Election goodies: proves the point that PAP needs to be spurred?

With a GE looming, it seems the government is working overtime and extra hard to meet the people’s grouses

— HDB flats: no worries plenty being built

— crowded public tpt: improved services

— too many non-FTs: raise entry point salaries

— PMETs being screwed: throwing more money at retraining

(Note the last three were annced in the last two days)

All well and gd in one sense. S’poreans’ legitimate grievances are being addressed, albeit a bit late.

But does it not also show that after denying for so many years that there were problems (HDB: “market forces leh”; crowded public tpt: “not as bad as Tokyo”;non-FTS: “they all FTs vital to the economy”; PMETS: “plenty of jobs leh”) the ruling party only acts when there is pressure (in this case, losing seats and a lower share of the popular vote in the coming GE) and not because something is wrong, and needs fixing?

Does this not undermine the governing party’s argument that they are benevolent, always trying to do the best for S’poreans, and hence we should give it all the parly seats and, if we don’t give them all the seats, the mandate to rule us forever and a day? 

Yup, being responsive only when spurred, has its consequences.