New citizens in grassroots organizations: Serving the interest of the community or the PAP?
November 28th, 2009 | 
Author: OPINION
It was revealed by Dr Vivian Balakrishnan lately that there are about 4,500 new citizens serving as grassroots leaders in various estates in Singapore.
He claimed that this will help promote integration between the newcomers and Singaporeans.
With due respect to Dr Vivian, the grassroots organizations such as Residents’ Committees (RCs) and Citizen Consultative Committees (CCCs) have long failed in their original mission to “bring Singaporeans of various races and religions together”.
Few Singaporeans will bother to participate in events organized by these quasi-PAP organizations, let alone volunteer their time and services to join them as grassroots leaders.
You need only show up at every event organized by your RC/CCC for one month to realize that it is attended by almost the same few faces.
There are literally no young Singaporeans seen at grassroots functions such as block parties and dialogue sessions with ministers.
It will be interesting to find out the membership growth of both the locals and new citizens in the grassroots organizations.
Unlike Singaporeans, the new citizens have plenty of reasons to join grassroots organizations.
Being new to a foreign land, these government-affiliated organizations will provide a much needed source of support and help during times of need.
Furthermore, it will also serve the purpose of networking for the newcomers to make new friends and acquaintances in Singapore.
For Singaporeans who have been living here for their entire lives, they have their own circle of family and friends and do not need to rely on the grassroots organizations.
Many are too busy with their daily lives to find time to “serve” their community. They will rather spend their weekends with their family or do their shopping instead of going for a morning stroll with the MP.
So if there aren’t that many locals in grassroots organizations or participating in its activities in the first place, how are they going to serve as a medium for new citizens to reach out to their Singapore neighbors?
It is highly likely that the new citizens will end up mixing only with a particular clique of Singaporeans who are politically affiliated to the PAP.
It is an unspoken truth that grassroots organizations are no more than the “eyes and ears” of the PAP on the ground.
All of them are directly controlled by the People’s Association headed by the Prime Minister himself.
Grassroots leaders are more than often not PAP branch secretaries who sit on two or more committees such as the RCs and CCCs at the same time.
With more and more new citizens being roped into grassroots organizations, they may end up mingling among themselves rather than the larger population as a whole and accentuating the divide between them and the locals.
Being highly politicized organizations which are intricately linked to the ruling party, grassroots organizations should not be beneficiaries of the $10-million Community Integration Fund paid for by taxpayers’ monies.
Not only will they not help the newcomers integrate, they will have the unintended effect of securing their allegiance to the ruling party.
The PAP knows that Singaporeans, especially the younger generation, desire more opposition to check on them in parliament and its support base is slowly being eroded with time.
New citizens who have no inkling of Singapore’s politics, are usually more inclined to vote for the incumbent government which gives them the opportunity to start their lives afresh in Singapore.
Their votes will be crucial to counter the rising support among indigenous Singaporeans for the opposition in the next few elections to enable the PAP to maintain its political hegemony.
We must not forget that the entire political system in Singapore is designed to entrench one single ruling party in power to the exclusion of others – the government dislikes having an effective opposition to hold them accountable.
To them, this is “adversarial” politics which is anathema to their interests since their flaws, fallacies and hypocrises will be exposed clearly for the public to see.
Even with the GRCs, it is a tall order for the PAP to win 98 per cent of the seats in future elections repeatedly.
Winning the new citizens to its side first before anybody else is crucial for the ruling party as they and their next generation will form a powerful voting bloc to contend with.
The control of the media and grassroots organizations is instrumental in engineering past electoral victories of the PAP.
With the information monopoly enjoyed by the mainstream media being chipped away gradually by the new media, it is imperative that the PAP cultivates close ties with the new citizens and voters of the future right now.
Singaporeans should demand stringent criteria to be set before the fund is allowed to be used by the grassroots organizations.
For example, the activity or event will only qualified for funding if there are are approximately equal mix of locals and new citizens.
There is little point in conducting HDB block parties for a group of Indian expatriates with few Singaporeans involved or a one-day tour to Malaysia attended by the same cliche of geriatricians with little participation from the new citizens.
Singaporeans will have no objections to fraternizing with the newcomers, but $10-million is no small sum and we have to make sure that it doesn’t end up promoting the interests of the PAP instead of the community as it should be.
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In my view, these people do what they do, knowing full well what are doing based on free will as they can choose not to do so as there is no law that dictates someone to come out of grassroots organization.
So, they Consciously Choose to do what they do.
sorry, i mean no law to Stop someone from quitting from grassroots org.
Is it supposed to be “clique” instead of “cliche”?
He who pays the piper calls the tune
but aren’t we paying the piper? why aren’t we calling the tune?
No doubt that the grassroots organizations may end up favouring the newcomer than the local. it is possible that local many face hardship of getting help.
Grassroots organization are controlled and managed by PAP (though they always deny it) through the respective consituencies’ MPs, and formed an important community network for PAP to spread their influnece amongst ordinary Singaporeans and heartlanders…so whose interest do you think these grassroots volunteers are serving?
I dun think that New Citizens will automatically vote for PAP.Moreover,being not afilliated,they would be even more open to vote for the opposition.
Now,the ball is in the hands of the oppositions to court the new citizens.
Obviously you won’t bite the hand that feeds you.
And likely unsure too of yourself… so you join such an organisation for to…
What will you do???… all kinds of possibilites… but by ‘normal’ human nature… whose interests would you serve first and formost???…
- Tow the line and enjoy yourself?…
- Play dumb and gain favours for your kind?…
- Be enthusiastic for ctizens in general but follow the pappy henchmen’s will?
- Be ‘gungho’ for Singaporeans’ interests with undivided attention???…
Am not saying that there are not ultruistic newbie citizens at all. But in this competitive, materialistic world which has a lot to do with a new ‘order’ politics, does one give up one’s “birth-right” citizenship in exchange for one acquired by other conditions and means not for economic reasons???…
Economic reason alone can make one from a foriegn land to be astute with political acumen par-excellence to want to be on top of others finally… but of course…
There are always those who are ‘commoner” of the heartlander type. And these will not likely be motive to join grassroots organizations or join just for the fun of meeting more people…
I am of course not posting about them!!!
If you google jobs in Australia, all COMMONWEALTH ( Federal) public service requires CITIZENSHIP even though employment laws in Australia is regimented under anti-discrimination laws of nationality, ethnicity bias etc etc.
Those State Government positions are open to PRs who are non-citizens.
THE REASON IS NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERN BECAUSE PRs ARE STILL FOREIGN CITIZEN, SWEAR ALLEGIANCE TO FOREIGN GOVERNMENT AND SHOULD NOT BE PRIVVY TO THE WORKINGS AND OPERATIONS OF FEDERAL ( COMMONWEALTH ) GOVERNMENT AGENCIES HOWEVER REMOTE THE RISKS OR POSSIBLE PREJUDICE IS OF NATIONAL INTERESTS.
Why is CCs and RCs so crucial a state apparatus to the bonding and internal security of this country inviting of FOREIGN INTERFERENCE AND INFILTRATION to this extent?.
NO COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD DOES THAT! It is also very worrying that Shammu said we are NOT a country – does this mean internal security and defence not relevant of national building and preservation to invite foreigners into our domestic political institution/s?
WKS or the Government needs to give this country a valid explanation.
Or is this going to provide a justifiable excuse later to give foreign PRs a right to vote our national destiny and future???.
SINGAPOREANS WAKE UP AND BE AWARE OF INSIDIOUS FOREIGN THREAT TO OUR NATIONAL SECURITY.
To get involved in CCs and RCs, it is absolutely essential that they are verified to be of SINGAPORE CITIZENRY.
For any PRs to be involved in CCs & RCs matters OF GRASSROOT ORGANISATIONS which is so deeply politicised of recent LUP issues etc etc is dangerous for our national security.
It is worrying to read on the net that PRs are involved in RC activities when they have no business to be involved in domestic politics.
BUT then, can we trust the Government on this so-called “new citizens” (or in fact just new arrivals dubbed as new citizens) when so solemn a matter of national pledge is just a highfalutin aspiration? And if they are new citizens, how much they really know of local cultures, values, society and national aspirations like pledge etc to be of valued realistic contribution??
IT IS REALLY HARD TO US TO TRUST AND BELIEVE NEW CITIZENS ARE SO DEEPLY INVOLVED IN CC AND RC ORGANISATION WHEN THEY HARDLY EVEN ASSIMILATE INTO THIS SOCIETY REQUIRING OUR GOVERNMENT TO SPEND $10 MILLION TO FACILITATE THEIR INTEGRATION INTO OUR SOCIETY.
If you can’t integrate, how can you lead as a minority new arrivals? It is mind-boggling to me of sanity thoughts right now.
If I see a new citizens knocking at my door during election and sound like old china or india asking me to support pap, I will slam door on his/her faces and send a message to pap to wait for me within 200m in the polling station so that I can openly show them where I will mark the ballot form.
I sincerely like to say that this article is what i have been waiting to read for a long time.
It strikes a cord in me.
I very much appreciate this effort.
Thanks TR!
well… my fellow SGeans. i think the next GE is your last chance to make a change. by the time the one after the next one comes, we’ll all be minorities.. even if we all voted for change then, it wouldn’t make a difference.
its now or never!
Very well said.
As what I know, those RC/CCC “leaders” are no more than contractors, businessman, or lowly-educated people. Some can’t even speak good Mandarin/English. Some can only speak Hokkien. But they can sit on the position of “chairman”. What leadership quality they have? The are just the sales of monetary rewards. They joined for the sake of enjoying benefits like free parking in the GRC. All these benefits came from taxpayers’ money. They always appear in the grassroot activities shouting at people. I never respect these people. Their attitutes are bad and they are arrogant. They joined not for the purpose of serving pour citizens but serving their “bosses”. As far as I know, those people with good hearts will never join this type of organisations. These organisations are just a place for the gangs to gather and gossip. Many RC memebers always gather at the void deck of the HDB flat and looking at girls, gossiping and making noises. I don’t find them serving the residents at all.They are just irritating the residents. We can only tolerate for the nuisance but nothing can be done to them as they are “powerful” people.
Sigh
“New citizens in grassroots organizations: Serving the interest of the community or the PAP?”
The answer is clear. No need to answer.
Newater and Newcitizen
do we think that what the grassroots leaders were supposed to do (e.g. build a cohesive community, bring Singaporeans of different races and religions together) are indeed things worth doing? if indeed we do, and we think that the grassroots leaders have failed in doing what they were supposed to do, then perhaps we should be the ones who step up and do something about it. perhaps some people here are already doing it. if so, perhaps these people can start to get more people involved to be an alternative to the ‘government sanctioned’ grassroots leaders.
for me, though, i think that the grassroots leaders in my area are doing an alright job. so i won’t want to supplant them. and where possible, and where my interests and ability converge with their aims and objectives, i help out in ways that i can. this doesn’t mean that i agree entirely with the whole of PA. it just means that i agree with the grassroots leaders in my area. and i would like to support them in the good work that they are doing.
Our own government has sold out its people. The interests of the PAP overrides the people’s interests. Are they patriots or traitors?
When the roots are already corrupted of political thoughts of serving their own agenda rather than the citizenry, grass will just wither into irrelevant decaying vegetation. They are despised as cronies and/or running dogs.
Otherwise the grass receiving the sunlight and water is just nourishing the corrupted roots – to the detriment of citizenry as now is the case. They will be hated and cursed in their graveyards
You might like to name them as “HeartlanderLESS” traitor and with their traitors’ ill-gotten wealth… they can anyhign become Cosmopolitan and “back to ‘their’ future” like in Michael J Fox’s funny pictures!!!… But then those Pappy crony clown aren’t funny at all are they since they stab us in the back for their own “Cosmos-Politan” Politic Cause???
Actually I know of someone who joined the RC to help his daughter get into a better primary school. In the end he became some chairman or something. I think he must be the few singaporeans interested in those things.
To be honest, I have never seen my RC committee ppl at all. and my MP once in 10 years. At a LUP ceremony!
And what is the percentage of taxes that are taken out of your/others pay checks to cover the cost of health care? It cant possibly be that simple, right? -Kelli
Just a question.
How do you plan to differentiate on-document, between new citizens and locals?
Grassroot leaders become foot soldiers for PAP candidates
in the general election. Just observe to prove my point
Just ask a police officer this – when you caught both (prostitute and client in an orgy of shame) naked in a brothel called health centre in Singapore, WHO IS ADMITTING TO ILLEGAL PROSTITUTION ??????, if
- the prostitute is in infringement of prostitution law
- the Dirty Old Fella’s photograph will be lawfully published in tommorrow’s MSM and news flash in electronic media to shame
I will tell you the probably answer. The prostitute will say I am helping him to catch a little intruding spider that irritates him down “there” since Dirty Old Fella is paying for tips on top of services.
But the law can get around those by passing legislation like this
- charging the brothel keeper with managing the premises for immoral purposes and
- and charging everybody else inside as “assisting in management”
THAT WAY THE LAW DOES NOT NEED TO PROVE “FCUKING” took place or about to take place – just the immorality of NUDITY of a DIRTY OLD FELLA in the presence of NUDE BUBILE YOUNG FEMALE is proved of immorality.
- all other person/s inside is proven to assist in this immorality violation of law by association of “assisting” because without their organisation and presence in ollecting money and cleaning up after the lustful acts, nothing would happen.
That is how to law arrest prostitutes and clients in foreign countries when prostitution was illegal.
THE MORAL OF THIS STORY IS THIS –
WHEN IMMORALITY ARE “MAKING LOVE” TOGETHER, MORALITY OF EVEN ILLICIT SEX GAINS RESPECTABILITY.
Is this not true?
LEGAL KNOWLEDGE IS VERY USEFUL IN THE FURTHERANCE OF PERSONAL AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT – BE IT BUSINESS, POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT.
The natural born and those who were naturalise before that pappy worm GE in 1959???… I DON”T think that this as even occur to WKS who lost a terrorist and neither has his buddy boss who backed him up later!!!… COMVINCING “Plunb-Puddings” that are sour and tasteless or not!!!.. And like they say… “THE PROOF of THE pudding IS IN THE EATING”…
Aren’t we all having tummy-aches from GROSS InDIEgestions!!!… as “plopp wrote…
“plopp on Mon, 30th Nov 2009 8:05 pm
Just a question.
How do you plan to differentiate on-document, between new citizens and locals?”
I wonder….
How many of “our” policy makers and ministers born and truely bred [thru blood, sweat and tears] are actually true blue singaporeans…
I can only wonder…