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Category: Singapuraku

  • Daniel Goh: WP Candidates Don’t Need To be Introduced In Coffeshops Because The Heartland Is Our Everyday Reality

    Daniel Goh: WP Candidates Don’t Need To be Introduced In Coffeshops Because The Heartland Is Our Everyday Reality

    A reporter asked the introduced candidates what we thought of the PAP introducing their candidates in coffeeshops and other heartland venues while WP was doing this at the party HQ. Dylan and Choong Yong answered, but before I could, an AFP reporter abruptly interjected with a question he thought was more important, and Redzwan and I didn’t answer the question.

    No matter, but the question left me thinking. My answer would have been, with a bit of extra hindsight time, “So what? I live in heartland spaces every day; I get introduced as a candidate at the HQ because it is a special event. My normal reality is the heartland, the heartland is not a special event for me. My life is the heartland, the heartland is not my symbolic gesture.”

    So this is what I did after the press conference. Choong Yong generously gave me a lift back and went to the coffee shop across from my HDB block to work. I went back, said hello to my neighbour who was doing some DIY work in the corridor, changed to tee-shirt and berms, played a game of Zingo! with my son, and shared what happened with the wife. My mum was on her way back from work, and I know my son would want to do gardening with grandma to maintain the potted plants outside, so I took the chance to head to the bank at Nex mall to get a cashier’s order for the election deposit.

    Along the way at the void deck I said hello and spoke briefly to the “guardian angel” uncle who sits at the stone table in the mornings and evenings to watch the crowds. At the traffic lights, two schoolboys were playing catching around me, and I glared at one of them because he almost crashed into me with his cup of soft drink. In Nex, I politely declined promoters trying to sell me something and negotiated some kan cheong aunties at the escalators. Got my cashier’s order, and while walking back through the bus interchange I saw my phone notifications had went crazy due to the buzz about my candidate introduction on social media.

    But the irony is no one recognised me in the heartland, because I fade into it with my unclely tee-shirt and berms. And there is nothing special about the heartland, just the banality of everyday life which we cherish for its persistence. I rarely take selfies but I thought I should just do one to register a moment. It would have been extremely uncomfortable for me if I was introduced as a candidate at the coffeeshop or some other heartland spaces, because it would be symbolic tokenism that appropriates our living space for my own political profit.

     

    Source: Daniel Goh 吴佩松

  • Firuz Khan Unveiled As Workers’ Party Candidate

    Firuz Khan Unveiled As Workers’ Party Candidate

    The Workers’ Party unveiled four more potential candidates for the 2015 General Election on Thursday (Aug 27).

    The new faces presented at the press conference were Mr Luke Koh, Ms Cheryl Loh, Mr Firuz Khan and Mr Terence Tan. Also at the WP headquarters for the event were party Chairman Sylvia Lim and Mr Png Eng Huat.

    Mr Terence Tan, 44, a litigation lawyer and entrepreneur, said: “I’ve been walking with Mr Yee Jenn Jong in Joo Chiat and the surrounding areas since 2013. I’ve witnessed WP’s genuine commitment to serve Singaporeans and benefit Singaporeans’ lives. It was while volunteering with WP that I witnessed true servant leadership.”

    He added: “I believe there is much desire for responsible, reasonable and rational checks and balances for the Government. An Opposition that does not oppose purely for the sake of it.

    “I really do believe that the Government has focused on too much short-term economic gain instead of long-term gain for us.”

    He said he found that things were “not the same” when he came back to Singapore following a decade overseas.

    “Singaporeans are less optimistic, they can’t make the CPF Minimum Sum … we need to have reasonable debate in Parliament so the Government can refocus its policies. We need to remind the Government: Please put Singaporeans at the forefront of their policies.”

    Ms Cheryl Loh, 31, a sales consultant with a document management company, said her focus was on education: “The young are the future of Singapore, and I feel no young person in Singapore should be deprived of an education because of their family background.”

    “The Workers’ Party has been around for more than five decades, which speaks volumes for our credibility. We are here to stay. We are here for a purpose: To better the lives of Singaporeans,” added Ms Loh.

    “We are here to provide a voice for fellow Singaporeans in Parliament.

    “If elected, I will come up with events so that the community will get together, I can talk to them, and understand their concerns and issues.”

    Mr Firuz Khan, 48, a manager at a chocolate manufacturer, said he joined the WP in 2006.

    “I had always wanted to help my countrymen. My journey to politics started when I returned from my studies in the UK in 1996, and noticed things were different. I look forward to contributing more for the people of Singapore,” said Mr Khan.

    Mr Khan – a volunteer at the Paya Lebar division of Aljunied GRC, was also the principal of Pertapis Children’s Home from 1999 to 2001, as well as a member of the Singapore Malay Teachers’ Cooperative.

    Mr Luke Koh, 41, managing partner of a private investment business, has been helping out at the grassroots level with both party Secretary-General Low Thia Khiang and Faisal Manap.

    “Why vote for the WP? David Marshall dedicated his life to freeing Singapore from British rule. He founded the WP more than 50 years ago. He loved Singapore, and I too love Singapore,” said Mr Koh.

    He said the campaigns of decades past to get people to stop at two children, as well as the Graduate Mothers scheme have led to an “ageing crisis” in Singapore.

    “Singapore needs more WP Members of Parliament to prevent another crisis in the next 20 to 30 years.”

    THE VOTE AS BARGAINING POWER

    Said Chairman Sylvia Lim on the party’s “Empower your future” slogan, unveiled on Wednesday: “We have always seen the vote as a bargaining power citizens have with the government, so people can express their views on the performance of the government.

    “We do see the vote as instrumental to the people being empowered to bring the country to the right direction.

    “Because of the more complex environment, even the Government admits that it doesn’t have the answers to everything. The Government monitors votes very carefully, so people are empowered in our negotiations with the Government.”

    The party has declared that it will contest 28 seats – 5 more than the 23 candidates it fielded in 2011 – but has said they will only announce the constituencies the candidates will contest on Nomination Day on Sep 1.

    As the incumbent, the Workers’ Party is expected to defend its seat in Aljunied GRC, Hougang SMC and Punggol East SMC. WP chairman Sylvia Lim earlier said that all the same teams will defend their constituencies.

    On Wednesday, the party unveiled four potential candidates: NUS Associate Professor of sociology Daniel Goh, engineer Redzwan Hafidz Abdul Razak, Ruckus Wireless Singapore software engineer Koh Choong Yong and banker Dylan Ng.

     

    Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

  • Noraini Yunus Diumum Antara Calon Reform Party Di West Coast GRC

    Noraini Yunus Diumum Antara Calon Reform Party Di West Coast GRC

    Parti Reform (RP) hari ini mengumumkan senarai calonnya untuk Kawasan Undi Perwakilan Berkumpulan (GRC) West Coast dan Kawasan Undi Perseorangan (SMC) Radin Mas bagi Pilihan Raya Umum akan datang.

    Pasukan empat anggota RP yang akan bertanding di GRC itu termasuk calon Melayu/Islam, Cik Noraini Yunus, 47 tahun, eksekutif perkhidmatan pelanggan yang juga bekas anggota Parti Perpaduan Nasional (NSP) dan Parti Progresif Demokratik (DPP).

    Barisan calon RP untuk GRC West Coast dan SMC Radin Mas. (Gambar: Elizabeth Goh)

    Pasukan tersebut diterajui ketua parti, Encik Kenneth Jeyaretnam, 56 tahun, ahli politik sepenuh masa, dan turut disertai Encik Andy Zhu, 32 tahun, ejen hartanah dan pengerusi parti; serta Encik Darren Soh, 45 tahun, yang juga seorang ejen hartanah.

    Anggota RP, Kumar Appavoo, 46 tahun, pula akan bertanding di SMC Radin Mas. Encik Appavoo, pengarah syarikat gas dan minyak, ialah sebahagian daripada pasukan RP yang bertanding di GRC West Coast pada 2011.

    MAHU TUMPUKAN PADA ISU-ISU MELAYU

    Dalam sidang media pagi tadi, Cik Noraini berkata tumpuannya ialah isu-isu yang dihadapi masyarakat Melayu/Islam. Beliau juga melahirkan harapan untuk menjadi Anggota Parlimen pembangkang wanita Melayu pertama di Parlimen, dan mahu mengetengahkan isu-isu peka.

    “Saya datang daripada keluarga Melayu, keluarga berkolar biru, dan dulu saya menyertai ayah saya di lawatan-lawatan bertemu penduduk semasa beliau menyertai Barisan Sosialis (parti politik Singapura yang sudah dibubarkan),” ujar beliau.

    Mengenai langkahnya melompat parti dari NSP ke DPP dan kini RP, Cik Noraini berkata: “Jika anda melihat saya berpindah dari satu parti ke parti yang lain, ia adalah kerana saya percaya kita boleh berkhidmat di bawah parti-parti berlainan.” Beliau menyifatkan langkahnya ‘lompat parti’ itu sebagai satu “kembara” yang semula jadi.

    Cik Noraini menambah bahawa “ramai orang takutkan sekularisme, sedangkan Singapura adalah satu negara sekularisme, dan dengan itu banyak lagi perkara seperti pelajaran, matematik dan sebagainya, mereka takuti, mereka fobia. “

    “Jadi saya tetap tidak berganjak dengan prinsip saya untuk menegakkan sekularisme yang tidak menakutkan, yang tidak memomokkan sesiapa tapi dapat membantu kita maju bersama-sama masyarakat lain.”

    JEYARETNAM: AKAN DESAK PERUBAHAN PADA DASAR-DASAR PAP

    Encik Jeyaretnam pula berkata jika dilantik, beliau akan mendesak supaya beberapa perubahan dilakukan pada dasar-dasar yang dilaksanakan Parti Tindakan Rakyat (PAP). Beliau memberi contoh pelan kebangsaan bernilai $3 bilion untuk membantu warga emas kekal aktif, yang diumumkan semalam.

    “Ia akan dilaksanakan sepanjang 5 tahun, jadi ia bernilai kurang S$600 juta setahun. Kami mahu memastikan pencen untuk usia lanjut disediakan kepada semua warga emas setiap bulan – $500 sebulan, iaitu sejumlah $3 bilion setahun,” ujar beliau.

    RP, katanya, akan turut menyarankan agar batas ditetapkan pada jumlah pekerja asing yang masuk ke Singapura.

    “Kami tidak rasa sistem pekerja asing sekarang ini memberikan manfaat. Gaji boleh sahaja dikurangkan, sementera pemerintah masih menggalak firma-firma di sini untuk menggantikan pekerja Singapura dengan pekerja asing. Kami ingin menghentikannya,” kata Encik Jeyaretnam.

    Kata beliau, manifesto penuh partinya masih sedang diusahakan dan akan dikeluarkan tidak lama lagi.

    Pada pilihan raya 2011, pasukan PAP menang GRC West Coast dan menewaskan pasukan RP yang diterajui Encik Jeyaretnam dengan memperolehi 66.57 peratus undi.

    PAP sudah mengumumkan barisan calonnya yang akan bertanding di GRC itu, iaitu Encik Lim Hng Kiang, Cik Foo Mee Har, Encik S Iswaran dan Encik Patrick Tay.

    Dalam pilihan raya lalu, calon PAP, Sam Tan juga memenangi SMC Radin Mas dengan memperolehi 67.1 peratus undi dan menewaskan calon NSP, Yip Yew Weng. PAP sudah mengumumkan bahawa Encik Tan akan mempertahankan kerusi parlimennya dalam Pilihan Raya Umum pada 11 September ini.

    Source: http://berita.mediacorp.sg

  • SDP Jufrie Mahmood Pertahan Sidek Mallek Kurang Fasih Dalam Bahasa Melayu

    SDP Jufrie Mahmood Pertahan Sidek Mallek Kurang Fasih Dalam Bahasa Melayu

    Parti Demokratik Singapura (SDP) hari ini memperkenalkan dua lagi calon untuk Pilihan Raya Umum pada 11 September ini.

    Mereka ialah Encik Sidek Mallek, juruaudit berusia 55 tahun yang juga calon Melayu pertama yang diperkenal SDP bagi pilihan raya kali ini; dan Encik John Tan, 54 tahun, pakar psikologi sosial.

    Sidek Mallek. (Gambar: Channel NewsAsia)

    Encik Sidek, bapa kepada empat orang anak, merupakan mantan pegawai perkhidmatan awam yang kini bekerja sebagai juruaudit di sebuah syarikat keselamatan.

    Menyentuh tentang skim CPF, beliau berkata: “Saya perlu mencecah usia 67 tahun sebelum saya dapat keluarkan wang saya, yang sebelum ini tidak boleh dikeluarkan, dan ini tidak adil bagi saya, kerana saya boleh menguruskannya sendiri.”

    Encik Sidek juga menyentuh tentang tekanan yang dihadapi kedua-dua anaknya yang kini di sekolah menengah. “Mereka perlu sentiasa mengikuti kelas tuisyen, terus di sekolah selepas kelas berakhir untuk kelas tambahan, perlu menyiapkan kerja rumah – apakah pendapat pemerintah tentang hal ini? Anak-anak kita perlu menikmati masa-masa muda mereka,” katanya.

    Apabila ditanya apakah yang boleh dilakukan beliau bagi masyarakat Melayu/Islam sebagai Anggota Parlimen Melayu, Encik Sidek bertanya sama ada beliau boleh dikecualikan dari menjawab soalan itu.

    Soalan tersebut sebaliknya dijawab oleh anggota jawatankuasa eksekutif pusat SDP, Jufrie Mahmood, yang berkata parti itu akan memutuskan (set out) apakah isu-isu masyarakat Melayu yang akan diperjuangkan Encik Sidek dan seorang lagi bakal calon Melayu SDP, yang belum didedahkan.

    Encik Jufrie kemudian menambah: ” Orang sekarang tidak banyak bercakap Melayu. Beliau seorang Melayu, jadi beliau bercakap Melayu. Namun untuk bercakap dalam keadaan seperti itu, beliau mungkin tidak dapat menjawabnya dengan sebaik mungkin… jangan salahkan beliau. Jika beliau dilantik, berikannya beberapa bulan, beliau akan dapat berbuat demikian.”

    PRIHATIN JURANG PENDAPATAN KIAN MELUAS

    Encik Tan, 54 tahun, bapa tiga anak, seorang pensyarah dalam bidang psikologi dan statistik di Universiti Murdoch di Kaplan Singapore. Beliau menyertai SDP pada 2011 dan merupakan naib pengerusi SDP.

    Kata beliau: “Saya rasa sudah tiba masanya bagi SDP untuk diberi perhatian, oleh kerana dasar-dasar alternatifnya, dan saya di sini untuk membantu dalam hal itu.”

    Keprihatinan utama Encik Tan ialah jurang pendapatan yang kian meluas. Beliau berkata beliau berasal dari keluarga miskin, dan meskipun beliau melihat sendiri “kampung kecil” ini menjadi antara bandar terbaik di dunia, masih ada golongan berpendapatan rendah yang sukar menyara hidup mereka sendiri.

    Sebagai seorang pendidk, beliau juga prihatin tentang dasar-dasar pendidikan seperti menetapkan aliran pendidikan pada usia yang muda.

    Encik Tan berkata “desakan pendidikan yang keterlaluan”Cmenghapuskan keghairahan para murid untuk terus belajar, dan peperiksaan utama seperti PSLE sepatutnya dimansuhkan.

    “Saya rasa itu semua memberikan terlalu banyak tekanan yang tidak diperlukan ke atas kanak-kanak. Mereka perlu diberikan pilihan apakah subjek-subjek yang ingin mereka pelajari di sekolah.

    “Nampaknya sistem pendidikan kita dibangunkan untuk melatih para individu berdasarkan pasaran pekerjaan. Saya rasa kita perlu melihat setiap individu sebagai insan yang kreatif,” tambahnya.

    Ketua parti, Chee Soon Juan, sebelum ini berkata SDP akan menampilkan 11 calon bagi pilihan raya kali ini.

    Sejauh ini, parti itu sudah memperkenalkan empat calon sejak dua hari lalu – Cik Chong Wai Fung, Encik Gerous Khung Wai Yeen, Dr Paul Ananth Tambyah dan Cik Jaslyn Go. Namun SDP enggan mendedahkan di kawasan undi mana mereka akan bertanding.

    SDP menyatakan ia akan bertanding di GRC Holland-Bukit Timah dan Marsiling-Yew Tee, serta di SMC Bukit Batok, Bukit Panjang dan Yuhua.

    Source: http://berita.mediacorp.sg

  • Workers’ Party’s Daniel Goh Denies Extra-Marital Affair With Former Student

    Workers’ Party’s Daniel Goh Denies Extra-Marital Affair With Former Student

    Workers’ Party (WP) potential candidate, National University of Singapore sociologist Daniel Goh, has denied allegations that he had an extra-marital affair with a former student.

    Several press in Singapore have received a letter on Thursday night from a “Max Chan” who alleged that Dr Daniel Goh had an affair in 2008 with a post-graduate student from NUS.

    In the e-mail that was also sent to Workers’ Party secretary-general Low Thia Khiang and chairman Sylvia Lim, the writer questioned Dr Goh’s character and morals. He also claimed that the woman’s boyfriend, whom he referred to only as J, had found out about the alleged affair through her phone messages.

    Dr Goh said he was advising the female student in her master’s thesis from 2007 to 2009. After she graduated, the student left Singapore to get a PhD.

    Dr Goh was introduced as the WP’s potential candidate on Wednesday. He has been seen walking the ground in East Coast and is expected to stand as WP’s candidate in East Coast GRC

    He is married to a full-time time housewife, 39. They have a three-year-old son.

     

    Source: www.allsingaporestuff.com

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