Singapore General Election 2015: Vision for Singapore

We have a vision for tomorrow, just believe, just believe

Over the last few days of campaigning, one question that I have heard from my friends repeatedly is –What will I get if I vote for PAP? More of the same?

WP says – vote for me, get minimum wage

SDP says – vote for me, get free healthcare

RP says – vote for me, get child and elderly support

HHH says – vote for me,  get your CPF back

What has PAP said?

“Please vote for me and my PAP team, so that we can keep improving Singaporeans’ lives and make our plans and dreams come true” – Lee Hsien Looong

Is that a collective “cheeeeey” I hear? PM – how to get votes liddat?

But here’s the thing – PAP is the only party that is expected to deliver on their promises. PM cannot just run off and promise to build a gigantic dome that keeps the entire Singapore air-conditioned (though side note – whoever can make that happen, gets my vote man).

So we should probably give the PAP some credit for being the only party fighting against the cries of “more, more, and more.” I mean, if our current leaders just want to stay in power for a couple more terms, collect their salaries (yes, I know, million-dollar salaries) and retire, all they got to do is spend the reserves and keep people happy. Free education? Sure, why not! Free healthcare? Sure, why not! Free transport? Sure, can even throw in a free bicycle or two.

Singapore has leapfrogged from mudflats to metropolis. We are now among the top global cities; there is no blueprint for us to follow.  But that doesn’t mean that we can remain at status quo. There are still challenges for us to overcome – changing demographics, widening inequality, and increasing regional competition. These will be hard to tackle and there’s no quick fix. If we don’t continue to push, the only place to go is down.

So relook what PAP is promising you.  Making lives better and providing more opportunities is not as easy as it sounds. And yes, Singapore will have to keep working and fighting to remain successful – no two ways about it.  But if the PAP presses on with policies such as improving pre-school education and SkillsFuture - policies which are decidedly unsexy – maybe that’s how they will make sure that dreams continue to come true in Singapore.

So as the song goes … We have a vision for tomorrow, just believe, just believe.