For the Love of Singapore, the Fight Must Go On
“I’m not a brave person, I just love Singapore and Singaporeans.” — Chiam See Tong
As I reflected on the events that unfolded over the past couple of days, I began to better understand Mr Chiam’s motivations.
More often than not, many opposition politicians come across as being too angry and feisty. It is almost as though they are fueled by vengeance and hatred. This form of motivation only lasts when the tides are with you. When the tides are against you, you begin to burn out. It’s something that comes from the outside, and not the inside.
Many of us, no matter how cynical we may seem on the surface, do have a burning desire within us to do our part for a more inclusive and democratic Singapore. The desire is there.
However, the next question that naturally arises is whether Singapore and Singaporeans are worth the effort.For a number of people, the answer to that question was a “no” after last Friday’s results. It may have been a “yes” after GE 2011. Elections ride on waves, our hopes, values and dreams shouldn’t.
That’s exactly what Mr Chiam meant. His love for Singapore and Singaporeans was far greater than any obstacle the powers that be threw in his path. Even when the tides werre against him, he stayed true to his cause and his perseverance paid dividends.
Even today when the voters of the opposition find themselves in the minority, we are still able to reach out and connect with like minded people via social media. One can only imagine what men like Mr Chiam and Mr JB Jeyaretnam went through in the early years to break the hegemony. Mr Chiam lost 3 elections before being elected into Parliament on his fourth try as the Member for Potong Pasir in 1984. I would be lying if I said that Friday’s result was not a crushing blow, but the perseverance of men like Mr Chiam serve as inspiration.
His spirit was unbelievable. Despite his frailty, he was still upbeat after the results were released and he also encouraged the younger members in the room to never give up the fight. If he was driven by anything other than the love of Singapore, he would have burnt out.
Cynical remarks about migration is easy but when push comes to shove, do you really have the heart to go? Deep inside, there is still a flame — maybe even a flicker — of hope that burns bright.
Yes, 7 out of 10 people voted for the ruling party. Some might even say that 70 per cent of people condone whatever wrongs there may be in our society. Yes, snide remarks of “I told you so” when trains breakdown and hospital beds line up the corridor may be tempting, but we must rise above that.
For every seven people who “voted for this,” there are three people who will say, “I voted for you. Aren’t you going to, at the very least, speak up for me?”
When the dust settles, some of the opposition parties, volunteers and supporters may find themselves at rock bottom. But one can never get a more solid foundation to build upon than rock bottom.
Let us learn from our experiences and come back stronger. We respect the will of the electorate this time round but that does not mean our work is done. In fact, it’s far from over.
As blogger Ng E-Jay puts it:
“It should not simply be “We respect the decision of the voters”.
It should be “We respect the way you voted, and we will continue to work even harder to win your support because we believe that PAP’s policies are not good for Singapore in the long run, and Singapore needs to develop more democratic institutions and processes — including the urgent need to address conflicts of interest as well as establish a fair playing field for all parties.”
Rise up, friends. The going is tough but we must keep going. Whenever in doubt, look back at what men like Mr Chiam and Mr Low Thia Khiang went through. Step up. The campaign for the next GE doesn’t begin in a year or two but it begun as soon as the final results were announced last week.
Mdm Teo Soh Lung recently revealed some of the difficulties faced by members of the opposition in campaigning and I personally can attest to some of these obstacles. Play your part in the opposition cause by volunteering your time and effort or by simply making a donation. You see, when the opposition goes against the PAP it isn’t just 5 candidates against 5 or 1 candidate against another. It’s the opposition against the entire PAP machinery, which includes but is not limited to, the state media, the PA, the RCs, the CCCs. So to put up a good fight and give the incumbents a good run for their money, we too must rally behind our opposition leaders and parties.
A more inclusive and democratic Singapore is possible, but it isn’t going to fall down from the sky. A long and arduous road lies ahead but we we must journey on still. Because if we don’t, who will?
So, for the love of Singapore and Singaporeans, let us carry on the good fight.
Originally published at www.theonlinecitizen.com on September 14, 2015.
