Weekend TODAY: WP candidates, including Gomez, are clean: Low

GE2006

LEE CHING WERN
chingwern@newstoday.com.sg


OOI BOON KEONG
Mr Low and Mr Gomez at a recent rally.

WORKERS' Party chief Low Thia Khiang said that it was under his instructions that his embattled candidate, Mr James Gomez had applied for the minority certificate.

Apart from accusing Mr Gomez of trying to "fix" the Elections Department by claiming that his certificate had gone missing, the People's Action Party has asked why he needed to apply for one if the plan was to field him in Aljunied GRC. The constituency requires only a Malay candidate to be fielded on a slate, not an Indian one.

"I had asked all WP's minority candidates to apply for one, in case of strategy issues," said Mr Low. "This is the reason why James went to apply for the cert. As this episode caused much distress to the Elections Department unwittingly, I asked James to apologise and this, he did."

Mr Gomez did not submit his form but initially accused the Elections Department of misplacing it.

He then said that he did not submit the form because he had been distracted by his busy schedule in the run-up to Nomination Day.

In his final rally before the polls, Mr Low asserted that he had "spoken at length with James and found no evidence to prove that he is dishonest in this context".

Hitting out at Foreign Affairs Minister George Yeo for comparing Mr Gomez to a thief stealing at a supermarket, Mr Low said: "It is unfair for George to use the analogy of a thief on James. What has James stolen from the Elections Department?"

He went on to criticise the PAP for making personal attacks on WP candidates.

"Right from the onset of the campaign, I have instructed all our candidates not to make any personal attacks or baseless allegations against the PAP. I believe we must have a more civilised political culture and political engagement must be based on facts and debate and not namecalling," he said.

The past nine days of campaigning has reinforced his confidence in his candidates, said Mr Low.

"The PAP is unable to dig up any skeletons on our WP candidates. Why? Because there are none. They are clean," he said. - ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY LIN YANQIN

Weekend TODAY: Not a one-man team

GE2006

Low says WP seeing renewal and campaign was good

VAL CHUA
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
val@newstoday.com.sg


WEE TECK HIAN
Mr Low Thia Khiang leading the Worker's Party members saying the Singapore Pledge at the end of the rally.

FOR so long, Workers' Party (WP) has been associated with a lone voice in Parliament - that of party chief Low Thia Khiang.

Yesterday, the veteran politician said that his party was on the cusp of a renewal, with more capable candidates ready to take over the baton.

"I'm 50 this year, I've gone through a long journey in politics. How many more years do I have to contest?" he told a large crowd at the Serangoon Stadium on Friday.

Admitting his own shortcomings, Mr Low, who is Chinese-educated, said: "I don't mind telling you this, I got F9 in English for my O and A levels."

But his Aljunied team, which is helmed by law lecturer Sylvia Lim, is a "mature and strong" team, filled with passionate and public-spirited candidates who are at the peak of their careers, he said.

"I strongly believe that if you vote this Aljunied team into Parliament, they will perform better than me," he said.

He again warned that no party - no matter how strong - was infallible and that what Singapore needs is an effective Opposition to counter the Government.

"The only way to make the Government account to you is through the elections. What the PAP is most afraid of is your vote," he said.

Earlier in the day, the Aljunied WP team did its last walkabout at Kovan market to garner support. The team, led by Mr Low, walked around the estate to shake hands and chat with residents, holding a press conference outside a fast-food chain. It was reflective of the no-fuss approach of WP, which is gunning for three GRCs and four Single-Member Constituencies, its largest candidacy since 1988.

Unfortunately, the party still has to deal with the James Gomez incident, which has nearly dominated the hustings this time around. Although the saga may be re-opened after the election, Mr Low's stand on the issue remains unchanged.

"I never avoided the issue. We have already apologised for the stress caused to the elections department. Do they have anything new to show? Any more convincing evidence?" he asked.

Through the campaign, WP also fired back with some shots on its own - urging the PAP to clarify the criteria for means testing for C-class hospital wards.

WP also brought up the use of lift upgrading to entice voters, which it termed as "pork-barrel politics".

Describing the overall impact of WP's campaign as "very good", Mr Low is dismissive of the effects of the Gomez incident and the $100 million upgrading carrot that the PAP has offered to Hougang voters.

"I don't think there is an impact. I believe that Singaporeans are intelligent enough and sophisticated enough to be able to judge themselves," he said on Friday.

Indeed, with the frenzied campaigning period over, Mr Low just wants voters to remember his party's slogan: "You have a Choice."

"If there is no support for WP in these elections, it could derail our renewal process and we may not be able to provide you with such a strong choice at the next elections," said the veteran politician on Friday night.

"Before you go to the polling stand, reflect on what kind of Singapore you want. Workers' Party is pro-Singapore and we work for the interest of Singapore, above the interests of the party," he said. - ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY LIN YANQIN

Channel NewsAsia: WP's Low Thia Khiang calls for review of ministers' salaries

SINGAPORE VOTES 2006


Low Thia Khiang

SINGAPORE : Workers' Party Secretary-General Low Thia Khiang has called for a review of ministers' salaries.

Speaking at a WP rally in Ang Mo Kio GRC on Thursday, Mr Low said if Singaporeans pay their ministers high salaries, they should expect better results from them.

He suggested that ministers' salaries be pegged to the income of the lowest 20 percent of Singaporean households with a multiplier effect.

Mr Low said this would give the ministers more incentives to raise the average income of the poor.

He said this would also remind the ministers of their responsibilities to workers and make them strongly committed to raising their standards of living. - CNA/de

Channel NewsAsia: WP questions timing of PAP's upgrading plans in East Coast GRC

SINGAPORE VOTES 2006

By Farah Abdul Rahim

SINGAPORE : The Workers' Party on Thursday questioned Deputy Prime Minister S. Jayakumar's comment that 97 percent of East Coast Group Representation Constituency (GRC) had been upgraded.

Professor Jayakumar, who is heading the People's Action Party (PAP) team there, had said this on Wednesday in response to WP's earlier remarks in the day that the PAP had neglected East Coast Group GRC over the years.

On Thursday, while on a walkabout in the GRC, the WP also questioned PAP's claim that there had been an upgrading project almost every year for the past 13 years.

The WP team said residents had also told them they were being asked to consider lift upgrading in some areas in Bedok and Fengshan.

The team questioned the timing of the upgrading.

Perry Tong, WP Candidate, East Coast GRC, said, "My question would be why is upgrading only offered now during election period? Does it mean that only if they are returned to power, lifts will be upgraded? If not, how long will residents have to wait for? The PAP has been here for 15-18 years, it's been a walkover, I think, and they had all this time to do all the upgrading.

"My query now is the 97 percent claim by Professor Jayakumar. Does it include the new intended upgrading facilities, over and above that, many blocks have been 'so called' removed from electoral boundaries of East Coast GRC, including a good 40 blocks in Kaki Bukit, which have also not had upgrading. If we were to throw this in under original East Coast GRC, I am not so sure Professor Jayakumar can lay claim to the 97 percent." - CNA/ms

Straits Times: Bad eggs in Workers' Party? It's for voters to decide: Sylvia

ELECTION 06

WP chairman reiterates that there is no question of dropping Gomez from Aljunied GRC

BY PEH SHING HUEI, KEN KWEK

THE Workers' Party (WP) yesterday dismissed charges that there were "bad eggs" in the party, with chairman Sylvia Lim saying it was for voters to

decide if its leaders and candidates were people of integrity - not the People's Action Party (PAP).

Responding to sharp criticism from Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew and Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng over the James Gomez issue, she said the

party remained focused on the election and was proceeding with the hustings with a clear conscience.

Maintaining the position that the WP has taken since the issue first emerged, she said Singaporeans would be able to decide if the incident

involving Mr Gomez's application for a minority certificate 'is actually as important as the PAP makes it out to be'.

Mr Gomez himself refused to comment on being called a liar by both Mr Lee and Mr Wong.

Speaking after a walkabout at a hawker centre in Bedok Reservoir in Aljunied GRC, Ms Lim reiterated that there was no question of dropping Mr

Gomez from the five-member team contesting there. He had apologised for his mistake, she said.

"He thought he had submitted the form but it turns out that he hadn't. And as far as the party is concerned, we have not made any public

allegations against the Elections Department or anything of that nature. It is actually the PAP that is drumming this up."

Mr Gomez claimed on April 26 he submitted his minority form to the department two days earlier, but had not received any confirmation.

He asked the department to check and said there were "implications". But a security camera recording showed he had not handed in his form and had

instead put it in his briefcase.

At separate PAP rallies on Tuesday night, Mr Lee and Mr Wong accused Mr Gomez of being a "liar" who was out to set up the Elections Department

and smear the Government's reputation.

Mr Lee also criticised the leadership of WP secretary-general Low Thia Khiang and Ms Lim, questioning their integrity and honesty. He was

disappointed with them for "shielding" Mr Gomez despite his actions.

On the PAP questioning the character of the WP leadership, Ms Lim said with a laugh that it was "quite normal for the PAP to do this".

"I think we have to disappoint MM Lee...I mean it is up to the voters to decide whether they think we are people of integrity or not. As far as

we are concerned, our consciences are clear."

As for Mr Gomez being a "bad egg", she added: "MM can say what he wants. As far as the party is concerned, all of us are making a very important

contribution towards getting this election going for the people. And I would say that there are no bad eggs, it's just the WP as one entity."

Prior to Mr Lee and Mr Wong's remarks on Tuesday, Mr Inderjit Singh, a candidate on the PAP team contesting Ang Mo Kio GRC, also released a

statement questioning Mr Gomez's character.

Mr Singh said Mr Gomez told him his application was a "wayang" (theatre in Malay), meant to mislead the media into thinking he was standing in

Ang Mo Kio GRC, which would need an Indian to be the minority candidate.

Ms Lim said she was surprised by Mr Singh's statement.

"We're surprised that Inderjit came out to say these things. It just shows that whatever transpired, you can't really have casual conversation

with the PAP."

Mr Gomez declined to comment on being called a liar by Mr Lee and Mr Wong.

As for Mr Singh's statement and whether he did say the episode at the Elections Department was a "wayang", he said: "I don't want to say anything

about it any more. I just want to repeat: I want to remain calm and focused.

"There are three more days of active campaigning and rallies. I feel very obliged to hit the street and get on with the campaign."

Yesterday, Ms Lim offered two reasons why she believed the PAP has been hammering away at the Elections Department incident.

One was that it hoped that WP leaders would be dragged down by the incident. But the party was "not going to fall into their trap".

The other was that the PAP was trying to distract voters because of their "lack of a track record in the last five years and (from) the fact that

Singaporeans' lives have not really improved since the last election".

"So Singaporeans should be aware of this and hold the PAP to account on their track record, which is what the election should be about."

kenkwek@sph.com.sg

Channel NewsAsia: Workers' Party unfazed by James Gomez incident

SINGAPORE VOTES 2006

By Augustine Anthuvan



SINGAPORE : The Secretary-General of the Workers' Party has said he does not feel anything significant or negative towards the WP over the James Gomez incident.

Mr Low Thia Khiang was asked during a WP walkabout in Nee Soon East if the incident has hurt the image of the opposition party - which has made accountability a key campaign platform.

Mr Low is a WP candidate for Hougang.

Mr Low says: "I don't feel anything significant or negative towards the Workers' Party over the incident. I think people do understand and people do.

"Singaporeans are intelligent enough, sophisticated enough to look at the thing. I mean the footage, the apologies, my explanation and decide for themselves." - CNA/de

Sunday Times: PAP's upgrading strategy divisive: WP

ELECTION '06
PARTY POLITICAL BROADCASTS


WORKERS' PARTY CHAIRMAN SYLVIA LIM

Dear Fellow Singaporeans,

The Workers' Party has fielded 15 new candidates for this election.

Sunday Times: 'Give me chance to run town council'

ELECTION '06


NEE SOON EAST CANDIDATE Dr Poh appeals to the rally crowd to give him a chance, promising to speak up for residents if he wins.
PHOTO: EDWIN KOO

WORKERS' Party candidate in Nee Soon East Poh Lee Guan said he was ready to run a town council and urged voters to give him a chance.

Sunday Times: Low Thia Khiang: It's an innocent mistake

ELECTION '06

AT A Workers' Party rally in Nee Soon East last night, party chief Low Thia Khiang accused the People's Action Party of making a "mountain out of a molehill" over his colleague James Gomez's missing form episode.

The Sunday Times interviewed him briefly after that:

Q Why has it taken your party so long to come out and talk about this issue?

A Because to us it is not really an issue. I suppose it is something administrative, and we want to move on from there.

Q Do you think it has affected your team's chances?

A I don't think so.

Q Did you investigate what happened?

A I've spoken to Gomez, of course, to understand what it is about, how it happened and I'm satisfied. He's not actually trying to be funny or doing it on purpose.

Q Second time it has happened to James Gomez?* (In Mandarin)

A Different issue altogether.

Q This honesty issue - how will you deal with it? (In Mandarin)

A It's not an honesty issue. This is something that happened during a busy period and it was an innocent mistake. It's not an issue about honesty.

*In 2001, Mr Gomez was in the WP's Aljunied GRC team that was disqualified as it did not complete its statutory declaration forms.

Sunday Times: WP chief Sylvia Lim defends Aljunied slate

ELECTION '06

Sue-Ann Chia

WORKERS' Party (WP) chairman Sylvia Lim last night responded to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's comparisons of the five WP candidates in Aljunied GRC