This is an interesting analysis by Alex Au
http://yawningbread.wordpress.com/2012/04/21/lee-hsien-loong-and-the-art-of-making-the-worst-possible-move/
http://yawningbread.wordpress.com/2012/04/21/lee-hsien-loong-and-the-art-of-making-the-worst-possible-move/
I have added my comments in Alex's post.
ReplyDeleteEssentially, I agree with him that it was an insecurity complex, stemming from that Broad denial of any By-Election whether it involved a GRC or SMC.
That change in the Constitution was to plug, pre-empt any of its own members in a GRC from triggering a By-Election. Brilliant but it leave a bad taste for any constituents affected.
In fact the incumbent Govt care a lot about this Hougang By-election.
ReplyDeleteBut recently they are hit by bad luck events, like the MRT keeps breaking down, and then we have a Professor who was former Wages Council Head, throwing an unexpected spanner into the works, with a shocking reccomendation to level the field between low wage workers and the high wage fliers.
PM Lee has to bide his timing very carefully, and the Hougang Indian cleaner suit case unexpectedly give him the perfect excuse for time dragging through the compliant Court.
Meanwhile PM is softly sweetening the ground at Hougang, first blowing the trumpet of his candidate of being a very good man with high integrity as opposed to the WP's sacked former MP, and rolling out job fairs for Hougang residents, and even handing out free porridge to buy the people's stomach.
Now who can say PM is not serious about this controversial by-election, just that have to get heaven's help to get the timing exactly right. If forgo this BE, it would be continuous political fodder for talking and gossip till 2016, this would be a constant irritant for the PM, a man known to be impatient and wan things done fast, but done at the right time.
But first he has to "kill the opposition at Hougang softly with his song."