Workers' Party's Eric Tan quits
By Tanya Fong, TODAY | Posted: 13 May 2011 0751 hrs
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Eric Tan
SINGAPORE: With an eye on the next General Election (GE), the Workers' Party's (WP) top leadership made a strategic decision late Thursday night to select a younger member for its second Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) seat.
Unfortunately, the move prompted veteran central executive committee member and party treasurer Eric Tan to quit.
In an exclusive interview with Today late Thursday night, as he drafted a statement for the media, he said: "I feel betrayed."
The WP is expected to officially announce on Friday which of its candidates will be accepting the NCMP seats.
The WP is entitled to two NCMP seats - one for 46-year-old Yee Jenn Jong, who lost narrowly in the single-seat of Joo Chiat and the other for one of the five members of its East Coast Group Representation Constituency (GRC) team.
The Thursday night meeting at Hougang Town Council saw the WP's central executive committee vote to hand the second NCMP seat to the party's assistant webmaster, 34-year-old Gerald Giam.
This was the first election the IT consultant, who joined WP in 2009, has contested.
He was part of the team in East Coast GRC which was led by 55-year-old Mr Tan.
Mr Tan, a former banker who is now a private equity fund manager, said: "I am disappointed that Low (Thia Khiang) and part of the CEC have decided to go against the people's wishes, citing party renewal as their reason.
"I too, also believe in the renewal of the party but in an orderly manner, with succession plans.
"But not like this, dropped like a bomb."
Mr Tan added: "I have helped build the East Coast team since 2005 and was the only one remaining after the 2006 election. I fought on and rebuilt the team, helping to gain a solid result for the party," he said.
"I wanted the NCMP post so that I would be able to be the voice of the people." said Mr Tan, who is also the chairman of the party's Eastern Area Committee.
The 45.17 per cent polled by the WP in East Coast GRC has led many to speculate that the WP has set its sight on making the constituency its next major battleground in five years' time.
Mr Tan is also understood to have played a role in attracting corporate lawyer Chen Show Mao and Mr Yee to join the party. It is not known if the opposition party might reconsider its decision on Friday.
A variety of factors gave Sitoh the win
By Tan Weizhen, TODAY | Posted: 12 May 2011 0957 hrs
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Sitoh Yih Pin during election campaigning
SINGAPORE - On Saturday, the Opposition stronghold of Potong Pasir was finally breached by the ruling party after 27 years.
People's Action Party (PAP) candidate Sitoh Yih Pin - contesting the single seat for a third straight election - narrowly edged out Singapore People Party (SPP) candidate Lina Chiam, wife of longstanding Opposition Member of Parliament Chiam See Tong.
What were some of the factors that may have led to the PAP breakthrough?
NEW RESIDENTS WITH NO BAGGAGE
Potong Pasir - often described as having an old-school rustic charm - was made up largely of older HDB blocks with many long-staying residents.
However, over the past two to three years, there has been a mushrooming of new condominiums along the Leicester Road stretch, leading to an influx of new residents - not particularly loyal to or familiar with the Chiam legacy.
One resident, Madam Chan Lee Fang, 52, said: "I've only lived here for a couple of years, I don't know the work that they have done." She declined to reveal who she voted for but added that she was confident the PAP would do good work in this estate.
While conceding that this group might be small, PAP grassroots leaders felt that they might still have swayed the votes. "These new residents are neutral and more accepting of us. Some come to our volunteers for help instead of Mr Chiam," said Mr Tong Wai Mun, chairman of the PAP Potong Pasir Zone 2 Residents' Committee.
HANKERING FOR ESTATE UPGRADING
Even among those who support Mr Chiam, some have been hankering after upgrading, saying that they are tired of seeing Potong Pasir - particularly the areas opposite the MRT as well as Toa Payoh Lorong 8 - lagging behind neighbouring constituencies.
In particular, a number of residents want lift upgrading among other new features, and this is why they switched allegiance to Mr Sitoh this time.
Engineer Alex Tham, 38, is one of them. He said: "A lot of people who voted for the PAP this time still like Mr Chiam, but we are also tired of not having enough estate upgrading."
CONNECTING WITH SENNETT ESTATE
Sennett Estate, made up largely of private landed homes, may also have been a key to Mr Sitoh's win, according to some grassroots leaders.
Residents in Sennett Estate whom Today spoke to said that Mr Sitoh has, over the last five years, made a conscious effort to connect with residents in the estate and improve the area.
Residents like retiree Madam Teo, 62, said there appeared to be strong support for the PAP among her neighbours.
"Mr Sitoh has been doing a lot of extras for us like install lighting and help us resolve flooding issues. I don't see Mr Chiam coming around here to talk to us," she said.
A LONE RANGER PREPARED TO LISTEN
Grassroots leaders also pointed to Mr Sitoh's image with the residents as a reason for his breakthrough in the constituency.
As one grassroots leader described it, "it was a battle to win the hearts". So, rather than rely on the firepower of PAP heavyweight ministers as he had done at the 2006 General Election, this time, Mr Sitoh came across as a "lone ranger" who was prepared to listen.
In fact, some said they could "sense his sincerity especially since this is already the third time". As homemaker Ms Rachel Lim summed up: "He deserves a chance."
Mr Sitoh has said that his immediate priority is to set up his town council and to get lift upgrading for the constituency. His five-year plan also includes an elderly care centre, covered walkways, fitness corners, as well as other estate improvements, such as brighter corridor lighting.
问问你自己，什么是rate of population increase? 或rate of population growth?
人口增幅，也能是负增长的。
kcchiew 发表于 13-5-2011 08:03 AM
kcchiew： Boss, what is rate of salary increase and rate of salary growth?
公司： When rate of salary growth is positive, the salary increases and the % of increase is the rate of increase. Likewise, when rate of salary growth is negative, the salary decreases and the % of decrease is the rate of decrease. Why?
kcchiew ： Then why u want to cut my salary? I already checked both Spore and JB, both got companies with positive and negative salary growth, this means U want to cut my salary.
公司： I already said U will get moderate increase. U checked JB for what?
kcchiew： Because you asked me to ask TPL?
公司： Huh
kcchiew： She said she don`t know what to say and asked me to go Woodbridge.
公司： And then?
kcchiew： I went there to stay a few days and asked around, everyone say I am right. But the hospital bill very expensive and I complained.
公司： And then?
kcchiew： They asked me to go to see my MP.
公司： Where you stay? who your MP?
kcchiew： SambaONE. My MP is CowBunOne.
公司： And then.
kcchiew： He asked to go to JB and stay in Tampoi. So I went there to stay a few days and asked around, everyone still say I am right. 公司： I don`t know what to say. You try ask Nicole to explain, she speaks Malay.
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and today:
George Yeo’s press statement http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/05/george-yeos-press-statement/
As we ended our campaign on 5 May, I talked about the importance of transforming the PAP. This is a belief I’ve held for some time. It was not something I felt I could say when the campaign started. But, as the campaign went on, as we heard the growing cry from the heart, I decided to make it plain.
知道很可能会输掉Aljunied，所以才讲？如果不是这样，就不可以讲，因为讲了就算赢了也没部长做了？
Is my understanding correct?"
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不知道WP和NSP/SPP的关系怎么样？
我希望WP至于原则，不接受NCMP的委任，那么两个NCMP的位子就可以给NSP的NicoleSeah及SPP的ChiamSeeTong。
我觉得WP应该这样做，然后经营好AljuniedGRC，5年后大大声告诉选民，投票给我们。
然后呢，让Parlianment里的NicoleSeah的能言善道，相对于TPL的『i dont know what to say』深深的打入人民的心。
ChiamSeeTong，虽然他已经不能能言善道，可是只要他不像OldMan那样乱乱讲话，他的脸和名字已经深深的打入人民的心了。野火 发表于 11-5-2011 11:15 PM
WP 是老牌反对党，跟其它 english-speaking, professionals 为主的反对党不一样
low thia khiang 能够崛起也是因为早期党里很多长老军师。。
WP 的野心很大，现在它们强大，不会跟其它反对党合作。。
他们让 desmond lim 在 punggul east lose deposit。。。desmond lim 在那边活动了５年
又逼 nsp's tony tan n hazel poa 离开 moulmein grc ，自己却派 weak candidates 去那边 contest。。。
发表于 13-5-2011 07:52 AM
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