SDP wants BAN on news reports during GE

Singapore Democratic Party's Chairman, Gandhi Ambalan wants a complete ban on news reports during GE. This was in response to the proposed cooling-off period mooted by the PAP.

A complete ban would mean that Singapore be shut off from external world. Thousands of news network would be disallowed to mention Singapore in their reports. Sounds silly? Wait till you hear more!

Gandhi Ambalan writes, "Direct communication through rallies and groundwork have been opposition's mode of reaching out to voters."

Gandhi should speak for himself or for the SDP instead of speaking on behalf of the opposition. Workers' Party and Singapore Democratic Alliance members does groundwork before GE. When Gandhi Ambalan writes that, it gives a feeling that the SDP had not been doing their ground work. Would a longer campaigning period help? One wonders.

One reader of the SDP website had this comment to make about the SDP:

"SDP repeatedly prides itself on its ability to bypass the ruling party's control of the MSM through its mastery of the alternative media.

Complaining is just a (further) indication that it has run out of imaginative ideas to reach the electorate. More importantly, it should worry about what messages it wants to convey rather than raise hue and cry over the restrictions over the means."

What Chee would write to Obama

Chee Soon Juan wrote an open letter to Obama to congratulate him when he was inaugurated as President of the USA in January. Of course, it turned out to be more a complaints letter.

Dr Chee would probably be recycling this idea when President Obama drops by next month. Not My SDP would like to postulate what the new letter to Obama will look like with the following parody.

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President Obama,

I heard that you will be popping by next month for APEC 2009. That is why I am writing yet another open letter to you.

When you were inaugurated as President earlier this year, I also composed a letter to you. I couched the letter in the form of a congratulatory note, but it was more to air my political grievances to you and everyone who bothers to read my endless ramblings.

But you did not even deem it necessary to reply me. Of course, I was very devastated then. My disappointment only ceased after much soul searching. I finally consoled myself that you must have been too busy improving your basketball skills or pulling strings for the Nobel Peace Prize to write me a reply.

I have decided to forgive you, but I hope you will be more sensitive to a fellow freedom crusader's feeling in future. It really made me look bad in front of my supporters to be ignore. Please remember - no one ignores Chee Soon Juan.

Nevertheless, I am not known around Singapore as Mr Politically Persistent for no reason; hence this second attempt at an open letter. Initially, I was hoping to repeat most of the points I had made in my previous one, since you missed them anyway.

But I've been rather busy lately. I also am to lazy to regurgitate the same points I had made previously, even just for the sake of the President of USA. So I hope you don't mind reading them over here at this URL (http://yoursdp.org/index.php/news/singapore/1782-democrats-message-to-president-obama).

Since politically nothing much has changed here in Singapore, my letter would have been about the same old stuff - lack of civil, human and whatever rights here; Singapore PM is earning bigger bucks than you; many poor Singaporeans, not unlike the homeless ones over there in USA, and so on.

The only additional point I would have made is that our government here is trying to deprive the citizens of their wet-markets that the old folks are very sentimental about. . My party is pretending to fight for these and trying to impress the voters in a constituency we hope to contest soon. Don't underestimate people's passion for stinky and humid markets.

In Jan, I even made a video then, to enhance the emotional impact of my messages. The video is more intended for the lazy Singaporeans who prefer something more multi-media. You see, it's hard to compel them to read my long essays, and that is also why my party website has seen a big drop in readership. What to do, have to pander to the electorate's idiosyncrasies, right?

To cut to the chase, I have run out of ideas what else to do here. I like the catch-phrase you used very much - "Yes we can", I thought my party can too, but apparently we just can't think of any new ideas to get into parliament. Maybe you can lend me your campaign manager, that David Plouffe guy. He's quite good; at least better than the rag-tag team I have who simply echoes whatever I say.

Anyway, when I heard you were coming by, I could not decide whether to rejoice or feel downtrodden.

I rejoiced because I might have the opportunity to meet you personally when you are in Singapore. Imagine you and I rubbing shoulders together. It would give me much political mileage amongst my potential voters whom I regret to say, are very indifferent. And ignorant, if I may add.

Perhaps there would be some photo-op too. Then I can embellish my party website with pictures of you and I standing shoulder-to-shoulder not only physically, but against the tyranny of the autocratic governments around the world. I was told you are quite a tall guy, so I hope you won't mind if I stood on a small stool for the pose in front of the cameras. Our statures would then be more or less equal. A politician craves for some limelight, no?

Unfortunately, it's unlikely I'd even get within 10 miles of your entourage. Those pesky policemen will be tailing me and ensuring that I don't even get near to SUNTEC where the meetings will be held. So my colleagues and I are planning to deliberately break some laws by having some demonstrations.

I can't give any details of our plans here, since they are meant to be secret. I hope the noise we make won't interfere with the conference. Anyway, I heard nothing usually comes out of APEC meetings. So no loss. At least we would provide the international journalists something interesting to write about, and my international profile will be raised. It's good for me, because I'd be invited to seminars and talks overseas, and more importantly, get paid money which I quite desperately need.

At the same time, I have reasons to be sad by your attendance of APEC 2009. Perhaps simply out of courtesy, you probably be singing praises of your host, whom you should know by now are my political arch-enemies. It's a moral betrayal I'll have to bear for the duration of the conference. I'll just hope you won't carry it overboard, otherwise I'll stop writing to you in future.


Your Fellow Crusader for Freedom,

Chee Soon Juan (Dr)

SDP Activists belittle Civil Disobedience and Tak Boleh Tahan Campaign

In its latest article "AGC cannot decide whether to use video or not", SDP reporting seems to become a laughable joke. Let's take a look at some excerpts in quotes:

"The morning started off with Mr Ng E-jay pleading guilty to the charge of taking part in an assembly outside Parliament House. The second charge of participating in a procession was taken into consideration. Mr Ng was subsequently fined $600."

Compare this to the article "Come and support the activists during the trial" which read, "We are proud of being able to come together to defend and push for the rights of our fellow citizens, for without these rights we are at the mercy of the PAP. We know that we are guided by the truth and righteousness."

If SDP knows it's righteous, why did its activist pleaded guilty in the morning?

"In the end, Mr George pleaded guilty as this was the only way for him to get back to his work. He was fined $1,200."

What's more, one of the SDP activists pleaded guilty just to go back to work! Seems like career is more important than political stand.

The Best Job Insurance: SDP calls out for supporters to donate to its legal defence fund, which will be used to keep Mr George's job.

With the guilty pleas, SDP has lost its legitimacy among its supporters. This is because SDP has gone back on its civil disobedience action. Remember how Dr Chee claimed to be on hunger strike but secretly drank glucose water?

Oscar Award for the most illogical statement of the YEAR:

"I understand what was read out to me," Mr Jufrie replied, "what I don't understand is why are we being charged. You see groups of tourists and other people everyday in front of Parliament. Why are they all not charged?"

This either shows the naivity of Mr Jufrie to law, or that he's trying to say the SDP did not campaign at all in front of Parliament. So wasn't there a demonstration?

In conclusion, SDP doesn't really care about the poor in Singapore as much as they say they are. It protested outside Parliament House but said they were just like tourists walking pass Parliament without intention of demanding more to be done to alleviate poverty in Singapore. All else said, after the bankruptcy of SDP, it could consider joining the Entertainment industry.

Light Bulb Jokes

What does it take to replace a fused light bulb?

PAP:

Engage foreign talents to check out the best method to replace the bulb. They will be paid according to what other experts are being paid. For manpower, foreign workers would be employed to cut down the operating cost.

To make it cost-effective, people using the bulb would pay a fee. The fee calculation is intrinsically very complexed. If you use it for a long period of time without turning it off, you pay more. But if you periodically switch on and off, you have rebates for using it but everytime you switch on, you pay an additional fee.

In the end, there is surplus and it's redistributed back to those who use the bulb.

WP:

Insist on using local talents to do the job. Their remunerations are benchmarked upon the multiplication of a factor by the lowest paid worker. The workers contracted are all locals.

To make it affordable for workers, there will be minimum fees imposed. Unions will be consulted if operating costs rise and if workers strike, then lights would not be turned on and cost is saved in the end.

SDA:

Who does the job doesn't really matter BUT it all depends on budget. With such a tight budget, it's hard to accomplish things. Representative will express anger on the tight budget allocation.

In the end, the bulb is still left unfixed. However, the supporters still rally with pride because they know they are unfairly treated.

Reform Party:

Newly established, this does not mean they lack the experience given the veteran level of the leader. The bulbs will not be replaced because the whole system is faulty!

The entire building will be demolished and rebuilt from scratch. That is how a bulb should be fixed.

SDP:

Gather a group of supporters and get them to wear Tak Boleh Tahan Shirts to protest against the spoilt bulb. At the same time, books, apparels, accessories will be retailed to gather enough money to sustain the group and if there are excess, then fix the bulb.

When enough money is gathered, fixing the bulb will be via Democratic means. That is, everyone gets to vote on the bulb wattage, the company to engage, the time for them to fix, and the list goes on. During the voting period, all are welcome to express their concern and anger since they have freedom of speech and the right to assemble.

When the votes support an unrealistic way to replace the bulb, the bulb will not be replaced! All the supporters will quietly sit down and perform a hunger strike (with glucose water sponsored). This is called "Civilised Naughtiness". The process will be recorded and downloadable via youtube so that no one misses out on the fun.