Today
Apr 01, 2011
Letter from Tan Pei Ying
AS a young Singaporean with that all-important vote in my hands, I believe I express a concern many of my peers hold. With news of Ms Tin Pei Ling's candidacy in the coming elections, an interesting bit in a Today report on March 29 caught my eye: "In the 2009 November/ December edition of the party's Petir magazine, she was quoted as saying that some online feedback 'is cynical'. 'Maybe some young people feel a need to be different, and they express it by being anti-establishment,' she said then." Is there a hint of arrogance here?
While some may indeed make cynical comments out of "a need to be different", any problem should be looked at from both sides. I hope Ms Tin has considered those comments in depth and analysed the root cause of disgruntlement, rather than simply attributing it to "a need to be different".
I personally have no qualms about a candidate's age or, and choice of lifestyle is not my concern.
However, the ability to analyse, empathise and be open to alternative views from people of all walks of life is an important attribute of any potential politician. Remember, Singapore is uniquely composed of various ethnic groups, income earners and needs. There should be sensitivity.
It is worrying if any of our future leaders label citizens collectively as "anti-establishment" or vice-versa as a starting point when their ideals are not aligned.
[A voice of reason in a sea of unreason? I take issue with the comment that "some feedback are cynical". I think MOST feedback are useless, irrelevant, illogical, paranoid, self-serving rants. Considering those comments in depth will drive most people insane. Symptoms of this insanity? They post replies/further comments.]
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