Saturday, May 7, 2011

Tears Or Jeers

Before the deluge of apologies, a flood of tears came first. If there was a pun intended, this has to be water-shed election of sorts. It's easy to see through the charade of the sorries, but what of the tears?

Lim Boon Heng
Conspiracy therories abound about his unsolicited public bawling (the reporter's question about groupthink wasn't even meant for him). Did he cry because he voted (in favour of building the casinos) against his principles? Did he cry because most of the 35,000 jobs created went to foreigners instead of Singaporeans? Skeptics say it was due to the late discovery he was kissing goodbye to a million dollar job, and may have to see his banker pretty quick about refinancing his good-class bungalow.

Watson Chong
This WP candidate said that shortly after joining the Workers Party in April 2008, his wife of 17 years threatened to leave him for signing up with the opposition party. ''If you join, I'll divorce you,' that's what she said,' recounted Mr Chong. Fortunately for the father of two children, aged 10 and 12, his family has since come round to support his political involvement. Happy endings, though rare these days, do exist in Singapore.

Khaw Boon Wan
Instead of talking about his plans for Sembawang GRC, Mr Khaw rambled on about the blisters on his feet caused by pounding the pavement (old styled campaigning instead of hitting the keyboard). Since it was the anniversary of his $8 heart bypass operation (now revised to $25,000), he regaled with stories of people he met asking if he could really handle the pace. Then, inexplicably, he choked up. He told of a "sad story" of a resident's husband who had a severe stroke two years ago that reduced him to a vegetative state. The sight of him lying in the lounge sofa, not knowing what is going on around him, must have reminded Khaw of his own mortality. Better stop and smell the flowers.

Nicole Seah
You would cry too if you heard how the financially strapped resident was refused a refund for a $80 tuition deposit. Worse, when the mother sought help from her MP, she was chided for the "small amount". Then you get angrier when the MacPherson Zone B Residents’ Committee clarified that she failed to give one month's notice for withdrawing her ward from the class. Pausing to compose herself, Seah told the estimated 10,000-strong crowd, “This is the kind of problem we have. We need a government who has a heart for Singaporeans.”

Lim Hwee Hua
The Serangoon Garden MP was heckled and accused of making her rounds only during election time. Then an incident in 2009 resurfaced, of a mentally disabled boy who had come to one of the Meet-the-People sessions in Serangoon North and slammed a chair on the door in frustration after witnessing the callous treatment meted to his mother. Lim refused to accept the handwritten letter of apology brought in later by the mother. Oh, she also accused Low Thia Khiang of being arrogant when latter responded to allegations by Lim that he mismanaged the accounts at the Hougang Town Council. What the fish was she crying about? Is she fearful of the ultimate retribution from the Almighty, that she will have to repent?

8 comments:

  1. What went unnoticed is the silent tears of Sylvia Lim, she controlled well enough not to show her emotion publicly. But you can see her tight facial muscle holding back her choking voice and the tears from flowing out.

    That happened in the finale rally in Serangoon when the members on stage walked a visually handicapped man down stage after he had placed the garland on Low Thia Kiang. While Mr Low escorted the man to the stage staircase, the emotional outbreak within her can be seen in her face.

    I connect with her on this matter. She may be very strong and forceful when she delivered her speech but she has her soft spot. And I am very glad of that, it shows she has a heart for the underdogs.

    Watson tears is understandable. Like what many opposition members said, there is no glamour being in the opposition camp. The fear in his wife is what many of us can relate to. It is fortunate that his family members eventually rally around him. I wish him all the best.

    My take on Lim Boon Heng's tears is similar to yours. He is angry within, for being told to go. And on losing his couple of million dollars and he felt he should stay on instead of getting people who are less qualified than him. He felt shortchanged by the party but he lan lan cannot state them in public.

    Lim Hwee Hwa - She is useless. Her tears are that of fear. Fear that her ineptness, her heartlessness and her complacency had all now made public and that the public will think negatively of her. It is too late. She had already done the damages. No sympathy for her.

    Nicole's tears are those of compassion. a young girl seeing how fellow Singaporeans are being treated by the same Singaporeans that were being elected into Parliament. There is hope for Singapore. Lets hope her involvement in politics will spurs many others like her to stand up and reclaim the country.

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  2. Some shed CROCODILE'S TEARS.
    Some shed TEARS OF FEAR-
    losing multi-million SINDollar
    income and loss of VIP Status.
    Some overwhelmed by emotion
    and
    there will be much tear of joys
    as hearts get touched when
    results are announced tonite.

    patriot

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  3. So sad. What is happening to our country?

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  4. PAP ministers who retired are entitled to enormous pension payments. No tears for that.

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  5. Just flew back to vote for the OPP and will be getting together with a group of friends to face the outcome.

    I had a light hearted banter with a few crew on board a famous carrier and I mentioned my reason for rushing back in time to vote. They commented that I was a loyal supporter but I emphasized that my gesture is nothing compared to those brave souls taking the fight to the incumbents and not least, those who volunteered selflessly to help them campaign. They nodded approvingly and I asked what is the general sentiments amongst them. They replied by asking me this in return, "Mr.... what do you think when we are the workers?" lol
    They knew how I felt just by the smile on my face. lol

    *I hope the OPP's effort is not in vain*

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  6. I honestly do not care for the tears of anyone in the incumbent party. They have their millions, and even for Lim Boon Heng, he had his millions. Any kind of crying is simply just too little, too late, for having taken a part in choices like the casinos which morally bankrupted our nation as a decision. I care more about whether Singaporeans can even rally round those who take on the lesser trodden road of the opposition and their cause for a fairer and equal society with compassion for the less fortunate.

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  7. Sin has a lot of idol worshippers.

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  8. You're biased in what you write. To me all that are wayang. The biggest wayang is Nicole Seah. To me, that was staged.

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