TODAY: Distribute government funds fairly: Low
General Election 2006
Carrot-and-stick politics not reflective of international standards, says WP chief
TOR CHING LI
chingli@newstoday.com.sg
RETURNING the criticism levelled at Singapore's Opposition over the weekend, Workers' Party (WP) chief Low Thia Khiang charged yesterday the People's Action Party (PAP) is also not a First World government.
The ruling party, he said, ought to benchmark itself against "international matured democracies".
Mr Low, who was speaking at the party's fourth press conference to introduce its candidates for the coming elections, was responding to Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew's comment on Saturday that Singapore lacked a First World opposition.
"I believe he has forgotten the PAP is not a First World government as well," he said.
Denouncing the tactics of the People's Action Party as "carrot-and-stick", he said such "short sighted" politics are not the hallmarks of a First World government.
"What kind of nation are we becoming ... what kind of life do you want to lead? Not one where if (you) don't vote for the PAP (you) will have no upgrading, of if (you) don't vote for the PAP (you) may lose something," he said.
Any responsible government should apply the government funds equally and fairly to everyone, instead of holding the people ransom to their votes, he added.
He described the current state of politics in Singapore as "weird".
"The election is supposed to be for macro issues, where you decide the future of the nation. You are deciding the future of the nation. Instead, we are talking local politics whether you get something or not."
He added: "Politics here is no longer about your credibility as a candidate but depends on who is backing you. This value seems all wrong to me. Is this the sort of value that we want to carry on to the next generation of Singaporeans?"
He also criticised again the Group Representation Constituency (GRC) system, which WP had said in its manifesto should be abolished. "The GRC system is developed to block Singapore from becoming a First World country in terms of politics, from having First World politicians," he said.
He also challenged the PAP to engage the WP in a televised forum if they were worried certain issues may not be sufficiently debated. "The option is open to them," he said.
ERNEST CHUA
IN THE FRAY (From left): Mr Abdul Salim, Mr Lian Chin Way, Mr Melvin Tan and Mr Brandon Siow were the four new Workers' Party candidates rolled out yesterday for next month's general elections.
IN POLITICS FOR THE "LONG HAUL"
THOUGH his maternal grandparents hail from France and England, 30-year-old Brandon Siow sees himself as a true blue Singaporean.
A key account manager in Singapore Airlines Cargo, the National University of Singapore political science graduate has been an activist since his varsity days, when he helmed the student union.
"I knew some people from the Workers' Party (WP) from school and joined their forums and walkabouts before being inducted into the party," said Mr Siow, who lives in a maisonette in Clementi with his wife of three years.
Mr Siow decided to join the WP because he believes having a choice is important in shaping Singapore's future.
As for his youth, Mr Siow said: "Though I'm young, I don't think age will be an issue as we will be functioning as a team in a Group Representation Constituency. Also, it does not mean that our focus will solely be those of the young." He stressed that he and his younger comrades are going to be in politics for the "long-haul" - or the next five to 10 years, at least. - TOR CHING LI
THE WP BLOOD RUNS THROUGH
HIS is one family where the Workers' Party (WP) features prominently in their genes - three generations' worth, in fact.
Sales executive Melvin Tan, 31, first met his wife, administrative officer Ng Swee Bee, 25, when they were both involved in the party's now-defunct Youth Action Committee three years ago. His wife's parents and her late grandfather were WP supporters too, said Mr Tan, revealing the family had lived in Hougang under party secretary-general Low Thia Khiang for the past 15 years.
To which Mr Low turned and said, tongue-in-cheek, to Mr Tan: "When you have children, I expect them to support Workers' Party too!"
On a more serious note, Mr Tan, who observed after the last elections in 2001 that the system was "not conducive" for the Opposition to progress, decided to answer the WP's call for more willing parties to step forward and serve.
Now a member of its central executive committee and secretary of its youth wing, he said a wish of his is to see the party make history at the polls next month by winning a Group Representation Constituency. - LEE U-WEN
PLAYING A PART, NO MATTER HOW SMALL
FED UP with the social stigma attached to joining an Opposition party, business manager Lian Chin Way wants to play a part, no matter how small, in eradicating it.
The 36-year-old, however, remained realistic and said it would "take a long time" before any tangible results could be seen.
"This culture has been cultivated over a long period of time, and it's not something that can change overnight. The biggest problem faced by the Opposition is attracting enough people to come forward and serve in any capacity," he said.
Mr Lian, a father of a two-year-old son, first joined the Workers' Party seven months ago. Widely speculated to be part of the five-person team that will contest Aljunied Group Representative Constituency, Mr Lian said if he was eventually elected, he would not hesitate to quit his day job because of the "rare opportunity" to be a Member of Parliament."Chances like these won't come by so easily. Doing the best job for Singaporeans would benefit the Opposition as a whole for future elections." - LEE U-WEN
HE'S THE YOUNGEST CANDIDATE
HE'S the youngest candidate introduced by any political party so far, but 24-year-old Abdul Salim bin Harun does not think that his age will handicap him.
"Age is not important. The main thing is to have commitment, passion and dedication to serve people from the bottom of your heart," said the Wing Tai Holdings sales coordinator, who plans to represent the youth of Singapore.
Having been disillusioned with the way the casino issue was handled, Mr Abdul Salim said he wished Singaporeans could have voted for or against it, rather than the Government making the final decision.
"(Voting) would show that every one of us had a stake in the future of Singapore. And from the religious point of view, as a Muslim, I'm against having casinos," he said.
Having volunteered to join the Workers' Party last year to help empower citizens, Mr Salim is now a member of the party's North-East area committee as well as the youth wing. Also on his agenda is to study ways to bring down the divorce rates for those in the Malay-Muslim community, which have traditionally been on the high side. - LEE U-WEN
