In The Heat Of The Battle

If seasoned politician Low Thia Khiang can't figure it out, neither can we. What the fish was George Yeo trying to say when he claimed that Aljunied voters have to choose between "enlightened self-interest" and the "opposition's interest"? He can't be serious to suggest that the guys who vote for the PAP will be doing so for selfish reasons, such as covered walkways for their own block - who cares if the other dwellings will be turned into slums. Yeo must be one of those cocky salesmen who thinks they can tell you to go to hell and expect you to thank them for the good advice.

He was supposed to be the Brainiac of the bunch, always giving fancy speeches in high falutin language. Trouble is, when others see through his hypocrisy, less intimidated politicians like the Taiwan foreign minister did not hesitate to call the country he represented at the United Nations a "piece of snot". The original dialect version is more colourful, several notches better than the Little Red Dot sobriquet bestowed by Habibie.

Maybe, like those others who sneaked into parliament via  the GRC without the baptism of fire of a honest electoral fight, he is just not battle hardened to handle the rough and tumble of the hustings. After all, this is just another desk jockey brigadier general who's more at home with the pen than the sword.

Fighting the good fight

Goh Chok Tong laughed at the opposition last night, saying they shoot randomly, hoping to hit a hot button issue with a stray bullet. Maybe he should have been at the SDP rally at Jurong Stadium. Those guys were downright viscereal. While Low and his dream theme appealed to logic, Tan, Ang and Gomez et al went for the jugular. Stories of a man who lost his job to a foreigner, a student asked by his principal to take a year off so the O level results for his cohort will not be pulled down, a teacher who had to seek psychiatric help, etc, all spiced up to fuel the simmering dissatisfaction of the down trodden. Emotional dilemma? George Yeo should really get down on the ground for a taste of the raw unfettered emotions. Like the hiss of venom that echoed throughout the packed stadium at the mere mention of Vivian Balakrishnan's name.