Rooting for the Opposition

Well, the General Elections had concluded with the ruling party (People’s Action Party), sweeping close to 70% of all the votes casted.  Tears for the opposition parties and cheers for the PAP.  They scored a landslide victory that took everyone, even themselves by surprise. But it was the people’s choice. Singaporeans, being pragmatic were going for the tried and tested. 

Jenny would have been dismayed.  All the years I had known her, she had always been rooting for the opposition. During our first election together as a married couple, I recalled her asking me which side I had voted. We were walking back from what was our first trip to the polling station together.

“My vote is secret”, was my polite and discreet reply.

“I knew it – you voted for the PAP.” She then went on about how gutless I was. How I had succumbed to fear by not daring to put in my vote for the opposition, much as I had constantly griped about the parliament being a bunch of “yes-men” and how much we needed an alternative voice. In truth, back in the bad old days, many people, particularly those who were in public service felt compelled to vote for the PAP, not necessary out of conviction but possibly out of fear.  Fear that the identity of each voter could be traceable and woe be to your future if you had made the “wrong” choice.  Real or imagined, the fear was omnipotent.

I never really understood Jenny’s sturdy and faithful disposition for the opposing political parties. Perhaps she was inclined to favour the underdog.  She had complained of the PAP being arrogant, with which I could not disagree.  But for all subsequent elections, I was clear on my choice of lending support for the opposition. The PAP has performed well over the last 50 years in power.  But too much power, I feel is not a good thing. Absolute power corrupts. We need a genuine system of check-and-balance, an alternative voice to probe and question so that policies developed will be sufficiently robust.

So with this and in many previous elections, the opposition got my vote. No more accusations of cowered spinelessness from the wife.

I gave my vote to each new incumbent who had the guts and gumption to stand against the behemoth party.  Even as I knew, like in all elections past, that they would lose. With Jenny’s demise, the opposition is now deprived of one more vote. Not that it would have mattered, as they would have lost anyway, losing big-time too for this round.

Given the rising tide of resurgence for the ruling party, I was glad I gave the opposition my vote. They needed my support more badly to keep the dream alive. One day, slowly but surely, Singapore will have a true multi-party system.  Jenny has not lived long enough to see it and probably I would not too as we do not expect this to happen soon.  But I have at least done my part, which was to cast my vote in support. 

Majulah Singapura.