Catherine Lim, well known author of books such as Following the Wrong God Home and Little Ironies: Stories of Singapore has written an open letter out to the Prime Minister of Singapore urging for more political openness and a greater tolerance of opposing viewpoints, which our local newspapers including the Straits Times, have declined to publish, read it here and make up your own mind.  In 1994,then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong publicly castigated her for writing an article, The PAP and the people - A Great Affective Divide in the Straits Times. The Prime Minister argued that if she wanted to voice her opinion on politics she should join a political party. 

I remember telling Abel a couple of months back, that Bloc Party is for when you grow up and graduate from listening to Coldplay. Here are the lyrics to Uniform from their latest album, an ode to todays disaffected, politically apathetic youth.    

There was a sense of disappointment as we left the mall
All the young people looked the same
Wearing their masks of cool and disinterest
Commerce dressed up as rebellion

Because we are so handsome and we are so bored
So entertain us, tell me a joke
Make it long, make it last forever
Make it cruel just make me laugh
We can't be hurt

Drink to forget your blues on the weekend
Think about more things to buy
The TV taught me how to sulk and to love nothing
And how to grow my hair long

So why do you go picking fights that you will lose?
(When u have entertainment, when give you things to pass the time)
So why do you have to go thinking thoughts that are above you?
(You can be happy, just play dumb x2)

Well I was brave
And unique,
Intelligent,
A snowflake
I could have been a hero
No-one can be trusted over the age of 14
Tattoo our arms
Converse shoes
Cynical
But we still do it
We tell ourselves that we're different
I've gotten so good at lying to myself
All, all my pain and honour is used up
All my guns are rusted
So when are you going to realise those are not your wrongs to right
Have another line, have another drink
(Pop songs won’t change the government)

I am a martyr I just need a motive
I am a martyr I just need a cause
I'm a believer I just need to a moment
I'm a believer I just need a cause
We're finding it hard to break the mould
We are finding it so hard to be alone
We're finding it hard to have time by ourselves
We have nothing at all to say

Uniform

There was a sense of disappointment as we sped away
All the teenagers looked the same