———————————-
I did not expect so many hits on my first blog post yesterday. Thanks Singapore Daily for featuring my post.
———————————-
On Wednesday, former RI boy, Minister of State for Ministry of National Development & Ministry of Manpower Tan Chuan-Jin wrote a heart-warming sentimental Facebook Note to share his encounter with some under-privileged folks:
“…We need to get training on the ground so that our grassroots can learn more about watching out for danger signs and to prevent incidents from reaching this stage if possible. It is a structural problem and I fear that for some of these children, their future is already written off before they even start. We must do what we can to change this and provide them a fighting chance.”
This emotional Facebook Note immediately reminds me of a supporter’s speech during Tan Jee Say Presidential Election rally:
“….Over the last few weeks and month, I have received feedback from many many Singaporeans. The majority are healthcare workers, others teachers or social workers. A common theme comes through – we went into our professions because we cared. We genuinely believed in helping people. We did not want to become part of some machinery simply watching out for the bottom line. I believe that these Singaporeans are looking for a leader with a heart.”
I have a short memory on the good deeds of PAP because I could only briefly recall Lily Neo’s bed bug eradication project . PAP MP’s baring their emotional thoughts on the poor and under-privileged in the times of Facebook, Twitter is relatively unheard of as this exposes PAP’s possible negligence of the underprivileged on the expense of GDP growth. This has been capitalized highlighted by Alternative Parties, notably the Singapore Democratic Party crowd who have more caring hearts than the PAP. The SDP reminds me of an alternate MCYS assistance schemes with their strove of Youtube videos & articles boasting their assistance to the needy, apart from their Human Rights stance ranging from pro-gay to anti-capital punishments.
However, it might just be the SDP & ex-SDP Tan Jee Say’s hearty slogan which prompted the PAP to understand the need of using emotional hearts to win hearts on Facebook and the social media, especially since Singaporeans spend the most time on Facebook.
Tan Chuan-Jin should perhaps pay a courtesy call to SDP & Tan Jee Say because SDP is also perhaps the most internet-savvy political party, all thanks to the PAP Government Controlled Mainstream Media. Before the anti-PAP crowd starts cheering, it will be good to know that Tan Chuan-Jin was the Force Commander for Singapore’s relief efforts during the devestating boxing day Tsunami in Indonesia in 2004 and his experiences might had shaped his opinions on caring for the underprivileged today.
Pingback: Daily SG: 13 Jan 2012 « The Singapore Daily
wow. wonderful acticle. your words claim all the credit from the PAP MPs for SDP. Haven’t seen any thing done by SDP but words and talking. NO ACTION?
Indeed TCJ is a very compassionate MP. And so are many other PAP MPs who may be doing as much but not so media savvy.
i’ve watched a video done by SDP, supposely of a ‘poor’ couple living in a 3 room flat (which happens to be spick n span) and was given monthly allowance by their daughter.
SDP made that couple appeal for donations publicly. I’m sorry, if I were the daughter I would be mad that my parents were being made use of for one’s political agenda.
It is not difficult to come up with ‘poor’ people to make a video. It is easy to play act. But put it into real actions to help with sincerity – that, is the difficult part. And as far as I can see, SDP is NATO.
That’s something decent from Tan Chuan Jin.
Tan Chuan Jin is not an RI boy. He was from ACS but went to RJC for his A levels.
Well I am surprised that he did not call up his RJ collegemate, Chan Chun Sing directly to come up with immediate help for the lady and his daughters. They knew each other well from college days (as fellow student councillors) as well in the SAF of course. Calling the police is rather intimidating for many less educated people. What do you expect the police to do? Lend them money? A minister is able to do a lot more than any other politician not on the PAP ticket. He has the government’s resources behind him. I really expect him to do a little more. I think for example Lily Neo would have given more practical help in the same situation. Well at least, he should know by now after the past 8 months that there are a lot of people who need help and the system his party has created has not been able to help these people sufficiently.
TCJ said in his opening parliamentary speech that he was concerned about the low wages of toilet cleaners in Singapore and he said he wanted to do something about it. Until now, nothing has been done yet and we will see whether the situation improves at the end of the term. Until then, we should not forget that the wages of local cleaners are low because they have been forced into competition with foreign workers who are prepared to accept low wages. It is not fair for cleaners or indeed the others in the bottom 20% of the population to have to fight for jobs with foreign workers willing to work for less; our local workers have to put up on a long term basis with the higher cost of living and the mortgage or even rental of their expensive HDB flats. Meantime the foreign workers put up with a few years’ hard work here and go home with relatively huge savings in their homeland and even build big houses at home. I would like to see how TCJ can undo this which was started by his fellow PAP colleagues. Talk is cheap. If he and the likes of CCS cannot help to undo this, many Singaporeans will be proven right that the PAP cannot reinvent itself.