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Tag: RP

  • Reform Party Unveils 12-Page Manifesto

    Reform Party Unveils 12-Page Manifesto

    The Reform Party on Monday (Sep 7) unveiled its party manifesto in Boon Lay Place, as the election period crosses the halfway mark.

    The 12-page document outlines the objectives of the party and covers a wide range of issues from healthcare and defense spending to economic policy.

    According to its manifesto, possible policy proposals include introducing a minimum wage, capping the number of foreign workers, reduce National Service (NS) to one year with a view of progressing to a professional army and introducing an old-age monthly pension of S$500 for all seniors above 65.

    On the timing of the release, Reform Party Secretary-General, Kenneth Jeyaretnam said: “We’ve had a manifesto since 2009, and an election manifesto in 2011. So we are relaunching it and bringing it up to date. Our flyers already incorporate our seven main pledges.”

    He also elaborated on the party’s NS proposal, saying it “imposes a heavy burden on male Singaporeans, particularly in comparison with foreign workers”.

    “The Government spends S$400 million on scholarships for foreigners who are then able to work here upon graduation without doing NS. This is grossly inequitable,” Mr Jeyaretnam said.

    “So what we want to do is reduce the burden on male Singaporeans and cut NS term to one year and expand a professional army. Now with modern technology, drones, robots, you don’t need so many boots on the ground.”

     

    Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

  • Humanising Kenneth Jeyaretnam

    Humanising Kenneth Jeyaretnam

    With a strong political pedigree as the eldest son of the late opposition figurehead, JB Jeyaretnam, one would expect Kenneth Jeyaretnam to be voted into parliament by now. Why hasn’t it happen?

    From the initial excitement when Kenneth first stepped up to takeover the Reform Party to the series of missteps he had made since GE2011, people’s perception of  Kenneth changed from a rising star to some kind of joker politician.

    I wrote a humanising piece about the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP)’s Dr Chee Soon Juan and thePeople’s Action Party (PAP)’s Chan Chun Sing earlier. Here’s the third in the series. Don’t judge a person too quickly.

    Kenneth is not an engaging public speaker, but if you follow his questionings of the PAP government’s economic policies on his blog, he would make a good MP in parliament to ask all the hard stuff. After all, he is a highly educated, experienced economist with a double first class honours from Cambridge to match Lee Hsien Loong.

    In Singapore, Kenneth attended St Andrew’s School, followed by the United World College of South East Asia. He attended Charterhouse School in England from 1975-77. From 1978-80 he returned to Singapore to serve his National Service. From 1980-83, he attended Queens’ College, the University of Cambridge, where he read economics and graduated with Double First Class Honours. Kenneth is also an alumnus of the Amsterdam Institute of Finance.

    Credentials wise, he is rock solid.

    Kenneth’s entrance into Singapore politics started with the passing of the late JB Jeyaretnam in 2008. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong sent a cryptic condolence letter to his two sons, Kenneth and Philip Jeyaretnam. Thereafter, the elder son went on to shoulder his father’s unfinished work in the fight to give Singaporeans an alternative voice in parliament.

    Do you remember names like Nicole Seah, Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss, Tony Tan and Hazel Poa? Do you know all of them first entered politics by joining the Reform Party when Kenneth stepped up?

    It was the catalyst for all the political awakening that followed, leading up to the watershed GE2011.

    In fact, Kenneth was a sought-after star catch then. Both the Workers’ Party (WP) and Chiam See Tong’s Singapore People’s Party (SPP) courted Kenneth to join them in contesting GE2011. If he did, he would probably be in parliament by now.

    Yes, there were pitfalls. Maybe Kenneth is not a strong leader; many of the strong members in the Reform Party walked out to join the National Solidarity Party (NSP) and other political parties.

    The Reform Party still managed to muster enough resources to contest in 6-members Ang Mo Kio GRC and 5-members West Coast GRC in GE2011. Not bad for a new political party. The Ang Mo Kio team was a motley crue, assembled last minute, but credits to Kenneth for at least putting up a fight there versus a walkover.

    The party lost in both GRCs, polling 33.34% of valid votes in West Coast and 30.67% in Ang Mo Kio. For GE2015, the Reform Party is back to contest in the two GRCs plus Radin Mas SMC.

    Kenneth tends to take things too seriously. We all know the phrase “don’t feed the trolls”. Not Kenneth Jeyaretnam. He was baited into a silly quarrel with Singapore’s top online troll, SMRT Ltd (Feedback), getting ridiculed as “jeyababy” among other names.

    It stemmed from Kenneth making police reports over alleged threats made to his family members after he entered politics. Other opposition politicians like Chiam See Tong had such encounters too, but chose to laugh it off or kept it out of the public’s eyes.

    Kenneth is also always quick to speak for those who are the most marginalised, like Roy Ngerng and Amos Yee. It is almost political suicide for any politicians to get themselves associated with these guys. Nonetheless, we do need someone on the far-left of the political spectrum who dare speak when others keep quiet. Imagine one day if you get wrongly arrested under the ISA; you can count on someone like Kenneth to speak for you. Probaby not WP nor the PAP.

    In the eyes of many Singaporeans, these are stupid actions, but it also tells you Kenneth sticks to his values on democracy and freedom of expression, just like his late father. Even if it means losing votes.

    The dumbest thing he did was to contest the by-election in Punggol East SMC in 2013. Kenneth obtained only 1.2% of the valid votes in a rare 4-cornered fight. The victory went to Lee Li Lian of the WP. This greatly damaged the reputation of the Reform Party as a credible opposition party which can pull votes.

    Some stuff he did right – his scrutiny on the minute details of policies, particularly in the field of economics. His favourite targets include the CPF, the GIC and Temasek. Kenneth was the one who flagged the technicality involving a US$4 billion IMF loan commitment from our government, challenging it all the way to court. He is a policy hack.

    One of his biggest folly is probably to allow all sorts of people to contest under the Reform Party. Voters view candidates as a team. If your team mates keep scoring own goals and make weird faux pas, you get dragged in the mud.

    Maybe he should have went for a SMC first before gunning for a GRC. After all, his father won his first election in the single seat of Anson which has now disappeared from the electoral map.

    Kenneth Jeyaretnam may not be the most engaging of speakers, but go listen to him, read his blog and find out more about him before writing him and the Reform Party off as a political lightweight.

     

    Source: http://alvinology.com

     

  • Real Estate Agents Feature Prominently Among Opposition Candidates

    Real Estate Agents Feature Prominently Among Opposition Candidates

    Has the tepid property market created a new impetus for real estate agents to enter politics?

    Property agents have emerged as a noticeable group among the candidates this general election, and all are on opposition party tickets.

    At least seven agents and one legal counsel of a real estate agency are contesting, with four hailing from one single agency, PropNex.

    Two are contesting Sembawang group representation constituency (GRC), going up against National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan, the very person in charge of housing and the property sector.

    But these agents, who have mostly been inactive in closing sales in the past year, told The Business Times that issues other than housing have been on their minds as well, such as income inequality, the use of Central Provident Fund (CPF) money and the influx of foreign talent.

    Mr Andy Zhu, 32, an agent from Vestor Realty who is standing in West Coast GRC under the Reform Party, said he hopes to focus on the elderly and healthcare. He also believes that CPF money should be returned to Singaporeans at the age of 55, without the need for the minimum sum.

    Mr Eugene Yeo, 39, associate director at Real Estate Alliance, said it is “purely coincidental” that this many property agents are standing for election – not because property transactions have come down.

    Still, the National Solidarity Party (NSP) candidate hopes to flag housing issues in Parliament if he is elected.

    He said: “Being in the election is not a cheap affair, it is pretty costly. It is not because the property market is bad that agents want to have an MP’s (Member of Parliament) salary.”

    Mr Yadzeth Hairis, who is also standing on the NSP ticket in Sembawang GRC, told BT that though he is a registered agent with Dennis Wee Realty, he has been focusing on his development business in Indonesia under PT Cass Villa.

    Another NSP candidate, Mr Choong Hon Heng, 45, who runs a one-man agency, DCA Management, is contesting Tampines GRC.

    FLIP-FLOP POLICIES

    The People’s Power Party candidate in Chua Chu Kang GRC, Mr Augustine Lee, 42, said he has a beef with what he sees as policy flip-flopping.

    Said the property agent with PropNex: “At one time, they loosen up the policies to make property prices so high. Now, they use cooling measures to revise it back. That’s very bad planning and quite disruptive.

    “Property can be a mother of all problems because it affects everyone. You have to buy or rent – everyone needs the physical space, so that is a cost to everyone and these costs translate into prices in goods and services.”

    He added that he hopes the Government will look further into reducing land prices and review HDB’s role as a developer.

    Two of his PropNex colleagues – head of legal Gurmit Singh and property agent Ron Tan – are Workers’ Party (WP) candidates in Nee Soon GRC. The WP did not respond to BT’s questions.

    PropNex agent Darren Soh, 46, who is also a taxi driver, is standing in West Coast GRC with Mr Zhu under the Reform Party. He could not be reached for a comment.

    PropNex key executive officer Lim Yong Hock, when asked to comment on his staff and agents’ involvement in politics, pointed out that besides those standing for election with opposition parties, there are others active in the People’s Action Party.

    The agency has made its position clear to full-time staff and commissioned agents, he said.

    “The fact that our agents or staff are standing for election doesn’t mean that the company supports the party they stand for,” he said.

    “We support them as long as they do not bring disrepute to the industry.”

    He noted that the three PropNex agents have not closed a single deal this year, but that in the industry generally, one in three agents is inactive.

    Mr Lee said that real estate agents bring to the table a sharpened ability to connect with the ground, having themselves come from all walks of life and having to be “creative and communicative” to close deals.

    “Good agents will always think for the best of their clients. They are quite independent in thinking and because of that, they tend to have different opinions,” he said.

    Take the trend of condominium units getting smaller and smaller, for instance. “We feel sad for ourselves and our clients.”

    The full version of this story first appeared in The Business Times’ weekend edition on Sept 5.

    FROM PROPNEX: Mr Ron Tan (above) is contesting Nee Soon GRC for Workers’ Party

    FROM PROPNEX: Mr Gurmit Singh (above) is contesting Nee Soon GRC for Workers’ Party

    FROM PROPNEX: Mr Darren Soh (above) is standing in West Coast GRC under Reform Party.

    FROM PROPNEX: Mr Augustine Lee (above) is contesting Chua Chu Kang GRC under People’s Power Party.

    FROM VESTOR REALTY: Mr Andy Zhu is standing in West Coast GRC under Reform Party.

    FROM REAL ESTATE ALLIANCE: Mr Eugene Yeo is contesting Sembawang GRC under National Solidarity Party

    FROM DCA MANAGEMENT: Mr Choong Hon Heng is contesting Tampines GRC under National Solidarity Party.

    FROM DENNIS WEE REALTY: Mr Yadzeth Hairis is standing in Sembawang GRC under National Solidarity Party

     

     

    Source: www.tnp.sg

  • Calon Reform Party, Noraini Yunus, Utarakan Isu COE Mahal Dan Usahanya Untuk Lanjutkan Pengkhidmatan Pengangkutan Awam

    Calon Reform Party, Noraini Yunus, Utarakan Isu COE Mahal Dan Usahanya Untuk Lanjutkan Pengkhidmatan Pengangkutan Awam

    Calon Parti Reform (RP), Cik Noraini Yunus, mengutarakan isu harga Sijil Hak Memiliki (COE) kenderaan yang mahal, serta usahanya untuk mendapatkan lanjutan khidmat pengangkutan awam.

    Beliau, yang bertanding di GRC West Coast, berkata demikian semasa berucap di rapat pilihan raya di West Coast Walk malam ini.

    “Pengangkutan awam juga tidak beroperasi selama 24 jam. Saya pernah berusaha untuk mendapatkan lanjutan tempoh untuk dapatkan khidmat bas atau MRT, tapi dikatakan tak ada penumpang.

    “Jadi mereka menolak cadangan saya untuk dapatkan khidmat 24 jam seperti di negara-negara maju di Boston dan sebagainya, di Amerika,” ujar Cik Noraini.

    Source: http://berita.mediacorp.sg

  • Reform Party’s Ang Mo Kio Candidates Share Issues They Want To Champion In Videos

    Reform Party’s Ang Mo Kio Candidates Share Issues They Want To Champion In Videos

    The Reform Party (RP) has uploaded short campaign video clips of five of its candidates in this election, where they introduce themselves and talk about the issues they want to champion if they get into Parliament.

    The five candidates featured are from the RP’s slate in Ang Mo Kio GRC — lawyer M Ravi, blogger Roy Ngerng, entrepreneur Osman Sulaiman, activist Gilbert Goh and former banker Jesse Loo. The clips, lasting between one and three minutes, were uploaded on YouTube on the eve of Nomination Day on Sept 1.

    While he said he never saw himself as a politician, Mr Ravi said there had been a “heartwarming response” for him to contest. “So, I have reconsidered my decision to be able to be your voice in Parliament,” he added.

    Mr Ravi reiterated his pledge to use his legal background to check what he called “oppressive and discriminatory laws” in Singapore.

    Elderly Singaporeans who still have to work as cleaners and cardboard collectors was what spurred Ngerng to stand in the polls.

    “For a country that is as wealthy as Singapore, there should be no elderly Singaporeans who have to work until their old age,” he said.

    He added that the Government has to be “transparent and accountable” to Singaporeans about the Central Provident Fund system, so that the elderly can save enough money to retire.

    Mr Goh touched on how his team met poor families living in rental flats when they went on walkabouts in Ang Mo Kio GRC. Although they work very hard, he said they are unable to own a flat. Some households earn less than S$1,000 and live from hand to mouth, he added.

    “If you vote for us in Parliament, we will fight for minimum wage legislation so that our poor can live in dignity with a minimum wage,” said Mr Goh.

    The RP sent a team to Ang Mo Kio GRC in the 2011 General Election, where they took 30.7 per cent of the votes, giving People’s Action Party chief Lee Hsien Loong’s team the best performance across the constituencies.

     

    Source: www.todayonline.com