Channel NewsAsia: Workers' Party's slate of candidates better than in previous polls: Low Thia Khiang

SINGAPORE VOTES 2006

By Farah Abdul Rahim


Low Thia Khiang

The Workers' Party has introduced its first three candidates ahead of the May 6th General Election.

The opposition party plans to contest 20 out of the 84 seats in parliament, and Secretary-General Low Thia Khiang says the party's slate of candidates is the "most qualified" since the 1988 polls.

Dressed in their trademark blue tops, the Workers' Party introduced on Friday their first batch of new faces - Sylvia Lim, a polytechnic lecturer, Eric Tan, a banker, and Yaw Shin Leong, an IT consultant.

The criteria for their selection are credibility, capability, character, passion and public-spiritedness.

The Workers' Party's Secretary-General also revealed that the party had the luxury of turning away potential candidates.

This time, it is fielding 20 candidates, 10 times more than in the previous election.

Despite fielding more candidates, the opposition party, which has just launched its election website, is realistic about its chances.

Mr Low said: "Politics is a process for the long haul, not for instant success especially in opposition and I told potential candidates frankly, if you think you will be elected this election, then frankly better join the PAP...but if you want to join WP, prepare to lose."

Nevertheless, Mr Low says how the opposition fares at this election may well determine if the opposition has a role in Singapore.

Across the board, the opposition has said it may contest as many as 57 of the 84 seats, which means that the ruling People's Action Party may not be returned to power on Nomination Day for the first time since 1988. - CNA/ch

TODAY: Postpone NKF court case: WP's Low

General Election 2006

OPPOSITION MP Low Thia Khiang hopes the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) court
case will be postponed until after the election.

This will allow for a good debate on the issue, without stepping afoul of the law, the Workers' Party chief told reporters after his meet-the-people session on Wednesday night. The NKF saga was one issue that Opposition parties were hoping to raise at the hustings, but plans were dropped after former top executives at the charity were charged this week.

It is against the law to publicly comment on a case that is being considered in court.

"I would urge the Government to consider withdrawing the case for the time being until after the elections," he said adding that otherwise it would prevent the Opposition from making it an issue.

"Even Khaw Boon Wan has said that perhaps it is good to debate it, so as to have a better insight. So, is it fair that now the people want to debate and you sue someone ... so you can't debate? I think it doesn't look good on the Government."

On the PAP manifesto, Mr Low said it's mainly geared to the elections. "At the last election, they also came up with a beautiful manifesto. But they did not tell us that they are going to increase GST. What have they not told us in this election manifesto? I don’t know." - 938LIVE

Channel NewsAsia: Workers' Party introduces first 3 candidates for upcoming GE

SINGAPORE VOTES 2006

By Farah Abdul Rahim


Yaw Shin Leong, Sylvia Lim, Eric Tan

The Workers' Party has begun the official introduction of its candidates for the 2006 General Election.

All three opposition candidates presented at a news conference on Friday are taking part in their first electoral battle.

30-year-old Yaw Shin Leong is an e-business consultant and corporate trainer.

The former student activist, who is married, also sits on the Executive Committee of the party's Youth Wing.

Before joining the Workers' Party, he had helped out at various grassroots activities in Potong Pasir, and was also involved in the civil group, The Think Centre.

He majored in political science and sociology at the National University of Singapore, and has a Master of Business Administration from the University of Western Sydney.

Described as an idealist by his party's secretary-general, Mr Yaw has been working the ground in Ang Mo Kio Group Representation Constituency.

He said: "I represent a younger cohort of Singaporeans, the so-called, the post-65ers, post-independence cohort, I guess, for fellow peers like myself."

Party Chairman Sylvia Lim was the second candidate presented.

The 41-year-old, who is single, lectures at Temasek Polytechnic and is also the Manager of Continuing Education and Training at its Business School.

She was a police inspector and practising lawyer before joining the polytechnic.

Ms Lim graduated with a law degree from the National University of Singapore and has a Master of Law from the University of London.

Meeting the media, Ms Lim, who is expected to be part of the Opposition team contesting the Aljunied group constituency, spoke about how she expects her party to fare and the need for opposition MPs.

She said: "If there are opposition MPs in Parliament, we can vote against policies we don't agree with and that will put pressure on the PAP government to refine their policies."

The third candidate, 50-year-old Eric Tan, is the general manager in charge of client services at RBC Dexia Investor Services Global, a joint venture of the Royal Bank of Canada.

Before joining the Canadian bank, he was with the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation for 12 years serving in various positions.

Mr Tan is married with three children.

He is an electrical engineering graduate from the National University of Singapore and has a Master in Business Administration from the University of Michigan.

Mr Tan, who became a member of The Workers' Party two years ago, may be fielded in the East Coast GRC.

He revealed that it took him about eight years to decide to join the opposition party.

Mr Tan said: "The mother of all fears is to join the opposition and when we join the opposition and sort of tell the people, send a signal to the people that it's okay to be different."

The Workers' Party is expected to introduce more candidates over the next few days. - CNA/ch

Straits Times: Workers' Party, SDA to roll out candidates over next few days

PEH SHING HUEI

NO COMPLAINTS about a rushed election. No real sign of activity. No sweat.

Unlike in the past, the opposition camp reacted coolly to the announcement of key election dates yesterday, reflecting a higher state of readiness than it has ever had, despite entering the polls in larger numbers.

And in a break from the opposition's tradition of announcing candidates only on Nomination Day, the two biggest parties have said they will do so in the next couple of days.

Workers' Party (WP) secretary-general Low Thia Khiang told The Straits Times that his party's slate of candidates, numbering about 20, will be introduced from today.

The Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) said its 20 candidates will be made known at a press conference tomorrow.

The opposition camp is gunning for an expected total of 47 seats, which will deny the People's Action Party a parliamentary majority on Nomination Day next Thursday. Back in 2001, only 29 seats were contested.

Opposition politicians appear to appreciate the longer lead time they have had to prepare for this GE. In 2001, only a day separated the release of the Electoral Boundaries Report and the announcement of the election. This time, almost 50 days have passed since the boundaries report was made public on March 3.

Mr Low, who will be defending his Hougang seat, described the longer breathing space as "an improvement".

Mr Steve Chia, who will be contesting under the SDA banner, said the Government has been "a lot fairer" to the opposition this time.

With the exception of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), none of the other opposition parties held meetings last night.

It appears that the wards have been carved out, with no three-cornered fights expected. The exception is the single-seat constituency of Nee Soon Central, now coveted by both the WP and SDP.

The two parties have up till Thursday to iron out their differences if they want to stick to their plan to avoid three-cornered fights.