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Tag: SINGAPOREANS FIRST Party

  • Fahmi Rais: Having A Voice To Communicate With Malay Community A Priority

    Fahmi Rais: Having A Voice To Communicate With Malay Community A Priority

    Singaporeans First’s (SingFirst) candidate Fahmi Rais, the only Malay among all the candidates contesting Tanjong Pagar Group Representation Constituency (GRC), said a voice for his community is important, especially if the Government wants to have its policies communicated to this group.

    Noting that Tanjong Pagar has not had a Malay Member of Parliament (MP) since becoming a GRC in 1991, Mr Fahmi said: “I’ve come across so many Malays during my walkabouts and many of them are from the lower-income bracket and they may not be very educated, so how is the communication process trickling down to them, I wonder.”

    The ruling People’s Action Party’s (PAP) slate for Tanjong Pagar GRC for the Sept 11 elections does not include a Malay candidate. The 48-year-old media consultant said the main issue that has come up during his interactions with Malay residents is that of employment.

    The lower-income group is hit particularly hard by the influx of foreign labour as they have to compete directly with them for jobs. This worsens the income gap between the Malay community and others, he added.

    If elected, Mr Fahmi said he will make tackling issues concerning the community a priority.

    Mr Fahmi is contesting in Tanjong Pagar GRC along with SingFirst’s secretary-general Tan Jee Say, party chairman Ang Yong Guan, market risk manager Chirag Desai and sales executive Melvyn Chiu.

    The party plans to hold its first rally tomorrow (Sept 3) at Jurong Stadium.

     

    Source: http://www.todayonline.com

  • WP, SDP, SingFirst Among Parties In Action At Tonight’s Rallies

    WP, SDP, SingFirst Among Parties In Action At Tonight’s Rallies

    The permits for six rallies on Thursday (Sep 3) have been approved, the police announced on Wednesday.

    The People’s Action Party will be holding a rally for East Coast GRC at Bedok Stadium, as well as a rally for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC at the field opposite Blk 274C Compassvale Bow, beside Buangkok MRT station.

    The Workers’ Party will hold a rally at the field in front of Blk 4 Boon Keng Rd for Jalan Besar GRC, while SingFirst will hold a rally for Jurong GRC at Jurong Stadium. The Singapore Democratic Party will be holding a rally at Choa Chu Kang Stadium for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC.

    Independent candidate for Radin Mas GRC Han Hui Hui will be holding a rally at Delta Hockey Pitch.

    All rallies will take place between 7pm to 10pm.

     

    Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

  • Fahmi Rais: My Track Record As A Leader Speaks For Itself, Vote For Me

    Fahmi Rais: My Track Record As A Leader Speaks For Itself, Vote For Me

    I was a Student Councilor in the Institute of Education.

    I was the Chairman in Islamic Fellowship Association Youth Wing.

    I was the Vice President in Central Council of Malay Cultural Organisations (Majlis Pusat).

    I was the Secretary General in Southeast Asia Malay Youth Organisation (SAMYO).

    I was a Board Member in National Youth Council.

    I was a Board Member in Mendaki.

    I was the President in Malay Artistes Association.

    I was a leader in many other organisations too for 26 years.

    Now I seek your support for the next lap of my tireless contribution to the society. To all the residents in Tg Pagar GRC (including Jurong GRC) and to all the residents in FB, give me your prayer and support on this new journey.

     

    Source: Bung Fahmi

  • SingFirst Seeks To Make History In Tanjong Pagar GRC

    SingFirst Seeks To Make History In Tanjong Pagar GRC

    New opposition political party Singaporeans First (SingFirst) believe they have a fighting chance of overturning the People Action’s Party (PAP) in Tanjong Pagar Group Representation Constituency (GRC) in the upcoming general elections.

    SingFirst secretary-general Tan Jee Say and led psychiatrist Dr. Ang Yong Guan, 60, sales executive Melvyn Chiu Weng Hoe, 36, media consultant Fahmi Rais, 48, and market risk manager Chirag Desai, 38, to file nomination papers at Bendemeer Primary School on Tuesday morning. The latter three are first-time candidates.

    Tanjong Pagar has been uncontested in the past five elections since becoming a multi-seat constituency in 1991. It was helmed by former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew since 1955 until his passing earlier this year.

    PAP’s team will be led by minister Chan Chun Sing, 45, along with Senior Minister of State Indranee Rajah, 52, consultant surgeon Dr. Chia Shi-Lu, 43, assistant general manager at Temasek Cares Joan Pereira, 47 and former high-ranking police officer Melvin Yong, 45.

    There was a slight hiccup for SingFirst after it was pointed out that they had not filled in the name of the GRC in their forms, but it was swiftly resolved and Tan was bullish about SingFirst’s chances.

    “There is a heavy burden on us to create history and we will create history,” the 61-year-old declared.

    “We are optimistic; there is a lot of goodwill from residents who have met us… if you were to ask me, I would say [we have a] 50-50 chance of a breakthrough in this GRC.

    “We know it is tough, with the late Mr. Lee Kuan Yew’s influence, so it’s not easy but I think we have got a good chance. Residents want change… this is an election about the future, the election is not about the past. So those who glorify the late Lee Kuan Yew are barking up the wrong tree.”

    Tan, a former presidential candidate, said the issue of having too many foreign workers was one of their main concerns, stating it is a “national problem” that Singaporeans “cannot run away from” no matter where they are.

    Meanwhile, Chan asserted the PAP team was “feeling good” heading into a historic contest and said: “Tanjong Pagar [residents] know who have been working for them, and who’s only stepping in when the time is right.”

    Three-corner fight in Radin Mas

    Meanwhile, there will be a three-cornered fight at the Radin Mas Single Member Constituency (SMC) between PAP incumbent Sam Tan Chin Siong, 56, Reform Party’s Kumar Appavoo, 46 and independent candidate Han Hui Hui, 23.

    “I’m here today [and] we will fight; fight for our CPF, our public healthcare, our public housing,” Han, a blogger and social activist who has been outspoken about Central Provident Fund (CPF) issues, said.

    “Regardless of whether it’s a two or three-cornered fight, every candidate has to prove their worth to convince the residents,” said Tan.

    The newly re-constituted Jalan Besar GRC will see a straight fight between PAP and the Workers’ Party (WP).

    Minister Yaacob Ibrahim leads a four-member team along with Heng Chee How, Lily Neo and Denise Phua against a WP side helmed by L. Somasundaram and comprising Frieda Chan, Redzwan Hafidz, Adrian Sim.


    “We take every challenge seriously,” Yaacob promised. “At the end of the day, the opponent doesn’t matter for us. I think the real challenge is for us to demonstrate to our voters that we mean business; we are an experienced team and we can deliver what we have promised.”

    Source: https://sg.news.yahoo.com

  • Singaporeans First Party To Campaign On Immigration Issues

    Singaporeans First Party To Campaign On Immigration Issues

    Singaporeans First (SingFirst), the newest opposition party on the block, kicked off its preparations for the General Election yesterday (Aug 28) with the launch of its slogan Restore Our Nation, singling out immigration as the main issue its candidates will address. SingFirst secretary-general Tan Jee Say, who is set to stand in parliamentary elections for the second time, said the party is advocating for policies that place Singaporeans at the forefront.

    “This country has been divided by Government policy on immigration, which has pitted citizens against employers and foreigners. They have taken away our jobs, and places in schools and businesses,” Mr Tan said at a media conference held at the party’s office on Tras Street, where he also introduced five of the 10 candidates the party plans to field in next month’s polls. “We want to take back our country, take back our pride and take back our place in society,” he added.

    Commenting on recent Government policies to strengthen the Singaporean core in workplaces, such as the Fair Consideration Framework, Mr Tan said requiring companies to post job advertisements in the specified jobs bank is not enough.

    Saying that there are loopholes companies can exploit and that many companies may still opt to hire foreigners, he added: “At the end of the day, it is still the HR department that decides.”

    SingFirst was formed last year. All five candidates introduced yesterday, including Mr Tan, are Master’s degree holders who studied overseas and have worked at multinational companies here.

    Apart from Mr Tan, 61, the four are election rookies, including SingFirst co-founder and communications consultant Fahmi Rais, 48.

    Questioned on his party’s seemingly anti-immigration stand when he and his candidates have appeared not to be held back by the existing policies, Mr Tan said that SingFirst is not against competition from foreigners, but wants Singaporeans to be given fair opportunities.

    SingFirst plans to field two teams in the five-member Tanjong Pagar and Jurong Group Representation Constituencies (GRC). Mr Tan did not specify where the five candidates introduced will be standing, adding that the final line-up will be revealed only on Nomination Day.

    The other three candidates introduced yesterday are market risk manager Chirag Desai, 38; IT consultant Wong Chee Wai, 44; and sales executive Melvyn Chiu, 36. In 2011, Mr Tan contested in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC when he was a member of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) team, making a splash with his credentials as a former high-flying civil servant — he was Principal Private Secretary to then-Deputy Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong for five years. His team lost to the People’s Action Party (PAP) team with 39.92 per cent of the votes. That same year, he ran for president, winning 25.04 per cent of the votes.

    Asked what he thinks of the party’s chances in Tanjong Pagar GRC,

    Mr Tan noted that as the constituency — a PAP stronghold long anchored by the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew — has not been contested for more than 20 years, it is difficult to gauge the level of support for the ruling party.

    When asked about his party’s ability to manage a town council, he dismissed it as a “non-issue”, adding that the party will ensure a proper handover from the incumbents and scrutiny of accounts, if they are elected.

    SingFirst chairman Ang Yong Guan will introduce the other five candidates today.

     

    Source: www.todayonline.com