculated policy of Stop-At-Two" that has resulted in today's population and immigration woes.
http://yoursdp.org/publ/perspectives/women_bore_brunt_of_lee_39_s_draconian_population_policy/2-1-0-1265
It is indeed sad to see how Singapore, once a beacon in Asia, has been run down to be only a financial centre at a great cost to its population. We Singaporeans can blame LKY and his bootlickers for having executed this downhill ride in terms of morals, but at the same time, too many Singaporeans are happy seeing that they have a few more pennies at the end of each month.
To Anonymous who said
"too many Singaporeans are happy seeing that they have a few more pennies at the end of each month".
I wonder who they are!
Singapore is like almost all countries in Asia: as long as the individual resident/citizen has more money at the end of the year as compared with the first day of the year, politics - and particularly individuals' rights are essentially of no concern. LKY and his henchmen know this and act accordingly. Sadly, the Singapore populace go along.
To Linda Kosmato,
Perhaps some have money. Most have no rights nor money.
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