MM, U & Me 3

Itunes: Peter Cincotti, Self-Titled (2003)

Kor: Mr Lee, what good does it do for PAP to win all 84 seats? It will probably just increase the dissatisfaction on the part of the Singaporeans.
Lee: I think all I want to ask is whether you think the complete elimination of the opposition is really what you think is best for Singapore?
MM Lee: You will never completely eliminate the opposition.
Lee: Why not? It seems like you almost have done that!
MM Lee: You may eliminate them temporarily from Parliament. I eliminated or they eliminated themselves in 1965 when Barisan had 13 out of 51 seats and they said bogus Independence, fake – we leave. So we fielded in all the by-elections. And from 55 to 81, in three elections we swept the polls with opposition. (Background: The Barisan Socialis MPs, who held 13 out of 51 seats, boycotted the first parliamentary session after separation from Malaysia in August 1965, then resigned from Parliament in 1966, and refused to participate in the 1968 polls. This help the PAP make a clean sweep at the polls, a record it maintained right up until 1981.
Mabel: But is that the state that you really want Singapore politics to have…bearing in mind that your GRC systems results in walks-over. You have a young generation of people who really don’t care about politics. Or, they’re even fearful if they do get to vote. So is this the system that we really want?
MM Lee: Are you fearful to vote against the PAP?
Mabel: Perhaps, yes. Honestly – a little bit.
MM Lee: (Laughs) Why? Tell me why. What will happen to you? How will we know that you voted against us?
(Group laughs)
MM Lee: No, no – let’s pursue this “Because I’m afraid!”. You tell me you’ve gone through O levels, A levels, university, working in 93.8 Live and you’re afraid that if you vote against PAP, something will happen to you?
Lee: I think this is the impression that the PAP has created.
MM Lee: (Laugh) No, you’re spreading that impression.
Lee: No – you can ask every one of us here…
Pearl: Add to that effect that there isn’t a level playing field for the opposition in terms of upgrading.
MM Lee: There is no level playing field of any government helping opposition to win votes.
Lee: I think going back to the point when you say how will the PAP know who we voted for? What SM said just yesterday about the area at Realty Park – 60 per cent – if more than 60 per cent of them vote for the PAP, they will get the upgrading. So how does the PAP know it’s 60 per cent? So how can the residents not be fearful?
MM Lee: We can guess from our campaigning and our house-to-house visits. But we won’t know who comprises that 60 per cent right?
Ken: You don’t need to know that to strike fear though.
MM Lee: Come off it. You mean to tell me – you’re one of the 40 per cent that voted against the PAP and something happens to you?
Ken: Well, I’ve never voted for that matter. But I mean, we talk to 100 voters in the course of our work and it seems – no comment or if I vote against the PAP, I may…
MM Lee: Let’s get down. What are the 100 of voters? You name the 100 of voters – a few of them. Tell me.
Ken: Well I mean, I can’t name them by name but…
MM Lee: No, no. You tell me who you’ve spoken to and they say we’re afraid to vote against the PAP.
Ken: Well, a few weeks ago, The Strait Times did a report. We polled 100 voters…
MM Lee: No, no, never mind The Strait Times poll. You made a statement just now, look, I started life as a cross-examiner right? You made a statement just now that “I spoke to 100 people and they’re all afraid”. I say name them, tell me who.
Ken: Why should I name them on national television?
MM Lee: No. Therefore you tell me – it’s not “I spoke to them – The Strait Times carried the poll”. And you carried out the poll?
Ken: I was one of the reporters who…
MM Lee: Did you carry out the poll?
Ken: Yes I did.
MM Lee: How did you carry out the poll?
Ken: We went out and we asked 100 voters what they thought.
MM Lee: How many voters did you ask?
Ken: well, we have to get more than 100…
MM Lee: No, how many voters did you ask?
Ken: About 120.
MM Lee: You yourself personally?
Ken: I spoke to about 40.
MM Lee: You spoke to 40. And did they tell you, you noted down, grievances?
Ken: Ya. I do have most of their names – ya. Some of them didn’t want to identify themselves.
MM Lee: What did they tell you?
Ken: Well they said, well we ask them, you know – who do you think will win? We are not asking what your vote is but, you know, who you think will win in this coming election. And some of them say: “Oh it’s hard to say.” Some of them say: “Oh I think Low Thia Khiang still has enough to hang on.” And some just say: “Oh I better not say otherwise…”
MM Lee: So when you say some of the 40 – “I better not say” – you assume that they’re scared to tell you?
Me: Fine, I have to admit that it may not be advisable for Ken to come into such conclusion without a representative poll on this point. Neverthless, he answered very well to all MM's questionings. Frankly speaking, I do share the same sentiments with the journalists even though we may not have the figures to support this ‘myth’. Read the lines in blue, as much as MM does not agree with the statement made by Ken, such words do create fear. Why does MM ask for the names? Is MM taking further actions? These are the questions that will intimidate these 100 people. Or based on these few lines, MM has proven to us that this fear really exists? Nevertheless, is it really necessary to ask for the names? Or is it necessary to question how the poll is done? On the contrary, would it be better for MM to soften his tone, clarifies and reassures all the voters that such ‘myth’ is non-existence in a more approachable manner? I believe one who dignifies himself as a politician, who listen and serve the community, perhaps should be sensitive enough to clear the air instead.