let lemons be angry

 A Tribute to TPL

I confess I was never interested in politics. The elections I remember are of estate walkovers and vague sentiments that the underdogs should win. Other than that, I was content with life in Singapore. I compared our general standard of living with that of the neighboring countries, and was indignant with critics who picked too many bones about nothing. K would go on about LTK and the Worker's Party and I was amused at best.

And truly, what is there to pick on? Singapore is one of the safest places to walk about at night. There are no visible slums, no beggars. Singapore is the most iphone and smartphone-saturated country in the world, proof of our luxury. The government makes sure everyone has savings with our CPF accounts. We tided through the economic crisis while other countries crashed. While the world is riddled with riots, strikes and wars, Singaporeans grieve over broken traffic lights and long queues at MBS.

So I was comfortable enough to not think about who our leaders should be. Until this election.

And I owe my loss of apathy, really, to TPL. A young woman barely qualified in her own right to run for MP, but already garnering an acronym for herself like LKY and GCT. Tin Pei Ling burst onto the political scene with her Kate Spade endorsement, feathery rebonded hair, and stomping of feet in a most peculiar white-capped outfit. I dismissed the public's criticism as sexist and ageist. "Let her prove herself before she's critiqued," I said.

That was when I learned that being in Goh Chok Tong's GRC, she wouldn't need to prove herself for a smooth ride in. And my learning curve swooped up from there. Because of one silly girl, I took the interest to uncover all the political things I had been ignorant about. I found sillier and sillier things with each day. MBT saying that the way to monetize our HDB homes is to "move in with your kids and rent out your flat." PM Lee stating unapologetically that PAP voters would be favored for upgrades. My own good PM Tharman thoughtfully telling me that he's never seen me in Jurong before, and please say hi to my parents, while ignoring K who he discovered lived "not in this estate". MM Lee raising his hands in gleeful victory when the Tanjong Pagar opposition submitted their nominations late, as if he had won. Wong Kan Seng saying he won't apologize again for Mas Selamat's escape and the MRT depot debacle.  The Straits Times "forum" only publishing anti-opposition letters.

These petty examples show the PAP's insincerity, accumulated from decades of winning based on PAP-fear instilled in the people. We are afraid of the "government", afraid of what it can do to us and our civil servant jobs, but we don't realize that the "government" should not be against us, but for us and of us.

Though this lesson comes late for me, I've learned that this basic attitude needs to change. That we should not view the government as godlike, able to punish or reward us according to our worship. That there should be more than one party making our policies, not one big party with a free license to bully all other small voices. That untested unknowns like TPL should not be allowed to cruise into parliament on the confidence of her Senior Minister to win votes on her behalf. The cockiness of the PAP is encapsulated in the smooth cruise of TPL.

I thank the PAP for making Singapore safe and reserve-rich, but your over-confidence this elections will be your fall. Most of all, thank you, TPL, for making Singaporeans sit up from their apathy. I would have continued to be as the PAP expected, unquestioning and content with whoever runs for parliament, if not for you. I learned late what everyone else already knew, but thanks to you, now at least I know.

The white-capped outfit. Isn't it funny that she's on pakistan news?