Tag: Fahmi Rais

Fahmi Rais: My Track Record As A Leader Speaks For Itself, Vote For Me

I was a Student Councilor in the Institute of Education.

I was the Chairman in Islamic Fellowship Association Youth Wing.

I was the Vice President in Central Council of Malay Cultural Organisations (Majlis Pusat).

I was the Secretary General in Southeast Asia Malay Youth Organisation (SAMYO).

I was a Board Member in National Youth Council.

I was a Board Member in Mendaki.

I was the President in Malay Artistes Association.

I was a leader in many other organisations too for 26 years.

Now I seek your support for the next lap of my tireless contribution to the society. To all the residents in Tg Pagar GRC (including Jurong GRC) and to all the residents in FB, give me your prayer and support on this new journey.

Source: Bung Fahmi

September 2, 2015
SingFirst Seeks To Make History In Tanjong Pagar GRC

New opposition political party Singaporeans First (SingFirst) believe they have a fighting chance of overturning the People Action’s Party (PAP) in Tanjong Pagar Group Representation Constituency (GRC) in the upcoming general elections.

SingFirst secretary-general Tan Jee Say and led psychiatrist Dr. Ang Yong Guan, 60, sales executive Melvyn Chiu Weng Hoe, 36, media consultant Fahmi Rais, 48, and market risk manager Chirag Desai, 38, to file nomination papers at Bendemeer Primary School on Tuesday morning. The latter three are first-time candidates.

Tanjong Pagar has been uncontested in the past five elections since becoming a multi-seat constituency in 1991. It was helmed by former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew since 1955 until his passing earlier this year.

PAP’s team will be led by minister Chan Chun Sing, 45, along with Senior Minister of State Indranee Rajah, 52, consultant surgeon Dr. Chia Shi-Lu, 43, assistant general manager at Temasek Cares Joan Pereira, 47 and former high-ranking police officer Melvin Yong, 45.

There was a slight hiccup for SingFirst after it was pointed out that they had not filled in the name of the GRC in their forms, but it was swiftly resolved and Tan was bullish about SingFirst’s chances.

“There is a heavy burden on us to create history and we will create history,” the 61-year-old declared.

“We are optimistic; there is a lot of goodwill from residents who have met us… if you were to ask me, I would say [we have a] 50-50 chance of a breakthrough in this GRC.

“We know it is tough, with the late Mr. Lee Kuan Yew’s influence, so it’s not easy but I think we have got a good chance. Residents want change… this is an election about the future, the election is not about the past. So those who glorify the late Lee Kuan Yew are barking up the wrong tree.”

Tan, a former presidential candidate, said the issue of having too many foreign workers was one of their main concerns, stating it is a “national problem” that Singaporeans “cannot run away from” no matter where they are.

Meanwhile, Chan asserted the PAP team was “feeling good” heading into a historic contest and said: “Tanjong Pagar [residents] know who have been working for them, and who’s only stepping in when the time is right.”

Three-corner fight in Radin Mas

Meanwhile, there will be a three-cornered fight at the Radin Mas Single Member Constituency (SMC) between PAP incumbent Sam Tan Chin Siong, 56, Reform Party’s Kumar Appavoo, 46 and independent candidate Han Hui Hui, 23.

“I’m here today [and] we will fight; fight for our CPF, our public healthcare, our public housing,” Han, a blogger and social activist who has been outspoken about Central Provident Fund (CPF) issues, said.

“Regardless of whether it’s a two or three-cornered fight, every candidate has to prove their worth to convince the residents,” said Tan.

The newly re-constituted Jalan Besar GRC will see a straight fight between PAP and the Workers’ Party (WP).

Minister Yaacob Ibrahim leads a four-member team along with Heng Chee How, Lily Neo and Denise Phua against a WP side helmed by L. Somasundaram and comprising Frieda Chan, Redzwan Hafidz, Adrian Sim.

“We take every challenge seriously,” Yaacob promised. “At the end of the day, the opponent doesn’t matter for us. I think the real challenge is for us to demonstrate to our voters that we mean business; we are an experienced team and we can deliver what we have promised.”

Source: https://sg.news.yahoo.com

September 2, 2015
Fahmi Rais: Chance To Shape Party ‘Without Baggage’ Led Him To Join SingFirst

The opportunity to shape the direction of a new political party was what led Mr Fahmi Rais to join the team that founded Singaporeans First (SingFirst) last year.

Now, Fahmi Rais, 48, will take a step further and stand in elections for the first time in the coming polls.

“Because this is a new party, it has no baggage, it doesn’t have the history of who was there first, what was done in the past, so on and so forth. With a party with no baggage, every candidate, every member has an equal opportunity to shape the party the way they want it, and to me that is very critical because we do not want to come into a system and not see our ideas being taken,” the father of four said.

Mr Fahmi is no political newbie, having been a member of the Young PAP in the early 1990s.

After leaving the party in 1995, he was involved in various community organisations, an experience that later spurred him to enter the political arena.

The Government, he felt was disconnected from the needs of the people, and he hopes to change this.

As the sole Malay candidate introduced by SingFirst yesterday, the father of four said he wants to champion for the Malay-Muslim community and ensure that they can compete on the same level as other communities in Singapore.

Fahmi Rais, 48

Communication and media consultant

FACT FILE:

• Married with four children ages six to 19

• A founding member of Singaporeans First; currently sits in the party’s Central Executive Committee

• Has 26 years of involvement in community work

• A Young PAP member from 1991 to 1995

• Holds a Masters in Mass Communication and a degree in Law with Honours

HE SAID: “It is those years that I spent on the ground that created the turning point. I had no bad experience when I was with the PAP but having listened to the people and realising how disconnect the current Government of the day is with the people on the ground, it’s a natural calling for me to try to create that difference by joining an opposition front.”

WARD: To be announced

Source: www.todayonline.com

August 29, 2015
LATEST: ‘Singaporeans First’ Is The Newest Political Party

Dear fellow Singaporeans, friends and supporters,

I am pleased to announce that SINGAPOREANS FIRST has been successfully registered as a society by the Registry of Societies. Following the registration, we submitted our proposed party symbol for approval. We expect the process to take a few weeks. Until it is approved, we cannot make use of the party logo.

We can now conduct activities of an approved political party. We need members to help us. If you share our beliefs and values (as stated in our Manifesto here), please join us by filling up this SINGAPOREANS FIRST MEMBERSHIP FORM.

In the months ahead, we will be planning a series of activities leading up to the next General Election. We welcome ideas from all Singaporeans. You can approach any of the members of the protem committee listed below :

Chairman : Dr Ang Yong Guan,

Vice chairman : Tan Peng Ann,

Secretary-General : Tan Jee Say,

Assistant-Secretary General : Loke Pak Hoe,

Treasurer : Dr David Foo Ming Jin,

Assistant Treasurer : Fatimah Akhtar,

Members : Michael Chia, Fahmi Rais, Winston Lim, David Tan.

We look forward to your support.

Tan Jee Say

Source: https://www.facebook.com/notes/tan-jee-say/breaking-news/697375350341743

YOUTUBE: youtube.com/user/rilek1corner

FACEBOOK: facebook.com/rilek1corner

TWITTER: twitter.com/Rilek1Corner

WEBSITE: rilek1corner.com

EMAIL: [email protected]

FEEDBACK: CONTACT RILEK1CORNER

August 26, 2014
Two Successful Muslims Join Newest Political Party – Singaporeans First

[UPDATE on Sunday, 25 May, 11.00am: Adding details of party’s name, logo, manifesto and founding members]

Former presidential candidate Tan Jee Say unveiled Singapore’s newest political party, Singaporeans First, on Sunday.

The party’s manifesto — “Fair Society, Strong Families and Esteemed People” — was announced along with a list of 11 founding members, which include 60-year-old Tan himself as well as members of the medical profession, architects and company directors.

They include Dr Ang Yong Guan, psychiatrist and former grassroots leader, who along with Tan ran under the Singapore Democratic Party banner at the 2011 elections; Michael Chia, retired engineer and volunteer social worker; Fahmi Rais, communications professional and former Young PAP member; Fatimah Akhtar, architect; Dr David Foo Ming Jin, chemist and former Young PAP member; Jamie Lee Swee Yan, IT professional; Winston Lim, architect; Loke Pak Hoe, company director; and Tan Peng Ann, retired army colonel and former PAP grassroots leader.

Speaking at the party’s unveiling on Sunday at a media conference, Tan said discussions about forming a new party first began last year, and that joining a current opposition party instead of starting a new one was the “easy way out”.

When asked if his new Singaporeans First party would dilute opposition votes further, Tan said it would depend on how the opposition would work together, adding that he was also open to forming coalitions. The next General Election is due to be held by 2016.

On what the new party stood for, Tan said it aimed to remove the Goods and Services Tax, because it was especially unfair to lower and middle class Singaporeans. Another key policy it was aiming for was free education as it wanted to increase the fertility rate by making it affordable to raise children in Singapore. It also proposed unemployment insurance, old age pension and affordable healthcare.

Tan added the party would begin walkabouts and preparing policy papers for public consultation after formally registering the party, which he estimated would take two months.

A financial adviser and fund manager, party leader Tan was formerly the principal private secretary to then Deputy Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong. He and Dr Ang had previously ran for 2011 elections together under the SDP banner in the Holland-Bukit Timah GRC.

Tan left the political party before announcing his candidacy for the 2011 presidential election. He garnered 25% of popular votes, losing out to Tan Cheng Bock and eventual President Tony Tan Keng Yam.

After the elections, Tan had leased a three-storey building along Orchard Road to host weekly policy discussions. The venue, known as “Heart Beat”, had to be closed down following tenancy issues. The space was reportedly approved for restaurant and office use only.

Source: Yahoo SG

MORE ARTICLES ON SINGAPORE POLITICS HERE

EDITOR’S NOTE

Congratulations to Fahmi Rais and Fatimah Akhtar for embarking in their new challenging journeys – politics. Developing and exercising power require having both will and skill. It is the will that often seems to be missing for most people, and we hope it will not happen to any of our Malay and Muslim leaders. The Malay & Muslim community, and Rilek1Corner family are very happy and extremely proud to learn about their involvement. We wish the new leaders the best in this new political dispensation. We need a nation that will be filled with remarkable development. Towards a better future in Singapore.

May 26, 2014