Cabbie Chat gives you the latest perspective from Singapore's most celebrated purveyors of grapevine gossip - taxi drivers!
By Esther Tay
Correspondent
Mr Suresh Ramachandran, 44, has been driving a TransCab taxi for the past 18 months. He made the switch over from Comfort because he felt that TransCab offered more support to its drivers.
The rambunctious, portly gentleman is a self-styled veteran of Singapore’s streets: “I know where to find anything in Singapore. Duty free (contraband) cigarettes, pirated DVDs, ganja (marijuana). Not easy to find. But I know where.”
I caught up with Mr Ramachandran on Sunday afternoon – one day after the 2011 general election – during an early afternoon ride from Pasir Ris to Orchard Road. Naturally, we discussed the results of the previous day’s polls.
“I’m very sad that George Yeo lost,” he said, referring to the outgoing Foreign Minister who lost his seat in Aljunied. “He’s very poor thing, you know? He was almost crying on TV.”
“I mean, either way, someone will lose. Workers’ Party lose, also sad. But George Yeo, he is one of the better PAP ministers. I don’t mind if Mah Bow Tan or Wong Kan Seng lose. Even Goh Chok Tong said, George Yeo didn’t make any mistakes.”
Speaking of Mr Goh, I asked Suresh what he thought of the Senior Minister’s poor showing in his safe seat of Marine Parade – he managed only to get 56.65 per cent of the votes against a weak and inexperienced team from the National Solidarity Party.
“Serves him right lah! He shouldn’t have talked so much nonsense. He promised not to talk about other candidates, then a few days later he did it anyway.”
“But you know the real reason, it’s that stupid Kate Spade girl (Tin Pei Ling) lah. She’s a bloody joke. So immature, how to be MP? I think many Singaporeans cannot accept her as an MP. She is the reason why Goh Chok Tong didn’t do well lah. Nearly caused him to lose you know? I tell you, she is going to be a burden on Goh Chok Tong.”
Not wanting to get drawn into a discussion on my own views regarding Ms Tin, I asked him which constituency he was under.
“Marine Parade lah!” Oops.
“I tell you, I’m ashamed, you know? I’m bloody embarrassed to have Kate Spade as my MP,” he continued. “I can tell you, 99% of the people I know feel the same way. This is Parliament, not kindergarten you know? If she is going in just to learn and gain experience, who suffers? We suffer! Can you imagine, if we have any problems, we have to go and see her? I rather not waste my time man.”
Our cabbie was clearly unimpressed with his new MP, Ms Tin Pei Ling
“This is the fault of the bloody GRC system. Kate Spade can be an MP but George Yeo is voted out. You tell me, does this even make any sense? If George Yeo is in a single constituency, do you think he will lose? But now, he is out, and this useless Kate Spade is in. This is a laughing stock in the world. The GRC system makes a mockery of Singapore!”
Not wanting to let up on his rant, he then suggested that the GRC system should be abolished so as to ensure that the best candidates are returned as MPs.
“We are supposed to have the best people in the government, right? Then why have this stupid system where George Yeo can lose but Kate Spade goes in? You think anyone will vote for her if she is standing on her own? She will lose her bloody deposit, lah!”
“We should go back to all single seats. Then it’s fair. The best people will go in, the weak ones will get eliminated. That’s how we ensure that the Parliament will have the best people lah. You tell me, is there any other country in the world that follows such a stupid system?”
“It’s a total mockery, a total joke. Not only George Yeo, many other candidates from the opposition were also very good but didn’t get elected because of this system.”
As we were coming to the end of our journey, I asked Mr Ramachandran, just out of pure curiosity, who he voted for.
“I voted for PAP lah.”
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For some reason, Singapore’s taxi drivers seem to know something about everything. Well, seeing as it is their job to ply the streets of our busy little island every day, one can assume that they get to see a lot more of than we do from our little office desks. Cabbie Chat is a regular column that gives you the lowdown from the country’s most celebrated purveyors of grapevine gossip. If you are a cabbie and would like to share your views with us, please get in touch!
GRC system was created to protect incompetent candidates like Kate Spade and son of KY, it’s a good system to protect the weaks and the slow learners, just give them 10 to 15 years to learn, be patient. Maybe eventually we will have some real good leaders like George Yeo, Ong Teng Cheong, Tony Tan…..
GRC system was created to protect incompetent candidates like Kate Spade and son of KY, it’s a good system to protect the weaks and the slow learners, just give them 10 to 15 years to learn, be patient. Maybe eventually we will have some real good leaders like George Yeo, Ong Teng Cheong, Tony Tan…..
@Suresh Ramachandran the taxi driver:
It is retards and hum ji kias (BALL-LESS person) like you who return power to them…. What makes you think you have the rights to complain and KPKB when YOU YOUSELF voted for them too? You voted for them, so you bloody shut your mouth and keep quiet and accept with open arms whatever nonsenses that they are going to throw at you….
Suresh is really self-pwned…
He voted for PAP in Marine Parade and he dare to complain about Kate Spade girl?
He also helped to put her inside the Parliament!
Should have more Kate Spades in the next elections by the PAP. Guaranteed vote winners for the other side.
I wouldn’t exactly call winning PP with a mere 78 votes a landmark victory. That SMC had only about 20k registered voters as compared to Aljunied’s 140k voters.
Nani B___!is everywhere shitting PAP mantra.Here’s news for u, Hard truths: Oldman MM Lee dies before GE2016-unless he can bribe god too.PAP splits into 2 with disunity further, opposition and singaporeans will win more hands down. & u will disappear together with ur MMgods.
Gama Lady
Fm TKL’s Blog by reader. Can he be the next SG “Anwar” though better morales and gd man to lead and unite the opposition.History has funny way of springing up very unlikely heros…we wait
Open Letter to All Opposition Parties in SG,
Post GE2011: For SG & Singaporeans Need For An Alternative Voices
Dear All Opposition Parties Of SG,
All: Moving On you need to have a joint meeting on next step forward outside your own party planning and post election evaluation.
1.Take note you tried to have a few towards the start of election but was not enough time.
2.The political landscape will change further esp winning WP team will draw more able candidates than now bec of success and results.
Not to take it negatively all opposition parties, this is natural and right step for political development.
3.But on your side continue to improve and change to build up your own parties and approaches to win gd candidates esp SDA, NSP.
4.But you all as Opposition Parties need to meet and engage in joint dialogue inorder to move forward as opposition parties in SG as end of day despite different party ways and manifestoes, you share a common goal to represent Singaporeans and challenge PAP’s arrogant and out of touch policies for the people of Singapore.
5.The reality of Post 2011 election towards YR2016 will see a bigger slate of opposition candidates to contest on WP cards in next elections which means 3 corner fights will be inevitable.But cn be done in a civil, proper equal playing field whic does not dilute opposition votes.
6.But unlike the SDA fiasco in Punggol East by Desmond which did not help any opposition party or SG people, this can be done in a better way.
7.Meaning a joint meeting and discussion needs to start moving forward by all opposition parties to some discuss on possible wards they will focus on in YR2016 minus the PAP’s continued plans for more gerry manderring or changes which cannot be avoided.
8.Least give each party an opportunity to focus on key wards or repeat wards and opportunity to build a base there and continue efforts than last minute changes and switches to new locations.
The latter normally erodes voter support as last minute parachutting vs incumbent PAP as they are there already.
9.So please start talking among yourselves, least a decent start based on whoever comes forward among you, reform party, NSP,SDA and WP.
10.Least a better strategy and gives you room to build your resources, work on target wards effectively and do not disappear as that will play into ruling party’s hands and make no mistake they are all changing and will prepare for the YR2016 fight starting from now.
11.For your survival, relevance in representing SG and most impt success for next GE2016.
Last Note; Mr Tan Kim Lian, you as a respected man by many in SG and a friend of the opposition and Singaporeans can step in to initiate a first meeting after this election so this can happen as is impt for our political landscape and survival as we want change.
Think opposition parties can talk and be civil as this is not like asking PAP to join in as they don’t even listen to you and anyone.
PAP screwed itself with the GRC – that about sums it up. Chinese saying: If you go up the mountain once too often, you are sure to meet with a tiger (and be eaten alive).
)
I wonder if anyone still believes the nonsense that GRC system was created to help minorities get elected into Parliament?
@Suresh Ramachandran the taxi driver
Talk so much, you voted for TPL to be in parliament and yet doing the whining? It’s as much your fault as the implementation of GRCs.
Agree that George Yeo is much better than TPL but that’s the rules of the game.
What I’m annoyed at is that the WP team is in Parliament and George Yeo is out.
What can they do? Besides being a loudhailer and voicing dissenting views?
George Yeo was one of the best foreign ministers in Singapore.
It’s a good thing that PAP still won 81 out of 87 seats including Potong Pasir. That was a landmark victory after 27 years of opposition rule.
“It’s a good thing that PAP still won 81 out of 87 seats”. I pity you and your naivette. Let’s see if your children and grand children still feel this way 50 years later.
To Mr. Ramachandran: It’s the fault of people like you that this mockery of a GRC still stands. If you had any sense (or is it balls?), you would have done the right thing and shown the PAP what you thought of their trying to sneak Kate Spade in through the back door. Let them lose a few GRCs and you will see change in the system. But with people like you helping them to perpetuate the system, why should they change it? So, quit complaining and live with it. Serves you right. Unfortunately, the rest of us have to live with your bad choice.
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SM Goh says that TinTin will improve. Oh really? What can she do? Is she going to say that there are no poor people in Singapore, there is nothing wrong with PAP, and the biggest regret in her life is not bringing her parents to Universal Studios? Then when she gets flamed, she says “I don’t know what to say!”
She will last one term maximum. The biggest own goal that PAP has ever scored. What in the world were they thinking??
To have TPL in Parliament as an MP but have GY out is an absolute fucking joke.