Tag: Ang Yong Guan

Ang Yong Guan: Transferred Gratitude May Explain Vote Swing

I have been reflecting on this big swing towards PAP in GE2015. There is one factor which stands out in my mind: giving PM Lee and PAP a massive mandate as a way of honouring his late father. I call it transferred gratitude.

This swing of 10% happened in spite of 1) cooperation amongst opposition parties to avoid 3-cornered fights, 2) opposition fielding quality candidates, 3) huge turnout at opposition rallies and 4) post 2011 momentum towards having more Opposition MPs in Parliament? Many have also spoken about the positive impact of SG50, LKY legacy, goodies, PAP making changes in response to GE2011, fear of opposition taking over at this stage and the impending worsening of the world economy.

The attempt to separate father (SG40; the first 40 years) and son (SG10; the last 10 years) to show their differences did not work either because it was not adequately publicised in the main stream media or it did not resonate well with voters. An overwhelming sense of transferred gratitude thus prevailed. Seeing PM Lee’s photograph all over the island aroused nostalgia and strong emotional feelings in the voters towards his late father who had passed away less than 6 months ago. Hence, the transferred gratitude: a vote for him was a vote for his father.

If transferred gratitude is indeed the main factor, then all other factors pale in comparison. Is there a need to analyse too deeply why opposition fared so badly in the presence of the emotionally-charged transferred gratitude which defies logic? That is why this nation-wide massive swing took everyone by surprise.

Given another 5 years, in GE2020, will people give PM Lee and PAP this advantage of transferred gratitude?

Source: Ang Yong Guan

September 14, 2015
SingFirst’s Ang Yong Guan: Stepping Out Of The Grassroots

By Biddy Low

Dr Ang Yong Guan is an animated man with a personable demeanour.

As he gets more impassioned with his words, his hands gesticulate more fervently, earnestly punctuating the points he holds dear.

We met up with the chairman of SingFirst for a chat, after a recent forum held by the party, which dealt with issues such as the Central Provident Fund (CPF).

Dr Ang had served as the chairman of the Punggol Community Club Management Committee some years ago, assisting a PAP MP for more than 15 years – until he decided to step into politics around 2003 because he felt, in his words, “something was not quite right.”

“They were heading in the wrong direction,” he said, referring to the government.

He now wants to pave the way for others to step forth to serve in politics, and to remove the climate of fear which he says still prevails here.

Dr Ang served as a psychiatrist with the Singapore Armed Forces for 17 years from 1986 to 2003 and retired from the SAF as a Colonel, holding the appointment as the head of Psychological Medicine Branch (currently known as Psychological Care Centre) at the Military Medicine Institute, HQMC.

Apart from his impressive credentials in the military, Dr Ang was also the president of the Singapore Psychiatric Association (1997-1998); chairman of the Chapter of Psychiatrists, Academy of Medicine (2001- 2003); founder/chairman of Action Group for Mental Illness (since 2004); member of National Council on Problem Gambling (since 2005); and member of the Clinical Advisory Committee for Chronic Disease Management Programme (since 2009).

Dr Ang was awarded the Public Service Medal in 1995 for community work, and the Public Administration Medal in 1996 for military services.

He is currently in private practice at Paragon Medical.

In the video below, we speak to Dr Ang – who contested in the last elections under the Singapore Democratic Party’s banner – on his views about the CPF and the government’s foreign labour policy, his personal ethos that led him into opposition politics and whether his party’s name carries xenophobic connotations.

Source: www.theonlinecitizen.com

August 26, 2015
Singaporeans First Party’s Chance Encounter With DPM Tharman Shanmugaratnam In Taman Jurong
When Mature People Meet….. Collaboration Becomes Possible

The walkabout at Taman Jurong Market and Food Centre on Sunday saw SingFirst achieving several “firsts”. This is what we mean:

1. First walkabout when we met a minister making his round at the same location

2. First attempt in getting the members and supporters to take public transport to the walkabout location

3. First largest turn out by our members and supporters

4. First ever longest walkabout route

5. First ever most photo requests by members of the public with our chairman and secretary general

Taking the public transport to the location was our first attempt in building the bond and rapport between the members and supporters. This arrangement also allowed us to gain exposure and to publicise our party name. Everyone was enthusiastic and admitted that it was indeed a refreshing idea.

This walkabout was by far the largest turn out by our member and supporters. A total of 25 of us gathered at Lakeside MRT before making our way to Taman Jurong Market and Food Centre. SingFirst is encouraged by the great support by our members! It goes to show that we are growing in terms of membership.

As the market and food centre occupies 3 storeys with several units on each floor, it made its way into our record book for the longest walkabout route. Apart from the market and food centre, we also seized the opportunity to visit the nearby flea market. We were pleasantly surprised that many patrons at the market and food centre immediately recognized our chairman, Dr Ang Yong Guan and secretary general, Mr Tan Jee Say. We were even more surprised when several of them came up to the duo and asked for their pictures to be taken together.

The most pleasant encounter during this walkabout was the chance meeting with the finance minister, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam. He too was at the food centre greeting the residents. He was pleasant and greeted us with warm smiles and handshakes. We suggested having a photo together and he agreed without any hesitation. That wasn’t the end of our encounter with him. While taking a break from the walkabout at a nearby coffee shop, he came to us and said that the coffee shop has the cheapest food in the area.

From this walkabout, we would like to highlight some interesting points from the residents and our brief meeting with Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam:
- The residents recognized that there is a need for a political change in Singapore. They are also curious who will be the candidates for SingFirst and whether we are up to the mark to take on the ruling party in the next election. Many still bear the scars from the memory of the 1960s and 1970s during the tussle between Barisan Socialis and the PAP.
- They are sincere in their response when approached. The residents either stand up to greet or putting away their utensils to have a brief word with us. They also hope that SingFirst is able to do more to help the citizens.
- They hope to see in the coming election younger candidates with a credible party running for the public office and who can take on the PAP.
- MPs need to speak their language from the ground to represent them in parliament. They hope the MPs truly understand their plight.
- There is no need for scholars to stand for elections or be MPs. They just need someone who is able to understand their concerns and have a heart to feel and fill their needs. The Punggol East by-election is a good example where a caring candidate won despite a four-corner fight.
- The SingFirst logo is being etched into the minds of the Singaporeans. One elderly man said he recognized the logo because it resembles an ice cream brand.
Mr Tharman’s encounter was an encouraging one as he is so open. SingFirst hopes to see more of such PAP politicians to engage alternative parties. Only with such openness can we then build a better Singapore and move Singapore forward.

Taman Jurong walkabout was a new milestone set for SingFirst. We hope we will set a higher benchmark and be fortunate enough to meet more ministers or MPs in our future visits to the various GRCs.

Source: http://singfirst.org
March 2, 2015
Singaporeans First Party Hold First Walkabout In Tanjong Pagar GRC

SINGAPORE – More than 20 members and supporters joined Singaporeans First (SingFirst) on Sunday morning as the new political party held its debut walkabout in Tanjong Pagar GRC, a stronghold of the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP).

Among them were six of the party’s 10 founding members, including its secretary-general and former presidential candidate Tan Jee Say.

SingFirst also launched its website, http://singfirst.org, on Saturday as it gears up for the next general elections, which must be held by January 2017.

Announced in May and officially registered in August, the party has received more than 100 applications from people keen to become members, Mr Tan said at a press conference held after the walkabout.

He added that the party has plans to contest “maybe four” constituencies, and reiterated its intentions of working together with other parties to avoid splitting the opposition vote.

“If they have a stronger team, we’ll make way for them,” said Mr Tan, an investment advisor who ran for the 2011 general elections under the Singapore Democratic Party’s banner.

He added: “The whole idea is to win. We are all in favour of opposition unity. We will respect other parties. The real objective is to defeat the PAP.”

SingFirst has spoken to the National Solidarity Party and the Democratic Progressive Party, Mr Tan said. The Singapore Democratic Party have waved away the need for a formal introduction, while the Singapore Malay National Organisation and the Singapore Democratic Alliance have said they need to hold internal discussions before agreeing to work together.

The Reform Party, the Singapore People’s Party and the Workers’ Party – the only opposition party with elected MPs in Parliament – have not responded to SingFirst’s overtures, said Mr Tan.

But he is not worried: “We still have time. No need to rush. Election is not around the corner so there’s still some time. We’ll work something out.”

Dressed in royal blue shirts bearing the party’s red-and-white logo, SingFirst’s members and supporters visited areas around the Holland Drive Market and Food Centre for close to two hours, shaking hands and giving out pamphlets explaining the party’s objectives.

Explaining why the party chose to visit Tanjong Pagar GRC, Mr Tan said residents in the constituency have not had the chance to vote for more than 20 years.

The constituency has been won by the PAP in walkovers since it was created in 1991. In 2011, a group of independents led by businessman Ng Teck Siong – chairman of the Socialist Front – made a last-minute bid to contest the GRC, but was disqualified after submitting their nomination papers too late.

SingFirst plans to visit various constituencies in the coming months to drum up awareness about the party – a strategic move as electoral boundaries have not been set in stone, said Mr Tan.

The party’s chairman Dr Ang Yong Guan also added that SingFirst is hoping to make a shift away from “personality-based politics”, where political parties are associated with certain key people.

“We want to move away from that and tell Singaporeans that political parties in Singapore need not be linked to any person. It needs to be for all. Anybody interested can come and join,” he said.

Source: www.straitstimes.com

November 10, 2014