TODAY: Block upgrade debate

Opposition says it's taxpayers' money, PAP MPs say it's about the timing

TEO XUANWEI
xuanweit@newstoday.com.sg



EVEN as National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan has reaffirmed that the policy of upgrading the People's Action Party's (PAP) wards first will stay for now, discussion of the issue looks set to continue for some time yet.

Mr Mah said there are three criteria when selecting precincts for upgrading: How old the blocks were, where the blocks were - to ensure upgrading is not concentrated in a few constituencies - and support for the Government. But the Opposition feels it is unfair to place its wards at the back of the upgrading queue.

"It should not matter whether a PAP or an Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) is the incumbent," wrote Non-constituency MP Sylvia Lim in a letter to TODAY yesterday.

"Mr Mah's main argument was that the PAP Government had to be fair to those who had voted for the PAP on its promise to upgrade PAP wards. But the bigger question on voters' minds is a very simple one - whether such a promise is a legitimate use of taxpayers' monies or not," said Ms Lim, who is chairman of the Workers' Party.

"Everybody pays taxes whether they live in PAP or Opposition wards. There are no tax rebates for those living in Opposition wards."

Mr Mah earlier said such a policy was "not unreasonable" because the Government had pledged to provide all HDB blocks with lifts that stop on every floor by 2015. There are also blocks in PAP wards that are as old as those in the Opposition wards of Hougang and Potong Pasir that have not been upgraded as well.

South-west District Mayor Amy Khor agreed that prioritisation is inevitable because there are limited resources.

Moreover, lift upgrading "is not a right, but done by the Government out of goodwill", argued Dr Khor. She also agreed with Mr Mah that the surplus generated from the Government's policies generated the funds for the costly upgrading programmes.

"The principle is that we will do lift-upgrading for all eligible blocks, regardless of whether they are PAP or non-PAP wards. But it's just a question of timing. The Government has said that no one will be deprived of upgrading," she said.

MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol Charles Chong added that while governments have a responsibility to take care of basic necessities such as defence and education, lift upgrading is a "non-essential item".

He said: "It's a question of who goes first, you can't do it all together. The reality of the situation is that you take care of your supporters first.

"When I cast my vote, I'm casting for one programme over another, so there must be some differentiation. If not, after a while, people will say 'no matter how I vote, life goes on and nothing changes'."

For those who think it is unfair, they should see that the Government also has "many other policies that benefit everybody equally, regardless of whose ward they are staying in", said Dr Khor, who is also Parliamentary Secretary for Environment and Water Resources.

Examples are the Progress Package, Workfare bonus, and policies to help the low income.

But Ms Lim said that elections should be fought over "long-term national policies that affect Singaporeans' lives deeply", and not over "the selective use of public funds to ensure that the PAP stays in power".

Straits Times: Moving ahead, staying together...in the opposition

INSIGHT SATURDAY

Even though it did not win more seats, the opposition emerged stronger and more organised at the recent general election. One month after the polls, Sue-Ann Chia and Peh Shing Huei find that one party is moving ahead while the other camp is struggling to stay together.



EVERY Monday night, a handful of Workers' Party (WP) members and supporters gather at its Syed Alwi Road headquarters to meet the public.

Usually, few people stroll in and party faithfuls end up flipping through the day's newspapers or chatting with each other.

But that changed after May 6. A crowd of more than 50 showed up the Monday after the polls, leaving little standing room in the main hall.

There are now around 30 people each week.

"Singaporeans are showing huge interest in joining the party," says WP member Eric Tan, who was part of the East Coast GRC team.

Not all who show up want to become members. But at least 100 people have expressed interest and some are potential candidate material, say party members.

Others are curious to meet the WP's election candidates. The rest want to offer moral support.

The WP has a clear edge among the opposition parties, both in the public attention it is getting and Singaporeans' interest in joining the party.

The scene is much quieter over at the Singapore Democratic Alliance. The only rumblings are of discontent within the ranks.

Some members of the alliance, which is a grouping of four parties, want a change in leadership and structure. They want the member parties to merge into one party and not remain as an alliance of electoral expediency.

But alliance chairman Chiam See Tong is dead set against it, which means the idea is also practically dead on arrival.

An even worse fate could befall the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP). It could be wound up and cease to exist if the party fails to pay the damages for defaming Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew.

For now, the three opposition groups are headed down different paths that could well determine how they fare in the coming years and the next polls.

Workers' Party: Moving ahead

THE ruling party's phrase of choice post-polls used to be that it begins preparations for the next election the day after an election. Now that is being heard within the WP.

For starters, expect many new faces who contested the recent GE to make a claim for party leadership positions.

Party members say up to half of the 15 Central Executive Council (CEC) leaders may step down voluntarily at next month's party elections.

Equally significant is the fact that these elections are being brought forward by a year.

"I believe we have to quicken the pace of renewal," WP chief Low Thia Khiang tells Insight.

He is not content to let the renewal engine stay idle despite clinching the top spot among opposition parties with 38.4 per cent share of the votes and fielding 15 new faces at the polls.

Indeed, during the run-up, the secretary-general had declared that the WP's rejuvenation plans will "continue until I'm renewed".

He started the process when he took over the WP in 2001.

A new party chairman, the telegenic Ms Sylvia Lim, was elected soon after. By last year, five among the 15 CEC members were from the post-65 generation.

More changes are afoot.

Veterans leaving their CEC posts are likely to be Dr Tan Bin Seng, 54, who stood in Joo Chiat; second vice-chairman Abdul Rahim Abdul Rahman, 65, who contested in East Coast GRC; organising secretary Ng Ah Chwee, 56; and deputy treasurer Goh Seng Soon, 56.

Second assistant secretary-general James Gomez, 41, is also not expected to defend his post. He is working in a think-tank in Sweden and is unlikely to be able to return every month for party meetings and commitments, say sources.

In their places are likely to be the rookies who fought their maiden electoral battles last month. They include Mr Perry Tong, 34; Mr Yaw Shin Leong, 30; Mr Lian Chin Way, 36; Mr Eric Tan, 50; and Ms Glenda Han, 29.

Young faces already in the council, such as Mr Chia Ti Lik, 32, and Mr Goh Meng Seng, 36, are likely to remain.

Mr Low says that Ms Lim, 41, who is the new Non-Constituency MP, "should still be the chairman".

The possible new line-up raises several questions. What is the likely impact of younger people taking over the reins of WP? Will there be a shift in the issues that it focuses on?

With Mr Low and Ms Lim still in the driver's seat, substantive changes are unlikely.

The WP's public outreach programmes, where members go to public places and also door to door, will start soon.

The party is likely to continue its moderate line that an opposition must not oppose for the sake of opposing. As seen in the recent election, it will strive to continue as a rational and reasonable party.

Ms Lim said as much last week at a forum to post-mortem the general election, when she stressed that the WP intends to continue playing by the rules.

In short: pragmatic politics.

"We've found that getting embroiled in legal battles is not very productive," she said. "We'd like to survive in the middle to long haul."

Nonetheless, the WP is metamorphosing from its working class and Chinese-educated roots into a party of middle-class members as it continues to draw in young bilingual graduates.

This changing leadership profile affords it a broader appeal.

At the same time, it is unlikely to abandon its traditional emphasis on the poor and democratic reforms - as encapsulated in its manifesto - in the short term.

Unfortunately, its Achilles heel also remains: a poor crop of minority candidates.

Mr Low had acknowledged after the election that the party lost Aljunied GRC because it failed to secure enough votes from the Malay community.

He conceded that the minority candidate on WP's Aljunied team, Mr Mohammed Rahizan Yaacob, did not connect with voters as well as Mr Zainul Abidin Rasheed - his PAP counterpart.

"If Malay, Indian or other minority races do not come forward to join the opposition, we will be caught," he said.

Despite the recent influx of new members, there have not been more credible minority faces.

"Someone like Zainul? No, we don't have that yet," says a member.

But Mr Eric Tan believes getting good minority candidates is tough for all parties, including the PAP.

"It is on our to-do list," he adds.

One area which could see change is the party's media strategy. Some party members say Mr Low still wants to keep a distance from the media, while younger ones hint that they have standing instructions not to accept interviews without checking with party leaders.

Yet, some want to reach out to the mainstream media as they see it as one useful way to connect with Singaporeans.

As with any party that sees a sudden infusion of new talents, there are also murmurings of impatience with Mr Low's perceived conservative and overly cautious stance.

But sources interviewed say he has been astute in his readiness to listen to differing views and submit to the democratic processes within the party.

Intra-party negotiations will require members to be skilled and disciplined.

To continue its ascent, the party must avoid the script of most opposition parties here: a rise followed by a quick fall triggered by in-fighting and poor party discipline.

Given his years of experience and standing as the party's only elected MP, Mr Low's leadership remains critical. Any attempt by younger members to usurp his position could prove fatal on their part.

For now, the party is solidly united behind him and the euphoric mood has not subsided. Many younger members have described themselves as being "upbeat" and "motivated".

Mr Eric Tan declares: "We have captured the imagination of Singaporeans."

Ms Lim is also optimistic about the party's future. She says: "We should be able to field more candidates by the next general election."

The other parties: Staying together?

LIKE the WP, the SDA - comprising Singapore People's Party (SPP), the National Solidarity Party (NSP), the Singapore Malay National Organisation (PKMS) and Singapore Justice Party (SJP) - won one parliamentary seat.

The WP scored 38.4 per cent of the votes and the SDA had 32.5 per cent.

Yet, while the WP displayed a united and coherent election strategy, the SDA's campaign was quite the opposite.

Sources in the alliance reveal that they were disorganised and there was poor coordination between the two major parties - SPP and NSP.

For example, a plan to introduce all 20 candidates had to be axed at the last minute because the SPP's Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC team was not ready.

The alliance also fumbled over its rally schedule. "We had more than one a night and they were all not coordinated. Most of the time we had no idea what the SPP was doing or saying," says an NSP member.

Some alliance members blame chairman Chiam See Tong. They describe him as an indifferent captain and the alliance a rudderless ship.

The Potong Pasir MP promised to have an election post-mortem "two, three weeks" after the polls, but nothing has been done so far, says a source.

"He is only interested in Potong Pasir. He doesn't care about renewal and growing SDA," says a member.

An NSP member puts it more starkly: "As long as he's there, SDA won't grow."

But no one wants to push him out.

"We still respect him...and we don't want to be another Chee," says the NSP member.

Problems with protege Chee Soon Juan led Mr Chiam to resign as secretary-general of the SDP and later as a member. In 1996, he joined the SPP which became part of the SDA.

But over the years, Mr Chiam has turned his loyal supporters into critics. One of them, party chairman Sin Kek Tong, accused him of wanting only "fame and power" and resisting renewal by rejecting well-qualified people who want to be party members.

Mr Sin says he has met Mr Chiam to discuss these issues but he stands by his comments.

At the meeting, both men agreed to push ahead with "aggressive" renewal plans. But talk might not translate into action, he admits.

Mr Chiam, 71, brushes aside such criticisms.

"If you can introduce somebody tomorrow, I will step down as secretary-general of the party, let him take over. Renewal, easier said than done," he tells Insight.

But NSP secretary-general Steve Chia, who is taking a break from politics, believes Mr Chiam can take up a "mentor adviser" role, like Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, and let someone else lead the SDA.

It is an idea Mr Chiam rejects as he believes there is much more he needs to do. Asked what these might be, he says: "My main focus is economic union with Malaysia. I still think it can be done."

With him at the helm though, the alliance will likely meander along between elections, as is happening now.

Members have three suggestions for an overhaul.

One is to turn the alliance into a single party. Mr Steve Chia, NSP member Vincent Yeo and Mr Sin are keen advocates. It would give SDA a united agenda and avoid duplication of activities, they argue.

But Mr Chiam and the PKMS are against it.

PKMS president Borhan Ariffin says: "Our party has assets and property like the five-storey building in Upper Changi Road worth millions. We prefer to stay as an alliance."

A second suggestion is to retain the alliance and solve the current problems, which Mr Chiam and the PKMS prefer.

They concede that the set-up does pose problems in attracting new members. For example, some people want to be in the SDA but the rules require them to join one of the member parties instead. They often end up not joining at all.

The third suggestion is to disband the SDA with each party going its own way.

This might well happen once Mr Chiam exits the scene as no one currently appears to be able to command a hold over the entire alliance.

Right now, the alliance remains his personal vehicle while most of the others in it tolerate the ride because they need him to boost the grouping's chances.

For as long as both sides find the relationship beneficial, it will survive.

Still, it is in far better shape than its nearest competitor, the beleaguered SDP.

Once the biggest opposition party here, after it won three seats in the 1991 polls, the SDP fared the worst in this election with 23.3 per cent share of the votes.

It is in dire straits following a defamation suit. The 26-year-old party could close down if it cannot pay damages to PM Lee and MM Lee for defaming them in a SDP newsletter this year. A hearing to assess the damages has not been set.

Two CEC members quit after the polls and more defections appear to be on the cards.

The talk is that some may hop over to the Democratic Progressive Party, a small player in the opposition circle, and undertake the task of reviving the party.

Sources say that some members will go party-shopping only after the SDP is wound up.

"I don't want to be seen as a grasshopper, hopping from one party to another just because the party is in trouble," says a member.

But there is also tension simmering between party leaders, which SDP chief Chee Soon Juan has denied repeatedly.

Sources say party veterans Ling How Doong and Wong Hong Toy had plans to oust him but could not find someone keen to take over. There is also talk that Dr Chee, who is fighting the same defamation suit, intends to shore up his support base by roping in more new members.

But such manoeuvrings would come to nought if the party ends up being shut down.

If the SDP is unable to stave off closure and the SDA is unable to shake off stupor and the WP is able to stay focused, the next general election will see it powering further ahead of the pack. The biggest, shiniest opposition vehicle in town? All signs point that way.

New Paper - Columnists: Here's a tip for better service

By Glenda Han

IT'S good that there's so much emphasis on making Singapore a top tourist destination.

It's a land where different Asian cultures have fused, where shopping is good and relatively cheap. It's safe and clean, communication with the locals is hardly a problem and service is near excellent.

Excellent service? I would like to think so. But we usually find compliments of good service coming from the well-heeled or from tourists at big hotels, expensive restaurants, the Zoo or the Underwater World in Sentosa. More so after the Singapore Tourism Board formed a Service Quality Division in February 2003 to improve service standards in tourism-related sectors.

Elsewhere, I don't think the frontline staff are rude. But they don't make an impression either. The experience in Singapore would be more enjoyable if excellent service extends across all sectors, in particular the food and beverage line.

I have often wondered if we should advocate tipping to raise the service level. The service charge of 10 per cent charged by the establishments usually does not go to the service staff. So there is little reason for them to provide a level of service worth commending.

If waiters are tipped directly, they are likely to be more attentive and conscious of their behaviour towards customers. They understand that if customers are pleased with the service, the tip may be more rewarding. With a tangible relationship between their tips and their service level, would they not feel motivated to provide their best?

Unfortunately, in Singapore, waiting on tables is one of the most challenging and difficult lines to be in.

Waiters come into contact with all sorts of people. They must be able to interact with customers well, and even put up with a few nasty and unreasonable ones.

Yet waiters are not given the respect or income they deserve.

As waiting on tables is not seen as a 'real' job but often treated as a vacation or casual job, establishments usually have a difficult time recruiting and retaining waiting staff.

Only when the employees take their vocation more seriously can the negative perception change.

With tipping, the amount a waiter earns would potentially be greater and this increase in wages would be a big motivational factor leading to higher job satisfaction.

And a higher level of respect for the work will come only when those who do it take pride in it.

When that happens, staff turnover will inevitably go down.

It's wrong to think the establishments will face a 10 per cent drop in revenue, as one of my friends pointed out, if the service charge is taken out of the bill. The prices on the menu should take into account the costs as well as the profits needed to run the business.

And customers tend to revisit establishments where they find the service to be impeccable.

Our courtesy campaigns have been running since 1979. Now I think it's time for more pragmatic solutions to try to cultivate a more genial attitude.

The direct and immediate interaction between the waiter and the customer means both parties induce and influence each other's behaviour.

And our behaviour usually rubs off on others. If you feel good because a member of the service staff has been nice to you, wouldn't you want to be just as nice to the next person?

Perhaps it's time to do away with the 10 per cent service charge, so that people get used to the idea that there is more to great service than just a smile.

With a spillover effect, Singapore may not only have excellent service and but become a truly gracious city as well.

The writer owns a restaurant and was part of the Workers' Party team which contested in Ang Mo Kio GRC in the recent General Election. For feedback, e-mail tnp@sph.com.sg

Channel NewsAsia: Singapore's political parties take stock, gear up for next polls

SINGAPORE VOTES 2006

By S Ramesh

SINGAPORE : Political parties have taken stock and are gearing up for the next election.

The Workers' Party wants to build up its pool of candidates, while the Singapore Democratic Alliance wants to merge its component parties.

For the ruling People's Action Party, it will be an all out effort to continue getting a strong mandate in future elections.

Speakers from the four political parties which contested the recent general election acknowledged there is now greater public acceptance of party politics in the country.

"An endorsement of this was seen on Tuesday when the Prime Minister made his swearing in speech and he says this election we have heard the people, we will do something about cost of living, we will look at health care costs. So we make no apology for canvassing the national agenda," said Sylvia Lim, Chairman for the Workers' Party and Non-constituency MP.

When asked what the Workers' Party would do for workers, Ms Lim said, "We will canvass outside of these organisations for issues that matter to workers, not necessarily to their union leadership but to workers themselves, for instance, in our manifesto you will see proposals for unions to be more indepedant and we have also proposed unemployment insurance to take care of workers who may be out of work."

One of the key issues at the Institute of Policy Studies' post-election forum was the future of opposition parties in Singapore come the next general election.

And some political analysts feel it would make good sense for the opposition parties to cooperate electorally and put up a good fight against the ruling party.

For its part, the Singapore Democratic Alliance wants to review the current arrangement, where its four component parties campaign on different platforms.

"We are proposing also that in the next general election five years from now, only an SDA party. We don't want a coalition of parties, in other words there is a likelihood that the NSP may dissolve as well and then we have just one SDA party to contest just like the Workers Party and SDP. The work has to start now and not five years later to be able to be a party to contend with in the next GE. If we don't do that, then we will be out of the running because it takes a lot of time and effort from members to contest the next GE," said Dr Vincent Yeo from the Singapore Democratic Alliance.

For the PAP, the recent general election threw up challenges.

Ms Indranee Rajah said the competition was good and the party's getting ready to take the next step.

"The electorate has different views on certain things. But if we are able to reach them, if we are able to say "ok", this is the scenario, we will take it in our stride and we will offer you the right things which we hope you will agree with and which we hope reflect what people think on the ground, then we would deserve the mandate that is given to us. That's our challenge and I don't think we have any hesitation in taking it on, and we hope we will have a strong mandate in elections to come," said Indranee Rajah, MP, Tanjog Pagar GRC.

And one way the PAP hopes to achieve this, is by making sure people feel that their lives have improved. - CNA /dt/ct

TODAY: A style out of fashion?

Veteran politician JBJ says that current WP should confront more

DERRICK A PAULO
derrick@newstoday.com.sg


ME, A STREET FIGHTER? Veteran Opposition politician J B Jeyaretnam prefers to describe his style of politics as "confrontational".

HIS fiercest opponent - Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew - has labelled his style as anything from "gutter politics" to "street fighter" tactics. Opposition veteran J B Jeyaretnam prefers to describe his methods as "confrontational" instead.

But there is one observation about his approach that Mr Jeyaretnam shares with MM Lee: That it is no longer a feature of the Workers' Party.

And, looking at the recent General Election (GE), Mr Jeyaretnam doubts it will make a comeback within the party he used to lead. He said: "I can't see it happening under (secretary-general) Low Thia Khiang. (He) hasn't shown himself ... willing or ready to take on the PAP on the most crucial issue of the system of government in this country."

Mr Lee had said last month at the 50th anniversary dinner of the Foreign Correspondents Association that Mr Low is moving in the right direction after having "got rid" of Mr Jeyaretnam and his "Third World" politics. The latter, though, is not making any concessions about his approach.

"I don't believe confrontational politics is wrong, which is what the PAP would seem to imply. They talk about constructive criticism. Of course, to them, constructive criticism is criticism within the parameters they've laid down," he said.

Which is why, he added, Mr Lee was pleased to see the back of someone like him who would challenge the system. But is the veteran Opposition politician
calling time on politics now?

"I haven't quite decided. A lot will, of course, depend on my health and if my strength will permit me to continue," said the 80-year-old, who had "great hopes" of getting discharged from his bankruptcy to contest the GE. He admitted that, with the polls over, the urgency to pay his debts from the lawsuits against him had passed. "Yes, I'd like to be discharged, but it's no longer a pressing matter," said Mr Jeyaretnam, who was speaking about the GE at an FCA luncheon last week.

These elections, with more media publicity of the Opposition in the lead-up to the polls than in previous elections, raised expectations that "some real issues would be debated", he said, citing issues about the widening wage gap, unemployment, workers' rights, healthcare, education and the cost of living. But he did not see this happen. If it had and the WP had a real go at the issues, "they might have captured Aljunied".

And Mr Jeyaretnam is not very optimistic about the Opposition's chances in a Group Representation Constituency at the next GE. "The flagship constituency didn't do as well as the flagship constituencies in the previous elections under the WP," he said, referring to the 1988, 1991 and 1997 polls.

In those elections, the WP got 49.11 per cent of the Eunos vote, 47.62 per cent in Eunos again and 45.18 per cent in Cheng San, respectively. In this GE, the WP won 43.91 per cent in Aljunied. Nonetheless, he does think that democratic ideals are on the rise among young Singaporeans.

"Going around, selling my book in Singapore, I've had hundreds of students buying the book," he related. "But, I've also noticed this: Once they leave the universities ... either their energies or their enthusiasm are sapped as a result, I suppose, of the seen and unseen pressures of society.

He cited family pressure and the climate of fear as the main counterbalances to the desire for change and greater freedoms. Although more young Singaporeans are joining the Opposition, it is not enough to convince him that the fear factor is ebbing. He has a sterner litmus test - one that is true to his style of politics.

"It's when you have people who are prepared to stand up, march through the streets of Singapore, hold a public rally. Then they can say 'we are no longer afraid'," he told TODAY.

By his own admission, it is a style that seems very much out of fashion.

Straits Times: Gomez let off with a 'stern warning'

BY SUE-ANN CHIA

WORKERS' Party member James Gomez has been given a "stern warning" for what police said yesterday was his use of threatening words towards a public servant.

A police statement said that after reviewing the evidence, the Public Prosecutor was satisfied that he committed the offence against a public servant who was carrying out his duties.

He could have been slapped with a fine not exceeding $5,000 or jailed for a period not exceeding a year.

"However, having considered all the circumstances of the case, Mr Gomez's willingness to cooperate with the police and the absence of any previous criminal record, the Public Prosecutor has decided that a stern warning be administered to Mr James Gomez for the offence," the statement said.

Mr Gomez, part of the WP's team that contested and lost in Aljunied GRC, was told of the outcome yesterday when he was called to the Police Cantonment Complex in New Bridge Road.

His passport - taken last Sunday when he was stopped from leaving the country - was also returned.

Mr Gomez was at the centre of a controversy with the Elections Department over his non-submission of a minority candidate certificate.

He claimed to have submitted the form on April 24. He went to the department two days later and asked for the certificate. When told there was no record of him handing it in, he asked the officer to check again and warned of implications.

After being informed later that day that security camera footage showed he put the form into his bag - and following calls by People's Action Party leaders for him to come clean over the incident - Mr Gomez owned up and apologised on April 29.

But the department filed a complaint against him on May 6. A day later, he was stopped at the immigration counter as he was leaving the country at Changi Airport.

After the complaint, police began their probe into offences of criminal intimidation, giving false information and using threatening words and behaviour.

Mr Gomez was questioned three times. Also interviewed were department staff, WP secretary-general Low Thia Khiang and chairman Sylvia Lim. Ang Mo Kio MP-elect Inderjit Singh and retiree Thiayagarajah Karthigesu, an assenter for PAP candidates contesting in Ang Mo Kio also spoke to investigators.

Mr Inderjit had said previously that on April 27 Mr Gomez told him that the minority certificate incident was just a "wayang", or Malay for theatre - comments Mr Thiayagarajah also heard.

The police said statements Mr Gomez gave "contained serious inconsistencies and discrepancies". When taken with statements of others - including Mr Singh and Mr Thiayagarajah - it "put into question the real truth".

Mr Gomez said yesterday he was told of the outcome and about the stern warning he would receive.

"I was agreeable to that," he said. He regarded the matter as closed and hopes "to move on".

He also said he had no plans to sue Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew who called him dishonest, and a liar.

Mr Gomez also told his employers - the Stockholm-based think-tank, International IDEA. He plans to remain here over the weekend and will arrange to return to work in Sweden next week.

Channel NewsAsia: Returning Officer names WP Chairman Sylvia Lim as Non-Constituency MP

SINGAPORE VOTES 2006

By S Ramesh


WP Chairperson Sylvia Lim

SINGAPORE : The Returning Officer for the recent General Election, Mr Tan Boon Huat has declared Workers' Party Chairman, Sylvia Lim as the candidate elected to be the Non-Constituency MP or NCMP.

The declaration was made in a Government Gazette announcement on Friday.

Under the Parliamentary Elections Act, the offer of the post of NCMP would be extended to the team which polled the highest percentage of votes among the unsuccessful opposition candidates.

In this case, the WP team obtained the highest percentage of nearly 44 percent in the Aljunied GRC contest.

The Workers' Party had announced on Tuesday (9 May) that it is naming Ms Lim for the post.

This is the third time the WP is taking up the NCMP post, the last being former Secretary General, Mr JB Jeyatertnam and Dr Lee Siew Choh from the party. - CNA /dt

Channel NewsAsia: WP says it will work the ground at East Coast GRC till next election

SINGAPORE VOTES 2006

By Pearl Forss


Brandon Siow

The defeated Worker's Party team that contested in the East Coast GRC in the recent General Election, has plans to engage residents there for the next 5 years.

It hopes to change the perception that the opposition only turns up in the constituencies only a few months before a general election.

The team members fielded in the 5-member GRC were Mr Perry Tong, Mr Eric Tan, Mr Chia Ti Lik, Mr Abdul Rahim and Mr Brandon Siow.

The rookie team, who collected 36 percent of valid votes in last Saturday's polls, was out and about on Friday morning thanking residents.

They said that they want to contest in the same GRC again at the next General Election, and will spend the next 5 years preparing for it.

Mr Perry Tong said: "We are organising a series of grassroots and community-based activities. The outline is in place, we'll firm up the details.

"We will establish a broad support base here and move on from there, depending on the requirements and needs of residents."

The team said that one main reason it lost in the GRC is that young voters chose the incumbents.

They felt that it was an irony since the young Workers' Party team fielded in the GRC was supposed to connect with the post-65 generation.

Mr Chia Ti Lik said: "Based on the younger voters' perspective, whenever they compare a team that is completely new, unfamiliar and relatively untested against a team where there are ministers from the ruling party, then however much they feel for us, they will tend to be more prudent and vote for the ruling party."

Looking ahead, the team said that it would be a challenge to continue the current momentum for the next five years.

Mr Eric Tan said: "We hope to recruit more people, and therefore build on our branding and offer an institutionalised approach. That means when people look at Workers' Party, it is not just Low Thia Khiang or Sylvia Lim but more an institution that can be an alternative in the future."

In the last few days, over a hundred people emailed the Workers' Party or approached its candidates personally requesting to join the party.

The Workers' Party says it is its responsibility to build up the party so that it can be a serious counter point to the People's Action Party. - CNA/ir

TODAY: Probe unlikely to affect NCMP seat: Low

WP chief confident police will be fair; Gomez is called in for questioning a third time

LIN YANQIN
yanqinl@newstoday.com.sg


TIME TO GO: Workers' Party secretary-general Low Thia Khiang (right) gestures to his colleagues to leave after the counting of the overseas votes were finished.

ALTHOUGH the James Gomez controversy is far from settled, Workers' Party chief Low Thia Khiang said it's unlikely that ongoing police investigations will affect chairman Sylvia Lim's nomination to become a Non-Constituency MP (NCMP).

Speaking to reporters yesterday after observing the counting of overseas votes, Mr Low said he is confident that the police will be fair in dealing with this matter.

When asked what happened during his three-hour interview with the police at his Hougang Town Council office on Monday, he said: "They basically wanted to know of some of the statements I made in public, on what basis I made those statements, how I justify my assessment of Mr James Gomez during the election and things like that," he said. "I suppose they want to find out whether I had, in any way, covered up for James Gomez."

The police had spoken to him - along with Ms Lim and other party colleagues - as part of the ongoing investigations on Mr Gomez over allegations of criminal intimidation and providing false information to the Elections Department.

At WP's final rally last Friday, Mr Low had clarified that he had instructed all non-Chinese candidates, including Mr Gomez, to obtain a minority certification form.

The form was the subject of a controversy during the nine-day election campaign, when Mr Gomez first accused the Elections Department of misplacing it, before apologising when evidence was produced to show otherwise.

The Elections Department lodged a complaint against him on polling day on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Mr Gomez was called for the third time to the Police Cantonment Complex for more questioning yesterday evening at about 7pm. The session lasted around three hours.

"By now I have answered about 100 questions, in all," said Mr Gomez.

He said that from the line of questioning, it appeared that the police were also investigating him for giving false information and using threatening words and behaviour, apart from the accusation of criminal intimidation mentioned earlier.

He said he had heard that people were concerned about his case and added that he would continue to cooperate with the authorities. The police had still not given him a time-frame on how long the investigations would last, he said.

Apart from WP members, the People's Action Party's MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC Mr Inderjit Singh and several officials from the Elections Department have also been interviewed in relation to the investigations.

Mr Singh had issued a public statement during the height of the controversy last week on a conversation he had with Mr Gomez on Nomination Day.

According to Mr Singh, Mr Gomez had told him then that the whole episode was a "wayang" (show).

Mr Gomez is part of the WP team led by Ms Lim that challenged the PAP in Aljunied GRC. The contest ended with the PAP team, fronted by Foreign Affairs Minister George Yeo, winning 56.1 per cent of the vote.

– WITH ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY DERRICK A PAULO

TODAY: Police quiz Gomez again

WP man was asked to give 'detailed responses', PAP MP Inderjit Singh interviewed

LOH CHEE KONG
cheekong@newstoday.com.sg


PROBE: Mr Gomez (right) was yesterday asked to elaborate on questions that were raised during his first interview on Sunday. PAP MP Inderjit Singh was also interviewed by the police.

THE Workers' Party's (WP) James Gomez was summoned by the police for the second time yesterday, as investigations into his alleged offences of criminal intimidation and providing false information to the Elections Department gathered pace.

The People's Action Party's (PAP) MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC, Mr Inderjit Singh, was also interviewed by the police.

Yesterday, Mr Gomez arrived at the Police Cantonment Complex at about 9.30am and emerged from its premises some five hours later.

The researcher, 40, later told TODAY that he had received a call from the police late on Monday night for him to go down to assist in investigations.

"They were essentially elaborations and clarifications to questions asked in the first round (on Sunday). They wanted more detailed responses," he said.

According to Mr Gomez, the police also requested a copy of his minority certificate application form, which he gave them along with the letter of authorisation and submission that would enable a candidate to authorise another person to collect and submit the form on his behalf.

Mr Gomez was stopped at the airport on Sunday while leaving for Sweden to resume work at Idea International. His passport was seized and he was questioned for eight hours. While he was willing to cooperate fully with the investigations, he took the opportunity to convey to the police his concerns about his financial and work obligations.

Due to start work in Sweden yesterday, Mr Gomez managed to obtain a letter from the police to explain his predicament to his employers. But he had other concerns, such as getting his passport back so that he could get back to work.

"While I am involved in this, I need to get on with other aspects of my life as well," he said.

He added: "My ticket transiting from Bangkok to Sweden was a non-refundable ticket. And I run the risk of not receiving income for the days that I'm not at work. I also have bills and rents to pay in Sweden because I have an apartment there."

Mr Gomez said that the police were unable to put a time frame on the investigations. Nonetheless, they told him they would look into his concerns.

When contacted, the police said that the second interview was part of "the process of reviewing the evidence and interviewing all relevant persons". It added that it had also interviewed Mr Singh, who declined to comment when contacted by TODAY.

The MP, who is embarking on his third term following the elections, had issued a public statement during the height of the controversy on a conversation he had with Mr Gomez on Nomination Day. According to Mr Singh, Mr Gomez had told him then that the whole episode was a "wayang" (show).

On Monday, WP chief Low Thia Khiang was interviewed by the police at his office for more than three hours, while the party's chairman Sylvia Lim also gave a statement on Sunday night.

Officials from the Elections Department, the complainant, have also been interviewed.

The controversy started when Mr Gomez claimed to have submitted his application form for a minority candidate certificate to the Elections Department.

The department disputed the claim and made public its evidence such as security video footage and a transcript of a telephone conversation Mr Gomez had with a department official.

The Elections Department lodged a complaint against Mr Gomez on Polling Day last Saturday, and police are investigating the case as alleged offences of criminal intimidation and giving false information.

Though he did not submit his form, Mr Gomez was reported to have warned Elections Department officials of "consequences" when told that they did not have his certificate.

Speaking to 938Live, lawyer Edmund Pereira explained what might constitute "criminal intimidation".

"Whenever a person threatens another with injury - either to his own person or to that person's reputation - or to his property, like for example, I'm going to burn your house down, and causes that other person to be put in alarm, or fear," he said.

Mr Gomez is part of the WP team led by Ms Lim that challenged the PAP in Aljunied GRC. The contest ended with the PAP team, fronted by Foreign Affairs Minister George Yeo, winning 56.1 per cent of the vote.