Tomorrow is voting day. For once in my life, I am excited about the elections. Its also the first time I am voting. I have been following news and political events ever since the internet has flourished. Lots of information and stories that were NEVER available on the mainstream media has its share of space online. It opened my eyes and allowed me to ask questions of whether we really are in a well governed country.
Although life in Singapore is good compared to the other countries, its only good for people who earn enough to enjoy it. My only problem is I need a home for my family. I do not get hungry, I do not need hand outs, I do not need anything from the government as I think I know how to handle my life and financial situation. But, the bigger picture beckons.
The bigger picture is, is our government leading us down a road where all that matters is how much money you have and how much talent you have? There are many others in Singapore who need a change in thinking from our leaders. There are those who need the space to grow creatively, there are those who need a bit of help to survive due to poverty, there are those who need our country to remain as OUR country.
Is our government bringing us to a place where all that matters is the amount of cold hard cash you can bring to the country? If you can't generate that cash, you are just a liability? To be disposed of as soon as possible? To be chased away to another country to die? Are we really that cold? Is economic progress all that matters? We were born with nothing. We die with nothing. Everything in between is what life is about. Will Singaporean's lives be all about money and material possessions?
The PAP has brought us into a well-developed materially focused stage of our lives. The old leaders have done well. The new leaders are trying to bring us to the next level. But are they good enough? Are they focusing on the right things in life? Do we really need to keep upgrading and improving the material aspects of our lives at all costs?
The opposition wants to change our direction. Towards a more humane society where the government is less focused on GDP growth and material improvements. We are but a small little island. We were born into this country with our parents and we will grow up and do our best for ourselves and our family. That, by nature, will also be good for our country. No one wants to be a pariah of society. Who wishes to be in the doldrums of life? No one.
If our leaders care more about the people than the amount of businesses they can attract, the number of rich people to entice to live in our country, the amount of dollars they can make, then I think that we will be going in the right direction. After all, why make our country rich, if its not FOR the people of Singapore? If the people of Singapore are living amongst the rich, in a richly enriched environment but DO NOT have the means to live it up as well as the invited 'guests' of our country, then what is the point of it all?
If the direction that our government takes in the next 5 years are still towards more GDP growth, more progress at the expense of the people, more historical sites being destroyed in the name of practical need, a bigger gap between the rich and the poor, then sadly speaking, we are the ones who will have to repent if we decide to give the ruling party the mandate to carry on with their GDP-focused direction.
You can have your town council and your MP do all the brilliant work for you, increase your housing value and make your estate the most beautiful place to live in, but think about it, what matters most? Your estate, or your country? Town council plans or National plans? If there are no voices in parliament to speak up for the people, to raise points that are more people-centric than GDP-centric, we will end up with a country with the wealth in the hands of the companies and businessmen. The people are just worker bees and ants in a society of the rich. We will just be a set of numbers to be changed at will.
Ladies and gentlemen, tomorrow you will decide on our future. The collective future of all Singaporeans. You will decide on the direction that we will all take in the next 5 years. Vote wisely for the party that you think will give you and all Singaporeans a better life. Decide well for your children and your future.
Towards a better future for Singapore.
