This is how you politics

So over the Causeway, the big joke is that Dr Mahathir has decided to come out of retirement to correct his "biggest mistake" - Najib.

Which reminds me of a joke about Najib and Dr M.

Najib and Dr M were in a candy shop. When they left, Najib excitedly told Dr M he had stolen some candy. Dr M asked to see his loot.

Najib brought out of his pocket one bag of M&M, one Kit Kat, and one Mars bar.

"That is what you stole? Put those away and let me show you how it's done."

Najib returned his loot into his pocket and followed Dr M as he walked back into the candy shop.

Dr M went to the shelves and took a bag of M&M, one Kit Kat and one Mars bar. Walking boldly to the cashier, he put the three candies on the counter and asked, "Would you like to see a magic trick?"

The cashier nodded.

Dr M opened the bag of M&M and ate the contents, all the while looking intently into the eyes of the cashier. When he was finished, he ate the Mars bar. And when that was gone, he opened the Kit Kat and had a break. He finished the Kit Kat too.

"Would you like to know where the candies have gone?"

The cashier nodded.

Dr M pointed dramatically at Najib's pocket.

"There! Check his pocket. It's all there!"


As I am not Malaysian, but Singaporean, I have a passing interest in the Malaysian GE 2018 (May 9).

Knowing the paranoid/insecure Dr M and how he conducted cross-Causeway relations, I am no fan of a return of the old goat.

Najib has been a better "friend" to Singapore, and if that is the sole determinant of who should be PM, I would be quite happy for him to continue.

But he is not PM of SG, but MY. So it is for Malaysia to decide. I hope they get the PM they need.

Whoever they vote for, would they will get the PM they deserve?

Well, not for me to say.

But I keep up with the news and I read this promise from Najib:

“If BN is given the mandate tomorrow, youths aged 26 and below will get a 100 per cent tax exemption for the 2017 and following assessment year immediately regardless of their salaries," he said in a live telecast speech.

The prime minister also pledged to make next Monday and Tuesday (May 14 and 15) public holidays, while states with Friday and Saturday as a weekend will get the extra holidays on Sunday and Monday (May 13 and 14).

He also promised "no toll charges for five days during the Hari Raya period next month."

Will this win him the election?

I dunno.

What I was thinking was... Singapore Politicians would NEVER make such promises!

Damn cheapskates!

Well, maybe some desperate no-idea, opposition, hack politician might make such promises, but the ruling party? NEVER!

I was surprised to hear the Malaysian PM sound like a hack opposition politician trying to buy votes!

Singapore voters would NEVER be so cheap!

I would like to believe.

Singapore voters would NEVER fall for such a blatant attempt at buying votes!

I hope.

Singapore voters are more sophisticated than that!

Right?

And PAP would never stoop so low as to make such shameless populist promises!

Because PAP politicians are the WORST politicians in the world. They couldn't buy a vote if it were on sale and they had Paywave.

Offering a tax holiday to those below 26 (I dunno about you, but I didn't pay income tax until about 4 years after I started working - around 26 years old, so this is ingenious vote-buying!), TWO public holidays (instead of making Polling Day a public holiday), and no toll charges (I thought the toll roads have been privatised? I could be wrong.)

THIS is how you politics!