Category: Singapuraku

Goh Meng Seng: Possible For Two Opposition Parties To Join Forces

Members of various Opposition parties gathered at the home of Singaporeans First (SingFirst) secretary-general Tan Jee Say on Saturday evening (Aug 1) for an informal discussion on how they could “work together” in the upcoming General Election.

Veteran Opposition politician Goh Meng Seng, chief of the recently formed People’s Power Party (PPP), told reporters after the gathering that having two Opposition parties join forces to contest constituencies is a “possibility”.

He also alluded to Opposition parties’ interest in constituencies in the West. “Personally, I think the West is a good ground. In the past, it has been very receptive. It has been neglected for about 10 to 20 years,” he said, adding that the western part of Singapore was an Opposition “hotbed” in the 80s and 90s.

Mr Goh said the meet-up had been planned before the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee report had been released. He described the discussion as “just a sharing of ideas” and said no consensus was reached.

Prior to Saturday’s gathering, the head of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Benjamin Pwee told the TODAY newspaper that six Opposition parties would be represented there – SingFirst, Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA), Singapore People’s Party, NSP, PPP and DPP. However, SDA clarified on Facebook that it was “not aware of the meeting” and would not be attending. NSP also said in a Facebook post that its party president and secretary-general would not be at the gathering.

Mr Goh said some of the Opposition party leaders were not present, but that party activists were, while Mr Tan said “more than half” of the Opposition parties were represented.

DPP adviser Seow Khee Leng who was at the meeting said the parties discussed contesting in Ang Mo Kio, West Coast and Jurong GRCs. He echoed Mr Goh’s comment that Opposition parties could join forces to contest in the coming General Election. When pressed for details, Mr Seow said this would be fleshed out in Monday’s horse-trading meeting.

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

August 2, 2015
Singapore Democratic Alliance Focusing On Town Council Management And Addressing Residents’ Concerns

With the management of town councils potentially a talking point in the coming elections, Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) chairman Desmond Lim today (Aug 1) sought to highlight his party’s focus on running estates and addressing residents’ concerns during a walkabout in Pasir Ris-Punggol Group Representation Constituency.

Speaking to the media, Mr Lim said that for the past year or so, SDA has a team of “shadow town councillors” which visits residents in the constituency every weekend and discusses ways to improve their estate.

The team comprises six individuals who are non-party members, including operations manager Tan Jui Koon, 44, and Mr Lim Kim Soon, 61, formerly the executive secretary of the Hokkein Huay Kuan.

Town council management must be separated from politics and having non-party members as shadow town councillors would ensure that, Mr Desmond Lim said.

He also reiterated his 14 years of experience serving as a consultant at Potong Pasir Town Council, when he was the right hand man of the ward’s former Member of Parliament Chiam See Tong.

In recent months, his team has helped Pasir Ris One residents raise their problems to the Pasir Ris-Punggol town council. The Design, Build and Sell Scheme project had made headlines for building defects and other issues, such as corridors that are too narrow. The developer has agreed to change the swinging doors to sliding doors, and the SDA chief said this was one of the suggestions that his team had made to the town council.

Last month, his team had also asked the town council to remove sheets of plywood that had piled up on the rooftop of a block of Housing and Development Board flats along Pasir Ris Drive 1. He said: “We have to demonstrate to residents in Pasir Ris-Punggol our confidence and capability to run a town council and take care of their living environment…to assure them that their quality of life will not be discounted if they give us their support.”

He added that the presence of a “second town council” also presses the incumbent town council to “work harder for the residents”.

The Workers’ Party (WP) had come under criticism from the ruling People’s Action Party over the management of the finances of the Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC).

Asked if SDA’s focus may be seen as capitalising on the AHPETC saga, he disagreed: “It is a matter of fact that any political party must give recognition to the Town Council Act, and anyone elected as a Member of Parliament will have to take good care of the people’s living environment, in addition to giving them a voice in Parliament.”

During the walkabout, the SDA entourage — which consisted about 30 members and supporters — gave out handheld Singapore flags, and flyers to residents which carried the party’s slogan, “A heart for the people”.

Mr Desmond Lim also introduced two potential election candidates to the media — SDA assistant secretary-general Aloysius Chan, 29, and party member Ernest Pak, 34.

Mr Chan and Mr Pak joined SDA in June and October last year respectively, and have been involved in SDA’s charity arm. Mr Pak said he hopes to speak up for the sandwiched class. “The authorities are not really getting any feedback from this group of people,” he said.

Despite having tasted defeat in the all the elections he had taken part in — the 2001, 2006 and 2011 GEs, and the 2013 Punggol East By-election where he forfeited his election deposit — Mr Lim said he is undeterred. It is his responsibility as part of the community to stand for the elections, he said. “To show care and concern to Singaporeans, to build a national identity is what pushes me to stay on,” he added.

Source: www.todayonline.com

August 2, 2015
Singaporeans First Party To Contest Tanjong Pagar GRC

Opposition party Singaporeans First (SingFirst) said on Saturday (Aug 1) it has identified a slate of candidates to contest Tanjong Pagar GRC in the next election, but stopped short of naming them.

Party chief Tan Jee Say said that they range from 30 to 60 years of age. He added that some of them were with him and his team of volunteers at Tiong Bahru on Saturday for their walkabouts in the five-member constituency.

“We have a diversified and balanced slate of candidates, of various ages and various backgrounds,” Mr Tan said. He did not name the candidates, citing it as part of his party’s strategy.

The Tanjong Pagar constituency, currently helmed by the People’s Action Party, has been uncontested since it became a multi-seat GRC in 1991.

“For nearly 27 years since 1988, the voters of Tanjong Pagar have not had the opportunity to vote for their members of parliament, to represent their interests. So we’re coming in to give them this opportunity to elect their own Members of Parliament,” said Mr Tan.

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

August 2, 2015
Shamsul Kamar Takes Over Kahar Hassan In Kaki Bukit

SINGAPORE: The new chairman of the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) Kaki Bukit Branch will be Mr Shamsul Kamar, currently the head of department for student management at Spectra Secondary School. He will take over from Mr Kahar Hassan, who stepped down on Friday (Jul 31).

Former PAP Member of Parliament and Cabinet Minister Lim Boon Heng announced this after a meeting with grassroots leaders at the Thye Hua Kwan Family Service Centre at Bedok North on Saturday afternoon.

Mr Lim told reporters after the meeting that the decision to move Mr Kahar was “not because he’s done anything criminal or there’s a scandal”.

“There’s nothing of the sort. In fact, he has worked very hard in the past 16 months in Kaki Bukit and given the assurance to the residents here that even though it is in Opposition hands, the PAP still looks after the residents in Kaki Bukit.”

The area is in Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC), which is under The Workers’ Party.

The Thye Hua Kwan Family Service Centre at Bedok North where a closed-door meeting between the PAP’s Kaki Bukit Branch members and grassroots leaders was held (Photo: Loke Kok Fai)

Mr Lim explained that for the upcoming General Election, the PAP will deploy who it believes would be able to deliver the “best possible performance” on the ground, and that Mr Kahar could be “placed in a better role somewhere else”.

The party has been “introducing people to work on the ground to test how they relate to the residents and how they relate with the activists”, Mr Lim said. “This is the basic, fundamental reason PAP has made the change.”

He added that the decision as to who the party will be fielding in Aljunied GRC is not set in stone, and that it might be changed closer to the election date.

Mr Kahar, an SMRT deputy director, was present at Saturday’s meeting to hand over the reins.

As for Mr Shamsul, he has tendered his resignation with the Ministry of Education and is serving out his notice period, which expires on Aug 21. He was spotted at the closed-door meeting wearing a white polo t-shirt, but left shortly after it ended and did not take questions from the media.

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

August 2, 2015
Proud To Be Among Rare Breed Of Malay Commandos In Singapore

Dear Sir,

What you may not understand is the history of Malays serving in the army especially in the Commandos. I served my NS in 1st Commando Bn and during that time (mid90s), I was the only Malay in my batch.

I had to overcome many challenges then, e.g. no Muslim cookhouse in Hendon camp then, restrictions placed on me, etc. But I managed to survive my NS days with the help of all my Commando buddies, regardless of race. We were a band of brothers.

Even now, Malays in Commandos are few and far in between. So you can understand my pride when I see a fellow Malay Commando who have managed to become an officer, doing the unit proud.

Thank you.

Zullkarnain Aziz

Source: Ng Eng Hen

August 1, 2015