To my fellow Singaporeans,
As promised on my social networks that I will be writing about the day we Singaporeans spared some of our busy time just to head down to the designated polling stations to cast our votes, perhaps this post will reflect more on an event which I deemed it as '
ugly' and that I had personally experienced as I headed down to the counter to register before casting my vote for the 7th
President of Singapore.
Mind you government, this is a
Presidential Election; (sounds like more prestige event than the General Elections we had mid 2011) but judging from the way how our past presidents basically have been made 'inactive' (as per quoted by presidential hopeful Tan Kin Lian who conceded defeat) by our very own government (dictators), we have doubts as to whether we really need a President.
Unlike United States of America, our President have basically
nothing much to do than just another
'tourist.' No power, not much say and perhaps some 'decisive' decisions made are under the influence of who else but the ruling party.
Back to my story, I was just exercising my responsibility as a Singaporean and I took some time from my busy schedule, just like most of us, to head down to the respective polling stations to vote. Mine was situated at
Whitesands Primary School in
Pasir Ris; the same place I cast my votes for during the
GE2011. Perhaps, it is the very same procedure and it was
all smooth.
However,
PE2011 turned out to be something different.
Ugly.
As I approached the counter
B2 to register, the officer, a Malay teacher I believe on-duty to process the registration,
DENIED me from registering and casting my votes.
Reason : He gave me an annoying look and told me he
could not accept my SINGAPORE DRIVING LICENSE CARD for identification. Not at all. He probably just wanted me to slap his face with my PASSPORT or swipe his ass crack with my NRIC. When I told him that it is a valid identification card almost equivalent to NRIC (except the residential address), he insisted that I was not allowed to vote. I had a bit of argument with him and he referred me to his so-called "
Supervisor" which I guessed must be his Head of Department in the school that he suck up to every week. There was no need and no point referring to the supervisor because she was equally
USELESS and there's not any different to the '
decision' she made; just like all of our past and present Presidents of Singapore.
When that happened, it got me to thinking why was there not a problem during the GE2011? Everything went smoothly,
NOT even any word from any of the officers who volunteered in the GE2011 DENIED me the
RIGHT TO VOTE.
So what does the
Elections Board trying to tell us Singaporeans?
That you have an
INCONSISTENT set of
RULES & REGULATIONS and
SYSTEM, in addition of
INCOMPETENT OFFICERS who just
could not REGULATE and be
CONSISTENT in the
RESPONSIBILITY that they are tasked to perform even if it is merely a '
volunteering' or '
no-choice-because-i-am-a-civil-servant'.
Next I would like to question is the SINGAPORE DRIVING LICENSE CARD, which has ALWAYS served as an ALTERNATIVE FORM OF IDENTIFICATION apart from the NRIC and PASSPORT. Its not like I came to in-process with my STUDENT PASS or SECURITY PASS, why was I DENIED?
YES, I do agree that in your so-called rules, there was no mention about it and I could have taken my PASSPORT. I admit that was a negligence on my part by you people should not have tell me off just like that. Or perhaps that you may have given some leniency and not making us walk back home and come back. Excuse me, we are not paid to vote. Don't treat us like dogs. We are not state dogs either.
Are you guys trying to imply that our SINGAPORE DRIVING LICENSE CARD may be FAKE?
STOP trying to be EXCESSIVELY & AGGRESSIVELY REGIMENTAL. This is NOT THE ARMY.
It is PLAIN STUPID. Moreover, a SILLY SYSTEM altogether.
The 'best' part was, in-process VERIFICATION of IDENTITY was done by HUMAN BEINGS, not by MACHINES. Dear OFFICER, you must be DUMB enough not to be able to smoothen the process. I would have NO COMPLAINTS had it be MACHINES that were used to VERIFY a person, because they are simply PROGRAMMED to work in a specific manner.
So WHY make it difficult for us SINGAPOREANS to VOTE?
In fact, it is just a RESPONSIBILITY not totally an OBLIGATION for us Singaporeans to vote.
So they next thing you filthy government want from us is by imposing a
FINE of $50 for not participating in the 'state-owned' elections where you play the 'bookmakers?' Oh my, this is getting more RIDICULOUS.
FINING for NOT VOTING as a form of discipline, how beautiful. INCREASING your fellow MINISTERS' SALARIES at the expense of your very own citizens who
SUFFER IN SILENCE just for the upbringing of the country and the influx of 'non-citizens' to SAVE COST, causing our very own SINGAPOREANS finding it tough to make a living here.
So, when I was DENIED to RIGHT TO VOTE by these INCOMPETENT officers-in-charge, I took a swipe as I was super mad but still under control because I do not want to create a scene.
Officer :
"No, you can't vote. We need your NRIC. Driving License unacceptable."
Me :
"Why? I need a reasonable explanation. Previous GE2011, there was not any problem or any instruction that I could not use driving license card as an alternative. Why now?"
Supervisor :
"No, we cannot accept." (still no reasonable explanation)
Me :
Then just FORGET IT! (walks away)
MAD & DISAPPOINTED. That's how we are valued even when we came down all the way to fulfil our responsibility as a Singaporean.
So I assume in 5 years' time, I will need to 'contribute' $50 to
REINSTATE my eligibility. Oh wells. Still a long way then.
I wonder what will happen if all of us Singaporeans boycott any elections. Will our estimated 2.5 million Singaporeans have to 'contribute' $50 to the government? Wow, seems like a good '
deal' uh.
Enough said.
Yours truly,
Frustrated Singaporean (
i'm not one the only one for sure.)
