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Tag: general elections

  • PAP Caught In Catch-22 Situation In Aljunied GRC

    PAP Caught In Catch-22 Situation In Aljunied GRC

    The ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) organising secretary Ng Eng Hen’s latest comments on PAP’s readiness for the next polls are another sign the General Election could be near, possibly soon after the National Day Rally, said political analysts.

    And ratcheting up intrigue in the forthcoming elections, which must be held by January 2017, they added, are Dr Ng’s comments about the PAP’s strategy for the electoral battle in Aljunied and the make-up of the possible new candidates it has found.

    In an interview with The Sunday Times published yesterday, Dr Ng, speaking on contesting Workers’ Party (WP) in Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC), was quoted as saying: “Why would we want to field somebody that we know has a higher chance of being rejected and deprive ourselves of an office-holder?”

    Analysts said such a strategy captured the challenges the PAP faces in reclaiming the first-ever GRC it lost — its team of candidates in 2011 included several ministers and Mr Ong Ye Kung, a new face touted as a potential office-holder. Whether the WP keeps its team in Aljunied intact — headlined by party chief Low Thia Khiang and chairman Sylvia Lim — is one factor to consider, they said.

    Former Nominated Member of Parliament Eugene Tan said the PAP is caught in a Catch-22 situation: “Putting heavyweight candidates may reflect how seriously the party wants to win back Aljunied, but they could risk losing office-holders. However, taking the less risky option almost certainly results in a situation where WP is more likely than not to retain their seats.”

    Dr Gillian Koh, senior research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, added: “For things to flip in Aljunied, minimally, it will have to be the case where voters decide they do not want a WP team, or that the WP splits the two big leaders from the GRC. It will not be a vote for a PAP team.”

    What compounds the equation is the theory that the best time to claw back a constituency is immediately after it has been lost, said Associate Professor Tan. “After a while, voters could become comfortable with the fact that it has become an opposition ward, as with Hougang.”

    However, political scientist Bilveer Singh, from the National University of Singapore, said that should the WP leaders venture into other constituencies, it would weaken the party’s position and the public may “punish the WP for ‘abandoning’ them”.

    He hypothesised that the PAP could stay away from pushing the issue. “At a strategic level, Dr Ng may be signalling that the PAP can live with Aljunied being run by the WP. It is good for democracy and, yet, having exposed the problems of bad governance that Aljunied residents will have to live with, the choice will be up to the voters,” he said, referring to the scrutiny on the opposition party’s town council management.

    With Dr Ng indicating that the slate of new PAP candidates is ready, Assoc Prof Tan felt that the polls could be called within the next six months, while Assoc Prof Singh said it could be as early as weeks after the National Day Rally — normally held two weeks after National Day.

    Recent hints that polls could be held soon include Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s May Day Rally speech, which observers said carried a heavy political accent, and his targeted Cabinet reshuffle in April.

    Meanwhile, on Dr Ng’s comments that the new faces from the civil service, military and police will be “in the minority” — contrary to the norm for the party — Assoc Prof Singh said the PAP may have realised it needs to recruit talent that reflects the changing socio-economic and political flavour of the nation. “The Opposition has hardly got the government-type people on its slots and has been doing well with the electorate,” he noted.

    Whether coming from the private or public sector, Dr Koh stressed that candidates need to be able to manage complexities at the helicopter-view level, as well as have a good understanding of how ordinary Singaporeans think, feel and act.

    Echoing Dr Ng, she added: “Managing a town council is the very basic criteria, and has to be done well. So whether from the public sector or the private one, the heart of service and these capabilities will be key.”

     

    Source: www.todayonline.com

  • PAP’s Potential Malay/Muslim Candidates For Upcoming Elections Identified

    PAP’s Potential Malay/Muslim Candidates For Upcoming Elections Identified

    A few Malay-Muslim candidates, including women mostly in their early 30s, have been identified for the next General Election, said Second Minister for Home Affairs and Foreign Affairs Masagos Zulkifli.

    “I do not know who will finally … become candidates, but … they are committed, they are also single-minded about helping out, contributing to the party as well as to become part of the party,” said Mr Masagos, referring to the People’s Action Party.

    He said the potential candidates hail from various sectors, adding that most of them are young. “Therefore, they will have a very good long runway to learn about leadership and be moulded into credible and reliable leadership.”

    When asked whether they are ready for a leadership role in the community and on the national stage, Mr Masagos said, “I don’t know anyone who is ready … Even for myself, after I have been elected, the kind of work I’m exposed to is something I couldn’t imagine.”

    He added that the potential candidates need mentors. “They are not merely (serving) their constituency, they are also the vanguard of the Muslim community,” said Mr Masagos.

    “Therefore, we have to guide them and teach them. We have to embrace them to teach them to become reliable and respectable (not just for the community).”

     

    Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

  • Do We Want Another 5 Years With PAP?

    Do We Want Another 5 Years With PAP?

    More than 100 days have passed since 23 March, and business seems to be back to normal in Singapore. There is no more outpouring of gratitude whatsoever and in typical pragmatic style people have begun to realise that the next general elections could be as near as 100 days away. Given the trend of downwards support for PAP, things certainly look interesting.

    For one, the PAP has always preached that the opposition should not be given a blank cheque less they make things hard by blocking policies in parliament. As the past 5 years have shown, this is complete and utter bullshit; the WP has shown that they have acted responsibly by voting to strengthen regulatory oversight of town councils despite placing a higher burden on them.

    In fact, quite the contrast can be said. The PAP has made use of their parliamentary majority to pass laws such as the population white paper and the implementation of new media laws, which may not have been favourably received by the majority at large. Hence, more opposition power in parliament may be seen as a positive thing as democracy becomes the new norm.

    Are we willing to accept that alternative political parties in parliament have added more value? While Aljunied town council may have been portrayed as a failure, the fact that WP’s presence in parliament has proven its worth as they serve as a platform to raise difficult questions and elicit answers from the PAP to allow us an insight into their thinking.

    The questions range from the millions spent on scholarships to foreign students to government intentions on the use of ‘unaccredited’ degrees. In both instances, this left some sour feeling on the expected returns from these foreign scholars as well as the PAP government’s lack of empathy. As this catches on, slowly but surely people have begun to realise the merits of having more voices.

    So let’s think about it: do we want another 5 years with PAP?

     

    Source: http://mythoughtsinafewparagraphs.net

  • George Yeo: No To Parliamentary Politics, Maybe To Presidency

    George Yeo: No To Parliamentary Politics, Maybe To Presidency

    Squashing the prospect of him returning to the rough and tumble of parliamentary politics, former Cabinet Minister George Yeo has said that he has no desire to return to his old stomping ground, even as the clock ticks towards the next General Election.

    However, he is leaving the door open – albeit just slightly – for a potential run for the presidency.

    “My position is the same. I don’t see myself going back into parliamentary politics,” he told TODAY. “For presidential politics, I’ve kept that open but I don’t see myself going into presidential politics either.”

    In a wide-ranging interview on Wednesday (Jun 3) for a new book of his past speeches and writings – George Yeo on Bonsai, Banyan and the Tao, a 686-page tome that has already sold more than 3,000 copies in two weeks and is into its second print run – Mr Yeo reiterated he does not feel himself temperamentally suited for the role of President.

    And if duty called? “One should not engage in self-flattery about duty calling. I think most people who are in politics have a certain ambition, and I don’t see myself having the ambition for presidential politics,” said Mr Yeo, 60, who nevertheless described himself as “a person very given to a sense of duty”.

    In the book’s introduction, Mr Yeo had revealed that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had supported his candidacy for President in the lead up to the Presidential Election in Aug 2011. But Mr Yeo bowed out when Dr Tony Tan indicated his willingness to run with the ruling party’s support. “I would only have contested out of duty, not ambition,” he wrote.

    Mr Yeo had led the People’s Action Party team that lost Aljunied Group Representation Constituency to the Workers’ Party in the 2011 General Election.

    After a 20-year run in Cabinet helming four ministries – he last held the position of Foreign Affairs Minister – Mr Yeo is now chairman and executive director of Kerry Logistics Network, whose head office is in Hong Kong, as well as deputy chairman of Kerry Group.

    During the interview held at his office in Great World City, Mr Yeo – who is based in Hong Kong and returns to Singapore every month – said he still keeps in touch with Aljunied grassroots volunteers through meals or jogs. He shares his views when approached, “but as a commoner”, and asks others for their views in turn, he said. “I think for most people I’m a known quantity. I suppose it’s good to be consistent but one should be alive to new situations and be sensitive to changes in society and the larger environment.”

    Despite spending most of his time overseas, Mr Yeo continues to keep tabs on happenings in the Republic.

    “WE ARE NOW IN TRANSITION”

    Giving his observations on the “Singapore soul” – a topic he had spoken about in his seminal 1991 speech about pruning the “banyan tree” of the state institutions to allow civil society to grow – Mr Yeo said: “I think we’re going through, in the post-Lee Kuan Yew era …. a certain sense that this is where we were, we’re now in transition, but where we will be is not quite settled. And we’re feeling our way into that future.”

    As an example, he brought up the case of teenage blogger Amos Yee who was convicted of posting an obscene image online and posting content intended to hurt the religious feelings of Christians. “People all feel very conflicted by it. You ask yourself, if you’re a parent, how would you feel? If you’re a teenager, how would you feel? He’s obviously very bright, it would be such a sad thing if his life were to be destroyed by some of the things he’s done or said. There should be a reaction but it should not be an overreaction,” said Mr Yeo.

    “Is it possible to somehow manage it in such a way that he will grow up to be an adult who will make a big contribution to society rather than be a problem to society? I think whatever we do, we should always be motivated by a sense of wanting to do good and to save lives, which sometimes means being tough.”

    On life after politics, Mr Yeo said he thought he would be in semi-retirement. Instead, he has found himself travelling as much as before. He has also taken on multiple roles: He will become chancellor of Nalanda University in India from July, and was in 2013 appointed by Pope Francis to a Vatican commission. Mr Yeo also sits on the Hong Kong chief executive’s economic development commission.

    Asked if there is anything he misses about being in Government, Mr Yeo said it had a “different flavour” from the private sector, where considerations tend to be shorter-term. Being in Government, “it’s a large cause you’re working for, you take a longer term perspective”, he said. “You’re on duty all the time, wherever you are … at a hawker centre, or in a shopping centre or overseas, you’re on call 24/7. So that’s the life of a politician and you must be energised by that and not feel that it’s any imposition.”

    With three of his four children residing overseas in various countries, Mr Yeo said he and his wife rely on technology to keep in touch with them. His daughter works in private equity in Singapore, while his three sons are studying in the United States, China and Britain. “The family is far flung so we keep a family WhatsApp account and try to keep each other informed and updated,” he said.

     

    Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

  • SDP In Retreat

    SDP In Retreat

    No, don’t get all excited, PAP. We’re just taking the opportunity to get away and spend some time re-charging our batteries, getting ready to make the big push for the coming GE.

    Retreat 2015 was held over this weekend in Desaru in Johor and participants got into the swing of things as we headed outdoors and enjoyed some of the sea, surf and sun.

    It’s a great way for the SDP family to come together and get to know one another better. More than 60 delegates attended this year’s event. It is the first time since 2007 that the retreat is held away from Singapore.

    Team-building (see photo as participants built a human pyramid) took centre stage. It is only when members work together as a single unit that success is possible.

    The day saw a volleyball match that pitted our Women Democrats against their male counterparts. For the record, the women won.

    There was also a belly flop contest in the pool – the identity of the winner will not be revealed.

    The retreat was also an occasion for us to sharpen our plans for the elections. Discussion sessions were held to identify weaknesses in our operations and processes drawn up to address these areas of deficit.

    One major point that emerged from the discussion was the plan to expand and deepen our grassroots campaign.

    The coming weeks and months will see the party reach out even more to Singaporeans and involve them more in our push for victory.

    It is the passion of our members and volunteers that enable the various units to operate effectively and bring our message home to the electorate. This commitment will only intensify in the lead up to the GE.

    But for this weekend, it was a time to relax and re-charge. It was a great weekend made better great comradeship.

    GE 2015, here we come!

     

    Source: http://yoursdp.org