I remember....

Standing at the field near St Andrew's listening to Mr Chiam, I remember long ago. I remember him coming by to say hi. I remember him coming to a friend family's wake and knowing he made it a point to know the residents and even attending each wake. He made it a point to make it special, to you as a resident. I remember much. I don't remember anything about my MP though. He was from the ruling party.

Today, I attended my second rally this election, today after a long time. And the biggest. I'm proud to be have been there. I listen to the opposition and they are firm and offer an alternative with sound suggestions. The party has credible candidates and Sylvia Lim with Low offers a view that resonates with many many on the ground. I'm glad to have spent 3 hours listening to good alternatives that can make a difference for someone like me.

I remember the oppostion in the last 2 elections that really didn't offer substantial opinons. Today, I think about my future. My children's future. Is the poor getting poorer, the rich getting richer? Is it today an equal platform? I know of a teacher who didn't do well in school and is leaving because she's not got good grades when she was in school. But you know, I've seen her in action, and she's a very good teacher. I know now of friends who are senior officers in the military that aren't scholars and we all know what happens. Does the system take care of us not scholastically successful? Are the weak step-sided? I went into a recent discussion with several officers and a mere "if I work super hard now, will it make a difference?" And you know, we came to a unanimous agreement, that days of old like C K Tang, even if you work hard today, rats, life will still be one toughie! So here was something that also hit me. At a local food place, I saw many foreigners working to clear tables and this Singaporean Chinese auntie was lamenting how she would soon lose her job to these foreign imports. Mind you, she was close to 60 and needed the job to feed her family. There are governing policies. I know as an employer myself and I know how quite a many folks are placing on record more Singaporeans so that they can hire more foreigners. Like that also can and rampantly too. It's a vicious cycle I suppose...

I don't buy the fact that if you vote for one party, you get the government's $80million for upgrading. And if you vote for the other, the government doesn't support you. Isn't the government's money the people's money and not any party's money? I remember definite recommendations, good suggestions and policies that work for the country. But today... the ruling party spends seven days talking about technicalities over a form. If you think Mr Brown's & Miyagi''s Bak Chor Mee was funny, you are one of the appreciative folks who agree how silly this all is and how can 7 days of campaigning be on this and not fundamental Singaporean issues? I can only hope improvements will come.

Folks who know us will know that we are trying for a family. But the medical fees we incur can't be paid for fully using our Medisave, our own money, and it's not a couple of dollars but a substantial amount! I grovel and digress...

I remember being inspired by the ruling party. And yet today, I am now inspired by the Opposition; one that took the pledge together as a finale. I have respect for the opposition and am glad there is a choice for the people of Singapore. This gutsy night at a rally with some 30,000 other Singaporeans, remember I will!

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