Days of Being Wild: GE2006 Walking the Line with the Opposition
Days of Being Wild records with words and images, the heady days of GE2006. It reflects the nine days when Singaporeans throw off the visage of their normally reticent selves. They clamber over ditches and down soggy, pitted paths to hear and to see for themselves the measure of those who seek their votes.
It is a story of what ordinary people feel and do as individuals and as collective social groups in a time of relatively unfettered freedom. A fragment of time for Election Rallies.
The book preserves the testimonies and acknowledges the resilience of ordinary Singaporeans who may be unable to articulate themselves in print, and are consequently denied their voice in history.
Elections throw up victors and the vanquished. But history should not be written only for the victors. The stories of the courageous men and women who stand up to give us a choice in the democratic process must be given an airing. Our history will become richer, our roots deeper. Herein lies the purpose of this book, dedicated to our children. They must have this choice preserved for them.
Hardcover
$22.50 SGD $30.00 SGD
Reviews
“This book, whilst it is the story of the 2006 general elections, is a significant contribution to our knowledge of the workings of the electoral system in Singapore. Dana Lam has done a remarkable act of service to our understanding of the struggles of opposition political parties, their political process and their perseverance in and commitment to offering Singaporeans alternative views and choices. The book is detailed, interesting and clearly written. It is a book that must be read by those interested in Singapore politics.” – Constance Singam, Writer and social activist, and past president of the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) and the Singapore Council of Women’s Organisation (SCWO)
“Dana argues with hope and passion that a new political consciousness is emerging among Singaporeans. But can it transform PAP-style politics in the future, or will it be cleverly compartmentalised and managed into another unrealised potential by the political elites? We are moved by her quest for the answer.” – Dr Tan Chong Kee, Founder of Sintercom, one of the first websites for election reporting
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