The PAP’s Legalist tactics are being resisted by various political actors in Singapore and around the world.  For the first time in about two decades opposition parties (there are several) plan to contest more than half of the available seats in the city-state’s legislature.  This is important.  Even if PAP wins, and its sleazy tactics virtually guarantee its continued parliamentary majority, the broader opposition effort demonstrates a growing public demand for more open and fair politics. 

     Moreover, the PAP’s attempt to ban blogging and podcasting seems to be having little effect.  Some writers, who depend on Singapore-based internet service providers have shut down for the short duration of the campaign period.  But others are publishing challenging political content.  One site, Singapore Election Watch, even published my last post, "Lee Hsien Loong’s Lack of Integrity," the very title of which would certainly be taken by PAP men as libelous.  What used to be the rather staid site, Sintercom, is now the New Sintercom, and is willing to post pieces like this: "How the Ruling Party Twists the Courts to their Favour."

    It is obvious that the PAP cannot control information the way it used too.  They will strike back and try to hurt people.  But their claims to Confucian virtue are now more clearly revealed as shallow and disingenuous rhetorical diversions.  The blooming and contending of a hundred (or more) blogs show them for what they really are: small men with narrow interests who can fool only a diminishing portion of the bright and creative and cosmopolitan population of Singapore. 

   Truth, and the people, will out!