Lazy accusations

I have to admit that I am becoming annoyed by Singaporeans who keep talking about the PAP as if it were this vastly incompetent political party that is engaging in unfair practices to maintain power.

If you want to criticise the PAP, go right ahead. I'm not particularly a supporter of them, nor of the opposition. What I find annoying is the assumption that the government is meant to provide a perfect environment for all citizens, and any unhappiness on the part of said citizens must be the fault of the government. If you are going to criticise, at least do so based on actual problems, instead of ignorant ranting.

Let's briefly touch on a few of the more common issues that I've been bombarded with recently.

It may be unfair that the PAP is using upgrading of lifts and flats and whatever as leverage in the elections, but whoever said that political parties cannot promise better benefits if they come into power? That is the benefit of being a PAP ward. You have a PAP MP who is able to easily secure lift upgrades for you. It's no different from a politician promising to cut taxes because he is able to influence legislature. Whatever a political party can deliver that the competition cannot, will be used as leverage. What else do you expect? By the way, it is impossible to anticipate what would be considered the norm 30 years from now. Just because today it seems reasonable to expect lift lobbies on every floor, doesn't mean that 30 years ago it was similarly reasonable. 30 years ago, Socialism also seemed like a good idea.

What's wrong with the ERP? If you don't want to pay, take another route. That's the whole idea. And as for the rise in public transportation prices, in what world do prices remain constant indefinitely? All prices rise. That's a fairly reliable rule of thumb. Might as well complain that $0.50 plates of hawker food are no longer available.

5% GST is damn low. Look at similar taxes in pretty much any other developed country. Same for income and corporate tax. Just because it used to be lower doesn't mean that it's high now. Ignorant hicks.

So our ministers are well-paid. What's the problem? The country can't afford a few million a year? American high officials, for example, receive far smaller salaries, but it is almost expected that they will receive increased compensation later from corporate sources that they supported while in office. We expect our ministers to stick around for life and remain spotlessly non-corrupt, so we pay more. Perhaps a bit too much more, but I don't think it's a big deal.

What on earth is wrong with sending popular senior figures of the political party to endorse and support the campaigns of others? Happens in every country. That's the entire point of belonging to a political party. You're not just voting for an individual, you're voting for the party.

Healthcare costs are pretty damn low in Singapore. The government subsidises heavily, and the whole system of CPF is designed to help you pay for what's needed. In the end, you pay a tiny fraction of the original cost. Again, just because it costs more than going to the movies does not make it expensive. Compare with any developed country that does not provide free healthcare or rely on taxes that are multiples of our own. Ignorant hicks.

People complain that the only jobs that are available are low paying. Maybe they are. But if nothing else is available, what's the issue? You think it's below you to be a security guard or chambermaid, but you don't qualify for a job that has higher social prestige. Really, you're just being whiny and unrealistic. You expect the government to magically produce cushy, well-compensated jobs when the entire region's economy is in the shitter. Take the damn jobs, pay your bills, and look for something better. Go look for something better. Don't wait for things to become better. If you think you can do better in another country, go ahead. Don't be surprised if you wind up a street bum. At least in Singapore, you can find a job as a janitor at a minimum. In most other countries, at the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder, you end up homeless. Plus, if you think the economy is in a mess, why on earth would the government raise CPF contributions again to increase the cost of doing business and reduce the amount in your pocket? Morons.

Why in the world would you want the people who govern you to be of the same level as the common people? I want the people in charge of my country to be smart. As smart, educated and worldly as you can find. I've got nothing against the guy who fixes my car, but I think the kid with a degree from Cambridge is probably smarter and better qualified to rule my country.

Lastly, we do live in a democracy. It just happens to be the case that we vote in a single party to parliament by an overwhelming majority every time we're given a chance. Don't like it? Vote for someone else. No one is going to alter your vote, or break your legs, or arrest you for malcontent. We created a single party democracy, then complain that we vote the single party in every five years. Singaporeans are just complaining about themselves.

Again, I'm not a PAP supporter in particular. I don't really care either way. There's a good chance that I'll never work in Singapore, so as long as the ba chor mee and chicken rice remain available when I'm on vacation, I really don't give a damn. I just think that there are plenty of things to criticise about the PAP if you care to think about it, so fabricating lazy accusations is simply not kosher.