Singapore, election, cooling, period

The cooling-down period proposed by the PAP disadvantages the Opposition yet again.

Proposed on the premise that it allows for voters to dispel their emotions and vote rationally, the day of no-campaigning will undoubtedly cool down the anger aroused by the opposition parties.

At this point, it is important to note a crucial distinction between the raw emotions invoked by the opposition parties and the PAP, a difference that will explain how the ruling party will emerge better off from this debacle:

The PAP operates on the basis of fear; The Opposition campaigns on anger.

A quick glance at what is happening can confirm this.

The PAP invokes fear: economic ruination, denial of HDB upgrading, societal instability
The Opposition, anger: rising costs of living, foreign talents, ministerial salaries

This becomes significant in the event of a cooling-down period, for it is possible for one to remain in a perpetual state of fright, but not a prolonged state of anger - the PAP has after all managed to coerce its population for much of 44 years. The period of a day with no campaigning will therefore disadvantage the opposition and its strategy of rousing up outrage amongst the masses.

Another way that such a period will disadvantage the opposition is through the state monopoly of the media. Even though the PAP ostensibly does not campaign on the papers or airwaves, the news might still carry content that reflects the PAP’s message- for instance, fears of a worsening or relapse of a recession might be raised, prompting the masses to gravitate towards an established party. The coverage of the elections will also undoubtedly be skewed towards the personalities of the PAP.

But could the opposition use the cool-down to its advantage?

Internet campaigns which are a “grey area”, as pointed out by PM Lee, are allowed to continue, as long as they are not based on the official websites of the Opposition. The Opposition is also well geared to seize the battle on the net better than the PAP as it has been accustomed to doing so – they are guerillas used to fighting in the jungle of the web instead of the open plains of mainstream media. But in the end, it must be considered that internet campaigns are ultimately ineffective since it is a case of preaching to the converted – the audience on the web already tends to be anti-establishment for they are the crowd that had went online following disillusionment with the mainstream media.

In the lull of campaigning, the PAP has devised a underhanded way to shortchange the opposition yet again. One must really hand it to the team of PAP advisors huddling at a corner in a room discussing how to deliver the next low-blow to the Opposition. We can only expect more to come in the coming years, as the PAP ensures that it maintains power whilst liberalising the political scene in Singapore.