Election is just around the corner?
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Oct 21, 2004
Election fever hits some opposition parties
Recruitment drives and ward visits stepped up; PAP takes note
By Azhar Khalid and Sue-Ann Chia
ELECTION fever appears to have infected some opposition parties, with
symptoms such as more intense ground activities recruitment drives for
candidates.
And this has not gone undetected by the men and women in white.
The Straits Times understands that a confidential People's Action
Party report circulated to its MPs early this year had commented on
how opposition activities 'have intensified'.
The National Solidarity Party (NSP), for instance, started gearing up
for election late last year, said Mr Steve Chia, a Non-Constituency MP
and central executive committee member.
'We knew then that there was going to be a political handover and the
new prime minister could call for an early election,' he said.
While he is now expecting it to be called after the presidential polls
next September, the NSP is not taking any chances. It has been holding
almost monthly tea receptions to reach out to potential members and
stepped up constituency visits to once a week recently.
Mr Chia said the areas targeted are those which were contested by the
Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) - a grouping of opposition parties
which includes NSP - in the 2001 polls.
These are: Chua Chu Kang, Bukit Timah, Jalan Besar GRC and Tampines GRC.
But he lamented that it has been difficult to sustain the pace of
visits due to a lack of resources and manpower.
The leader of SDA and veteran Potong Pasir MP Chiam See Tong said that
likely changes in electoral boundaries made planning difficult.
Still, his Singapore People's Party announced on its recently revamped
website that it was looking for new candidates and volunteers.
As for Mr Chiam himself, the 69-year-old said he is not retiring and
is focused on retaining Potong Pasir, which he has held since 1984.
A third member of the four-member SDA, the Singapore Malay National
Organisation (PKMS), has been a lot quieter, with the party content to
wait for directions from Mr Chiam, said party president Borhan Ariffin.
Over at the Workers' Party (WP), members have been pounding the
streets, almost on a weekly basis.
According to the information posted on its website, it has conducted
close to 100 visits, covering 17 constituencies ranging from its
Hougang stronghold, helmed by its chief and MP Low Thia Khiang, to
wards led by heavyweight ministers.
These include Ang Mo Kio GRC, which is headed by Prime Minister Lee
Hsien Loong, and Sembawang GRC, led by Deputy Prime Minister Tony Tan.
Aljunied seems to be a target Group Representation Constituency (GRC)
for the WP.
It has made 17 visits there so far, 11 of which were to areas in
Hougang, which fall within the GRC's boundaries.
As the GRC surrounds Mr Low's Hougang ward, the aim is to make
campaigning easier for the party should there be electoral boundary
changes before the next polls.
Next on the WP's target list: Jalan Besar GRC, which it has visited 16
times, 10 of which have been in the Geylang Bahru area.
But party executive council member Yaw Shin Leong would not confirm if
such activities, started soon after the 2001 polls, have escalated
recently. He was equally coy about the nature of these visits.
Instead, he referred The Straits Times to its website, which has a
notice for volunteers to help out in ground campaigns in the east
which it plans to ramp up.
The website also shows pictures of WP members - including top
office-bearers like Mr Low and chairman Sylvia Lim - out and about on
various activities, including door-to-door visits, market and food
centre tours, and selling or distributing party flyers and newsletters.
Unlike the WP, some opposition parties, such as the Singapore
Democratic Party (SDP), have not revved up their election engines.
Assistant secretary-general Wong Hong Toy said that the party has not
called a central executive committee meeting since party chief Chee
Soon Juan returned in mid- September after months abroad.
Said Mr Wong: 'Nothing has been discussed. So far, party activities on
the ground have been on an ad-hoc basis.'
But he insisted that the SDP is prepared if elections are called early.
Copyright ?2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.
Privacy Statement & Condition of Access. -
Oct 21, 2004
Getting ready to do battle at the ballot box
MEMBERS of Parliament who are cranking up their election machinery say
it is that time in the electoral cycle to start doing so.
Mr Ang Mong Seng of Hong Kah GRC, who has fought two elections, said
he activates his branch election committee every third year after the
polls.
At his branch, that means going through files on what happened during
the last election and working out how to do certain things better.
'I will not wait until an election is called before we get ready,' he
said.
Other MPs, like Holland-Bukit Panjang GRC's Dr Teo Ho Pin, have
brought new people in to help them. As his constituency boundaries
changed after the 2001 election, some of his activists moved to
neighbouring branches.
A quarter of his 40-strong election committee is new, he said.
He held a meeting recently at which he parcelled out duties and
appointed a new group to take care of logistics.
Cranking things up at the branch level also means checking that
equipment like fax lines and photocopiers are in working order.
But some older MPs are reluctant to kick-start the process too early.
Among them is Minister of State for Education Chan Soo Sen.
Recalling the many false alarms in the lead-up to the last election,
Mr Chan said he has honed his own way of gauging how quickly he can
mobilise his team.
If on National Day more than 200 of his Joo Chiat branch activists
show up for a flag-raising ceremony and breakfast, he knows he is in
good shape.
He gets them to wear party whites to the event.
'That way if an election is called, I can be sure they have uniforms
that fit,' he quipped.
Copyright ?2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.
Privacy Statement & Condition of Access. -
Is the poll going to be held anytime before June '05?
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Dear Iveco,
My guess is that with the impact of the high oil prices, they would probably want to avoid the inevitable econoimc down turn next year and the year after.
There are alot of uncertainties right now and they will want to avoid uncertainties. That's their proven pattern of behaviours.
Goh Meng SengOriginally posted by iveco:Is the poll going to be held anytime before June '05? -
Follow the date when PAP government gives away money in the form of New Singapore Shares. Election date should be around that time.
Singaporeans should be wiser, from past experiences, and remember whatever cheap freebies PAP throws at us - they will take back twice the amount later on. -
nah, we wud prob see more Hello-kitty scramble.Originally posted by miong:Follow the date when PAP government gives away money in the form of New Singapore Shares. Election date should be around that time.
Singaporeans should be wiser, from past experiences, and remember whatever cheap freebies PAP throws at us - they will take back twice the amount later on. -
Thing is..the situation extrenally is so bad that their method of downturn and upturn will not work anymore.
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Goh Meng Seng going to contest is it ?
Trying so hard to get attention here. So pathetic.
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I think it is better than some people who will just hide under other people's skirt?Originally posted by sgsentinel:Goh Meng Seng going to contest is it ?
Trying so hard to get attention here. So pathetic. 
Goh Meng Seng -
someone is hiding in Hong Kong
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Who? Don't tell me it's CSJ?Originally posted by sgsentinel:someone is hiding in Hong Kong -
Hi Mr Goh,
I'm a supporter of yours. you represent the good lot from opposition party.
i would like to make a guess.
The next election will definitely be Y2005.
it will be after Chinese new year but before June05.
My guess will be March 05 to May05.
i hope some opposition come to HongKah to contest again. i hope opposition sent in a strong team to contest. This is because our GRC team leader dont intervene the rise of transportation cost citing rising oil prices but the financial result of this company show they are making record profit.
Get ready before June05.
Cheers!!!
carry yourself well, i bet opposition will score well. -
hi sgsentinel. So long never see u, glad u still aliveOriginally posted by sgsentinel:someone is hiding in Hong Kong 
u haven't reply to me whether u r a PAPist or not leh.
I have asked this question on a few thread liao le
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Dear Reyes,
Thank you for your support.
At the present moment, WP does not have the resources to contest more GRCs, as much as we would like to. I will keep Hongkah in mind.
As for the date of next election, I think it would be earlier than March. The persistent high oil prices have provided a certain element of uncertain for Singapore's economy outlook for the next two years. By the look of it, if Labour Party of England chose to bring forward their GE from Dec 2005 to Feb 2005, I think most probably PAP will do the same. My bet is that our GE will happen in 08 Jan as sources have indicated that the Elections Department has started breifing various civil servants on electoral procedures and such.
Goh Meng SengOriginally posted by reyes:
Hi Mr Goh,
I'm a supporter of yours. you represent the good lot from opposition party.
i would like to make a guess.
The next election will definitely be Y2005.
it will be after Chinese new year but before June05.
[b]My guess will be March 05 to May05.
i hope some opposition come to HongKah to contest again. i hope opposition sent in a strong team to contest. This is because our GRC team leader dont intervene the rise of transportation cost citing rising oil prices but the financial result of this company show they are making record profit.
Get ready before June05.
Cheers!!!
carry yourself well, i bet opposition will score well.
[/b] -
only 3 person know when the next election. One is Me, one is PM lee and one is the my spy who sneak around PM lee, collecting information. haha kidding.
some of my dead gang friend who work in xxxx told me as early as march/04.
Jan is around CNY, no one bother listen to PAP speech ppl busy about preparation of new year. so right after CNY is the time.
What is the odds?i like to bet on march/05. -
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No matter when election is held Goh Meng Seng will never win because he give out too much gas. Dr Chee will do better than him.
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Goh MS (& Chia TL) sounds more credible than Chee & his cadres. THe latter group are in disrepute after their chief's legal troubles. At least the WP has shaped up after Jeya's departure.Originally posted by sgsentinel:No matter when election is held Goh Meng Seng will never win because he give out too much gas. Dr Chee will do better than him. -
Only fake opposition can survive.Originally posted by iveco:Goh MS (& Chia TL) sounds more credible than Chee & his cadres. THe latter group are in disrepute after their chief's legal troubles. At least the WP has shaped up after Jeya's departure.
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Chee is finished if he continues his way... Only bothered by KPKB on 'chim' issues than bothering abt daily life issuesOriginally posted by iveco:Goh MS (& Chia TL) sounds more credible than Chee & his cadres. THe latter group are in disrepute after their chief's legal troubles. At least the WP has shaped up after Jeya's departure.
WP is still very small... Let's be frank, if the ruling party can deliver, I dun see the need to change govt and then change everything like economic polices, later investors moves out -
Dear sbst275,
We are not even talking about "changing govt" here!
We are talking about more balance of power. We are talking about putting more checks on the enormous monopoly of power PAP has!
Goh Meng SengOriginally posted by sbst275:Chee is finished if he continues his way... Only bothered by KPKB on 'chim' issues than bothering abt daily life issues
WP is still very small... Let's be frank, if the ruling party can deliver, I dun see the need to change govt and then change everything like economic polices, later investors moves out -
If this is the case, actually we shld follow Swiss if that's case. Worst is that I dun trust the oppopsition here, 1 is a 'lier'Originally posted by goh meng seng:Dear sbst275,
We are not even talking about "changing govt" here!
We are talking about more balance of power. We are talking about putting more checks on the enormous monopoly of power PAP has!
Goh Meng Seng -
You are going to keep things in check by gassing everyone in the parliament ?Originally posted by goh meng seng:Dear sbst275,
We are not even talking about "changing govt" here!
We are talking about more balance of power. We are talking about putting more checks on the enormous monopoly of power PAP has!
Goh Meng Seng -
Sbst275Originally posted by sbst275:Chee is finished if he continues his way... Only bothered by KPKB on 'chim' issues than bothering abt daily life issues
WP is still very small... Let's be frank, if the ruling party can deliver, I dun see the need to change govt and then change everything like economic polices, later investors moves out
Do you know what it takes to change the government?
Or should i say what does it take to change the cabinet?
changing a cabinet is something that will not happen until you hold parliamentary majority either as a party or as a coalition of parties.
Voting for an opposition and the opposition lets say wins 3 GRCs coming up to 18 seats. You won't change the cabinet, its roughly gonna remain the same with the exception of those who lost their seats. The cabinet will still very much remain in the PAP's control.
having an opposition MP >< change of government.
voting in your SMC/GRC in a situation where enough walkoevers for PAP to form government is not about a choice of govt. Its a choice whether or not to send an alternative voice into parliament.
when you vote, you choose your voice (your MP) not necessarily the Govt. that's why you have electoral boundaries in the first place.
These are basic prinicples on how our electoral and political processes work.
Voters should understand these before they make their choices.
If only changing this cabinet is as easy as those you get from IKEA, buy new and chuck old. It's not so easy like the PAP would have you to believe. -
OK... If your want to check the powers of the cabinet nia, I suggest that everyone write to ST Forums KPKB abt any poor svs they see... So they can reexamineOriginally posted by Chia Ti Lik:Sbst275
Do you know what it takes to change the government?
Or should i say what does it take to change the cabinet?
changing a cabinet is something that will not happen until you hold parliamentary majority either as a party or as a coalition of parties.
Voting for an opposition and the opposition lets say wins 3 GRCs coming up to 18 seats. You won't change the cabinet, its roughly gonna remain the same with the exception of those who lost their seats. The cabinet will still very much remain in the PAP's control.
having an opposition MP >< change of government.
voting in your SMC/GRC in a situation where enough walkoevers for PAP to form government is not about a choice of govt. Its a choice whether or not to send an alternative voice into parliament.
when you vote, you choose your voice (your MP) not necessarily the Govt. that's why you have electoral boundaries in the first place.
These are basic prinicples on how our electoral and political processes work.
Voters should understand these before they make their choices.
If only changing this cabinet is as easy as those you get from IKEA, buy new and chuck old. It's not so easy like the PAP would have you to believe.