Divining the times

Is Singapore heading for an early General Election?

Some have done an analysis that, historically, the longest interval from the time the electoral register is open for inspection (2nd March 2009) to the next General Election (GE) is at most 6 months. Even my wife, who is as apolitical as a potatoe, asked me last night what I thought. If there was going to be a GE soon, and if so, how soon?

I didn't dive into speculation. I just said I didn't know, which was the truth. I don't hang around chatrooms to pick up the latest gossips. I am not a keen political observer and I don't look at the moon and stars to divine the course of mankind, as far as politics go. If the government does announce a GE next month, I will be the first one to be surprised, since one isn't due until 2011.

But if the government does call early elections, it would be a statement by the official soothsayers today that 2 years down the road, the economic situation, which will impact the social situation severely this time around, will not give a 'feel good' factor at all. If nothing, the expectation is that it will be a terrible time for any government to go to the polls. The feeling among the populace may very well be doom and gloom.

We hear some optimistic predictions based on the upcoming Integrated Resort (IR) and, errr...nothing else, really. More likely, the situation will become worse before it becomes even more worse. So with the fresh memory of the bonuses received from last year, it would be prudent for the incumbent governement to call for elections soon, and I mean really soon. People can have such short memories. Bad new is beginning to pile up like a dunghill. Better do something about it before the electorate is overwhelmed and they make choice they will regret. That's what desperate people tend to do, besides looting and jumping off a highrise, or the open air MRT (elevated train) platforms in Singapore.

The question is: when this year, not if this year?

Image: morguefile.com. Author: nibujohn