SDP -- The Way to Do It
I am Xeno Boy. I am the Political Savant. This is Singapore's First Political Blog.
In my last entry, I mentioned that SDP was facing a renewal crisis. I take that back. My Swedish classmate who is a true blue Liberal, forwarded me the following URL : http://www.s-studenter.se/index.php?page=3&ar_id=569
Yes it is in Swedish. But what it tells us is that the SDP and the Swedish Social Democrats recently had a democracy course in Singapore. The Swedish representatives, according to my classmate, are all dynamic young activists. This is the way to go if we wish to topple the PAP. We need to obtain fresh ideas and new perspectives to challenge the Hegemony.
My classmate has obliged my request to translate the article. I did not find this mentioned in any Singapore media or the SDP website. That is the point of my previous entry to the Opposition. Use technology. The translation goes like this. I do not take responsibility for any errors :
The course targetted the leadership of the Singaporean opposition SDP party. The speakers were young Swedish politicians from the Social Democrats, the liberal Folkpartiet and the Moderates. Representing the Swedish Social Democrats was Torbjörn Hållö, chairman of the GSHF (Gothenburg’s Social Democratic University Association).
Included in the course were training sessions in rhetoric, electoral strategy, media training and campaign methodology. In total some 20 participants from the SDP took part. Singapore is a democracy with impediments. The opposition is marginalised and the ruling PAP party redesigns the constituencies before each election in order to keep the number of opposition politicians in parliament down. In the last elections in 2001 the opposition only received 2 out of 89 seats.
It was an exciting weekend with many interesting discussions. That young Swedish politicians can contribute to supporting the Singaporeans in their efforts toward a more pluralistic and open society felt very meaningful.
Lee Hsien Loong assumed the Prime Ministership in Singapore just recently. Prime Minister Lee has promised a more open political climate. That sounds promising and I hope he keeps his word. Singapore is an economically highly developed country. Now it’s about time that those who rule Singapore start to affirm democracy and openness.
Currently Singapore has the dubious pleasure of executing the most people per capita in the whole world. So it was very inspiring that several of the opposition politicians who participated in the course also proved to be very active in the fight against capital punishment.
The democracy course is part of a larger project called the Sweden-Singapore Initiative for Democracy (SSID). The project includes several seminars in Singapore on human rights.
Torbjörn Hållö can be contacted at 070-4902531
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The SDP has taken a bold step forward. It has shown a willingness to learn. The infusion of such ideas will benefit the party in the long run. My point is simple: learn from them and than Adapt the ideas into our Singapore demographics and our Singapore context. Learn from them and than translate into action. Well done SDP!
The time is nigh for real change in Singapore. The population is changing. The awakened is gaining in numbers. Opposition hear me and hear me well. This is the way to go.
I am Xeno Boy. I am the Political Savant.
In my last entry, I mentioned that SDP was facing a renewal crisis. I take that back. My Swedish classmate who is a true blue Liberal, forwarded me the following URL : http://www.s-studenter.se/index.php?page=3&ar_id=569
Yes it is in Swedish. But what it tells us is that the SDP and the Swedish Social Democrats recently had a democracy course in Singapore. The Swedish representatives, according to my classmate, are all dynamic young activists. This is the way to go if we wish to topple the PAP. We need to obtain fresh ideas and new perspectives to challenge the Hegemony.
My classmate has obliged my request to translate the article. I did not find this mentioned in any Singapore media or the SDP website. That is the point of my previous entry to the Opposition. Use technology. The translation goes like this. I do not take responsibility for any errors :
The course targetted the leadership of the Singaporean opposition SDP party. The speakers were young Swedish politicians from the Social Democrats, the liberal Folkpartiet and the Moderates. Representing the Swedish Social Democrats was Torbjörn Hållö, chairman of the GSHF (Gothenburg’s Social Democratic University Association).
Included in the course were training sessions in rhetoric, electoral strategy, media training and campaign methodology. In total some 20 participants from the SDP took part. Singapore is a democracy with impediments. The opposition is marginalised and the ruling PAP party redesigns the constituencies before each election in order to keep the number of opposition politicians in parliament down. In the last elections in 2001 the opposition only received 2 out of 89 seats.
It was an exciting weekend with many interesting discussions. That young Swedish politicians can contribute to supporting the Singaporeans in their efforts toward a more pluralistic and open society felt very meaningful.
Lee Hsien Loong assumed the Prime Ministership in Singapore just recently. Prime Minister Lee has promised a more open political climate. That sounds promising and I hope he keeps his word. Singapore is an economically highly developed country. Now it’s about time that those who rule Singapore start to affirm democracy and openness.
Currently Singapore has the dubious pleasure of executing the most people per capita in the whole world. So it was very inspiring that several of the opposition politicians who participated in the course also proved to be very active in the fight against capital punishment.
The democracy course is part of a larger project called the Sweden-Singapore Initiative for Democracy (SSID). The project includes several seminars in Singapore on human rights.
Torbjörn Hållö can be contacted at 070-4902531
----------
The SDP has taken a bold step forward. It has shown a willingness to learn. The infusion of such ideas will benefit the party in the long run. My point is simple: learn from them and than Adapt the ideas into our Singapore demographics and our Singapore context. Learn from them and than translate into action. Well done SDP!
The time is nigh for real change in Singapore. The population is changing. The awakened is gaining in numbers. Opposition hear me and hear me well. This is the way to go.
I am Xeno Boy. I am the Political Savant.
posted by xenoboysg at 8:15 PM
15 Comments:
Nice writing ... maybe you should consider a consultancy job for the entire incompetent Sinkapore Opposition ... i may consider returning to Sinkapore if that is the case ... cheers
Dude, that's one helluva raging rant! Pumps me up and makes me wanna wear my Che Guevara t-shirt everyday. Careful, or the goon squad get you in the night
Wolf
Perhaps you should forward this to the SDP or WP. I believe that your assumption about them being cozened by the PAP with an illusory sense of freedom is spot on. The Evil Empire will never let go of their tentacles of power, we need the masses indeed.
CruciForm
Dude, seems as if forumers are not participating out of fear. The fear of their IP address being logged and traced. You know how the ISD sometimes goes undercover to track posters who are critical.
Dude, seems as if forumers are not participating out of fear. The fear of their IP address being logged and traced. You know how the ISD sometimes goes undercover to track posters who are critical.
Hi, I'm writing an article abt blogs. Abt the evolution of blogs, from your normal diary-like websites to now, blogs with a direction. Like yours. Would like to get in touch with you, to have your opinions, but I can't find your email on this site anywhere. Could you pls email me at e_auyong@yahoo.com.? Would appreciate a reply soonest possible. Thanks.
I respect and appreciate your effort to make a stand on your views on the current political situation in Singapore. But saying shit like "the PAP SUCKS" without much factual backings to such a statement is pretty much worthless.
"In my last entry, I mentioned that SDP was facing a renewal crisis. I take that back." - Flip-flopping is just the kinda thing you don't wanna do.
I enjoy reading your blog, in a comedy relief kinda way. Thanks for the laughs, but you haven't got a single clue what you're talking about.
sigh.
yknow xenoboy, if you didn't do the whole "I am Neo! Hear me Roar!" chest-thumping routine before each post I might actually feel tempted to read your pieces.
Else I just wonder whether you're so much a political savant as an idiot savant.
:)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/discuss-singapore/message/17207
Can you get your Sweden friend to translate the following and post it in your blog or Discuss-Singapore?
http://www.riksdagen.se/debatt/fragor/fraga.asp?rm=0405&nr=1
Fråga för skriftligt svar
den 15 september
Fråga 2004/05:1 av Cecilia Wigström (fp) till utrikesminister Laila
Freivalds om singaporeaners rätt att arbeta politiskt
Dr. Chee Soon Juan är generalsekreterare i Singapore Democratic Party.
Han har stämts för förtal av premiärminister Goh Chok Tong och den
före detta premiärministern Lee Kuan Yew för att han i valrörelsen
2001 kritiserat Singapores lån på 10 miljoner dollar till
Suhartoregimen i Indonesien fyra år tidigare. Domstolen har nu, utan
att en rättegång har hållits, dömt till premiärministrarnas fördel.
Dr. Chee kommer att tvingas betala en enorm skadeståndssumma,
antagligen på flera hundratusen dollar, och bli försatt i personlig
konkurs. Enligt lagen får en person satt i personlig konkurs inte
ställa upp i allmänna val. Det är inte första gången regimen i
Singapore på detta sätt omöjliggör för oppositionen att verka i landet.
Vilka åtgärder är utrikesminister Laila Freivalds beredd att vidta för
att Singapore ska respektera Dr. Chee Sonn Juan och andra
singaporeaners rätt att arbeta politiskt?
Svar på frågan (besvarad av Utrikesminister Laila Freivalds).
The article mentions the latest controversy Chee is having with the PAP over the libel suits. It states that the PAP, namely GCT and LKY are screwing Chee and making a mockery of democracy. The fact that there is a judiciary that is not exactly jucidcious helps the PAP a long way. That is the gist of the article.
to reminisce :
haha a savant, a servant, an idiot, a genius ... that helps alot in boosting my fragile ego.
i like ur self introduction ... oxymoronic but very wistful. come on cheer up ... at least i got a laugh out of you.
To mr auyong :
Post ur questions here and i answer here. simple.
to the anonymous person who said i flip flop. thanks for ur compliment and thanks for bothering to read the article. it shows how much you care.
as for flipping and flopping, and the thing about facts: read ur comment well.
i got a few comments and questions i would like to share and discuss.
1. The administration career those hwa Chong and raffles students speak off is the typical \\\’sin.inc\\\’ political ladder. u get a scholarship, get into the army or civil service, join the minister rank, retire in glc.
2. The \\\’prince\\\’ has promised a more open political climate. That reminds me of ‘\\\lao mao\\\’ policy of \\\’let a thousand flower blossom, and then kill those who threat his power base\\\’. It happens before even in \\\’laogaoh\\\’ era. i guess it is a plot to filter out disloyalty for the coming election.
Currently with the nmp system, it have large marginalize the chances that a \\\’opp party\\\’ will be able to balance the power with the \\\’sin.inc’\\\. However, more likely the \\\’sin.inc\\\’ will split from within (as is already has happen, with some politictians seating on the fence).
1. what and where exactly is the power base of the \\\’sin.inc\\\’, is the legitimacy to rule base on full job employment?
2. what relevant credibility, issues, policies (fore sign, workable and win-win) does the \\\’opposite\\\’ have to offer to attract and offset the politician and voter from the \\\’sin.inc\\\’.
3. and most importance, who and where are the swing voter(are they the \\\’sheep\\\’, the \\\’elite\\\’ or the something \\\’else\\\’)?
lastly, what kind of human values(not the value from Kentucky chicken $1 adv) for our little island are we hoping to create, in short, how do we move the political process.
I believe our future lies in the growth of small business (the middle class, who have migrated) instead of state capitalization, and multi-party system (the perfect competition).
Thank for u time and happy NY
Dear anonymous,
You are asking the correct questions. The basis of politic in Singapore is thus far entwined with the economic. This works in a young nation but becomes double-edged in a mature nation. What LKY has done, to his credit, has been to strangle the politic from the masses. Frankly, no one knows exactly what is the politic any more in Singapore.
In technology, open source, in the Internet, the empowerment is beginning. There is a sense of awakening in the political. The swing voters are in the next two generations to hit voting eligibility. These minds must be moulded politically by the Opposition.
As for those already in politics now, it is a requirement to work Machiavellian politically. Sensing political opportunities which can cause PAP supporter collapse in the LONG-RUN and exploiting these rather than conducting losing skirmishes just to cause momentary annoyance is unworkable presently.
Political sniping works when there are two roughly equal groups jostling for power. It fails when there is one preponderant power.
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