Tan Kin Lian's Blog: Survey of Political Parties

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Survey of Political Parties

What are your views of the political parties in Singapore? The survey is now closed.

Update
Here is the final report based on 97 replies

17 comments:

Anonymous said...: Rex comments as follows,

i noted that the total percentage of the votes didnt add up to 100% in item 4, so i admit i don't quite understand the numbers.

Notwithstanding the above, it appears to be a conclusion, that Dr Chee's SDP is the worst Opposition Party of all, even worse than NSP.

I wonder why. I have been going to the websites of all these parties fairly frequently to try to understand what they have been doing and what they want to offer the electorate, and who are the people controlling. I am quite clear of SDP's platform, and I think they are up to date and very active, in real issues and also they are not quarelling with anyone (except Pxx).

I also went to the other Parties' sites but find that the level of discussion and coverage of issues seem to lack similar depth. The difference is quite obvious. The spoken and written language of a person with PhD stands out, in my opinion.

Although website is not the best yardstick, it arguably, offers a glimpse into the state of affairs of the Party and the calibre of its people, whether they are suitable or has the potential, to challenge the mighty PXX. You need a lot of firepower (not literal) to do that.

Anyway, these are just my comments.

rex; June 22, 2010 2:32 PM
Anonymous said...: Mr Tan why close the survey when it reach ~100 respondents?; June 22, 2010 3:03 PM
Anonymous said...: PAP has successfully brainwashed most Singaporeans that SDP is the bogeyman. Such is the power of mainstream media.; June 22, 2010 3:10 PM
Tan Kin Lian said...: The survey software has a limit of 100 respondents. So, it will automatically ignore all replies after 100.

From my past many surveys, after 100 replies are received, the results will remain stable. The results for 200 or 500 replies will be quite close to 100 replies.

This is the statistical phenomena.; June 22, 2010 3:13 PM
Tan Kin Lian said...: I agree with Rex that the SDP website has many interesting articles of substance.

I encourage readers to visit their website, and also those of the other parties, including the PAP (i.e. P65 blog). These websites are mentioned on the right frame of my blog.

Be educated about the issues that concern Singaporeans.; June 22, 2010 3:14 PM
Anonymous said...: REX comments as follows,

Hi Mr Tan. Regarding your encouragement for people to visit SDP's website (http://yoursdp.org), i really don't know what will the impact be eventually even if they follow your suggestion.

According to Alexa rankings, SDP website is ALREADY enjoying very much higher readership than any of the other oppossiton: I did a compilation, as follows:

Opp. Party "A" - Alexa Rank 1.1mill
Opp. Party "B" - Alexa rank 4 mill
Opp Party "C" - Alexa rank 8 mill
Opp Party "D" - Alexa rank 14 mill

Singapore Democratic Party
- Alex ranking 500,000. Singapore rank 4,506
For comparison:
Temasek Review - Alexa rank 88,000 Singapore rank 467
TanKinLian Blog - Alexa rank 300,000 Singapore rank 2280
StraitsTimes - Alexa ran 7600 Spore rank 57

So it is very clear that Dr Chee's website is definitely already the most visited webstie comparatively other Opp parties; it's not that people don't visit.

Somehow, Singaporeans just don't like Dr Chee, their website has no impact and does not leave a good impression. This is the conclusion i get from all the number crunching and analysis.

rex; June 22, 2010 4:43 PM
Anonymous said...: I agree with June 22, 2010 3:10 PM.

It is most unfortunate that the majority are so easily brainwashed and for 50 years at that.

As for SDP, I myself was also brainwashed into thinking Dr Chee is crazy from the State Times....until I started to read more widely on the net then I "unwashed" myself.; June 22, 2010 9:06 PM
C H Yak said...: I must add that majority may not read into the "chim" arguments by Dr Chee, and his rhetorical arguments...especially in his website.

And with the "bad" image painted by the ruling party on him, and setback by his past actions against Mr Chiam S T ... the average Singaporean may not be so keen to look into his message.

Even if that is his strength, it is also an inherent weakness. Common people tends to be wary of high level arguments ... especially with the rhetorics. But good "rhetorics" support a clear thinker.

He needs a "link-man" like Mr Tan...LOL.; June 23, 2010 12:01 PM
Anonymous said...: REX comments as follows,

CHYak is suggesting TKL join SDP?

This is an interesting proposition. What will the diehard supporters of TKL but haters of Dr Chee think? They will be lost what to do.

I guess that with TKL's strong communal influence, TKL can do really achieve something to un-wash singaporean's mind of historical misplaced baggage. On the hand the misplaced heavy baggage could also flatten our dear Kin Lian!

rex; June 23, 2010 1:14 PM
C H Yak said...: Hi Rex

@ Rex "CHYak is suggesting TKL join SDP?"

I am not ... LOL ... I am no politician to assess ... just applying some "rhetorics" to strategic thinking.

Politics is very much about the GROUND and its sentiments...whatever great strategies and visions, etc., you still need most of all a good "implementator" who feels the GROUND and can communicate with and touch the GROUND. The growing risk to the incumbent party is also this missing GROUND feeling with uncontested MPs.

Perhaps that was what led LKY to look for the late GKS (someone who can implement ideas, not just articulate about it) ... but the mechanics and politics in those days were probably very different ... strategy could be the same.

@ Rex "What will the diehard supporters of TKL but haters of Dr Chee think? They will be lost what to do."

There is just a thin line between FRIEND and FIEND ... just take away the letter "R"... I can simply do it here using the alphabet ... but great politicians probably can transform in between easily...but it is easier to take away the "R" than to add the "R".; June 23, 2010 2:27 PM
Anonymous said...: Haters of SDP will be PAP types or closet PAP supporters anyway. So it won't matter.; June 23, 2010 4:17 PM
Anonymous said...: rex comments on anon 4.17 post

I beg to disagree. I know personally a LOT of haters of SDP who are also haters of PAP. The problem as someone said, is systematic brainwashing using MSM state media, for donkey years.

Here are some tips:
When you are evaluating polticians you must sometimes forget about the past.
--If one continues thinking about how great PAP was in the 60's and 70's one will, no doubt, continue to vote same in 2010.
--If one continues thinking about SDP reference to the 80's cases of the taxi claim of Dr Chee (he owned up anyway), of the quarrel with Chiam see tong(actually it was the committee that supporter the ouster; chiam is descibred by many as a bad team leader ) one would no doubt hate Dr Chee.

We should cast aside all these ancient baggages for they are out of date and tire our minds and clouds our vision.

We should look at the present and the future and judge fairly.

Look at what they offer what they stand for, what is their potential, what is their real passion, after listening to both sides.

It is important to be fair in life.

rex; June 23, 2010 8:18 PM
C H Yak said...: I tend to agree with Rex:

Q
"When you are evaluating politicians you must sometimes forget about the past."
UQ

There this a separate posting about "China-sucess story".

What Rex had said is something China could and has handled well but not too much so for Singapore.

China today is no more harping alot about the achievements of Mao, although he is still respected. This is primarily because Deng X P had succeeded in his efforts and the leaders after him and the next generation of leaders are viewed by many as "capable".

Singapore still has to harp alot because there are few leaders with the late GKS's calibre. The current leadership does not create an impact despite being so called the best in calibre and also in respect of motivation by high salary.

For "tomorrow" we need to look at where thhe current leader has headed us and will be leading us, and where the new capable leaders are for the FUTURE.

In China, the new leaders are somehow also chosen, but they look very capable ... and are not just presented as such.; June 24, 2010 10:09 AM
BryanT said...: Rex, I disagree with your suggestion that when we are evaluating politicians, we must sometimes forget about the past.

The past is the reference point to make projections about what a politician can do in future, unless there are facts to show that the person has changed, or at least pronounced himself to want to change.

I do not believe CSJ has done so, and if you ask him, he would probably state that he is proud of the many things he has done.

He would not consider his various travails with PAP members, the police and courts to be an embarassment. In fact, he would use these incidents as proof of the relevance of his cause.

I suppose TKL's survey shows that even among Opposition supporters, many do not agree with him.; June 24, 2010 10:16 AM
BryanT said...: My comments on the ranking results (as posted on my FB)

---------
The ranking is as follows:

1. Worker’s Party - 91%
2. Singapore Democratic Alliance - 86%
3. Reform Party - 85%
4. National Solidarity Party - 72%
5. Other party - 63%
6. Singapore Democratic Party- 60%
7. People Action Party - 26%

First, it is important to note TKL's disclaimer that his blog “attracts a higher proportion of readers who are unhappy with the current party in power. This survey reflect this bias, and does not represent the view of the general population.”

Even if we assume that those polled are people who are “unhappy with the current party in power”, a high degree of fairness can be expected when seen across the various Opposition parties.

Hence, the ranking of Opposition parties should be quite an accurate reflection of sentiments on the ground.

Based on this, I offer my opinion:

A. Premier League - I agree that WP and SDA are rightfully ahead.

WP's organisational and intellectual strengths are properly recognised. The buildup of the next generation of WP leaders seems to be in place.

For SDA, CST's coat-tail will be available for the last time in this coming election. Issue arises when CST leaves the political stage : either the alliance diminishes with his departure, or other members within the alliance is now offered the opportunity to “rise to the occasion” to grab the baton.

I believe the latter should happen, and by now, CST must be made to realise that he must allow for it to happen.

Merging SDA and RP will only lead to SDA's demise and it's name will not be even on the chart the next time TKL does a survey.

B. Championship League – I believe the gap between RP and NSP should not be so wide, on the ground.

Both are one-man parties currently, with other members and even publicised election candidates, largely silent, whether self-imposed or imposed by the party Sec-Gens.

C. League One – SDP's very low ranking should be a surprise to itself (even if it is NOT, to the rest of us).

It is even lower that the undefined group called “Other Party”. I assume that those surveyed could have been referring to PKMS, SJP (which is technically wrong since both of these are already included in SDA), or, heaven forbid, even USD.

Someone commented that “haters of SDP will be PAP types or closet PAP supporters”. But here is a case where a large majority are clearly non-PAP supporters.

To be placed behind these small parties, or even non-entities, says quite a bit about how SDP is perceived among non-PAP supporters.

The latter are people who are normally quite skeptical of what the MSM puts out. So it can't be that the MSM is also having an adverse impact on their views of SDP and its politics.

D. Disqualified – PAP is understandably last. I have no comments here. But others are free to offer theirs :).; June 24, 2010 12:30 PM
Anonymous said...: rex comments on BryanT's post @10.16am as follows,

I think we are speaking the same thing. I fully agree that we can still look at the historical performance if and only if the people didn't change as you so phrased. The problem is that the PAP has changed (I'm not going to argue with you if you disagree) into a monster.

Therefore since the PAP has changed, we SHOULD NOT look at history and we should ignore any propaganda that diverts our mind in this direction, yes?

As for Dr Chee, his "travails" with the police - do you seriously believe that Justice was served in all those instances? (again it is your right to say yes, it's not my job to convince you).

To my mind at least, the score is 1:1 in terms of "looking at history, based on the above criteria as you so recommended too.

I will suggest to the electorate of Singapore, to dump all historical baggages, as i said in my earlier post, when we assess PAP and SDP specifically.

Make a fair judgement after dumping the baggages: Does Dr Chee have more passion, sincerity, intellgience, humility, outspokeness than HsienLoong when leading Singapore into the next era? Make a judgement only after cleaning the dirty spectacles, which is the baggage of history we just discussed.

rex; June 24, 2010 8:07 PM
C H Yak said...: @REX
"I know personally a LOT of haters of SDP who are also haters of PAP."

The other party contesting ... should look for a SC or GRC where there are "a LOT of haters of SDP who are also haters of PAP" for a 3-corner fight where SDP&PAP also contesting...sure to win ??????

In this case, 3-corner fight will not lead to spilt votes but actually helps the opposition to win ??? WOW, what a great strategy it would be.; June 25, 2010 1:06 AM

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Survey of Political Parties

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