Tag: reserved election

DPM Teo: Important For Chinese Community To Supports These Provisions, So That Minority Communities Always Feel Assured..

Singaporeans have questioned the need for the reserved election, as well as for the group representation constituencies (GRCs) and ethnic integration rules in Housing Board estates, since the country already enjoys racial and religious peace and harmony.

But the reason Singapore enjoys such harmony “is because we have been far-sighted enough to put in place these provisions”, said DPM Teo at the 100th anniversary dinner of Lorong Koo Chye Sheng Hong Temple in Paya Lebar.

He added: “It is particularly important that the Chinese community supports these provisions, so that our minority communities will always feel assured.”

In 1988, the GRC system was introduced to ensure Parliament will always have minority MPs. A year later, the Government put in place the Ethnic Integration Policy which mandates a quota for all communities in HDB estates, to prevent racial enclaves from forming.

Most recently, changes were made to the Constitution to reserve presidential elections for a racial group not represented for five continuous terms.

In making the various changes, DPM Teo said, Singapore has avoided situations in which HDB estates are segregated by race, or where minority communities worry about representation in Parliament or the presidency.

“These provisions have helped us achieve the precious harmony that we have.

“We all hope that one day we will not need them,” he added.

But not right now, he indicated.

“In the face of growing racial and religious strife in our region and the world, it is wiser to have these provisions in place to maintain our harmony,” he said, reiterating a point he spoke about earlier in the day at the National Security Conference.

DPM Teo urged Singaporeans from all communities to give their support to Madam Halimah Yacob, Singapore’s first Malay President in 47 years since President Yusof Ishak, who died in office in 1970.

She was declared President in a walkover in the country’s first reserved election this month.

DPM Teo noted that Madam Halimah was a strong unifying figure. “All communities have supported her nomination. Let us give her our full support.”

He said Singapore’s pioneer leaders had laid the foundation for promoting racial harmony and urged all Singaporeans to continue with the work.

“We must continue to reach out to each other, adopt inclusive practices and social norms that allow all Singaporeans to interact freely, and enlarge our common space,” he said.

Source: http://www.tnp.sg

September 27, 2017
Salleh Marican: I Am Disappointed That The PEC Committee Did Not See Me Fit

Mainstream media CNA stated that the reason Second Chance CEO Salleh Marican did not qualify as his firm was “considerably below” the S$500 million shareholders’ equity required. But how many people, even other races, would have qualified in handling over $500 million equity?

Did PAP do their homework thoroughly when they set that 500mil asset requirements to ensure that no “Malay” can match it? Meanwhile, Halimah has managed $0. Look at the loophole PAP has left for itself. Helping your mother to sell nasi lemak in your younger days do not provide you with expertise in handling over $500 million equity.

Singaporeans don’t even comprehend why the need to be qualified in handling huge amount of money is a requirement in serving Singapore as President. If you got heart and passion, you should be eligible. Then for the next election, can we suggest that only people like Jack Ma or Peter Lim are eligible because they will raise the ceiling to a billion and hit PAP’s criteria?

Shortly after the announcement by PEC, Salleh gave the following statement on his FB profile.

“I am disappointed that the committee did not see it fit to give me the go-head to take part in the Presidential Election.

But this doesn’t mean my work to help my fellow citizens comes to an end. My team and I will regroup to see how the effort to help our disadvantaged sisters and brothers can go forward.

Since I threw my hat into ring months ago, I have realized there is an urgent need to help my fellow citizens. And I pledge to do exactly that.

To my family, friends, business associates and well wishers who had stood by me in my decision to become the President of Singapore I say: The fight to serve Singapore is not over. We will regroup and put our plans into action soon.”

Rilek1Corner

September 12, 2017
Veteran Radio Personality Hamish Brown Questions Halimah Yacob’s Independence To Be Elected President

Prominent radio personality Hamish Brown has questioned if Presidential hopeful Halimah Yacob is as indeed independently-minded as she has claimed in a newspaper interview. In an interview with The New Paper Madam Halimah illustrated an incident where she abstained from voting on an issue after the Whip was listed, to make a point that she not always followed the directions of her political party elders in the People’s Action Party.

“An occasion she remembered clearly was when she abstained from voting on amendments to the Human Organ Transplant Act in Parliament in 2007. Changes tabled by then Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan would allow organ recipients to reimburse donors’ expenses if they wished. She was concerned that this would lead to poor people being persuaded to “sell” their organs. The party whip was lifted, and she abstained, sending a strong signal of her misgivings. She recalled: “I decided not to say yes. I didn’t ask the Health Minister how he felt, but I can still remember the expression on his face.””

Writing in his Facebook Mr Brown said, abstaining from voting doesn’t send a signal that she agrees or disagrees. That Madam Halimah’s decision only showed that her position was a non-committal one.

“…but abstaining from voting during the Human Organ Transplant Act parliamentary sitting doesn’t show that you do not toe with the party line, it only shows that between standing with voters who agree and voters who don’t, your action was neither, rather your decided course of action was to abstain from voting altogether, an act that really means, I prefer not to stand for either option and just be a fence sitter (so if the proverbial s@&/,! Hit the fan, you would go on record as not having been party to it either way) that’s what abstaining from taking a stand or voting means.”

Mr Brown further suggested that meritocracy as it is practiced in Singapore, went out the window as soon as this presidential election was reserved for one particular ethnic race over all others.

Source: http://www.theindependent.sg / Hamish Brown

September 8, 2017
Halimah Yacob’s Candidacy Is Jumping The Gun On Ruling On Dr Tan Cheng Bock’s EP Challenge

Why is HY so eager to announce her candidacy for the EP and why is PM so eager to endorse her?

What is their reason for jumping the gun ahead of the judgement of the 5-judge Apex Court on TCB appeal? There are three possible reasons:

1. They are confident that the judgement will be in their favour.

2. They have a sinister motive.

3. To tell the public that whatever the judgement – open or closed only to the Malays – HY will be the PAPpie standard bearer.

I think and hope it is the third scenario. If it pans out, I will be the first to declare my support for her.

Otherwise, I will stay out and not be a party to a farce.

Source: Ismail Kassim

August 8, 2017
SDP: Halimah’s Resignation Is A Deliberate, Calculated Ploy By PAP To Remove One Of Its MPs To Stand For Another Election

Ms Halimah Yacob has announced that she will contest in the coming Presidential Elections and has resigned as MP for the Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC.

The GRC system was introduced in 1988, the official reason being “to ensure that Singapore’s parliament would always be multiracial in composition and representation.” As such, the constitution requires that GRC teams include at least one member from a minority community.

Given this rationale, Ms Halimah’s stepping down as MP runs counter to the essence of the GRC system both in letter and spirit. Her resignation must necessarily trigger a by-election in Marsiling-Yew Tee.

The government determines the number of GRCs needed at any one general election necessary for fair representation. If the government can remove a minority MP at will after he/she is elected, why set the number of GRCs – and therefore the number of minority MPs – to be contested in the first place?

In addition, the government stipulates the particular ethnic representation for a particular GRC so as to ensure that the ethnic community in that GRC is adequately and effectively represented. By removing that MP, is the government not also removing that community’s representation in Parliament?

To be clear, Ms Halimah’s resignation is a deliberate and calculated ploy by the PAP to remove one of its MPs in order that she may stand for another election. The PAP cannot be allowed to vacate elected Parliamentary seats just to maximise its electoral chances for another office. It is an abuse of the system and makes a mockery of the general elections.

If the PAP insists on taking such a step, it must abide by the rule of law and call for a by-election. It cannot have its cake and eat it too.

Minister Chan Chun Sing says, however, that no by-election will be held if Ms Halimah were to resign from her seat. Such a unilateral and unconstitutional measure runs counter to the concept of the GRC system and must be challenged.

To this end, the SDP will actively explore legal remedies to ensure that the PAP does not willy-nilly change rules or interpret the law to suit its own political ends by calling for a by-election in Marsiling-Yew Tee.

Source: http://yoursdp.org

August 7, 2017