Straits Times: More post-65ers set to find place in WP exco

New team being voted in on Sunday may include rookies who contested GE

BY SUE-ANN CHIA

THIS Sunday, the Workers' Party (WP) will vote for a new team of leaders that will likely feature many of its rookies who contested the General Election.

If they win, the new executive council will comprise more leaders from the post-65 generation. Currently, one in three was born after independence.

Among the likely new faces who ran in the May 6 polls are Mr Yaw Shin Leong, 30, who headed the WP's Ang Mo Kio GRC team; his teammate Glenda Han, 30; East Coast GRC candidates Perry Tong, 35, and Eric Tan, 50; and Nee Soon Central's Lian Chin Way, 36.

On her intention to run, Ms Han said: "It is a natural progression to hope to be part of the council."

The election, brought forward by a year, will determine the posts of chairman, secretary-general and 12 other positions. The council can co-opt up to seven more members.

Explaining the move to speed up the renewal process, WP chairman Sylvia Lim, 41, said in an e-mail to The Straits Times: "The 2006 GE was the refining fire through which the party machinery was put.

"With the momentum built up, the party leadership thinks its timely to harness new potential and would like the cadres to make a decision on who should be in the party leadership for the next phase."

She said some of the older council members have indicated a desire to step down.

At least two veterans told The Straits Times that they intend to make way for younger blood. They are first vice-chairman Tan Bin Seng, 54, and second vice-chairman Abdul Rahim Abdul Rahman, 66.

"There are now a lot of youngsters coming in and that is a good sign," said Dr Tan, who has been in the WP for the last two decades.

Others likely to step down are organising secretary Ng Ah Chwee, 56, and deputy treasurer Goh Seng Soon, 56.

Two leaders who are not expected to be re-elected as they are working overseas are second assistant secretary-general James Gomez, 41, who is in Sweden, and treasurer Tan Wui-Hua, 39, who is in the Middle East. Both were in the Aljunied GRC team.

Others likely to remain in the council include election rookies and assistant organising secretaries Chia Ti Lik, 32, and Goh Meng Seng, 36. Mr Chia led the East Coast GRC team, while Mr Goh was in the Aljunied team.

The top two positions are unlikely to be challenged as the leaders have done well in taking the party forward, said party members.

Both Ms Lim and secretary-general Low Thia Khiang, 49, also have seats in Parliament. Ms Lim is the next Non-Constituency MP and Mr Low won his Hougang ward for the fourth time.

Party sources say there is unlikely to be substantive changes in party ideology, but new leaders could bring fresh views.

As the party refreshes its leadership, it has rejuvenated its ranks with at least 100 new members, all aged below 40.

"This augurs well for the future of Singapore as it shows that Singaporeans do care, and debunks the cynicism of some that the young are an apathetic lot," Ms Lim said.

sueann@sph.com.sg

Straits Times: WP targets youth during weekend walkabout

YOUTH BRIGADE: WP's Mr Yaw (centre) leads a team, including candidate Lee Wai Leng (on his left), on a walkabout in Orchard Road.

THE Workers' Party (WP) yesterday launched its first major event since the General Election by making its presence felt to a core group of future voters - young people.

It held a youth outreach programme at several places, including Orchard Road, handing out pamphlets to mark Youth Day.

The team of about 20 WP members and volunteers began their day at 7.30am in Hougang, then moved to other constituencies such as Aljunied and Ang Mo Kio GRCs.

Their final destination was Orchard Road, where they set up their party banner outside Takashimaya Shopping Centre and gave out pamphlets - with information about the party printed - to throngs of young people passing by.

The group was led by IT consultant Yaw Shin Leong, 30, who was the leader of the young WP team which contested in Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's Ang Mo Kio GRC in the election.

He told The Straits Times this was the first time such a youth-oriented activity had been organised, and said there would be more in the months ahead.

"This platform allows us to connect with voters of similar age, who speak the same language and share the same concerns," he said.

"They will form a big part of the electorate in the next election, and our work begins now. We are moving into first gear."

KEN KWEK

New Paper: Murdered China masseuse? No, that's S'pore's WP candidate

China newspaper mixes up the two women and learns of mistake only when contacted by The New Paper

By Kor Kain Beng


The China newspaper's website which wrongly identified Miss Glenda Han as Chinese masseuse Yu Hong jin, who was stabbed to death last Sunday.
Picture: HAI XIA DU SHI BAO

HERS was one of the more recognisable faces in the last general election.

But Miss Glenda Han, 30, from the Workers' Party (WP) got a shock yesterday when she learnt that she has been mistaken for a murdered woman.

In a report published on Thursday in a China newspaper, Miss Han's photograph was used instead of that of masseuse Yu Hong Jin.

Madam Yu, 30, a China national, was found stabbed to death last Sunday morning at a healthcare centre in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10.

The male suspect, Eu Lim Hoklai, 53, who was found with Madam Yu at the healthcare centre, has been charged with murder.

The boo-boo was made by Hai Xia Du Shi Bao, a daily in Fuzhou province.

The wrong colour photograph was also used on the newspaper webpage.

Miss Han said that a reporter from Lianhe Wanbao, who had stumbled upon the website, contacted her yesterday morning and told her about it.

And Miss Han's immediate response? 'I said, 'That's terrible.' It's not very nice to be confused with a dead person, especially one whose death was rather unusual.'

Miss Han, who was part of the WP team that lost to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's team in Ang Mo Kio GRC in May's General Election, said that she has been following the murder case through the media.

When The New Paper spoke to her yesterday evening , she said that her parents still hadn't learnt about the mistake, nor has she got calls from friends asking about it.

Miss Han, who runs Les Chameaux, a cocktail bar at Robertson Quay, said: 'Maybe it's still too early.'

Miss Han, who visited the newspaper's website yesterday, doesn't know how it could have happened.

But she noted that the photograph used in the China newspaper appears to be the same one published in a Lianhe Wanbao report on Monday about her life after the elections.

Miss Han filled in an online feedback form belonging to the newspaper requesting for a correction.

She said: 'The newspaper should also apologise to me.'

When The New Paper visited the website at 5pm yesterday, her photograph was still on the webpage.

But after The New Paper contacted them at about 7.30pm, the photograph was removed.

When contacted yesterday, the newspaper's editor, Mr Sun De Jian, said that he wasn't aware about the mistake until The New Paper told him.

Mr Sun claimed his paper has a circulation of about 500,000 copies.

He said the reporter who had filed the report had passed Miss Han's photograph to the newspaper.

Mr Sun said he didn't know how it happened, but promised to find out.

He said: 'If we have made a mistake, we will definitely apologise to her.'

Weekend TODAY: China paper in photo mix-up

IN A bizarre case of mistaken identity, Fujian-based daily newspaper Hai Xia Du Shi Bao used, in its Thursday report on the murder of an Ang Mo Kio masseuse, a picture of Workers' Party member Glenda Han (picture) as the victim.

Both Madam Yu Hong Jin and Ms Han may be 30-year-old Chinese businesswomen with long flowing tresses - but the similarities end there.

The two women had appeared in last Monday's Lianhe Wanbao, which profiled Ms Han at her Robertson Quay cocktail bar, Les Chameaux, and ran a separate report on the fatal stabbing of Madam Yu, a Chinese national.

The Hai Xia Du Shi Bao apparently used the Singapore paper's published picture of Ms Han at her cocktail bar.

Mr Yuan You Zhi, the reporter who wrote the article for the Fujian daily, told TODAY the mix-up was a careless mistake and Ms Han's photo would be removed today.

The report appeared online at ww.hdzxw.com/hdnews/place/200606/199306.html.

When contacted for her reaction, Ms Han said: "I heard from Wanbao about the photo mix-up. I've sent the Chinese newspaper an email to remove the photo. I just think it's not very professional to get something like that mixed up, especially for such bad news."

The Hai Xia Du Shi Bao had picked up the news as Madam Yu, who was stabbed to death last Sunday morning, was born in the Fujian province where the paper enjoys a readership of 60 per cent of the population. - TOR CHING LI

I-S Magazine - Feature: Simply Sylvia

I-S Issue 310



The fever of the elections has passed, the dust has settled. Sylvia Lim, Chairman of the Workers' Party, leads the highest-scoring opposition team, winning 43.9 percent of votes at Aljunied GRC. Newly appointed as a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP), she gives Sharon Lim an insider view. Photography by Nancy Ide

By Sharon Lim

Stepping into the interview in a bright pink chinois jacket and a pair of jeans, Sylvia Lim looks relaxed and unassuming — nothing like the persona portrayed during the nine-day hustings. Personable and eloquent, answers easily roll off her tongue when asked about politics and the work of her party. But delve into Sylvia Lim the person, and long pauses and hesitation fill the air.

Realistic and practical, she typifies the composed party leader with her feet (and ear) firmly on the ground. Don't expect her to be championing women's causes in Parliament. Her passion lies in the bread and butter issues of the regular Joe. And bring up the fact that she is the first woman opposition MP since 1963, she retorts, "So what if I am male or female. It doesn't make a difference."

From a supporter who donated bottles of birds' nest drinks for each Workers' Party candidate, to an anonymous man who sent Lim constructive feedback on her rally speeches every day via email, to the hordes that attended the nightly rallies, these actions surprised, touched and affirmed her cause in giving Singaporeans another voice in politics.

Did you feel that you were given justified media coverage during the elections?

I think this round, generally, the English and Chinese papers did not represent the Workers' Party in a bad light. And because of this, it affected voters' perception of us as well. So people started to think, "Hey, Workers' Party is not crazy." But then, we could have had more coverage vis a vis PAP, but that's the way things are.

"The way things are." Is that a resigned statement or...?

It's born out of a sense of realism and also from having worked with people who have been in opposition politics longer. They'll tell you "Oh, it's so much better than the previous elections, don't complain." So there is a little bit of taking the scraps that fall from the table, that kind of thing. Of course we want things to improve, but we can't expect things to improve in quantumn leaps overnight, so we try to push the boundaries. I find sometimes also that because people are too resigned to the fact that the status quo will remain, that there's no inclination for change, and that's wrong. Because if you've ever tried to push the boundaries, you will realize that things can happen. If you're there and you're prepared to take a risk, things will happen.

What part of campaigning did you find enjoyable?

I think it was enjoyable to know that a party of our size—which is nothing compared to the PAP—can make some waves. So it's always good to know that you don't have to have a lot of money or a lot of manpower to make some difference. Even little steps do matter. People are prepared to come forward to join the party and stand as candidates against the PAP. These are the pillars on which bigger things will be founded.

What was the high point for you?

I found the Serangoon Stadium rally quite a high point for me. It was the final rally, first of all. Secondly, it was the one and only rally site that we had where we couldsee the audience, because the stadium was very well lit and we could see people's faces. That was very very uplifting. And we ended off the whole thing with the pledge—and I think there was some sense of unity of purpose, some solidarity with the people.

What was the lowest point?

For me personally, I think there were times when I thought that I didn't do as well as I could. For example, for the party political broadcast on TV, the feedback was that I came across as arrogant, blah, blah, blah. I didn't intend to be so, but I realized that it's got a lot to do with media training. Other than that, what I imagined the campaign to be eventually turned out to be not as scary as I thought.

Were you scared?

I wasn't scared at all. But initially, you know, when you think of it in vacuo, you think that the PAP is going to dig out everything you've done from the time you were in kindergarten or whatever. I was waiting for that, but nothing came. In the end, they were just harping on the James Gomez thing.

What is your feeling on the outcome of the James Gomez incident?

I was surprised that the police gave him a warning. Not because I felt that he had done anything wrong.

Was there any point in time when you thought, "Yah, we actually have a chance of winning."

Such thoughts do cross my mind, but generally I know that we really need to be prepared for the worst, because if we don't win or if our margins are poor or whatever, we still have to face the media and the people. And we have to be composed at that point, you see. So it's always important to be prepared for all eventualities.

Were you pleased that you actually met your 40 percent target?

I wouldn't say it was a target, but we are pleased that the voters showed that they were prepared to support us. We were not really surprised by the results, but I think we still hoped that we could have done better.

How did you feel when the Party decided that you would be the NCMP?

I felt a sense of responsibility, that I have to do it properly. And also not to let down the people who had voted for us.

What can we expect from you in Parliament? What kind of issues will you be championing?

The traditional concerns that WP tends to raise, i.e. to speak up for those who are not doing very well under the free market economy. So we'll be watching issues like cost of living, health care costs, retirement concerns. At the same time also, because I'm legally trained, I will be reviewing the legislation concerning Parliament, which I've been helping Mr Low to do for the past few years anyway. So I'll be speaking up on that. And personally, I guess I will take an interest in some of the law and order debates. But I must add that I'm not there to canvass my own causes.

What is your mantra, speaking generally?

Fairness. I think people should be treated fairly. I think that's the fundamental principle.

Do you think you're misunderstood?

No, not really (laughs). I don't think people's impressions of me have fossilized yet. It's hard to put this in a neutral way. People have come up to me after the elections, in public places, and told me things like "Thank you for what you're doing," "Thank you for giving us a choice," and "Don't give up." So for whatever reason, I think that they believe that what we're doing is actually something for them. Which I think is really (pause) it! We're not in this for ourselves because, frankly speaking, the benefits you get are (laughs), you know, let's not talk about that. There are some sacrifices made, because we think that it is probably better for Singaporeans in Singapore if there are elections where people have choices. And because of that, if the people perceive it, then I think we've achieved quite a lot.

That speaks of the party, but what about you?

Similarly too, I think, okay, I don't know about everyone, and I'm sure some people hate me, but ah...

Does that concern you?

You can't please everyone, so that's okay. But I think so long as the average person believes that I am sincere in what I'm trying to do on the Workers' Party platform, that is try to advance their interest and keep the government accountable, so long as people believe that, I think that would be good enough.

Do you think people believe this?

It may be too early to form a definitive judgment, but I think, based on the elections feedback and all that, that people do believe that I'm sincere in what I'm trying to do. It's something that is a long haul thing, you know. Of course I'm not saying that I'm going to be around forever. I think, personally, I would commit my time and energy if I feel that there's support for the things we're trying to do and we're making headway. But if I find that we're not making headway, then what's the point. I mean, we all have lives to lead, right?

You're a public figure now. How does that make you feel?

I think that's alright. I think I can still bear with that. But I suppose I have to be more circumspect in the things I do. So I guess you can expect me to be going out of Singapore more (hearty laughs). Like just yesterday I went down to my neighborhood coffee shop dressed in my home clothes. I put on sunglasses to try to look as unrecognizable as possible. I was waiting for my mother, actually, and along came this group of retirees, and they said "Oh, we finally get to meet you" or something like that. It was very, very touching. They were supporters of Workers' Party. And they told me about the rallies they had attended and gave me feedback. It's useful to remain in contact and be approachable. We don't want that to change.

So who is Sylvia Lim?

I'm idealistic, but I'm also a very practical person. So I would make sacrifices for my ideals, but still try not to break the law in doing that.

Is being Chairman of WP and lecturer at Temasek Polytechnic your entire life? Or is there more to it?

No, no, it isn't. I would say it takes up quite a lot of my time. I still have time left over, which I save for a few things like my family, close friends and myself. And I will always leave that pocket there, because I think that's very important for my sanity.

Straits Times: MP to ask Govt for $100m for Hougang

Application for upgrading package to go ahead despite what minister said, says Low

By Ken Kwek

HOUGANG MP Low Thia Khiang is going to ask the Ministry of National Development (MND) for the $100 million upgrading package for his ward that the People's Action Party had announced during the general election.

The Workers' Party chief told The Straits Times last night that he will do so, despite National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan's recent statement that opposition wards will get funds for upgrading only after PAP constituencies had received theirs.

Mr Low said: "It doesn't matter what the minister has said, I will apply for the funds anyway."

After the election, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong had said that although Hougang voters had not voted in the PAP candidate, Mr Low could still try and apply for the money as the Government had been "prepared to put up a budget for it".

But Mr Mah said last week that the money would not be made available for the opposition ward.

Mr Low yesterday said he had met Mr Mah on May 30 at the swearing-in ceremony for the new Cabinet, and had asked the minister for the $100 million upgrading fund that Hougang residents were promised by the PAP.

He declined to disclose Mr Mah's response, saying it was "a private conversation".

But he added: "The Government will just have to decide what is the right thing to do. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said he wants to build a more inclusive society, right?

"On my part, I'll do whatever is necessary to fight for my residents' needs, and apply for the funds."

Mr Low said he had "given instructions" to his town council staff to prepare the necessary paperwork for making the application.

But he would not be seeking funds through the Community Improvement Projects Committee (CIPC), as the application process for such funds had always been 'skewed against the opposition'.

"I think it's pointless going through that avenue," he said.

Constituencies that want CIPC funds for estate upgrading can apply for them only through their grassroots advisers, who are always PAP representatives. No CIPC funds have been used for opposition wards so far.

Mr Low added that he was sure the MND had the budget "since they promised Hougang voters before Polling Day that $100 million could be set aside for upgrading their estate".

He added that he believed many Singaporeans did not support the votes-for-upgrading policy because they considered it unfair.

"I've always believed that Singaporeans have a sense of justice in their hearts, and are able to make fair judgment on issues," he said.

"The question is whether the PAP is willing to accept this, and trust the people's judgment."

Mr Eric Low, the PAP candidate who failed to win Hougang, declined to comment when contacted yesterday.

kenkwek@sph.com.sg

New Paper - Columnists: You speak only Singlish? You're in berry big trouble

By Glenda Han

IN Singapore, when we speak poor or colloquial English, we are said to be speaking Singlish.

I basically divide Singlish into three broad categories. The first is unique to Singaporeans: Finishing our sentences off with lahs or lehs so as to give them a slight oomph. When you say 'Come lah?', it sounds more persuasive than just 'Do you want to come?'

Secondly, we tend to cut our sentences short so as to get our message across faster. For example, we say 'Have or not?' rather than 'Do you have it or not?' I'm still trying to decide if we are just plain lazy or trying to divert those few nanoseconds saved into more constructive use.

Lastly, we churn out 'rojak' sentences - not comprising fried dough, pineapples and peanut sauce - but English, Mandarin and Malay all within one sentence. For instance, 'Let's go makan (eat in Malay).' Though not an excuse, it's no wonder, given our multi-racial society.

Speaking Singlish in those ways does not mean having a bad command of English. Sure, it isn't proper, but if you can switch to proper English if need be, you don't have a problem.

Bad command of English is more a poor grasp of grammar and mispronunciation. For example, when you say 'This is more better', or when someone pronounces lingerie as 'lin-gir-ree'.

The Speak Good English Movement emphasises the need to stop speaking Singlish. But I think Singlish is a problem only if one cannot get his or her tenses or pronunciation right.

Actors like Gurmit Singh speak Singlish in their sitcoms but can easily switch to proper English if need be. Yet, as much as I understand that our sitcoms need to have a local flavour, it irks me when words are intentionally mispronounced to inject humour. Using words like 'par-kwet (parquet)' or, as a Chinese variety show host said, 'I like it berry (very) much', is just brazenly bad English.

The young may grow up thinking they are pronouncing these words correctly.

Every country has its own slang. Singlish helps identify us as Singaporeans, but don't confuse it with bad English.

And don't confuse it with having an accent either. An accent does not naturally mean your standard of English is higher. I was perplexed when someone was surprised that I did not have an accent even after living in Paris for two years.

I have known people who have lived in Anglophone countries for years, and though they do speak less Singlish, they do not simply adopt an accent after having spent their formative years in Singapore.

During a recent meal, I heard a girl who has spent all her life here speak in a quasi-local, quasi-American accent (with Singlish terms peppering her sentences!). It kept my appetite at bay.

I quote PM Lee Hsien Loong at the launch of the Speak Good English Movement last year: 'Speaking good English does not mean using bombastic words or adopting an artificial English or American accent. We can speak in the normal Singapore tone, which is neutral and intelligible.'

Perhaps teachers should pay more attention on highlighting the irregularities in pronunciation, like the word 'presentation' (pronounced 'PRARE-sen-tation' rather than 'PRE-sen-tation').

Our standard of English will continue to spiral downwards if there is no conscious effort to address even the basic problems.

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

Straits Times - Forum: PAP policy belies "Staying Together, Moving Ahead"

IN THE wake of General Election 2006, various senior People's Action Party (PAP) leaders pledged to respect voters' choice.

At the Cabinet swearing-in ceremony on May 30, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong pledged that his Government would work with all Singaporeans, including those who voted for the opposition.

Singaporeans who hoped that the PAP would therefore remove its votes-for-upgrading strategy got a lightning bolt of reality with the Minister for National Development's statement over the weekend that, basically, nothing has changed.

Minister Mah Bow Tan's main argument was that the 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. To state the obvious, everybody pays taxes, whether they live in PAP or opposition wards.

Mr Mah had previously said that he could not "look PAP MPs in the eye" if he gave the same priority in upgrading to opposition wards. But how, then, does he look these taxpayers in the eye?

No one living in an opposition ward expects special treatment, that is, to jump ahead of PAP wards with older blocks. But, all things being equal, it should not matter whether a PAP or an opposition MP is the incumbent.

The same objections apply to how the public funds entrusted to his ministry under the Community Improvement Projects Committee (CIPC) for estate improvements are disbursed.

Further, to say that disbursing CIPC funds through the citizens' consultative committees is not political because they are made up of residents, makes as much sense as saying that residents' committees are politically neutral when they are heavily mobilised to help PAP candidates campaign.

On this vexed question of selective upgrading, the recent conflicting messages from the PAP are telling. For instance, the day after Polling Day, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong praised Potong Pasir and Hougang residents for having loyalty towards their MPs, which was a "better (characteristic) than for them to be chasing after every goodie which we offer them".

After this dose of honesty from SM Goh, what kind of values is the PAP promoting by continuing with its votes-for-upgrading policy?

The overarching theme of the PAP's 2006 Election Manifesto is "Staying Together, Moving Ahead".

As a Singaporean who decided to stand with the Workers' Party, I look forward to the day when election campaigns will be fought by all parties over long-term national policies which affect Singaporeans' lives deeply.

Let Singaporeans reflect and decide elections on these questions, which are surely far more important for the nation's future than the selective use of public funds to ensure that the PAP stays in power.

Sylvia Lim Swee Lian (Ms)
Non-Constituency MP (Elect)
Chairman, Workers' Party

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.