During the election, a friend commented that PAP is like the autocratic father.. and that the opposition is like the poor mother who has been denied of a chance to speak for years and so one shot pour out her complaints... but even though she has to vote for ONE party in real life, she realizes that the best way out is an integration between the two and so she will energetically choose to integerate both energies than to take sides...
I agree with her..
The other day, my son out of nowhere turned to me and asked me to please support WP because he thinks they are more popular as more people attend their rallies and so he thinks they are number one. When I told him that PAP is the one with more seats in the parliament, he realized that PAP is "number 1" and he decided he will make a choice to support PAP instead...
Like most people, my son took the stand of supporting only one party and taking only one side. Just a one day before the election on cooling off day, when we were walking to my in law's place for supper, my son asked me if I had decided who to vote for. "I am going to vote for PAP.." he informed me...
"But you are too young to vote.." I told Ace. "Nevermind, you can vote for me lah.. you help me vote..."
"But what if I want to vote a different party from you?" I asked him...
"Then I have to ask you a question first.." he said.. suddenly turning very solem..."It is a very important question... Are you going to vote for PAP?" I suddenly felt like my son became some pro-PAP RC member trying to force their mandate down on me..
"What if I said no?" I asked him...
"Then you cannot vote for me.. if you vote for PAP.. then you can vote for me..."
I told him that I vote for WP in my heart and will vote for PAP on paper reason being that the candidiates tat WP sent to East Coast GRC are still somewhat not up to standard I feel.. if Low Thia Kiang were in East Coast GRC, I would certainly vote for WP...
"But Worker's Party is not number one.. how can you vote for them?" my son insisted..
I had to explain to Ace that even if they did not have many seats is parliament, it did not mean they are no good or that they are worse than PAP or that they love Singapore or Singaporeans any less..
To my surprise, my son, responded with a smug, I-know-better look and asked me, " You tell me lah.. what is so good about Worker's Party???"
I was so shocked he behaved in this way and decided that this was a good time to teach him about the power of integration...
I told Ace then that I like Worker's Party because they are very sincere and they make me feel like they really care. While PAP is good at coming up with policies to run the country, they sometimes make me feel like they dun care....
Using the daddy mummy analogy, I explained to Ace.... PAP is like your Daddy.. very intelligent, knows where he wants to go but sometimes forget to ask us about what we want and why we do things... and sometimes angry and shout at you and ask you to just go and face the wall... but you love him still right? Worker's Party is like mummy... always before you sleep, listen to you talk about your day, talk about how said you are sad... Mummy also not always right and mummy also scold you sometimes.. but you love both of us right? No matter what we did, you still love us right?
In our family, both daddy and mummy are important right? You will be happiest if daddy and mummy have a good relationship and we both did our best in what we do best to make our family a good and happy family... Our family will not be complete without daddy or without mummy... it would be difficult to create a happy family and progress without either daddy or mummy...
This election, is a cause for some sort of celebration. So many people have told me that they were totally overwhelmed and overjoyed when WP won Aljunied. It is like suddenly, Singaporeans dare to speak up and suddenly are willing to communicate about what they want. Suddenly, they want to make a stand and be truly a democratic society...
I am so happy that Singaporean youths are no longer considered apathic and was pleasantly surprised by all the intelligent discussion tat was taking place in the cyberworld. I am so happy to see all the outpouring of gratitude towards Mr Chiam See Tong and George Yeo. I am also very happy to see people volunteering to help out at Aljunied GRC given the very short time line needed to takeover a huge town council... People signing petitions in hope that there will be a bi-election for Chiam See Tong in PP.... people signing petitions because they want to express how Tin Pei Ling is unsuited as MP... and many creating funny videos (Yam Ah Mee going Yeo, Yeo Yeo, George Yeo Yeo Yeo), interesting pictures and podcasts to laugh as ourselves as a nation... I feel this signals that Singaporeans have stepped up into their places as Children of Singapore. This signifies their maturity and a certain willingness to be responsible and accountable for their own lives. The children of Singapore have grown up! :)
I am however disturbed that almost a week after the elections. There are still lots of finger pointing around... lots of poeple standing up for their individual choices... people who voted for "opposition" parties continuing to feel unheard and continuing to complain hoping that someone will take notice of their need to be heard and cared for.. scolding and chiding MM Lee for being "senile".....people who voted for PAP coming out and somewhat galloping along their moral high horse and chiding the non PAP supporters for being ungrateful.. and forgetting our past...
All this while, forgetting that SINGPORE has SPOKEN. SINGAPORE HAS ALREADY CHOSEN. Now is no longer the time to RALLY for your cause. It is no longer the time to pin point at each other and talk about who is right or who is wrong. Going back to the analogy of PAP being your father and OPP being your mother.. now is not the time for children to take sides and support the Father and Mother in their quarrel or take sides in this power struggle.
Now is the time that we children of Singapore do what we do best. To work bond our parents together, to work together for our happy family we call Singapore.
Remember, like I said in my note.. Don't Worry, Tomorrow Will Be Worse... Singapore is going to be facing more problems in the coming years... There are more things to worry about than who is right and who is wrong in this election.
Let's stop complaining/finger pointing/trying to stand up for XXX party. Instead, let's focus
on how to Singapore a better place and how to help our country overcome its current problems. Let's accept both PAP and WP with open hearts as they are (irregardless of how jia lat, how good, how proud, how autocratic, how fucked up they are) and TRUST them that they will do the best for us, do their best for SINGAPORE ;)
Isn't that a better use of your energy?:P
Here's to a better Singapore!
PS: Anyway, Ace is a real fast learner. Just two days ago, he came to me and told me that he supports everyone.. PAP and also Worker's Party in Aljunied GRC and everyone who stays there... wahahahahahaha... That's my kind of Singaporean! That's my kind of son...
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