The Party is NOT the Government :: YOUR VOTE IS SECRET

Yesterday, Chronically Unaware had the opportunity to speak to a new citizen (from the People's Republic of China) working in A*star. She was a reasonable woman, highly educated, and drew quite a handsome salary from the taxpayer. 

We had the chance to exchange our views on the elections, and she was initially adamant that she would vote for the PAP. When I asked her why so, she said, and I quote: 

"How can a good, honest, loyal, patriotic people vote against the Government? Wouldn't voting for the opposition parties be an act of TREASON? (emphasis our own). I am afraid I will lose my job and my citizenship if I do not vote for the PAP."

Chronically Unaware would like to remind voters, both Singaporeans and new citizens, that there is a distinction between Party and Government. The People's Action Party is in Government today, but that is because the people have given them a mandate in the past elections. The rakyat (people) have the power to vote the PAP out of the Government at any election. 

YOUR VOTE IS SECRET. The serial number on your ballots are there to ensure the integrity of the vote, so that fraudulent activity such as ballot box stuffing and the improper disposal of uncounted votes can be prevented. Counted ballots are placed in boxes which are locked up in a vault in the Supreme Court building for 6 months before being incinerated, the process of which is witnessed by representatives of all stakeholders, including all political parties taking part in the election. THE VAULT CANNOT BE OPENED FOR THE BALLOTS TO BE CHECKED UNLESS A SUPREME COURT ORDER IS ISSUED. SUCH AN ORDER HAS NEVER BEEN ISSUED SINCE SINGAPORE'S FIRST ELECTION IN 1948. 

Chronically Unaware urges voters to judge each candidate running in their constituency fairly based on their individual merits, and not that of the party they belong to. Vote for the candidate who you think can best represent you in Parliament. 

Shalt thy have a Duty to Vote for ME?

Depending on where one lives, one may feel a need to vote for a candidate because of a perceived 'responsibility' or 'duty' to ensure a (often dubiously?) satisfactory result for the elections.

For example, voters living in opposition-held areas may feel compelled to vote for the incumbent opposition party so that there might be opposition voices in Parliament. Likewise, voters in a constituency where a Cabinet Minister is standing may feel compelled to vote for the Minister.

Remember, that the MP YOU elect for YOUR constituency represents YOU. They have a duty and a mandate to represent YOU in Parliament, not anyone else. Other constituencies have their own MP, and it is up to them to decide who they want to elect into Parliament to represent THEM. You have no duty or responsibility whatsoever to elect a MP who purports to represent the people of another constituency.

Vote for a candidate based on how well you think he/she can represent YOUR interests in Parliament, not because of an irrational perception of 'duty'. 

Chronically Unaware is on Facebook.

Help spread political awareness in Singapore.

Like, and share CHRONICALLY UNAWARE's Facebook page!

幫我們在新加坡傳播政治常識，請‘讚’、分享我們的FB！

http://facebook.com/unawaresg

What is a MP? 何謂國會議員？ PART II :: 第二回

This is the second part of a series on how Parliament functions in Singapore. 

這是一系列關於新加坡國會的短文之第二回

As previously mentioned in Part I, Members of Parliament are elected to represent their constituents in Parliament, the legislature of Singapore. A legislature is a deliberative body which enacts the laws by which the jurisdiction is governed. Legislatures exist all around the world, from the Legislative Yuan of the Republic of China, to the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Congress of the United States, and, of course, Singapore's own Parliament. 

MPs make decisions collectively on your behalf. Laws are introduced to Parliament in the form of Bills, which are read 3 times, each time requiring a majority of MPs present to pass the Bill on the Third Reading, except for Bills purporting to amend the Constitution. Singapore is governed according to the laws enacted by Parliament, so the decisions of MPs as a whole have a huge impact on your lives. There will be time in Parliament to debate each Bill, during which MPs may give speeches to the House. Such decisions include the setting of the CPF minimum sum, determining ministerial salaries, deciding how to spend taxpayer money, among other decisions. You may, ideally, want to vote for an MP who will speak up for you during Commons debate, say 'Aye' to provisions you agree with, and 'No' to those you don't. 

The Government has to serve you according to the rules set by Parliament. The Government has no authority to do anything which Parliament has not authorized it to do. It CANNOT collect taxes, withhold CPF money (or set a CPF minimum sum), or liberalize immigration policy, among other things, without authorizing legislation passed by Parliament. 

Different MPs contribute to Parliament differently, in both quantity and quality of their speeches. For example, while Mr Goh Chok Tong spoke only once in Parliament since he was elected in 2011, Mr Yee Jenn Jong gave speeches in over 80 sessions of Parliament out of slightly over 100. You may wish to assess the contributions of your MP in Parliament both quantitatively and qualitatively. 

A RATIONAL CHOICE

When casting your vote, think carefully; 

DO: 

• Vote for the candidate who can best represent you in Parliament
• Vote for the candidate who you know will speak up and vote in your best interests in Parliament
• Vote for the candidate who understands you and your needs
• Vote for the candidate who believes what you believe in
• Vote for the candidate who will wholeheartedly serve you
• Vote for the candidate who has the ability to contribute actively to parliamentary debate and build up our parliamentary tradition

DON'T:

• Vote for a candidate because he speaks good Hokkien or Teochew. 
• Vote for a candidate because he gives out free chicken rice/mineral water/raisin buns at his rally
• Vote for a candidate because he is handsome or pretty
• Vote for a candidate because someone told you to vote for him
• Vote for a candidate because he keeps the void decks clean
• Vote for a candidate because you are afraid of 'repercussions' of not 'voting for the government' (more on this later)
• Vote for a candidate because you feel compelled to vote for his/her party based on what they once did in the past.

Remember, elections are about the FUTURE, not about the past. The past may be glorious and be the subject of many fond memories, but who you vote for now will determine the future of the country, and affect your life in a profound manner. 

What is a MP? 何謂國會議員？ PART I :: 第一回

This is the first part of a series on how Parliament functions in Singapore. 

這是一系列關於新加坡國會的短文之第一回

You may have seen your Member of Parliament (MP) once or more in your life, even if you might not quite remember their names. You may know them as one of those smiling people on large, illuminated billboards who welcome traffic and pedestrians alike to your constituency, night and day.

Perhaps you have seen your MP at some community event, waving and giving out some prized on the stage, no doubt. Perhaps he/she comes to your house to demonstrate concern a few weeks/months before each election. Perhaps you were unfortunate enough to require their assistance during the weekly meet the people sessions.

And most importantly, you know (and this is greatly emphasized) that they manage the local town council to keep the lifts running, the cockroaches dead, and the rubbish from piling up in your neighborhood.

But MPs are not municipal cheerleaders.
Neither are they dispensers of concern to those lacking it.
Nor are they, primarily, town council managers. (or they would become 'Managers of Town', not 'Members of Parliament')

As their title suggests, a MP is elected to represent their constituents in parliament. Ergo, the primary metric by which a MP's performance should be assessed is by their performance (or lack of) in Parliament. 

Continued in Part 2

您可能見過您的國會議員，雖然您可能已經忘了他們的名字。

也許您曾看見您的國會議員站在台上揮手，頒發獎狀。
也許您的國會議員曾在選舉前到您家訪問，以表示關懷。
也許您曾需要到每週一次的接見民眾大會求助。

您肯定也知道，國會議員負責管理市鎮理事會。

但國會議員不是市鎮的啦啦隊長；
選國會議員也不是看誰帥誰漂亮；
他們最主要的職責也並不是管理市鎮會。

國會議員就是國會之議員。國會議員是我們在國會中的代表，在國會中代表選民是國會議員最核心的任務。

您的國會議員的工作做得好不好，主要在於他能否最佳地在國會里代表您的利益。

待續

ADVERTISEMENT 公告

If you are ignorant, do not read this blog; it is not fit for you.
If you are brainwashed, cast it aside; you have nothing to learn from it.
If you are lazy, lie on your bed and slumber; your time can be put to better use.
But if your mind is sharp and independent;
And you are passionate withal; and your spirit yearns to learn the truth;
Read, and may your soul find enlightenment! 

若您無知，請勿閱讀；本部落格不適合您。
若您已被洗腦，將我扔到一邊；您從此並學不到什麼。
若您為人懶散，請臥床而眠；您的時間可以更妥善地使用。 
但如果您思想獨立、清醒；
而您有熱情，且有知道真理之慾望；
歡迎您閱讀，以得到解放！

Inspired by F. M. Cornford. 

Chronically Unaware: The First Post

Politics is a confusing thing for many people, who invariably wonder now and then why there is a need for old men and women to trade barbs with other old men and women to confuse them even more.
Politics may be to some a source of entertainment, an exhilarating show to watch.
Politics may be to some a chance to attend festival-like rallies, like another sort of pasar malam that comes only once every five years.
Politics may be to some a little game, where you get to mark a little slip of paper with a cross and dump it into the box.
Politics may be to some merely a call to obey higher mortals (the likes of Charles Chong, surely will come to mind). They obey, perhaps because they think that is how everything works. The government is unquestionable. It is to be obeyed.

But politics is none of that.
Politics is not about discrediting and smearing your opponents.
It is not entertainment.
It is not a pasar malam.
It is not a game.
It is not about obeying the government.

Politics is about influence. It is about perspectives. It is about mindsets. It is about interests, specifically, to protect one's own interests.

To protect one's own interests one must know how the political system works.

Too bad many people do not know how the political system works.
Perhaps they don't even know where their best interests lie.

We call it... being CHRONICALLY UNAWARE.

Too bad too many people in Singapore are chronically unaware. We're here to change that.

Stay tuned.