Opposition candidate for Aljunied GRC James Gomez quits Workers' Party
SINGAPORE: An opposition candidate, who caused a stir with his application forms at the Election Department during the last General Election in 2006, has quit the Workers' Party (WP).
James Gomez, who stood on the WP ticket in the Aljunied GRC team,
announced on Tuesday his decision not to renew his Workers' Party
membership, which lapsed on December 31 last year.
He was speaking at a Speakers' Corner event in memory of the late opposition figure JB Jeyaretnam.
Mr Gomez was in the spotlight during the previous general election
when he claimed he had submitted his form for the minority certificate
to the Elections Department.
Investigations and CCTV footage later showed he had not done so. Mr
Gomez was then taken to task by leaders of the ruling People's Action
Party (PAP).
Among them was First Assistant Secretary General and Deputy Prime
Minister Wong Kan Seng who, during the 2006 hustings, warned the
electorate that Mr Gomez had attempted to create the impression that
the Elections Department was at fault.
As Polling Day neared, Mr Gomez admitted he did not file the application, contrary to his earlier claims.
The WP's Secretary General Low Thia Khiang said the incident was
merely an unintentional omission and a mistake made as Mr Gomez was
busy. Mr Low declared that Mr Gomez was "not trying to be funny", and
did not do it on purpose.
The Workers' Party team lost narrowly to the PAP team at the Aljunied GRC polls in 2006.
- CNA/yb