During the 2015 UK election, a post-90 candidate unseated the transport minister; but no post-90 candidate can unseat the Singapore’s PAP transport minister because he’s ‘retiring’. Mhairi Black (born Sept 12, 1994) won in the general election against Douglas Garven Alexander (born Oct 26, 1967), the former minister of state for Europe.

The United Kingdom general election on May 7, 2015 resulted in a post-90s female candidate entering parliament against then becoming a cabinet minister, while the general election in Denmark on the 18th June 2015 resulted in a new government.

Clean elections

In Singapore, The Elections Department of Singapore (ELD) is a department under the Prime Minister’s Office. It has the responsibility of planning and preparing for, and managing the conduct of presidential and parliamentary elections and of any national referendum in Singapore.

On July 13, 2015, Singaporeans found out that the committee that reviews electoral boundaries was formed two months ago, an indication that the general election could be round the corner. As usual, the opposition in Singapore only know how to say it’s unfair since they’re made of party hoppers who only do walkabout near the elections for the photo opportunities.

As much as there is a need for clean elections, there is also a need for the people to be politically aware instead of showing political apathy. You have to ask yourself, are you choosing between two rotten apples or are you going to step forward and learn how to grow your own apple tree?

Clean governance

Singapore’s Prime Minister said, “Clean government not about high salaries, but ‘realistic’ ones ”. The fact is that Singapore’s prime minister is the world’s highest paid politician, and his salary is large enough to pay for the salaries of the leaders of India, Brazil, Italy, Russia, France, Turkey, Japan, United Kingdom, South Africa, and Germany.

Singapore will be having an election soon but I’ve witnessed the ‘corruption’ in the opposition as well. Be it corruption or legalised corruption, the only way for it to end is for the people to know what these politicians are doing with your money. Yes, your money or money from generous donations.

The people have to rise and demand for transparency as well as accountability. If the people do not wake up and continue to depend on politicians, the politicians are simply going to play politics to rip you off.

Saving the economy

The PAP government together with its SG50 propaganda is telling Singaporeans to be happy that we’re no longer a part of Malaysia. This is especially when the ringgit edged even closer to the threshold of three to the Singapore dollar yesterday as new data on Malaysia’s dwindling foreign exchange reserves cast more doubt on Bank Negara's ability to stem a currency crash.

However, Jan 20, 2010 saw the opening of the casino at Resorts World Sentosa while Feb 15, 2011 saw the opening of the casino at Marina Bay Sands. Is using the casino to ‘save’ the economy a great idea? Remember the 1997 Asian financial crisis? The European debt crisis of 2012 will soon have its ripple effect in Asia including both Singapore and Malaysia, how will the people see it through if they refuse to stand up now?

The casino is known for money-laundering as one can walk into a casino and buy chips with illicit cash, play for a relatively short time then take payment in a check or at least get a receipt so they can claim the proceeds as gambling winnings. Why is the government using the casino to boost the economy instead of solving the economic problems at the root of it?

Preserving the right to dissent

In European countries such as Germany for example, the freedom of assembly is a constitutional right of the Germans. The freedom of assembly is mostly a political right which is articulated primarily in political demonstrations.

In Singapore, this right is taken away from Singaporeans. A person who organises an assembly or a procession shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding S$10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to both. In addition, a person who takes part in an assembly or a procession shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding S$5,000.

If you have the right to practice your freedom of assembly, treasure it. The older generation’s political apathy is what led us to where we are today. Do not let your political apathy affect the next generation. Treasure your rights, practice them. Join Bersih 4.