Tag: NSP

Why The ‘Very Hot-Blooded Fight For Macpherson SMC?

The recent news of National Solidarity Party’s (NSP) secretary general Hazel Poa resignation, together with her downcast facial expression, came to my sight as I flipped through my newspapers. It was a smart move by the mainstream media to use the situation to the People’s Action Party’s advantage.

Moving the focus past that, I was more curious about what initially made NSP gave up both areas when they could have fought for at least one, even if it meant a three-cornered fight.

And if NSP had taken up the initial offer by Workers’ Party (WP), it would not have even led to the sudden resignation by Ms Poa. However, I can empathize that it was most likely because NSP did not want to give up Marine Parade GRC which they had fought for in 2011 (with a close margin of 43%). WP could also have chosen to not contest in Marine Parade since they know it was NSP’s “territory”.

The outcome of this entangled mess was 1) Ms Poa’s resignation as she “strongly disagreed” with NSP’s decision to contest in MacPherson SMC and 2) NSP’s return to MacPherson SMC due to what they claim was support and appeal by the residents from the constituency. This would mean a three-party fight, which could result in the increase of PAP’s chance of winning.

To give a fair picture, WP did contest in Joo Chiat SMC in 2011 which they nearly won (49%), and the area has now been absorbed into Marine Parade. This was their stated reason for wanting to contest in Marine Parade GRC this year. Still, since NSP contested in Marine Parade in 2011 and WP is already contesting in so many other wards, why not give way to other parties who gave way to you before?

If WP had not stepped into Marine Parade, might NSP even do better this year than the 43% they received in Marine Parade GRC during GE2011?

What does all this show? WP may feel they can easily win Marine Parade GRC this year since NSP was on the verge of winning in 2011. “Since we are the most established opposition party and have prominent supporters, the smaller parties will most likely give way to us.” To give some insight, NSP had also similarly given up Moulmein-Kallang GRC to WP in 2011.

In a sense, WP was very smart when it stuck to their plans and played the waiting game, letting the action and drama play out in NSP, which affects only NSP’s image. Lesson 1: The one who strategise in the long-term, instead of making quick decisions rashly, only stands to win. Lesson 2: More power = more control over the playing field = less prominent parties will give way to us. Does this mean more parties will have to give way to WP in the future?

Another reason for the three-cornered fight in MacPherson SMC could also be the opposition parties thinking they can win MacPherson because of Ms Tin Pei Ling’s presence. Yes, Ms Tin Pei Ling may have faced negative backlash 4 years back, but it seems her image has matured, and she has become more level-headed.

Furthermore, she had just given birth during the pre-election period – which could be an X-factor to draw in more voters, since she is a new mother; and is active even during this post-partum period, usually set aside as a resting period for a mother’s recovery.

Tin Pei Ling, husband and ESM Goh Chok Tong (image – ESM’s Facebook page)

“We have five years. If after five years, Tin Pei Ling remains what she is, then of course, she would still be a factor at the next election. But at this stage, looking at her action, in three years time, she would be a different Tin Pei Ling.” It seems like what Mr Goh Chok Tong said in 2011 did come true, and Ms Tin Pei Ling did persevere to stay on in the political scene. Let’s see if her effort will pay off and if she can prove her worth in September.

And lastly, the burning question: Is thereopposition unity in Singapore? No doubt, we saw separate parties contesting when they could have a higher chance of winning by combining forces. However, the opposition parties’ meeting and the fact that most parties gave way to each other to prevent three-cornered fights do show the mutual respect and amity they have for each other.

Source: www.theonlinecitizen.com

August 22, 2015
NSP’s Steve Chia To Contest Macpherson SMC

National Solidarity Party (NSP) council member Steve Chia ran in MacPherson estate on Friday.

The former non-constituency MP posted on this Facebook page early Friday morning saying: “Just completed two rounds around the perimeter of MacPherson SMC early morning. Greeted many residents who have to get up early to go for work.”

Mr Chia, an avid runner who regularly takes part in endurance races, also posted two screenshots from a smartphone running app that showed him taking two loops around the estate. Accompanying one of the images was a post that said, “Saw many areas that needs improvement”.

His Facebook post comes two days after the NSP made a surprise surprise U-turn to contest MacPherson SMC. The opposition party has yet to announce who it would field at the coming general elections, widely expected to be held next month. But the latest post by Mr Chia gave the strongest hint yet on who the party may field as a candidate for the SMC.

When asked by followers of his Facebook page on whether he will be contesting in MacPherson, he replied: “Yes, we will be committed to the residents of MacPherson SMC,” without elaborating further.

The party announced in a statement on Wednesday that it had a change of heart after receiving “feedback and pledges of support” from residents of the two constituencies, where it had also contested at the last polls in 2011.

Therefore, it has decided to contest MacPherson SMC, given its outreach efforts there before the previous general election. “This decision made by the CEC is final, and reflects our view that maintaining Opposition unity requires mutual respect and a spirit of compromise on the part of all parties,” it added.

Just over an hour later, NSP secretary-general Hazel Poa announced that she had quit the party as she disagreed with the decision.

The NSP had said on Aug 10, in a statement signed by Ms Poa, that it would not contest MacPherson and Marine Parade GRC to avoid three-way fights with the WP.

This after two rounds of horse-trading talks failed to resolve its overlapping claims with the Workers’ Party (WP).

In the recent elections boundary review, MacPherson SMC was carved out as a single-seat from Marine Parade GRC, where NSP contested in 2011. The GRC also absorbed the Joo Chiat single-seat ward, which was contested by the WP.

Source: www.straitstimes.com

August 21, 2015
NSP Reopens Spat With WP

The National Solidarity Party (NSP) re-opened its spat with the Workers’ Party (WP), with its central executive council (CEC) member Steve Chia accusing WP of not showing respect in a Facebook post yesterday (Aug 19).

Justifying NSP’s decision to contest in the MacPherson Single-Member Constituency (SMC) — despite earlier saying it would not — Mr Chia pointed out that at the first round of talks between the Opposition parties earlier this month, the WP had not given a deadline on its offer to give up contesting in the MacPherson ward in return for the NSP to stay out of Marine Parade Group Representation Constituency (GRC).

WP’s representatives at the discussions also agreed to attend the second round of talks to finalise the discussion, Mr Chia said. However, WP was a no-show. WP chairman Sylvia Lim subsequently told the media that WP skipped the meeting because it “would not (have been) productive”.

Nevertheless, Mr Chia said WP left his party “in a very unreasonable state”.

Mr Chia, who served as a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament from 2002 to 2006, added: “Our calls, emails and WhatsApp message to them all went unanswered. There is no respect for fellow comrades in the (Opposition) cause… We can only hope WP will respect us and give up the single SMC as they had initially promised.”

The WP, however, was not drawn into a tiff. Commenting on the matter, Hougang MP Png Eng Huat would only say that his party was “surprised” by NSP’s U-turn. He reiterated that WP will contest in MacPherson SMC, and NSP’s latest decision would have no bearing on WP’s choice of candidate there.

Associate professor Alan Chong from the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies said the latest twist was a result of “petty politics” that was typical of the opposition landscape.

“Much as people think the opposition has turned a corner by forging what’s called an informal agreement not to produce three-cornered fight scenarios, there’s still the same old characteristics that wrought the opposition in terms of strategy — the reluctance to give up a window of opportunity as soon as it appears,” he said

Source: www.todayonline.com

August 20, 2015
NSP To Contest Macpherson SMC, Acting Sec-Gen Hazel Poa Resigns

The MacPherson single-seat ward is set for a three-cornered fight after the National Solidarity Party (NSP) yesterday reneged on an earlier promise to stay out of the constituency and allow the Workers’ Party (WP) to take on the People’s Action Party in a straight contest.

The NSP’s announcement exposed cracks not only within the Opposition ranks, but in the party as well: Its acting secretary-general Hazel Poa quit the party — only two months after she returned to her old role on an interim basis — after disagreeing with the central executive council’s (CEC) decision to support CEC member Steve Chia’s request to contest in MacPherson.

“It was a decision I strongly disagreed with and, hence, not one I can implement. As the direction that the party has decided to pursue deviates greatly from my own, I see no choice other than to resign from the NSP,” Ms Poa said in a press statement issued less than one and a half hours after the NSP made its announcement.

On Aug 10, the NSP said it would not contest in the Marine Parade and MacPherson constituencies — which were both eyed by the WP. Ms Poa had said then that the NSP was looking at the “bigger picture” and a three-cornered fight would make it less likely for an opposition party to win.

But the NSP said it changed its position on MacPherson after lengthy deliberations, to “keep faith with our supporters”. “In recent weeks, NSP leaders have been receiving feedback and pledges of support from many residents in Marine Parade and MacPherson,” the party said, noting it had received about 43 per cent of the votes when it contested in Marine Parade Group Representation Constituency (GRC) in the 2011 General Election (GE). MacPherson has been carved out from Marine Parade GRC for the coming polls, following changes to the electoral boundaries.

The NSP said: “We have decided to give up contesting in Marine Parade on the merit that Joo Chiat has previously been contested by the WP. As for MacPherson, the CEC strongly supports the decision to proceed with contesting in the SMC where considerable outreach has been done before the 2011 GE.” The party said this decision is “final”. “(It) reflects our view that maintaining opposition unity requires mutual respect and a spirit of compromise on the part of all parties,” it added.

The party reiterated that it had reached out to WP after talks to resolve conflicting election plans among opposition parties failed to yield a compromise between the WP and NSP over Marine Parade GRC and MacPherson. The WP, which did not attend the second round of talks, also did not respond to the NSP’s subsequent attempts to open discussions.

Opposition watcher Wong Wee Nam, who contested in the 1997 GE on the NSP ticket, said the NSP was “destroying itself”. “First of all, you never keep your promise, then your acting secretary-general has resigned because of that,” he said.

He felt that the NSP’s move would backfire, even in other constituencies where the party is contesting. “It just shows that they don’t keep their word … People won’t trust the party anymore,” he said.

Associate Professor Alan Chong from the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies noted that there is a rational explanation for the NSP’s U-turn. “You don’t give up what you cultivated on the ground in 2011,” he said. As to the impact of the NSP’s move, Assoc Prof Chong felt that while some voters could lose trust in the NSP, others in MacPherson might actually be really grateful that the NSP has not forgotten them.

In June 2011, Ms Poa was first appointed NSP secretary-general, becoming the first female secretary-general of a political party here. About two years later, she resigned because of health reasons. In June, she reprised her old role on an interim basis after Mr Tan Lam Siong resigned as secretary-general after only five months in the post. Ms Poa’s departure means the NSP would be looking for its fifth secretary-general since the 2011 GE.

Singapore Management University law don Eugene Tan said the resignation of Ms Poa would weaken the party’s “A” team slate for Tampines GRC. “The leadership musical chairs continues. This points to the party being in a state of flux … They urgently need to be cohesive and with clear directions going forward or their campaign is going to be ineffective,” he said.

While Assoc Prof Chong said Ms Poa might end up with the WP or the Singapore Democratic Party, Ms Poa made clear in her statement that she would not be contesting in the coming GE.

Wishing the NSP well, she reiterated that the leader of NSP is its president Sebastian Teo. She added that she respected the right of the CEC as the decision-making body of the party. “I apologise to all whom I have disappointed. My own disappointment is no less. For me, the coming months will be a time for reflection,” she said.

Mr Teo told TODAY that he was also of the initial opinion that the NSP should not contest in MacPherson: “Personally, I think to avoid three-cornered fights should be the way, but we got to respect the majority.”

Source: www.todayonline.com

August 20, 2015
Mohamed Fazli Talip Introduced As Potential NSP Candidate

The National Solidarity Party (NSP) was back at its old stomping ground of Tampines on Saturday morning (Aug 15), led by its president Sebastian Teo and secretary general Hazel Poa.

About 15 party members and volunteers turned up for the walkabout which started at 9am from Block 201D Tampines Street 21.

Closely by the side of Mr Teo and Ms Poa as they greeted residents at the coffee shops and food market along the stretch and handed out pamphlets, were branding consultant Mohamed Fazli Talip, 33, and Cambridge-educated lawyer Lim Tean, 50. They were introduced as “potential candidates for the NSP”.

While Ms Poa hinted that her party will be fielding its A-team for the coming election, as to who they are, she continued to keep her cards close to her chest.

“We would prefer for the PAP to reveal its candidates for the constituencies that we are interested in first, before we announce our candidates. It’s always advantageous to know who you will be running against first before we decide on our final line-up,” she said.

Source: www.tnp.sg

August 16, 2015