Opposition figures air key issues at dialogue
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Dec 17, 2010 - Straits Times
Six leaders united in call for more opposition voices in Parliament
By Jeremy Au Yong & Kor Kian Beng
Opposition leaders (from left) Mr Goh Meng Seng of the National Solidarity Party; Mr Gerald Giam of the Workers' Party; Mr Chiam See Tong of the Singapore People's Party; Mr Kenneth Jeyaretnam of the Reform Party; Dr Chee Soon Juan of the Singapore Democratic Party; and Mr Chia Ti Lik of the Socialist Front at last night's dialogue held at the Quality Hotel in Balestier. -- ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
SIX opposition leaders came together for a dialogue last night, giving an early glimpse of where their parties stood on key national issues.
Topics like housing and the role of the media got an airing, alongside a wide range of other matters from the Internal Security Act (ISA) to national service.
And while the political parties differed slightly on some issues, there was clear consensus on their rallying cry: Get more opposition voices into Parliament.
Throughout the 21/2-hour session at the Quality Hotel in Balestier, the different opposition leaders took turns calling for change and taking jibes at the People's Action Party (PAP). Often, these calls were met with cheers or applause from the largely partisan crowd of 350 that showed up.
Socialist Front secretary-general Chia Ti Lik, for instance, called for the PAP to be given a 'black eye'. Answering a question about HDB prices, he said: 'The changes have to be made and the changes can only be made if we give the PAP a black eye at the next general election.'
The forum, titled Face To Face, was organised by socio-political website The Online Citizen (TOC) to mark its fourth anniversary.
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Ruling PAP a no-show at major political forum
By Faris – December 17th, 2010
One chair (far right) is left empty as the six-member guest panellists take their seats. (Yahoo!)
The ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) skipped a major political forum on Thursday evening which was attended by the leaders of Singapore’s political parties.
Organised by socio-political website, The Online Citizen, the event which was held in a packed ballroom at the Quality Hotel in Balestier was attended by over 350 people, made up mostly of the public, party activists and the media.
Leaders of the various political parties including Kenneth Jeyaretnam of the Reform Party (RP), Chia Ti Lik of the Socialist Front and Secretary-General of the National Solidarity Party, Goh Meng Seng (NSP), were guest panellists.
Chee Soon Juan of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), Chiam See Tong of Singapore People’s Party (SPP) and Gerald Giam representing The Workers’ Party (WP) were also present during the 2-and-a-half-hour dialogue.
However, as the political leaders took their seats, a chair was conspicuously empty — the PAP was the only political party who chose not to send a representative.
Before the forum began, moderator Mr Choo Zheng Xi, 25, addressed the “elephant in the room” and said, “We did actually invite the PAP. We sent an email to the Secretary-general of the PAP, Mr Lee Hsien Loong, and reached out to an MP who said was keen to come. He asked for clearance but did not get it.”
Yahoo! SEA understands the MP in question was Mr Zaqy Mohamad, who is Vice-Chairman of the young PAP and head of the party’s media subcommittee and new media engagement.
In an email reply to Yahoo! SEA, the MP for Hong Kah GRC declined comment and suggested we contact PAP HQ for an official comment.
When asked about the PAP’s absence, Reform Party chief Mr Jeyaretnam said “it was a definitely a huge loss for PAP itself. It was an opportunity to engage those in the forum just like the debates held in the US or the UK.”
Forum moderator, Mr Choo, a 25-year-old law graduate added, “It was not just plain debate, it was a debate of substantive quality. Real, significant issues were profoundly discussed tonight and the PAP missed out on it.”
A member of the public who called himself Chetan said the PAP missed a chance to connect to their constituents ahead of the next General Election.
“They missed an important process of dialogue with other political figures. Perhaps they are still suspicious of the new media, ” said the 30-year-old engineer.
However, a blogger who was present, Donaldson Tan, said that although their absence was disappointing, the party actually did not have much to lose.
“It’s not much of a loss for the party. The PAP conducts its own forums and meetings with its activists to gain feedback from the ground. But their absence did mean that there was no robust debate between the ruling party and the opposition,” said the editor of the New Asia Republic.
Among the broad range of issues covered during the forum conducted in an open QnA style were housing, income inequality, the role of the media and civil liberties such as freedom of assembly and the Internal Security Act (ISA).
During the session, the audience was allowed to pose questions specifically to a political party or general questions which all speakers on the panel could answer.
Housing proved to be the hottest issue of the night with Mr Chee of the SDP calling on the Housing Board Development (HDB) to be more transparent and reveal the true costs of building flats in order to solve the issue of high housing prices.
But all came to an agreement that public housing should be made accessible for the bottom 30 per cent of the population.
On the role of the media, Socialist Front’s Mr Chia said, “We can use the internet to force the mainstream media to be more objective. Media in other countries is supposed to be the watchdog and that is the role that the media has to rise up to.”
On the issue of the controversial ISA law, which allows people to be detained without trial, Mr Chiam said, “It is arbitrary. Very dangerous. There is no emergency now unlike the 1940s” before calling for compensation for those who have been unfairly detained.
An audience member also raised the question on whether the ruling party, PAP, was “divorced from reality” and creating policies which are not in tune with its citizens.
62-year-old retiree, Mr Bentley Tan told Yahoo! SEA, “I have grown up with PAP and they have done well in the initial years but now they are not listening to the ground.”
“The old guard is passionate, sincere and dedicated in serving the people, but now public service is more of a career,” he added.
WP”s Mr Giam addressed the issue during the forum and said, “The PAP has a extensive network of grassroots who provide feeback. But worse than being out of touch is to ignore that feedback. It is time to get the opposition more representation in parliament.”
On what voters can expect in the next GE, due to be held by Feb 2012, Reform Party’s Mr Jeyaretnam said, ”Don’t keep grumbling and then on polling day, you vote for the incumbent, and then go on grumbling for the next four years. Do something about it.”
Summing up the event, Andrew Loh, 44, and co-founder of organiser TOC, said the forum was organised to allow the public to “see political parties talking about real issues which have affected Singaporeans since the last general election in 2006″.
Human rights activist, Ms Braema Mathi, added, “I can sense a maturing in way public approach opposition and their response. (The opposition parties) seem to have greater clarity on the approaches they want to take.”
(Clockwise from top left): Chia Ti Lik (Socialist Front), Goh Meng Seng (NSP), Kenneth Jeyaretnam (RP), Gerald Giam (WP), Chiam See Tong (SPP) and Dr Chee Soon Juan (SDP)
- Yahoo!Singapore
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PAP's too busy.
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the importance of an impeccable marketing campaign is essential to get votes and sustain a credible image...this principle is well established from Mao Zedong's use of media to Obama's Change message.....it has to be unique....
hence, their forum must stress a unique selling proposition...which is the most important starting point of any political campaign.....
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they need an experienced and renowned PR strategic consultant
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Read sun zi art of war for strategy. Y no imigration issues?
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Hell freezes over.
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Originally posted by Clivebenss:
Hell freezes over.
together again at last.
no more feuds.
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Originally posted by Vote PAP OUT to Save SG:
together again at last.
no more feuds.
good to see all the oppositions together for once the personal differences set aside for this coming GE.
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Originally posted by Clivebenss:
good to see all the oppositions together for once the personal differences set aside for this coming GE.
must join forces to destroy the PAP.
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Originally posted by Vote PAP OUT to Save SG:
must join forces to destroy the PAP.
only have to watch out for pseudo independent candidates to put in 3 corner fights to pull opposition votes.
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Originally posted by Clivebenss:
PAP's too busy.
Too busy counting money. -
Originally posted by Clivebenss:
On what voters can expect in the next GE, due to be held by Feb 2012, Reform Party’s Mr Jeyaretnam said, ”Don’t keep grumbling and then on polling day, you vote for the incumbent, and then go on grumbling for the next four years. Do something about it.”
I wonder how many % daft Singaporeans who voted PAP in the past, will vote opposition this time? -
Originally posted by tranquilice:
I wonder how many % daft Singaporeans who voted PAP in the past, will vote opposition this time?I think its 80% of the 66.6%.
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Originally posted by Junyang700:
I think its 80% of the 66.6%.
80%?
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Originally posted by Clivebenss:
80%?
Sorry, i meant my guess is that 80% of those who voted for PAP in 2006, will still vote for PAP in the next elections.
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I guess as much.
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Originally posted by Junyang700:
I think its 80% of the 66.6%.
That's alot! -
Should have about 200,000 new voters replacing 200,000 old voters who died off in the past 5 years.
About 100,000 who migrated out and 100,000 who migrated in. -
Originally posted by tranquilice:
That's alot! we cannot deny... that there are hardcore supporters. and there are some who have reservations over the opposition candidate (even if they arent hardcore supporter).
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Originally posted by Clivebenss:
Dec 17, 2010 - Straits Times
Six leaders united in call for more opposition voices in Parliament
By Jeremy Au Yong & Kor Kian Beng
Opposition leaders (from left) Mr Goh Meng Seng of the National Solidarity Party; Mr Gerald Giam of the Workers' Party; Mr Chiam See Tong of the Singapore People's Party; Mr Kenneth Jeyaretnam of the Reform Party; Dr Chee Soon Juan of the Singapore Democratic Party; and Mr Chia Ti Lik of the Socialist Front at last night's dialogue held at the Quality Hotel in Balestier. -- ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
SIX opposition leaders came together for a dialogue last night, giving an early glimpse of where their parties stood on key national issues.
Topics like housing and the role of the media got an airing, alongside a wide range of other matters from the Internal Security Act (ISA) to national service.
And while the political parties differed slightly on some issues, there was clear consensus on their rallying cry: Get more opposition voices into Parliament.
Throughout the 21/2-hour session at the Quality Hotel in Balestier, the different opposition leaders took turns calling for change and taking jibes at the People's Action Party (PAP). Often, these calls were met with cheers or applause from the largely partisan crowd of 350 that showed up.
Socialist Front secretary-general Chia Ti Lik, for instance, called for the PAP to be given a 'black eye'. Answering a question about HDB prices, he said: 'The changes have to be made and the changes can only be made if we give the PAP a black eye at the next general election.'
The forum, titled Face To Face, was organised by socio-political website The Online Citizen (TOC) to mark its fourth anniversary.
I hope for more opposition representation.
Our voices need to be heard. =)
At least 10 more seats to the opposition. =) -
estimated 30-35% opposition support base, how much the swing in the 15-20% undecided will determine the outcome.
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Its a fact that the opposition are getting better this time round with the recruitment of members who are well educated and some can really speak good english unlike Mr MeeSiam mai hum.
Those who dont bat an eyelid about them last time should start to take notice of them.
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Originally posted by Junyang700:
Sorry, i meant my guess is that 80% of those who voted for PAP in 2006, will still vote for PAP in the next elections.
Which means 20% of the 66% will be voting opposition, that is 13% out of 100%. Add the other 33% (assume no change) and total is 46%.53% vote to PAP
46% vote to opposition
1% spolit vote -
Originally posted by tranquilice:
Which means 20% of the 66% will be voting opposition, that is 13% out of 100%. Add the other 33% (assume no change) and total is 46%.53% vote to PAP
46% vote to opposition
1% spolit votemargin of error?