PAP’s classic three-fold propagandist tactic to brainwash unsuspecting Singaporeans
May 24th, 2010 | 
Author: OPINION
Joseph Goebbels, the Minister of Propaganda of Nazi Germany once said:
“The most brilliant propagandist technique will yield no success unless one fundamental principle is borne in mind constantly – it must confine itself to a few points and repeat them over and over.”
Goebbels must be proud that his propagandist technique is not only studied, but meticulously implemented by the ruling party of a supposedly “democratic” state to keep its citizenry politically ignorant, apathetic and feeble.
This is only possible under a one-party totalitarian system in which the media has been turned into a mouthpiece of the regime, much like in Nazi Germany, Stalin’s U.S.S.R and Kim’s North Korea.
All the newspapers in Singapore are printed by one single company which is chaired by a former PAP minister. The Newspaper and Printing Presses Act (CAP 206) further restricts the ownership of the print media in Singapore and publication of foreign papers.
As such, it is hardly surprising that the Singapore media is ranked a pathetic 133th position in terms of press freedom by respected international media watchdog Reporters without Borders in 2009.
The propagandist tactic employed by the PAP via the state media over the last few days has the mark of Goebbels stamped all over it – repeating the same few points over and over again until they become ingrained in the minds of unsuspecting readers.
1. Flooding the press with good news, whether real or not:
If you haven’t noticed, the state media is flooded by a deluge of positive news about Singapore over the last few weeks. The Straits Times even boasted rather unshamedly that a “wave of optimism” has swept across Singapore.
Singapore’s “impressive” growth figures in the first quarter of the year has been repeated ad nauseum by the papers; the number of unemployed fell to an all-time low and new jobs are created daily for Singaporeans; wages are going up; consumer confidence is returning and home buyers are flocking back to purchase properties at astronomical prices.
The ordinary man in the street will not be able to differentiate the truth from the propaganda and is likely to believe what was published especially when most readers will simply glance through the headlines without analyzing the news articles in depth.
2. Ministers claiming credit for everything:
After the idea that Singapore’s economy has “rebounded” has been sold successfully to Singaporeans, the PAP ministers will now step in to claim credit either overtly or covertly.
During his May Day Rally, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong painted an exceedingly rosy picture for Singapore in the near future and hinted that its continued success depends on a “strong and stable” leadership.
Three weeks later, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean claimed that Singapore’s economic recovery is due to the combined efforts of the country’s political leadership and public service.
While there may be some element of truth in his claims, it was not mentioned that the turnaround is contributed partly by the end of the global financial crisis.
At the same time, negative news such as unhappiness over the increasing number of foreigners in the country and rising prices of HDB flats are being swept quietly under the carpet to keep them out of the minds of Singaporeans.
Expect more such self-praise from the ministers in the next few months ahead.
3. Announcing the pay hike of ministers:
At the beginning of the year, it was reported that PAP ministers will receive a 8.8 percent pay rise this year due to the improving economy.
With the economy performing better than expected, their pay hikes are likely to increase. However, with Singaporeans already been “primed” to accept the “fact” that the ministers deserve a pay rise for their “efforts” in turning the economy around, the controversial topic is unlikely to cause a massive public furore this time.
Furthermore the state media can always be entrusted to make the announcement in a less than conspicuous manner so as not to attract public attention and with no political pressure exerted on the PAP whatsoever from any other groups, they will get away with their pay rise without paying any political price again.
The state media is full of such subtle propaganda to brainwash Singaporeans into believing that they have the most capable and competent leaders in the world who are incapable of making a single mistake and therefore they are deserving of the obscene salaries they are getting.
In order to maintain their grip over the minds of Singaporeans, it is imperative that repressive laws are put in place to curtail the civil and political rights of Singaporeans.
To quote from Joseph Goebbels again:
“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”
Posted in 
artists use lies to tell the truth, while politicians use it to cover the truth up.
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Sorry,sir,but how comei don’t feel it,i mean,this Goebbel’s principle or rather,ideology?
They keep HARPING and harping non-stop that we are FIRST WORLD but I KEEP feeling more and more like THIRD WORLD;even third world citizens who come to this FIRST WORLD are being regarded BETTER than locals.
Is our EDUCATION system worse than THIRD WORLD or our UNIVERSITIES’ standards and DEGREES behind THIRD WOLRD?
somehting is not right here,either i am blind or deaf or GEOBBELS’ theory doesn’t really work?
ARE WE FIRST WORLD or THIRD WORLD?
COULD someone kindly help me?
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Well done TR!
Really, a million thanks to the author of this article and editorial team of TR for providing alternative views apart from the main-stream-media!
In view of the relentless propogandas published by the “shit-times” and its relevant “sister-newspaper”, it is the harbinger of the despicable million-dollar nerds in gearing up for the forseeable next “G-erection”!
Since the economy is doing so well then, why the ordinary main-street-men do not have the feel good factor?
Is it true that the GDP is that high as propogated by the MTI or just simply to “cook-up” the figure using revised method so as to have exobitant bonus at the middle and end of the year?
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even in delivering eulogy, the propaganda is imminent. “I sent him here, I asked him to do this, I again tell him to ….”
great man isn’t it?
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And I am awaiting for the ang-pow package Singaporeans like to get, haha. Where is it, haha?
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We from the younger generation and also more of those from the older generation now don’t have high or even average public trust for this Pro-foreigners PAP government.
Instead of caring for us, this silly Pro-foreigners PAP party is now respecting the foreigners for its own agenda.
A reason is these foreign workers are making more profits for the companies with their low wages, generating more GDP growth which also help to sustain the yearly S$60 million dollars pay packages for the whole bunch of PAP ministers with further increments.
After achieving at increasing another 36 per cent of our population with new citizens made up of lower educated foreigners like cleaners and masseuses to shore up their PAP votes in the coming general election, the FamiLees can now selectively seek educated immigrants.
Knowing that the local citizens are unhappy with their present policies and especially their pro-foreign policies, PAP top leaders no longer have confidence in their own citizens and welcome new immigrants instead.
MM Lee even talk to foreign journalists to deride our own local citizens as lazy, stupid, daft and need spurs to be hit on our backsides. He even threaten that there is no social network for any poor or jobless local citizen to fall into as the PAP government is not a charitable organization.
So our poor and jobless despairing citizens have no choice but to take their own lives by commiting suicides. Some jumped on oncoming MRT trains, high rise flats, drowned in rivers & seas or death with turn on home gas with closed doors & windows.
Already the Pro-foreigners PAP party is grooming 5,000 new citizens as grassroot leaders and also grooming educated new citizens of various races as potential MPs for future general elections so that these immigrants will lord over us and the PAP party ministers can perpetuate to enjoy their annual multi-million dollars pay packages.
The PAP ministers don’t have to be corrupted by illegal means since they are the ruling Dominant Party and can by legal means through Parliament corruptly pay themselves the highest salaries in the whole world annually plus high increments as they wrongly perceived as their entitlement right from the mandate that the local citizens continuously vote them into power in every past general elections.
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I am optimistic about the future: I am waiting for the elections!
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With so many China national everywhere we go and the highly paid politician. I feel more like working for Chinopore and FAMILEE PTE LTD. to boost the income of the co. directors & CEO of a company.
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> For the PAP:
THE TRUTH HURTS!
THEY JUST CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH!
– In America, the Red Indians say:
WHITE MEN speak with forked tongues.
(ie SAY one thing, but DO another)
– In Singapore, its People say:
MEN IN WHITE also speak with forked tongues.
(ie cannot be TRUSTED to practise what they preach about integrity; responsibility; meritocracy; transparency and accountability; level playing field; doing the right thing FOR THE PEOPLE; blah,blah,blah….)
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Another tactic, ACT BLURR, even though it’s in MSM forum.
http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC100506-0000082/We-can-do-better
http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC100520-0000068/The-struggle-to-be-gracious
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Let’s hope the next GE will give someone a heart attack and pave the way for another state funeral.
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of course they just act blurr when they cannot answer to the people, just like the case of gambling away millions losses of the citizens money by papies TCs, see what happen now???? no answer right? you just cannot trust these MIW liars anymore.
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NIce article, would like to add on certain opposition party and TR also use the same tactics. Repeats the same point again and again lol
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the absolute control and incessant indocrination of PAP’s ideology and false propaganda perpetuate PAP’s long term grasp of power.
with the MSM and every sectors of organisation under the mole of Pappy control, eventually many naive and ignorant citizens will be taken for a ride.
thank God, the internet is the media to trust. So LKY’s regime may not be too long to see it’s own demise. we only need stronger oppositions to participate in every ward to claim some victory.
It may be a tall order with the GRC – the opposition’s nemesis.
VOTE PAP OUT SLOWLY BUT SURELY NO MATTER HOW !!
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Joyce on May 24, 2010 at 7:05 pm
I was also suicidal in my first year as a beginning teacher. I felt extremely depressed as I stood unsteadily on the top of the wardrobe of my class room, to hang up decorations that were supposed to aid student learning.
This was what I was doing in the name of “helping the kids”; intentionally endangering my own life so that my HOD will stop having “friendly conversations” with me about not following school policy.
After I sought psychiatric help, I resolved to treat teaching as just a job; I come to work, enjoy teaching, tell my HOD to go piss off if she bugs me too much. Yes, I actually tell my HOD to go piss off. Very defiant and potential ‘D’ behaviour. But hey, after you live through suicidal thoughts, what is so scary about the ‘D’ grade threat?
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The political class here is just an empty suit protected by layers of false humility and pretentious incorruptibility. They are well-known and prone to simple solutions to very difficult complex problems facing the citizenry. That is why we are in such a incomprehensible mess. However, in otherwise total darkness of secrecy, they are great spin merchants in the public arena skilled of media manipulation and clever politics of mass deception.
MOST OF THEIR USUAL GLIB SLOGAN RHETORICS SUCH AS ‘FOREIGN TALENT” ARE BRIEF, INCOMPLETE,AND FULL OF DISAMBIGUATION SO THAT CITIZENRY ARE SUBTLY SHIELDED FROM PROBING FURTHER. Walkabouts are like circus shows in search of self glory and beneath that hypocritical sincere care for citizenry is an almost perceptibly-felt desperate need to have the spotlight shine forever on themselves, ever anxious and ready to dramatise, lie, cheat with the sole intention to attract the audience most agreeable.
Bereft of any credible performance in recent years, their only refuge and sanctuary of political respectability is the usual claims of “past” good years. But citizenry are not stupid. They see bigger failures than ego-inflated success claims of such empty hypes of “wealthy” housing asset full of unpaid debt and a lifetime of economic slavery in reality.
Singaporeans just need scrupulous honesty, good common sense and steady leadership. Not endless chicanery and spins of economic lies supported by the occasional kangaroo entertainment circus shows to give further excitement. Citizens are earnest in search of clever leaders, NOT cunning politics.
Do the peanut-eating monkeys aka the political class with an seemingly insatiable money bags attached hear us? Or should we the lesser mortals really get out of your shit-caked elite nose?
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Repeat x1000
Li Gong Yao, kong kai kao
1 more time.
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that mean alot of civil servant are also afraid the truth will come out. So they get special promotion & extra salary to shut their mouth after receiving the stamp “secret”. So you mean alot of obedient but not so clever civil servant ACTUALLY help to conceal STATE secrets mispell should read as “STATE abuses” .. EVENTUALLY when old man is gone.. all the truth will come out… OR he is powerful, he arrNGE to be the last to go .. He outlives ALL…the last spoken words shall be the truth… History will believes him.
Obedience is exactly what Old man want you to do.. The opposite will be CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE… think the scholar frog will cring their eyes when red shirt team walk down the street with petrol bombs.. in civil disobedience.. I must be dreaming.. riots will never happen here in SIN. . that what we were taught in schools.
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After 6 years, the National Day 2010 will return to the Padang and the reason for this choice can only be too obvious.
It will allow the PAP Government to organise its biggest hurrah gig yet to boost the feel-good spirit amongst Singaporean.
It will be a safe bet that the expected Election will follow very quickly after this mother of all propaganda exercise.
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Yeah agree so much with the Author
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The leap from Third World to First World is an ILLUSION a Facet of make believe that we have arrived.Did we???only the privilege arrived in their Ivory Tower,Mercs,Bimas and exotic cars.%%%%%15 at most 20%%%%%.
The Honest Truth in this First world ILLUSION can be found in the heartlands where the poor are still eking out a living,where the fear of being sick is far greater than the fear of death.The fear of having electricity turn off and putting the next decent meal on the table.
Till than we are living in an ILLUSION of a First World with third world reality.
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Fuck the PAP. Vote for hope. Fire the millionaire minister.
Repaet after me
Millionaire ministers, fuck off! (100 times)
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PAP will crumble once LKY dies.
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Singapore has been a success or so it seems, but when i look at the crisis, in america now europe, i cannot help but wish we are in their boat — what did americans and europe do — enjoy life, spend good times holidaying — and now the world collapses with them
what about singapore? The Government has billions of dollars in the reserve but are we singaporeans happy or enjoying life? No Dr Goh thrifted and hoard (at least from the stories i heard – I do not have the priviledge of being in his armpit)…
any one care to comment on the motto
spend, spend and spend, and when you have no dollars left – every one is in it — but at least we have good times!!
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@CitizenReddot:
May 25, 2010 at 10:59 am
“The leap from Third World to First World is an ILLUSION a Facet of make believe that we have arrived.”
You are right, it is an illusion, first world infrastructure (maybe) but a third world political system and society. One have to get out of the little red dot to appreciate what a first world country and society is about. I am done with the place.
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@ tan paula:
May 25, 2010 at 2:27 pm
Yes, many societies like Europe, Japan and USA overspent beyond their means. Asian societies like China, Korea and Singapore will GET OLD BEFORE WE GET RICh to spend – throwing away our thrifty habits if at all.
My problem with Asian societies is that our education, culture and politics imprisoned us from adaptive change and innovation to re-invent our fortune. They will get rich again.
And we, the wealth accumulated by the hardworking, thrifty generations will all be splashed and spend without any CAPACITY AND EFFORT TO INNOVATE, CHANGE AND RE-INVENT OUR ECONOMIC FORTUNE. DEAD END WEALTH FROM RAGS TO RICHES AND BACK TO RAGS AGAIN.
What do you think of my observations, tan paula?
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Actually, most know the truth about the economy. Talk to any taxi driver, businesses, neighbours, friends,..etc, and they will agree that times are harder now in Singapore. No one really believes the MSM. The only ones telling you things are great and everything peachy are the dangerous ones-mostly in civil service. Beware of them. These are the baby serpents with forked tongues.
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It’s easy to be brainwashed and formed uninformed decisions. The person has to be actively mindful of the information presented to them. That’s how Shitty Times manage to net unsuspecting readers and shape their thinking into one that glorifies MIW.
It is imperative that you folks as informed and critical children of this land share your views more earnestly on blogs, facebook, and in person meeting with others.
Fighting propaganda is like fighting the opium war. We all know its bad, but not everyone knows how bad. Some are addicted and will say it’s good, some want to quit opium but needed help and support.
Be an ambassador for democracy and human rights today for yourself, your children, your love ones and for this country- a thousand miles begin with the first step.
“NS & LOW PAY FOR SINGAPOREANS; JOBS & SCHOLARSHIPS FOR FOREIGNERS!”
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Another solid article. Like the references to quotes to the Nazi
head of propaganda.
Yes, the Newspaper and printing presses act in the Constitution needs to change. We are a so-called first world country but with a
3rd world law covering the media. How can this be??
Singaporeans, we need to wake up from our slumber.
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Do not judge a book by its cover! The consequences of many policies only comes years later. Remember the ‘Stop at Two’ policy. Indeed, the casinos will also have an impact on more broken families, crimes, vice and productivity, as times goes by. Those who claim credit now needs only to reflect on Hongkong in the 70s and Shanghai in the 30s. It took tremendous effort for the authorities then to phase out the problems. Have we really run out of Geniuses to built the economy? Well, there are many intelligent beings in this world but few wise ones. Sadly, we have lost a wise man in Dr. Goh Keng Swee. The current policy makers have much to learn from him.
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who is our propaganda minister?
when your propaganda failed, you have to poison your whole family or put a bullet to your head.
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In case nobody noticed: The eulogy was to himself!!!
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How much $$$ is still left in our reserves.
I wonder if suddenly PAPayas have no $$$ or delay payment to various civil and military personals especially the Gurkhas Contingent which is around 3000 or more.
What will happened ???
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Well you guys should read the book titled 1984 by George Orwell. You will find many similarities between the government in that story and the government we have
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@Komnenos:
May 26, 2010 at 11:06 am
“Well you guys should read the book titled 1984 by George Orwell.”
And also Animal Farm for good measure.
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A. LIONS ROAR: May 24, 2010 at 3:25 pm
“Are we 1st world or MORE LIKE 3rd World in leadership in dismal “no-quality”/ May I remind yet again that harry already made it clear in 1956 as an opposition member before he won GE big in 1959 and also later asS follows:
“Repression, Sir is a habit that grows. I am told it is like making love – it is always easier the second time! The first time there may be pangs of conscience, a sense of guilt. But once embarked on this course with constant repetition you get more and more brazen in the attack. All you have to do is to dissolve organizations and societies and banish and detain the key political workers in these societies. Then miraculously everything is tranquil on the surface. Then an intimidated press and the government-controlled radio together can regularly sing your praises, and slowly and steadily the people are made to forget the evil things that have already been done, or if these things are referred to again they’re conveniently distorted and distorted with impunity, because there will be no opposition to contradict.” – Lee Kuan Yew as an opposition PAP member speaking to David Marshall, Singapore Legislative Assembly, Debates, 4 October 1956
“One-man-one-vote is a most difficult form of government.. Results can be erratic.” – ? Dec 19 1984
“Anybody who decides to take me on needs to put on knuckle-dusters. If you think you can hurt me more than I can hurt you, try. There is no way you can govern a Chinese society.” ? 1997- LKY
B. whay a eulogy: May 24, 2010 at 4:27 pm
even in delivering eulogy, the propaganda is imminent. “I sent him here, I asked him to do this, I again tell him to ….”
great man isn’t it?
Dear what a eulogy, what should we expect a guy who had claimed all of DR. GOH KENG SWEE’s GREAT IDEAS say. And after all of his MSM “had no choice” but to do him “the corkscrew” a “disservice” by opening ALL ABOUT Dr. GOH’S Foundation Achievements for SINGAPOREANS during his “long” absence far away in China?
He may be the most traveled govt leader in this world, but then is he ANY WISER for OUR monies he’s spent? This guy IS just an underdeveloped childish EGOIST, BRAGGART, Self-Righteous “Illusionist” and Spin-Doctor is he or not? You all decide.
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Heard from the great vine, the presidential elections are in September this year, and the new prsident have to be sworn in before the elections so expect the elections to be in early next year. This is through reliable sources. So let’s make our vote do the talking and get the ministers who don’t deserve our vote do the walking! Walk down the hall of shame! Vote them out!
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Dear Folks and also …..:
May 26, 2010 at 12:29 pm
Very aptly put.
actually,i do admire GREAT LEADERS especially those who are humnanly and humbly WISE.
we all need leaders who truly care for us and even if we have to make sacrifies with such leaders,like a GANDHI, for instance,it’s worth it.EVEN,if it is at the office but look,how they betray us?
lKY coould have gone down in history as a truly good leader,if not for his display of mercilessness.
who doesn’t make mistakes,who does not,at one time or another.commit an offence? i pity JBJ,REALLY,for being treated thus,bankrupted and downtrodden,disgraced and disregarded by most singaporeans when he was still alive and why so?
we are mere mortals,no one is ever wise forever,all the time.
mistakes are inevitable but leaders would only be forgiven if they make amends to their peoples and beg forgiveness.
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There is “only” one man in this whole wide world and he is in Singapore too …. who “IS” both infallible and immortal as displayed by himself!!!!! AS he has also pointedly said on CNA once that he “Doesn’t believe either the Koran or The Bible has the last word about life”! Did he then do his “own” Sedition Act an “ACT” of sedition?
Such things do make more people wonder how great a “mentor” he really is, as that name was given within a nepotism pap environment as govt!
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As you said “In case nobody noticed: The eulogy was to himself!!!”
A “great mentor”… “a friend”… “ex-colleague”…. ex-comrade in camaraderie” indeed! More of like the perpetual “traitor” his been since 1956 when he made himself absolutely clear to David Marshall as an Opposition Party!
There are so many Suckers both local and abroad who only look at his his “SingaWood” dance and acting “Big Pictures” and GOT SWOON like teenage Infatuations of HollyWood Stars! The world of “intelligent” people more and more LACK “Common Sense” which is no more a COMMON THING!
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A re-qoute…
“Fascism should more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power”
Benito Mussolini (Italian dictator, 1883-1945)
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Singapore is NOT first world.
Singapore is NOT EVEN third world — because most of the third world nations have democracy.
Thus, Singapore is FOURTH WORLD, along with countries like Cuba and North Korea.
You can blame the old man, yes. But ultimately, Singaporeans only have themselves to blame for letting their KS mentality enable the old man to stay in power so long.
Time to stop worrying about property prices and economy is just VOTE PAP out.
You get what you deserve.
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Singapore is NOT first world.
Singapore is NOT EVEN third world — because most of the third world nations have democracy.
Thus, Singapore is FOURTH WORLD, along with countries like Cuba and North Korea.
You can blame the old man, yes. But ultimately, Singaporeans only have themselves to blame for letting their KS mentality enable the old man to stay in power so long.
Time to stop worrying about property prices and economy and just VOTE PAP out.
You get what you deserve.
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Amiable fill someone in on and this post helped me alot in my college assignement. Thank you on your information.
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