A pro-ruling party fanpage, “Fabrications About The PAP”, has labelled the four opposition parties that have plans to register a coalition “jokers on an ego trip” on the same day that the plans were reported.
It was reported on Friday (Jan 3) that the Reform Party (RP), Singaporeans First party (SingFirst), People’s Power Party (PPP) and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) are planning to register a coalition by the end of this month, ahead of the upcoming General Election.
While the four parties in the coalition are widely seen as “fringe” parties, with considerably smaller pools of members and limited resources, a coalition could prove to be beneficial as they could bring more bargaining power as a united force when they meet with the other opposition parties to decide which wards to target once the revised electoral boundaries are announced.
While the proposed coalition has won some support, it has also found its share of detractors — most notably in the form of “Fabrications About The PAP” — a fanpage that has an axe to grind with non-ruling party politicians and their supporters simply due to their opposition to the People’s Action Party (PAP).
Shortly after news of the proposed coalition broke, the administrator of the fanpage, Mr Jason Chua Chin Seng, opined that such a coalition contesting the election is akin to giving the PAP a walkover. He added:
“The money saved from conducting a election for these jokers to go on a ego trip could be better spent to help the many homeless & elderly cardboard collectors that these clowns so want to help.”
https://www.facebook.com/FabricationsAboutThePAP/photos/a.597210110335001/2636008496455142/?type=3&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARBAKmXTWwHt9vm99Cz_7l2R089NmnTHdCK2bLMJmocpledAiUTmo_gwpBFH8tnM58-QuJGNDfMbEX0wVixWtrxwkh7Z-L6s8IvRsXznxpqjZD8xQcSDu1MKQ-tymP_8V5k0s_eTk2ucQEOBg1ijF8XIiEsaeg_-PmDMg2Lcf8_fCItg5cOKu_fkyULuZX2r6JKeHybMuA69PAqD525DxirlF3SlDuMPCUSwW5YQRHH4JsVCWY8YH-FsTcNKLGYxFX-di7RwAYfMJR5K2_e3k6YYOOyDsLjha_B_LECcjG_5IgzJykzl6DtLZNTi_DBW6SoekJ947IuPoSlxZkLkuuNLgw&__tn__=-R
Incidentally, on Monday (Jan 6), People’s Power Party chief Goh Meng Seng addressed the criticism against the proposed coalition and asserted that it is crucial for the opposition to unite and present a common policy platform to voters. He said, in part:
“It is kind of strange that there are people who actually ‘blame’ the planned alliance for causing ‘credible parties’ to lose votes. It is even more strange when the very people would claim that the planned alliance is just too insignificant, alliance of ‘mosquito parties’, alliance of ‘fringe parties’ …
“I always hold the view that many opposition leaders and candidates are actually grossly undervalued when we do not unite. People may sneer, smear and mock at our current planned alliance as an alliance of ‘mosquito parties’, but do remember, even mosquitoes can kill as well.
“I believe this is a good healthy development for opposition as well as the Nation. A good government can only be sustained when you have effective opposition with competent knowledge and skill sets to scrutinize and debate important policies, especially economics policies in parliament.
“Thus, I cannot understand why these people are skeptical about the planned alliance. It is ok if they do not like it or support. But to further accuse the alliance will reduce the votes and support of their so call ‘credible opposition parties’, that’s a great insult and deliberate blame game.
“We are acting on what voters expect us to do and the past GE has shown this is key point which resulted in our unsatisfactory results. In fact, it is in the Nation’s interests for the opposition to regroup and reorganize ourselves in unity.”
https://www.facebook.com/gohmengseng.freedom/posts/10219115854620427
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