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Workers’ Party Expects East Coast GRC Fight To Go To The Wire

The Workers’ Party’s (WP) team for East Coast Group Representation Constituency is hoping that the “tremendous” support from residents during the hustings will translate into votes come Polling Day, said team leader Gerald Giam.

Speaking to reporters today (Sept 9) at a walkabout at New Upper Changi Road, Mr Giam noted the warm reception and said he expects East Coast GRC to be “one of the closest contested wards” in this election.

“So we’re trying to reach out to as many residents as possible… We hope that many of them will come to our rally tonight to hear what we have to say,” he said. WP is holding its final rally at East Coast GRC tonight.

Mr Giam added: “We hope that residents will also be able to share with their families and friends the message we have for them which is to entrench an opposition presence in Parliament and (for) a group of MPs who can hold the Government to account and give them (Singaporeans) bargaining power.”

In the 2011 General Election, WP received 45 per cent of the vote in East Coast GRC, while the People’s Action Party garnered 55 per cent of the vote. Mr Giam said he felt that the response from residents has been “better” this time round. He added that his stint as a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament after the previous GE has helped made it easier for him to connect with residents, as more of them were able to recognise him. “I am very proud to have a good team with me,” he said.

He said: “The people in Singapore have demonstrated a desire for greater Opposition presence. Many of them have come up to us and told us that they want to see a greater Opposition presence in parliament, but not just any Opposition. They want an opposition that is credible, responsible and can speak up for them and raise issues that matter to them — that what we hope to be if we’re elected.”

Mr Giam also reiterated the WP’s stand on foreign workers. While the WP supports the current tightening by the Government, it wants greater predictability to be given to businesses, with clearer targets and timelines on reducing the foreign worker dependency ratios. This should be done “independent of electoral cycles and other things that will be affected by political considerations”, Mr Giam said. “There is no choice (but) to tighten the inflow because of the excesses of the previous decade, where a lot of foreigners were brought in and there wasn’t sufficient planning done,” he said.

Source: www.todayonline.com

September 9, 2015
Fairoz Shariff Ingin Lihat ‘Politik Yang Membina’

SAMBUTAN ramai terhadap Parti Pekerja (WP) sejauh ini amat memberangsangkan, kata salah seorang calonnya, Encik Mohamed Fairoz Shariff.

Malah, beliau secara peribadi berharap dapat melihat “politik yang membina” daripada semua parti, dan bukan mengutuk antara satu sama lain.

“Apa kata kita semua sama-sama menumpukan perhatian pada isu-isu yang menjadi keprihatinan rakyat.

“WP merupakan sebuah parti yang rasional, yang percaya dengan politik yang membina.

“Sekiranya ini dapat dicapai, maka kita dapat membina sebuah negara yang makmur sedang negara ini terus maju ke hadapan,” katanya lagi.

Bapa tiga anak berusia tujuh dan lima tahun serta seorang lagi yang baru berusia 10 bulan itu berkata berdasarkan lawatan yang diadakan sejauh ini, beliau sendiri berasa kagum dengan sambutan yang diberikan ramai penduduk setempat terhadap parti tersebut.

Malah baru-baru ini sahaja, beberapa penduduk telah membelikan beliau dan pasukannya minuman semasa mereka sama-sama berkempen di sebuah pasar.

“Kami telah bekerja keras sejak beberapa tahun lalu dengan hasrat mendapatkan maklum balas mengenai keprihatinan mereka.

“Meskipun sambutan menggalakkan, pucuk pangkalnya terpulang kepada para penduduk siapa yang mereka akan pilih pada hari mengundi kelak,” katanya yang berminat membincangkan hal-hal pendidikan dengan golongan dewasa.

Dalam satu lawatan beramah mesra dengan penduduk di Bedok baru-baru ini, Encik Fairoz telah menimbulkan isu pengurusan kerja fleksibel bagi pekerja dalam syarikat yang mempunyai lebih 20 kakitangan.

Beliau berkata skim sedemikian akan membantu warga Singapura menikmati kehidupan bekerja yang harmoni.

“Seorang pekerja yang gembira akan lebih produktif,” katanya seperti yang dilaporkan dalam akhbar The Straits Times.

Mengenai dirinya sendiri, Encik Fairoz, 36 tahun, yang mempunyai sarjana dalam pengajian Asia Tenggara daripada Universiti Nasional Singapura (NUS), berkata beliau berharap dapat mempertingkat keyakinan diri tatkala berhadapan dengan khalayak ramai.

“Saya gementar setiap kali berdiri di hadapan ramai, seperti semasa memberi ucapan di rapat pilihan raya baru-baru ini.

“Itu saya sedang atasi.

“Tapi saya yakin lama-kelamaan masalah ini akan dapat diatasi,” jelas mantan pegawai Lembaga Perpustakaan Negara itu lagi.

Dua lagi karyawan Melayu berkelulusan sarjana dalam WP ialah Encik Redzwan Hafidz Abdul Razak, 30 tahun, seorang jurutera; dan Encik Firuz Khan, 48 tahun, pengusaha coklat, ChocolateXcellence, yang berpangkalan di Wales, Britain.

Source: http://beritaharian.sg

September 9, 2015
Workers’ Party Calls On Aljunied Voters To Continue To Send Signal To PAP

Aljunied residents had rewritten history in the General Election four years ago and this time, they can again help to advance the nation’s democratic progress and send a signal to the ruling party, Workers’ Party (WP) leaders said yesterday.

Making the pitch at the party’s second-last rally, which was held in its home ground of Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC), the WP leaders urged voters to continue the momentum of entrenching the Opposition in Parliament.

Said WP chief Low Thia Khiang: “Aljunied residents made a brave move (in 2011) to vote WP candidates into Parliament.” However, they cannot stop here, as the policies implemented by the People’s Action Party (PAP) Government over the past four years have not yet effectively solved issues such as the rising cost of living and job insecurity, he said.

WP Aljunied GRC candidate Chen Show Mao said residents are voting not only for their own interests, but also for those of other Singaporeans.

He referred to Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong’s comments on Sunday during a visit to Aljunied GRC that residents should look after their own interests when they cast their vote. Mr Chen agreed, but added: “Each of us, we have multiple different interests at any one time, and I would like to remind (voters) that we should also look to our long-term interests.”

He said: “Our fundamental interests are often intertwined with those of many other Singaporeans.”

Mr Chen again brought up Mr Goh’s analogy — which has been played on by other WP candidates — that the PAP is a cruise ship moving in a definite direction, while the Opposition is a gambling ship that goes nowhere.

“While we understand that you are the captain during your term of appointment, with the right to form a government to steer the ship, we have an obligation to tell you that we feel you are going in the wrong direction,” said Mr Chen, referring to the PAP. “We also have the responsibility to work with you to ensure safe passage for all passengers.”

Mr Chen said the WP’s alternative proposal for population growth, which calls for the building of a larger Singaporean core and slightly lower economic growth, was proof that different voices are necessary in Parliament.

Mr Low said the PAP does not respect Aljunied’s residents. For instance, temples that wish to hold community events at sites in the constituency require a supporting letter from the People’s Association’s (PA) grassroots organisations.

“A letter written by me as the Member of Parliament (MP) in support of a temple’s event will not work … the MP is not even as qualified as the grassroots leader,” Mr Low said.

WP chairperson Sylvia Lim also recounted how the Housing and Development Board had “secretly” moved 26 amphitheatres and basketball courts from under the town council’s watch and placed them under the PA.

She said residents were “warned by the PA” not to invite WP MPs to these sites during events or risk not getting an approval in future.

For example, Mr Chen could not be invited to a Hungry Ghost Festival dinner. “One of the PA’s objectives is to foster community bonding and strengthen social cohesion … Are they doing that in Aljunied GRC? Are they uniting or dividing?” Ms Lim questioned.

She criticised the PAP Government of not being interested in “full and true debate” in Parliament in its attacks on the WP MPs.

She cited the final sitting of the 12th Parliament last month, where the PAP “launched a curveball attack that had nothing to do with the main question filed”. She was referring to how the Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council’s financial lapses were brought up in the House by Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam in his response to a supplementary parliamentary question on lapses found in the accounts of the PA and the National Parks Board.

Showing her confidence that the WP will retain Aljunied GRC, Ms Lim said: “My friends, today, there is a lot of haze. But look beyond the haze — the blue sky is already above Aljunied.”

Source: www.todayonline.com

September 9, 2015
Fight In 24-Hour Convenience Store At Geylang Lorong 19

It began with a man accusing another of bumping into him, escalated into an explosive argument and ended with the accuser hitting the other man’s head with two beer bottles.

Part of the incident, which occurred at a 24-hour convenience store near Lorong 19 in Geylang around 9.40pm on Sunday, was captured on video by a female shop assistant using her mobile phone camera.

The minimart manager, who wanted to be known only as Mr Liu, 49, told The New Paper yesterday that the assailant, who was a familiar face at the store, was buying cigarettes and soft drinks at the time.

Mr Liu’s female assistant had told him that the man, who wore a black T-shirt, was paying at the counter when an older man and a friend entered the store to buy cigarettes.

Suddenly, the first man loudly accused the older man of bumping into him and started swearing.

“The older man told him that he didn’t like what he was saying,” said Mr Liu in Mandarin.

As the argument became more heated, the first man suddenly grabbed two beer bottles and hit the older man’s head. The bottles did not shatter but blood started gushing from the victim’s head.

Mr Liu said: “The shop assistant told me that the blood just kept flowing, staining the older man’s white T-shirt. He was also unsteady and fell down once but he never hit back at the man in the black T-shirt.”

As the assailant continued spewing vulgarities, the victim shouted at his companion to call the police. When the assailant heard this, he phoned a friend and asked to him to go to the store, said Mr Liu.

STUNNED

Meanwhile, the victim’s friend blocked the door to prevent the assailant from leaving.

Alone in the shop with three angry men, the shop assistant was too stunned to do anything.

“She told me that she didn’t see the victim bump into the other man,” said Mr Liu.

When the shop assistant tried to record the attack on her mobile phone, the assailant threatened her.

Mr Liu said: “He shouted at her to stop or he would call people to go to the shop every day to harass her.”

When Mr Liu arrived at the minimart around 10pm, the police were already there and four or five people were milling around outside.

“The assailant’s friend was outside and didn’t enter the store,” he said.

Mr Liu said that when the assailant saw the police, he sat on the floor and said he felt faint. But he declined to be taken to hospital, said a Singapore Civil Defence Force spokesman.

The 43-year-old victim was taken conscious to Tan Tock Seng hospital in an ambulance, the spokesman added.

A police spokesman said they were alerted to the incident at 9.52pm.

A 34-year-old man was arrested for voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons and means. Investigations are continuing.

Mr Liu estimated that the minimart lost about $1,000 in takings as a result of the incident.

He said the police were there for about three hours carrying out investigations.

“We spent an hour cleaning the shop after that,” added Mr Liu.

“Some items like the beer bottles next to the counter had blood (on them) and had to be thrown away. It wasn’t the first time a fight has happened but this is the worst so far.”

Source: www.tnp.sg

September 9, 2015
Guy Rages At Librarian After Being Told Not To Disturb Others, Librarian Resigns

Stomper CK‘s wife, who is a librarian at Woodlands Regional Library, got into a dispute with a visitor that subsequently led to her resignation.

The incident occurred on Aug 30 at about 4.30pm.

According to CK, his wife had asked the man to use his handphone somewhere else in the library so as to not disturb other readers.

However, he was apparently not compliant and started shouting at the librarian.

CK said his wife filmed a video of the incident “as a deterrence” as she was afraid that the guy would lay his hands on her.

Said the Stomper:

“A reader was asked to use his handphone at another area within the library so as not to disturb other readers. However, he started turning violent and kicking the entrance door.

“My wife feared that he would lay hands so she took a video as a deterrence. She had to tender her resignation because of this man.”

In the video, the man can be heard asking the librarian what her problem was and why she was taking a video.

He also said that he was not taking a picture of her and asked her why she was so sensitive.

Source: http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg

September 9, 2015