Open letter to Bukit Batok voters

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An honorable member of the Coffee Shop Has Just Posted the Following:

As the voting date approaches, you will hear the voice of the PAP and the voice of other opposition parties in your ears. But how should you vote? How should you make your decision? If there is one thing that distinguishes us Singaporean is the fact that we are in many ways numbers people and logical step by step thinkers. So, let’s examine factually, some of the offerings by the PAP candidate.

Mr. Muralli promises that if he is voted in as the PAP’s candidate, he will get you $1.9 million in upgrades including a 3 generation park and a covered walkway between 2 blocks. But ask yourself the following:

1) Is the PAP paying for the upgrades? Obviously not. The govt. is going to pay for it, in other words, your own money is going to pay for these upgrades. Do you really need a $1.9 million park and a covered walkway? What is a covered walkway other then a fancy roof. Does it really cost $1.9 million for these 2 items? That is shockingly expensive in my opinion. Do not be fooled by this promise. They are bribing you with your own money.

2) Ask yourself how can a candidate, not even elected yet, promise you such goodies? Does he have some secret channel into the coffers of the govt.? Isn’t there some process with HDB and the TC and other orgs to get this $1.9 million items on the budget and the bid process? So, he is saying that he already has connections to all these people and organizations even without being voted in. Does this sound right to you? If he is so powerful that he can promise such things to you, then why doesn’t he promise other things that can be more meaningful to you. Such as, a reduction in your conservancy fee. Why benefit a few residents with a park and a walkway when a reduction in the conservancy fee will benefit all. After all, haven’t the TC have a surplus in their budget?

3) If this walkway and park were such essential items, why have not prior PAP MPs done anything about them? They sure had ample time to do so. Why roll this out now during election time?

4) If the govt. was planning to carry out these upgrades anyway, then it should not matter which candidate gets elected. The fact that he promises you these upgrades will be done is a gross travesty of the democratic process and an abuse of power. In a democratic system, no one candidate should have an unfair advantage over another. Obama does not and cannot promise that $5 billion worth of bridges and roads will be build in California if they vote for him. There is a process when it comes to dealing with taxpayer’s money and it appears that Muralli (a trained lawyer) is ignorant of the democratic process.

5) By implication, the PAP candidate is saying that if you vote for the opposition, then these upgrades will not be carried out. Again, this is a perversion of the whole process. And lets called it for what it is, a veiled threat. When Bukit Batok residents, if you like to be threatened, then vote for the PAP. If you have a little courage, then vote against them.

At the end of the day, there are much more serious problems in Singapore then covered walkways and 3 generation parks. I don’t have to tell you what they are. Just look around you. A win by the opposition will not change the landscape of Singapore politics. But it will send a message to the PAP. It will say just because you got more votes then the last time, it does not mean that you can run roughshod over the desires of Singaporeans. It will keep them on their toes. If you do vote in the opposition, note that you will be a source of inspiration and hope to many who do not agree with the PAP. Much like Potong Pasir and Anson was decades ago. Choose well.


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