of the disconnected P65 (II)

i happen to read mr wang's blog on e hoohaa abt the P65 blog & i found this comment by mr wang very interesting

Mr Wang Says So said...

Quick thoughts ...

I think that the root problem is that the public knows this isn't the real PAP.

In contrast, think for example of Virgin Airlines CEO Richard Branson - if he said that tomorrow he's going to hip hop in public, no one would be surprised because everyone knows that Richard Branson does crazy things all the time like run naked on a public beach or sail across the ocean in a little boat. If you read his biography, you know he's been spontaneous and freewheeling ever since he was a kid.

The P65 MPs, however, are nothing like Richard Branson. You know that they are going to hip hop essentially because PM Lee has announced that he has decided to change the PAP's image to get in sync with younger Singaporeans.

To me, that immediately smacks of fakeness. And really, I feel that this is what irritates people about the whole thing.

There's a bit of shallowness in the whole thing too. I mean, if you were interested in reaching out to youths in Singapore, there are thousands of more meaningful ways you could do it. Taking "youth" to mean Singaporeans, say, in the 17-25 age group:

MPs could for example visit schools; polys; local uni's; give talks; support youth charity efforts; form working groups to study issues and help specific groups of young Singaporeans (eg handicapped; juvenile delinquents; drug abusers; ex-convicts; single mothers); put forward suggestions to deal with NSF problems; help in AIDS awareness education campaigns; organise sports & other activities for youths in their constituencies; canvas for donations for bursaries to help young Singaporeans from needy families with their school fees; focus on education issues and contribute policy suggestions on how our education system could be improved; get in touch with organisations like the Juvenile Courts, Boys Home, Girls' Home, SIngapore Police etc etc and see where they can use their MP status to help with youth issues; do something in the area of career guidance for young Singaporeans; organise activities at the community centres in their constituency for youth etc etc ....

... or hell, just START a blog on youth issues.

Instead they're going to hip hop. Because that looks "cool". And "hip". And "happening".

Aiyah, please lah. Do we really need Members of Parliament to be hip and happening? Please leave that to the Singapore Idols and the TCS actors and the Super Model wannabes. MPs should focus on helping residents in their constituencies and on contributing to policy-making in Parliament. No one wants or needs MPs to be hip & happening or hopping or whatever.

oh yeah i also left a comment on their blog (sad thing was i didn't have e guts to leave my real email add & name)
i’m sorry dear MPs but this entry sounds bimbotic. may i know what are ur views on youth issues instead of ur own health issues? isn’t this blog supposed to connect with the youths?

let's see if this comment gets moderated.