We are here to make a choice

On May 7th, we will choose our representatives in Parliament. All the parties have asked us to choose carefully. We are surrounded by many choices; some clear whilst others confusing. At every rally, in the coffee shops, restaurants, on the streets, on Facebook, you see people gathered with one thing on their minds: the choice, or more precisely, the consequences of the choice.

How did we get here, in this place, considering this choice?

We are not gathered here because of the transgressions and pain of the past. We are not here because of the insufferable conditions of the present. Many are upset at the massive influx of foreign workers, the high price of public housing, inflation, the distance between the government and the people, among other reasons. But that is not why we are here.

Some may say we are here because we are afraid; afraid of the future; the uncertainty of it all. We fear for our children, our loved ones, the affordability of education and healthcare. We fear we may not be able to carry on. But that is not why we are here.

We are not here because we are afraid; we are here because we are not afraid. We are too angry to be afraid. We are not hungry; we are full from being fed lies. We are here because we know we do not need to be paid $3 million dollars a year to care about our country. We are here because we want leaders who want to share and prosper; not divide and conquer.

We have been warned that we will regret our decision. It is better to regret something we have done than regret something we haven’t done. Five years ago, most of Singapore did not vote, and now we regret what we could not do. You have convinced us that was a mistake; one we won’t repeat.

You ask for forgiveness. You shed your tears on TV. You ask us to give you a chance to listen to us, to work with us, to share in the prosperity of our great nation; you want five more years to make it right.

You HAD five years to listen to us. You HAD five years to do the right thing. You did not cry for us when you made your choices in Parliament; we will not shed a tear for you. You have shown us that you can make mistakes but refuse to face the consequences. We need idealism, not fatalism in our leaders; you have shown us that we do not need you in our future.

On May 7^th, we will do what we should have done five years ago. We will choose our future as a nation; all of us. We will choose leaders who want to serve, instead of demanding to be served. We will reject those who demand entitlement, and welcome those who deliver empowerment. This time we will choose wisely, because we actually have a choice, and our choice matters.