I can appreciate parties wanting to hold their cards close to their chest, but the smoke and mirrors games on nominations day, the shuffling of the DPM from a seat he had openly been declared to be defending, and other ministers shuffling constituencies leaves one feeling the PAP thinks it is playing a game of cards.
Constituency representation is about an individual candidate having worked the constituency and being the representative and voice of the constituents in Parliament. Not nomination day shuffling and parachutes. It is also not about groups of MPs riding in on the coattails of a Minister. As has been seen years ago in Aljunied, no Ministerial team is indispensable.
This election, the new faces who have come forward in the ranks of the opposition parties include many impressive individuals. There is a mix of some highly qualified individuals who had successful careers as well as others who have chosen to enter the fray at an earlier stage in their lives, and bring the concerns and perspectives of a younger generation. They bring both passion and compassion. They come across as authentic, thoughtful, and not just TikTok politicians. They have entered the fray at great personal sacrifice and not merely as the next step in a civil service or military career. The quality of the candidates with the opposition brings hope for change and a better future for Singapore.
* Facebook post by Lee Hsien Yang.
