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Three-Cornered Fight Shaping Up In Macpherson SMC Between PAP, WP And NSP

In a surprise twist, the single-seat ward of MacPherson might be set for a three-cornered fight after all, after the National Solidarity Party (NSP)’s Cheo Chai Chen said he will throw his hat into the ring on Nomination Day morning.

Mr Cheo, 65, announced that he will stand in MacPherson when he arrived at Kong Hwa School to file his nomination papers.

This means that MacPherson will likely see a three-cornered fight between Mr Cheo, the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) Tin Pei Ling, 31, and the Workers’ Party’s Bernard Chen, 29.

Mr Cheo was an MP for Nee Soon Central from 1991 to 1997 under the Singapore Democratic Party.

Ms Tin, the incumbent MP, came in for fierce criticism at the last election but appears to have turned the tide of public opinion in her favour.

Addressing her supporters before filing her nomination papers, Ms Tin said: “Today is the day. We will put up a tough fight. We will put up our best and 101 per cent. Thank you for fighting this with me. Every vote counts we are the best party to do this.”

The WP and the NSP have crossed swords over MacPherson in recent weeks, after both sides disagreed over who should contest in the single-member constituency.

The NSP made several U-turns in the lead-up to Nomination Day over whether or not it would contest MacPherson.

After initially agreeing to not contest the seat, the NSP then voted last month to field a council member there. The decision prompted acting secretary-general Hazel Poa to resign from the party.

The party then flip-flopped on that controversial decision again, when Mr Steve Chia announced on social media that he would not contest MacPherson SMC or any other constituency in the general election, threatening to throw the party – already seemingly troubled by factional splits – into disarray.

MacPherson was part of the Marine Parade GRC in the last election in 2011 and reportedly garnered the second-highest PAP vote share among the wards in that GRC.

Candidates will file their nomination papers between 11am and noon on Tuesday (Sept 1).

Source: www.straitstimes.com

September 1, 2015
Kumpulan Pertama Jemaah Haji Singapura Selamat Berlepas Ke Jeddah

Kumpulan pertama jemaah haji Singapura seramai 43 orang berangkat ke Jeddah pada awal pagi tadi.

Kumpulan jemaah haji dari dua GSA, Halijah Travels & Tours Pte Ltd dan Shahidah Travel & Tours Pte Ltd, menaiki pesawat Singapore Airlines SQ490 pada 1.20 pagi tadi, menurut kenyataan Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS).

Turut mengiringi para jemaah itu ialah Konsul Haji yang juga Ketua Pejabat Ehwal Jemaah Haji Singapura (SPAO), Haji Kassim Kamis, serta kakitangan SPAO lain iaitu Konsultan Khidmat Haji, Pegawai Perubatan, Pegawai Kejururawatan dan Penolong Pegawai Jemaah.

Seperti tahun lalu, delegasi seramai 21 orang akan mengiringi sejumlah 680 jemaah haji – kumpulan-kumpulan jemaah haji seterusnya akan berangkat ke Jeddah dari 15 hingga 18 September ini – iaitu tambahan empat pegawai sebagai langkah berjaga-jaga terhadap MERS.

Delegasi haji Singapura tahun ini dketuai Haji Mohd Tahirrudin Shadat Kadarisman.

Source: http://berita.mediacorp.sg

September 1, 2015
HSA: ‘Shantique Bellaza’ Cosmetic Products Contain Prohibited Ingredients

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) is advising members of the public to stop using “Shantique Bellaza” cosmetic products, as they were found to contain prohibited potent ingredients that could cause adverse reactions.

Three products – SB Facial Fuel Toner Mezzo, SB UV Pro Day Cream Mezzo and SB Rejuvenating Night Cream Mezzo – from the distributor Shantique Bellaza Sdn Bhd are marketed as skincare products and are available for sale online.

They were found to contain mercury and hydroquinone, said HSA in a news release on Monday (Aug 31). Mercury is banned from use in cosmetic products as it may cause rashes and skin irritation, as well as dizziness and headaches. Chronic exposure to mercury may also affect the kidneys. Hydroquinone is used for the treatment of skin conditions in western medicines. It could cause changes in skin pigmentation or hypersensitivity reactions when used inappropriately, said HSA.

The prohibited ingredients were detected using HSA’s marketing surveillance programme, which includes testing marketed health products for quality and safety compliance.

HSA advised buyers to stop using the products immediately and seek medical advice if they experience any adverse effects.

Those convicted of importing, selling and supplying an illegal health product is liable to a fine of up to S$100,000, a maximum three years in jail or both.

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

September 1, 2015
No Surprises In Workers’ Party Line-Up For 10 Battlegrounds

A snapshot of the Workers’ Party (WP) line-ups in its 10 battlegrounds at the Sept 11 polls has emerged on Nomination Day, with the party pulling no surprises yet.

WP chief Low Thia Khiang, 58, chairman Sylvia Lim, 50, lawyer Pritam Singh, 39, and full-MPs Chen Show Mao, 54, and Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap, 40, are set to be defending the Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC).

The quintet have arrived on Tuesday (Sept 1) morning at the Raffles Institution, the nomination centre for the five-member constituency, along with Mr Koh Choong Yong, 42, a software engineer. He is likely again contesting the Sengkang West single-member constituency (SMC) like he did at the 2011 polls.

The WP’s Nee Soon GRC team will comprise: Singapore Cancer Society manager Kenneth Foo Seck Guan, 38, managing partner of private investment business Luke Koh, 41, lawyer Gurmit Singh, 55, and sales consultant Cheryl Denise Loh, 31. They have arrived at the nomination centre at Yishun Primary School.

Non-Constituency MP Yee Jenn Jong, 50, lawyer Terence Tan, 44, lawyer He Ting Ru, 32, bank wealth manager Dylan Ng, 40, and chocolate factory owner Firuz Khan, 48, could be contesting the Marine Parade GRC and have arrived at the Kong Hwa School.

Funeral services company executive Bernard Chen, 29, is set to be fielded in MacPherson SMC and is also at the same nomination centre.

The four potential WP candidates for the resurrected Jalan Besar GRC, medical social worker Frieda Chan Sio Phing, 39, polytechnic lecturer L. Somasundaram, 52, engineer Redzwan Hafidz Abdul Razak, 30, and businessman Adrian Sim Tian Hock, 43, have arrived at Bendemeer Primary School.

NCMP Gerald Giam, 37, National University of Singapore sociology professor Daniel Goh, 42; consultancy firm CEO Leon Perera, 44; former associate librarian Mohamed Fairoz Shariff, 36; shipping law firm partner Dennis Tan, 45, were at the Aljunied Town Council office in Kaki Bukit and have boarded a bus set for Fengshan Primary School.

It is the nomination centre for the East Coast GRC and Fengshan SMC. Mr Tan is likely to stand in the SMC as his team has split up with that of the other four WP candidates.

Also at the same nomination centre was Punggol East MP Lee Li Lian, 37, who will be defending the constituency she won in a 2013 by-election.

Hougang MP Png Eng Huat, 53, has also arrived at Poi Ching school, the nomination centre for the SMC that he won in a 2012 by-election.

Hougang is the stronghold of the WP, held by Mr Low from 1991 till he left in 2011 and won the first GRC for the opposition.

Source: www.straitstimes.com

September 1, 2015
Calvin Cheng: Remember Chiam See Tong, Do Not Vote For Backstabber Chee Soon Juan

Mr. Chiam See Tong has retired from electoral politics.

Mr. Chiam is a man respected even by his political rivals. He is a gentleman politician, who not only was never sued by the PAP, but even successfully sued PAP’s ministers.

Mr. Chiam had it very tough from Mr. Lee Kuan Yew but also won his respect; Mr. Lee said that Mr. Chiam was a good MP.

The respect was mutual and Mr. Chiam was given a special place during Mr. Lee’s funeral, even though he was an opposition leader.

In the end, it wasn’t the PAP who hurt Mr. Chiam the most.

It was his former protege Chee Soon Juan who broke his heart and robbed Mr. Chiam of the party SDP that he founded.

Mr. Chiam was the one who groomed Chee, helped him and supported him. Yet Chee back-stabbed him and destroyed his mentor and benefactor.

Nothing is more despicable.

Younger voters at Holland-Bukit Timah GRC must take note. They will not remember but should be aware.

Do you want a despicable man like Chee Soon Juan to be your MP?

Remember Mr. Chiam See Tong when you cast your vote.

Source: Calvin Cheng

September 1, 2015