Tag: parliament

Lee Li Lian: WP Has Done A Good Job In Parliament

Jan 15, 2013 – Workers’ Party (WP) candidate for Punggol East Lee Li Lian on Tuesday defended the performance of her party mates in Parliament over the past year and a half following criticism that they failed to present a strong alternative voice.

Expectations of the opposition group had been raised after it scored its best showing in the general election in 2011 in which it won six out of 87 seats up for grabs and grabbed two places for Non-Constituency Members of Parliament.

“I think that the Workers’ Party MPs have done a good job — given the imbalance in numbers. We had eight, whereas the PAP (People’s Action Party) have 80. There’s a difference definitely in terms of time given to us” she told Yahoo! Singapore in a one-on-one interview on Tuesday afternoon in Rivervale Drive.

[Click here to watch the video interview.]

She said her party MPs — currently consisting of secretary-general Low Thia Khiang, chairman Sylvia Lim, Pritam Singh, Chen Show Mao and Muhamad Faisal bin Abdul Manap for Aljunied GRC, and Png Eng Huat for Hougang SMC, as well as NCMPs Gerald Giam and Yee Jenn Jong — have raised “pertinent issues” in Parliament so far, pressing the government for answers on public transport, housing, healthcare, population and immigration, among others.

“I hope to be able to add to the strength that we currently have,” she added.

A focus on procreation policies

Asked what issues she will focus on should she join the ranks of her cadre in Parliament, she said she will raise concerns that residents in Punggol East have brought up.

“(I foresee that to include) the considerations and concerns that young couples will have,” she said, noting that the constituency possesses a distinctly younger age demographic — with almost 50 per cent being between age 22 and 49, while those aged 50 and above forming about 20 to 30 per cent of residents.

These, she added, correspond to issues she holds close to her heart and feels most strongly about: the concerns of young couples, families and the welfare of the elderly, particularly those of single parents and stay-at-home mothers.

“Stay-at-home mothers don’t qualify for workfare bonus, but that doesn’t mean that they are not doing anything,” she said. “They’re working at home… when you come home, they have piping hot food for you — are they not working? They are. So why are they not given this? I think they should be given more attention,” she added.

Lee also feels that fathers should be given six days of paternity leave — one of the practical policy changes she says she will fight for, should she gain a seat in Parliament.

“I think it would be good (to have more paternity leave), perhaps half funded by the government, because fathers play an equally important role in family-building,” she said.

Turning to single mothers, Lee said they take priority on her list because she has seen for herself how they suffer at the hands of existing policies, in particular the prevailing rule that does not allow single parents with their children to form a family unit and purchase an HDB flat.

“(That rule) is one thing I hope can be abolished so they can have a shelter when they have no one to depend on,” she said. “When you have a pair of parents, it’s already not easy, so if you have only one, I think it’s even tougher. I’m not saying they should receive special incentives… what they’re asking for is just the same benefits as other married mothers,” she said.

Lee previously responded to other criticism that she had not been walking the ground in Punggol East over the past year and a half since she lost to ex-Speaker of Parliament Michael Palmer in 2011

In the press conference Monday where she was unveiled as the WP candidate of choice for the upcoming by-election, she said she still visited Punggol East on occasion despite being preoccupied with her duties as legislative assistant to Singh, helping the Aljunied GRC MP with his constituency groundwork.

She also continued to dodge questions about other possible candidates in the election, or requests for estimates on her chances at the polls, reiterating that she preferred to focus on her campaign and her priority in getting reacquainted with the residents.

Watch a video interview that we did with Lee here:

Punggol East by-election – One on One with Worker’s Party candidate Lee Li LianSatish Cheney finds out more about the woman the Workers’ Party is counting on to bring in the votes at the Punggol East by-election. The 34-year-old Liverpool fan with a creative streak reveals more about herself and gives her take on issues on the ground.

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

July 30, 2015
Opposition Supporters Slam DPP For Attempting Multi-Cornered Fights

Prior to the 2011 Presidential Elections, the last multi-corner electoral fight occurred took place in 2001 in the then Bukit Timah SMC. A 3-way contest saw the PAP eventually securing 77% of the valid votes, while independent Tan Kim Chuang lost his deposit with a ‘mere’ 4.92% of the votes.

Given that such multi-cornered fights work to the advantage of the PAP due to the splitting of opposition votes, alternative political parties such as the NSP and SingFirst have called for unity to avoid such scenarios. Working out a common ground, however, seems to demand a different level of commitment.

Brinkmanship occurred in the 2013 Punggol East by-election where the SDP had publicly offered the WP a deal: the SDP would send its elected MP to parliament as an alternative voice while the WP would manage the town council. In the absence of a reply, the SDP stood down altogether.

The SDP thus deserves some credit to its name even though it may seem to have acted conceitedly. Had it pushed ahead with its proposition, the opposition votes may very well have been split into those who preferred a more radical alternative in the form of SDP and a more moderate alternative in the form of the WP.

Reassuringly, the voters gave their support to the WP by an astounding margin causing both the RP and SDA to lose their deposit. Taken together with the Presidential elections 2 years earlier, the electorate has shown a new found maturity when it came to 3-cornered contests: only want alternative parties who act reasonably will secure votes.

Yet, it would seem that multi-cornered fights seem to have inevitably emerged again in a hotly contested atmosphere of increased resentment towards the PAP. The DPP, for example, have stood up to contest in the Mountbatten, Hong Kah North, Potong Pasir, Bishan-Toa Payoh and Tanjong Pagar constituencies.

As a likely scenario emerged, even netizens from the core opposition group have been quick to condemn the actions of the DPP with one saying on TRE: “Guaranteed to lose terok terok if you enter into a 3-cornered fight. Don’t tiew Lian ok”

Another said: “fly-by-night parties that ‘wake’ up during GEs gunning for multi-cornered fights better understand their own strength before they jump. Opposition supporters will vote for only credible and viable candidates, not the more vocal or those with dubious track record.”

Despite an absence from the electoral scene, this is not the first time the DPP has done so. In 1997, a 4-cornered fight in Chua Chu Kang SMC saw DPP’s Tan Soo Phuan lost their deposit with a mere 1.9% of the valid votes. This set a new record for the lowest share of popular votes until 2013 where SDA had less than 1% of the votes.

Will 2015 prove to be Déjà vu?

Source: http://mythoughtsinafewparagraphs.net/

July 29, 2015
Analysts: Multi-Cornered Fights Unlikely

Although several opposition parties have staked their claims to the same constituencies, the political analysts TODAY spoke to said multi-cornered fights are likely to prevail only in constituencies the Workers’ Party (WP) does not gun for. Multi-cornered fights, they said, hold “grave consequences” for other opposition parties that do not have a branding as strong as the WP’s.

Singapore Management University law don, associate professor Eugene Tan, said the WP is in a “healthy bargaining position”, and unlikely to concede the places it staked a claim to.

“In a case where there is nothing much to differentiate between the two or more opposition parties, voters may not know where or on whom to pool their votes. And this is where we are likely to see votes being split,” he said.

WP secretary-general Low Thia Khiang on Sunday (Jul 26) announced his party’s intention to contest in Marine Parade GRC and MacPherson SMC — the former being a ward contested by the National Solidarity Party (NSP) in the 2011 polls and the latter, a part of it until electoral boundaries were redrawn last Friday.

The NSP has called for a meeting this Friday among opposition parties to hammer out deals and avoid multi-way fights.

MULTI-CORNERED FIGHTS MORE LIKELY IN WEST, CENTRAL PARTS

With the WP’s plans to expand eastwards, Assoc Prof Tan and former Nominated Member of Parliament Siew Kum Hong felt multi-cornered fights are more likely to happen in the western and central parts of Singapore. Said Mr Siew: “I think most other opposition parties will be hesitant to challenge the WP.”

Added political analyst Derek da Cunha: “The other opposition parties have yet to concretely demonstrate that they are on the same level as the WP in terms of voter appeal.”

The analysts also cited the Punggol East by-election in 2013 as an example of why opposition camps should avoid multi-cornered fights that involve the WP. Ms Lee Li Lian from the WP won the single seat with 54.52 per cent of votes, while the PAP’s Dr Koh Poh Koon garnered 43.73 per cent.

The Reform Party’s Kenneth Jeyaretnam and Singapore Democratic Alliance’s Desmond Lim raked in 1.2 and 0.57 per cent, respectively, and both lost their election deposits.

National University of Singapore (NUS) sociologist Tan Ern Ser said the prospect of multi-cornered fights means opposition parties have to work harder. “They would have to try hard to differentiate themselves from one another, such as with more well-thought-out criticism of the ruling party and better ideas, better programmes that resonate with voters. Maybe even better candidates.”

NUS political science associate professor Bilveer Singh suggested that fighting in single-member constituencies would be “more economical” for opposition parties, especially “the new ones that have no ground record”.

CROSSOVER OF CANDIDATES

An issue that may muddy the parties’ claims to contest for various seats is the crossover of candidates between parties since the last GE.

For instance, Ms Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss, who contested for the Mountbatten seat in the last election as part of the NSP, has announced her intention to fight for the same seat again, now under the Singapore People’s Party umbrella. She left the NSP earlier this year.

“Many a time, they move because of bad blood, unhappiness. So, that makes the ability to make concessions, to give and take, somewhat more challenging,” said SMU’s Assoc Prof Tan.

“We do not know if the trust and confidence among the opposition parties is strong enough for them to come up with a deal, where everyone would feel they have not been shortchanged.”

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

July 27, 2015
Meet Joan Pereira – Lee Kuan Yew’s Replacement At Tanjong Pagar GRC

One of the doyens of Lianhe Zaobao, Ho Sheo Be, scored a scoop.

In a Lianhe Zaobao article published three days ago, the senior political correspondent noticed a new face that emerged from the walkabouts at Tanjong Pagar GRC.

Joan Pereira’s her name and she is affectionately known as “Indranee’s sister” due to her height and hairstyle.

If you can recall, five-member Tanjong Pagar GRC now have four parliamentarians after the passing of founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.

Indranee told Channel NewsAsia that she “has begun assisting Mr Lee” in his ward after 2011, including his Meet-the-People sessions and his walkabouts.

Enter “Indranee’s sister” to fill in the gap.

The 47-year old former Director (Family Life & Active Ageing) at the People’s Association had been seen walking the ground with Indranee as long as a year ago.

Ho also observed that Pereira had been actively involved in the wellness programme in Tanjong Pagar GRC, encouraging the elderly to be involved in various activities.

And kudos to Ho, who even found out that Pereira has joined Temasek Cares to assist the General Manager there, heightening the expectation that the former public servant would probably be a woman in white. This is because one cannot be a public servant if he or she wants to enter politics.

According to Ho, Pereira declined comment on whether she would participate in the next General Election (GE).

Try to spot the “two Indranees” from these photos that we found from the Senior Minister of State’s Facebook page:

Test 1

Test 2

Test 3

Test 4

Source: http://mothership.sg

July 24, 2015
Elections Department Makes Changes To Polling Districts

The Elections Department has made changes to the boundaries of polling districts within several electoral divisions, adding to the anticipation of an imminent report from the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC), which Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said was formed two months ago.

Details of the alterations in eight Group Representation Constituencies (GRC) were published in the online version of the Government Gazette today (July 21). These GRCs are: Chua Chu Kang, East Coast, Jurong, Moulmein-Kallang, Nee Soon, Pasir-Ris Punggol, Sembawang and Tanjong Pagar.

In response to TODAY’s queries, an Elections Department spokesperson said the boundaries of polling districts are altered to ensure an even distribution of voters across polling stations. In February this year, the Elections Department also posted a notification on alterations to polling districts.

Under the Parliamentary Elections Act, the Registration Officer may periodically alter boundaries of polling districts within electoral divisions. This is due to population shifts, such as with the mushrooming of new towns.

But the changes to the districts do not necessarily mean tweaks to electoral boundaries: The latter are only later decided by an EBRC, comprising senior civil servants. The committee can create new electoral divisions by taking one or more polling district from a constituency and putting it into another.

The committee will submit its recommendations to the Prime Minister and, if accepted, these are gazetted and published in a report — usually an imminent sign the General Election is on the way. The next polls must be held by January 2017.

The only change in today’s gazette is the addition of one polling district in East Coast GRC, making 41 in total.

As it stands, Pasir-Ris Punggol is the GRC with the highest number of polling districts (72). Holland Bukit TImah is the GRC with smallest number of polling districts (34).

For SMCs, Potong Pasir has the fewest polling districts (5), while Sengkang West has the most (16).

There has been wide variation in the window between changes made to polling districts and the release of the EBRC report.

In the last three polls, the lag has ranged roughly from three weeks to two months.

Singapore Management University law professor Eugene Tan said the latest notification is a routine step by the Elections Department and a separate exercise from the EBRC report.

“But it’s also clear that polling districts provide the EBRC with the most granular data in terms of the number of voters in a polling district, which means that if the EBRC feels there’s a need to redraw boundaries — let’s say they’re looking at maybe this particular GRC needs 5,000 more voters to make it on par with GRCs of a similar size — this is where the polling districts provide very useful information on the number of voters,” he said.

Nevertheless, he thinks the polling districts are unlikely to go through another round of changes before the next General Election is called, “which means that if they’re going to redraw boundaries, it means that particular district is unlikely to be split (between) electoral divisions”.

Source: www.todayonline.com

July 22, 2015