A seasoned member of a citizens' consultative committee claims that when you have a popular school within a certain constituency, there's no shortage of willing hands. The carrots bring them in by the droves. However, it had been observed that the parents soon drop out after their children are successfully placed. "We should not allow the system to be abused like this," he said.
So, instead of priority for their children in schools near their homes as well as in the constituencies, the People's Association (PA) is now trimming the privilege to just schools within the constituency. With the kind of electoral boundaries drawn up by the Elections Department, school can now be more than 1-2 kilometers away from home in spite of all the apple polishing. Volunteers will also have to satisfy two full years of faithful grassroots work, instead of just one token year of servitude. PA says the changes were made to ensure only "deserving" grassroots and district councillors will be entitled to special treatment.
Time will tell if the attendance at election rallies will be adversely affected. After all Primary I priority rules may be just the tip of the iceberg, there must be lots of other goodies we have yet to read about.
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I thought volunteerism is from the heart and passion to serve the community. We seems to teach the young wrong the value of human kindness n compassion. No wonder society is on a mess today.
ReplyDeletePA's hypocrisy in their claims about the scheme's relevance and their persistence in perpetuating this acceptable form of corruption is simply despicable.
ReplyDeleteJust throw the monkeys some bananas. And you can apply this principle to ministers and mps as well
ReplyDeleteAlways work . In fact , peanuts do just as well !
Deletesorry sirs, but u haven't mastered the art of political manipulation. Why didn't they throw the peanuts at CSJ or LTK? Maybe they tried but the targets did not bite. So it doesn't work for every monkeys, only those with certain weaknesses. Every successsful founding han emperor since Liu Bang had ruthlessly murdered those they cannot buy with wealth or who would not succumb to threat.
DeleteWould anyone want to go to watch our National Day Celebrations if there ate no goodie bags for balloting? One can bet that none will bother watching it on TV if they didn't get a bribe of the goodie bag to attend?
ReplyDeleteThen there is the free mee siam mai hum among other treats at community events plus a lucky draw coupon thrown in to attract attendances. If no free treats or goodies, surely the people will be cursing PAP like mad.
But you can bet the Ministers will not be questioning where the money comes from for all these kind of free satay, shark fin soup, abalone porridge because they definitely don't come from their pockets?
Can any of those IB bootlickers tell me that I am wrong?
What's the fuss? For the longest time these grassroot activities engendered reciprocity in the form of priority of placement in education, housing, travel, parties, etc. Apparently there were public housing units which were specially configured for grassroot leaders. There's probably not enough gravy these days.
ReplyDeleteI believe majority of those parents who 'game' the Primary One priority system created by the PAP are merely displaying basic parental instinct of doing what is best for one's children, even if it means volunteering to do some work for the "enemy" ( $PAP$ )
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, I give full credit to those parents who vote opposition despite securing places for their children. They know in their hearts it is a PAP selfserving policy, just like many of the other policies.
Who cares who people vote for? If there are benefits just take. Why think so philosophically?
Delete"Why think so philosophically?"
DeleteOld fart is right, silliporeans are rather dumb, enuf for their votes to be bought for a mere $45 NS voucher :0, or MSG-laden abalone porridge? hee hee
Membership certainly has its privileges.
ReplyDeleteMy neighbour is a grassroot leader and PAP supporter.
Everyyear, he gets NDP tickets without the need of balloting.
NDP is financed by taxpayers money and not PAP's so why does the govt treat their supporters as first among equals??
Grassroots work for Workers' Party counted or not ah?
ReplyDeleteOR
Only grassroots work for PAP is considered valid and "recognized" ??
Grassroots work for WP is registered as a demerit point in the PAP report card...until 2016
DeleteHowever, If you are given the honour to become part of the firing squad, you will be given extra bullets....until you hit the target.
I love PAP and it's getting better every year. Soon anyone need helps will need to show proof he, she had voted for the PAP.
ReplyDeleteFor me I'm out of luck, never voted for them and don't intend to. G'luck Sinkies.
OH, forgot to including:
ReplyDeleteDie your business!
Who supplies the NDP goodie bag?
ReplyDeleteIs it another $2 company?
Who pays for the goodie bag?
Is it Singaporeans tax money again?
"They will also be restricted to schools in the constituency where they live. Up to now, grassroots leaders could get priority for their children in schools near their homes as well as in the constituencies where they volunteered.
ReplyDeleteParents whose children will register in 2016 for primary education and who wish to join the scheme will have to be appointed as grassroots leaders in various grassroots organisations and district councillors of the five Community Development Councils by June 30."
Hurry, Hurry! 2 weeks left to June 30 to register. Coincidence or not, the extension from 1 year to 2 years grassroots work coincides with the time until the next General Election (2 years also) which must be held by May 2016. This ensures that attendances at PAP election rallies if held from June 2015 to May 2016 (the most likely election dates) will be boosted.
Since it is restricted to only schools where they live, and not where they volunteer, this ensures that there will be more volunteers for the PAP in Oppositions Wards.
Very cunning. Getting more juice for their carrots.
Correction:
DeleteTo qualify, you need to be appointed as grassroots leaders by June 30.
This ensures there will be more grassroots leaders everywhere up to the General Election.
This is illegal, bribery. What does grassroots do for the people other than carry ministers' balls? What if a PR, just by joining grassroots, have more piority than our own Singaporeans in the choice of school. Isn't such system causing more divide than unity? Why is PA preaching such dangerous move that if you are with me, you get it firs, if not, you get it last. Was Tony Tan's opening speech in parliament a load of bullshit under such circumstances in this society?
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