PAP's GE2011 PR Catastrophe

PM Lee's Day Rally Speech

"I feel sad for the PAP... literally.

....I was expecting much more from our Ruling party."

Today, our Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong apologised for the mistakes made by the PAP over the last 5 years, ranging from Mas Selamat's escape to the floodings and also the shortage of HDB flats built. And overall, it wasnt a bad speech either!

Objectively, its wasn't a bad thing, to apologise and admit one's mistake is admirable and respectful. But what is wrong, is the timing. He cannot choose a worse time to admit to PAP's imperfection and existence of gaffes & mistakes.

"what is wrong, is the timing. He cannot choose a worse time to admit to PAP's imperfection and existence of gaffes & mistakes."

Throughout the past 5 years, for every big incident/disaster, PAP's ministers kept quiet; pushing the blame away, and blatantly unrepentant about the problem that absolutely made under their jurisdiction. None of these PAP ppl admit to any mistakes and none of them, astonishingly, apologised at all.

Fast forward to today, in the red hot middle of the Elections period; of all the time and days in the world, PM Lee decided to apologise today. What a big mistake....

PAP's ministers kept quiet; pushing the blame away, and blatantly unrepentant about the problem that absolutely made under their jurisdiction. None of these PAP ppl admit to any mistakes and none of them, astonishingly, apologised at all.

Now, all the Oppositions jumped on his admission and trampled all over his effort to pull those former PAP supporters back to supporting the PAP.

There can only be 2 good time to apologise. FIRST, and as always the best policy, is to apologise IMMEDIATELY when the disaster strikes, regardless any investigation had been made or whether the fault is on "him" (as to the person in charge) or not. Which the PAP did not...

The only other good time, is when PAP returns to power on Election Day, re-elected once again, gaining the mandate of the people. PM Lee could have triumphantly thank the People of Singapore for keeping faith in the PAP, despite all the mistakes and gaffes that the PAP had made, and to promise the Singaporeans that PAP will do better this term.

PM Lee could have triumphantly thank the People of Singapore for keeping faith in the PAP, despite all the mistakes and gaffes that the PAP had made, and to promise the Singaporeans that PAP will do better this term.

But no........... he chose today.


This entire incident, together with all the other "self foot shooting" speeches/interviews, poor understanding of what will tick the heart strings of the people and gutter politicking shows that the PAP is poorly prepared for this General Elections, despite being the one deciding when it would take place.

PAP is the most powerful, richest and most resourceful Party in Singapore. They are the people who run the show in Singapore and the leaders whom are supposed to lead Singapore to a brighter future. But General Elections, probably the most important event on any PAP calendar, had suffered with such poor PR strategies and skills (public relations).

The various PAP teams do not seemed to be sharing the same ideology or election message; SM Goh shoots Wong Kan Seng just to protect George Yeo's butt (which at the same time, shoot every single other ministers); Every PAP speech sounds so scripted, too much macro talk, little substance and many fails to touch the heart of the people. Not to mention, failing to provide the plans and solutions for the problem they created themselves (which they in turn blame the world for it).

As a Singaporean, I totally concede that no matter what happen at the polls, PAP is definitely going to return back to power as a Majority. But the abysmal PR by the PAP highlights how weak, unprepared and disorganised PAP could become; especially in the face of such brilliant PR and organisational abilities shown by virtually all the Oppositions parties.

And thus, with the prospect of another 5 years under the PAP leadership, I'm really worried how well PAP could do, especially for the People of Singapore, when they can't even give a good clean fight against the Oppositions...

"the abysmal PR by the PAP highlights how weak, unprepared and disorganised PAP could become; especially in the face of such brilliant PR and organisational abilities shown by virtually all the Oppositions parties."

I really hope PAP would buck up... They had disappointed me in the way their fight had gone (despite me backing the Oppositions); I was expecting much more from our Ruling party.

I feel sad for the PAP... literally.

(Doesn't make sense since I'm taking the Oppositions' side, but really... I feel genuinely emotionally sad at the state of affairs of PAP)