Hougang By-election: PAP, WP in straight fight

Talk of four-way contest fizzles out as others drop bids

By Lydia Lim, The Straits Times, 17 May 2012

THE race for Hougang is on, and it is a straight fight between the Workers' Party's (WP) Png Eng Huat and the People's Action Party's (PAP) Desmond Choo.

Despite widespread speculation on Tuesday that WP veteran Poh Lee Guan might be a surprise third candidate, he stayed away from the Serangoon Junior College nomination centre yesterday.

Sipping coffee at a nearby coffee shop, Dr Poh, 50, said yesterday that he had never intended to contest the by-election and merely wanted to be 'an unofficial back-up candidate' - something he had omitted to tell his party leaders.

A fourth possible candidate failed to file his papers. That leaves Hougang's 23,368 voters to choose between the two men who had been expected to run.

Mr Png, 50, a businessman fighting to retain Hougang for the WP, had a pointed message which he delivered in Mandarin, English and Teochew: 'Come 26 May, please send me to Parliament so that the Workers' Party can continue to be your voice in Parliament.'

Mr Choo, 34, an NTUC deputy director for industrial relations, contesting in Hougang for the second time in a year, is focusing on schemes that he and members of the community have put in place over the past year.

'These schemes are to improve your life... Give us the opportunity to give Hougang a better future,' he said in Mandarin and English.

The WP stronghold was represented by party chief Low Thia Khiang for two decades before he moved to Aljunied GRC in last year's general election.

His protege and handpicked successor Yaw Shin Leong defeated Mr Choo with 64.8 per cent of the vote, but did not last a year as MP. He was expelled by the party in February amid allegations of extramarital affairs, and left Singapore.

Apart from Mr Yaw's sacking, three WP candidates last year have since resigned from the party.

The two men contesting the May 26 by-election were accompanied yesterday by party leaders and hundreds of supporters, who waited anxiously until nominations closed at noon to see if more candidates would turn up.

Afterwards, PAP chairman Khaw Boon Wan lost no time in pointing to the WP's troubles, saying voters had plenty to think about.

'Some resign, some get sacked for whatever the reason, some become unhappy with the leadership - it's too complicated for us,' he said. 'We come to politics to serve. So we have a common cause. So you decide what is important for Singaporeans and as a party, we stay united.'

He questioned the WP's ability to lead Singapore if it formed the government, when it could not stay united as a party.

'Every day, some ministers are resigning or being sacked. I think that's very troublesome for Singapore.'

He said the PAP was firmly behind Mr Choo, whom he described as an honest, competent man with good ideas and a passion to serve.

WP chief Mr Low found himself fielding questions about possible strife within the ranks, given party cadre Dr Poh's unusual move to appoint himself the 'stand-by candidate' without telling anyone.

He insisted that the party was united in backing Mr Png, whom he described as a hands-on person who has been on the ground serving residents.

He admitted that he did not know about Dr Poh's plans, and said the party veteran should have known better.

Brushing aside talk of strife within his party, he said such rumours came from those who wanted to damage the WP. 'So there is completely no possibility in this. I am extremely confident that there's no problem in WP. The WP stands united,' he said.

THE CANDIDATES: DESMOND CHOO
Here's to a 'good, clean fight'
By Goh Chin Lian & Teo Wan Gek, The Straits Times, 17 May 2012

TAKING a second shot at a ward he had lost a year ago, Mr Desmond Choo said yesterday he is hoping for a 'good, clean fight' for the vote of Hougang residents during the nine-day campaign.

The People's Action Party (PAP) candidate chatted with his Workers' Party rival Png Eng Huat after they submitted their nomination papers, and they promised to meet up after the polls no matter who won, he told reporters yesterday.

'We are going to sit down over coffee and then look back at these nine days and see that, hey, we fought a good, clean fight between gentlemen,' said the bespectacled former police force scholarship holder. 'I think that we will become fast friends.'

Mr Png said the same thing when he spoke to the media. Said the WP man: 'I wished him well, he wished me well. So it's going to be a clean fight.'

The two men had also agreed that the by-election was a contest between two candidates, for residents to choose the one who could take care of them for the long term, according to Mr Choo.

'It's about two passionate people fighting for the interests of Hougang residents. That's what we hope the campaign is going to be like, and this is going to be my focus.'

The 34-year-old political rookie has been stressing a determination to be his 'own man' in the campaign.

But he also had the support of party bigwigs and fellow first-time MPs at yesterday's nominations. First-term MPs Edwin Tong and Alex Yam and Education Minister Heng Swee Keat turned up, along with PAP chairman and National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan.

Looking fresh from six hours of sleep, Mr Choo himself was at the PAP's Hougang branch by 9am.

Clad in party whites, he and his supporters then headed for Serangoon Junior College, where they met a crowd of party activists waiting in the school grounds. Unionists like those from the Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Employees' Union were there to support Mr Choo, who is an NTUC deputy director, as was his wife Pamela Lee.

The PAP man, however, seemed to have miscalculated his timing when he made his Nomination Day speech.

While Mr Png managed to speak in Mandarin, English and Teochew within the one minute allotted to each candidate, Mr Choo appeared to have timed his speech wrongly.

Speaking first in Mandarin, he thanked Hougang residents for their support last year and noted the schemes he and his team had rolled out since then. He then turned to English, but just 15 seconds into his speech, he was cut off mid-sentence, having run out of time.



Later, he waved off the incident as 'unfortunate'. Asked if he had wanted to address voters in Teochew - spoken by many in Hougang - he immediately switched to the dialect to say he would have more opportunities to speak to them, whether it was in Teochew, Cantonese or Hokkien.

As party posters went up all over the ward, he wasted no time kicking off his campaign. Striding out of the Nomination Centre for a quick lunch, he was soon off knocking on residents' doors, wrapping up only at 10pm.

THE CANDIDATES: PNG ENG HUAT

Banking on WP track record
By Leonard Lim, The Straits Times, 17 May 2012

HIS party has served Hougang residents for more than two decades, and he is a known face in the ward.

Mr Png Eng Huat of the Workers' Party (WP) yesterday pointed to such credentials when he appealed to voters to support him.

'My party has a track record in Hougang, and I have been in Hougang since 2006,' he told reporters.

'They (the residents) know my abilities.'

The 50-year-old joined the Hougang Constituency Committee soon after the 2006 General Election.

Mr Png supported needy Hougang residents with the help of voluntary welfare organisations. A businessman with an artistic and musical bent, he also designed decorations for festive celebrations, and performed at a Christmas event two years ago.

During last year's GE, he was deployed to East Coast GRC as a candidate but his heart 'never left Hougang and the needy residents' he had met every month, he said.

Hougang, held by WP secretary-general Low Thia Khiang from 1991, was left to Mr Yaw Shin Leong to defend.

But in February, less than a year after being elected, Mr Yaw was sacked from the party for refusing to come clean on allegations of extramarital affairs. His expulsion triggered the by-election.

Mr Png was put in charge of the Hougang ward then, and has been attending the weekly Meet-the-People Sessions since.

Yesterday, several hundred residents and supporters, including some who travelled from as far as West Coast, showed up to support him at the Nomination Centre in Serangoon Junior College.

Addressing them after his candidacy was confirmed, Mr Png gave a well-rehearsed message in English, Mandarin and Teochew.

'Come 26 May, please send me to Parliament so that the Workers' Party can continue to be your voice in Parliament,' he said, as calls of 'Huat-ah!' ('Prosper!' in dialect) rang out each time he paused.

While he said he has no election manifesto, he is banking on history and emotional appeal to reach out to Hougang's 23,368 voters for a 'resounding mandate', going by a letter he began distributing yesterday afternoon.

He wrote: 'Your resolve to have an alternative voice in Parliament is legendary. Your concern for the future of our nation and children cannot be bought over with upgrading enticements, threats or intimidations.'

Accompanying his letter was one from Mr Low, explaining the importance of Hougang to the party and seeking voters' continuing support.



Mr Png told reporters he will work the ground by visiting public places like coffee shops, bus stops, void decks and residents' corners over the next nine days.

It will be a no-frills and low-key campaign.

And will his family tag along? Looking at the scrum of about 30 reporters, photographers and camera crew surrounding him, he laughed and said: 'I'm not too sure, I will ask them. I think this is a bit overwhelming.'

Khaw: WP disunity is worrying
PAP chairman raises questions about sacked ex-MP and resignations
By Toh Yong Chuan, The Straits Times, 17 May 2012

THE chairman of the People's Action Party (PAP), Mr Khaw Boon Wan, took a shot at the Workers' Party (WP) yesterday, criticising it for its disunity and warning about what it could mean for voters.

A party that had members being sacked or quitting due to unhappiness with its leadership, he said, would find it difficult to run a country.

If it were in power and had ministers resigning or being sacked, he observed, it would be 'very troublesome for Singapore'.

'If within the party, you cannot remain united, can you imagine if you're in power?' asked the National Development Minister. 'How do you run a country?'

Calling the developments in the WP 'very complicated', he said that political parties have to remain united on a common cause.

His comments were the first from a top PAP leader in recent days, following a series of incidents that have plagued the WP and raised questions about unity within its ranks.

Last week, when he called a by-election, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong also criticised the opposition party and former Hougang MP Yaw Shin Leong for letting down those who voted for him.

The WP's expulsion of Mr Yaw in the wake of allegations against him of extramarital affairs left the single-seat constituency without an MP since February, triggering the by-election.

Three other WP candidates in last year's general election have since resigned from the party, with the most recent being on Sunday.

On Tuesday, there was speculation that WP veteran Poh Lee Guan might be a surprise third candidate in the race to be the Hougang MP, perhaps contesting as an independent.

'It sounds very complicated,' said Mr Khaw of the developments. 'It's too complicated for us. For us, we come to politics to serve.'

He was one of two party bigwigs who turned up at the Nomination Centre yesterday to support candidate Desmond Choo.

The other was Education Minister Heng Swee Keat, a member of the PAP's Central Executive Committee.

Speaking with reporters, Mr Khaw did not comment directly on Dr Poh's actions, but gave his opinion about Mr Yaw who had been WP leader Low Thia Khiang's protege and was handpicked to succeed him in Hougang.

Mr Yaw never addressed the allegations that were made against him, and left Singapore after he was expelled by his party. His whereabouts are not known.

Mr Khaw said that the former MP had 'got into trouble, disgraced himself and disappointed all the voters'.

'And the worst thing was to leave just like that without a word,' said the minister.

'Not a single word of explanation or apology. I don't know why. I find that utterly irresponsible and in fact arrogant. He takes the voters for granted.'

Mr Khaw made a pitch for PAP's Mr Choo, describing him as an 'honest, competent man'.

Despite losing in Hougang last year, he noted, Mr Choo had stayed on in Hougang's 'difficult environment' to serve residents.

'The last general election has not daunted him, neither his fighting spirit nor his passion to serve,' said Mr Khaw. He appealed to Hougang residents to vote for the PAP candidate.

But he also acknowledged the challenge that the PAP faces in trying to take back the WP stronghold of Hougang.

He told The Straits Times, 'Bu ke yi fang qing song', which in Mandarin means not to let one's guard down.

APOLOGY FOR YAW'S BEHAVIOUR
'Less than a year after the last election, the then newly elected MP Yaw Shin Leong, in refusing to respond to accusations of indiscretions in his private life, broke the faith, trust and expectations of the electorate.

'His failure to account to the public and the party was irresponsible and in the process created a crisis of trust in the party.

'In this respect, Yaw did not live up to the expectations of the party in its MPs and the decision to expel him from the party was made.

'I fully understand the distress the episode has caused to you, the residents of Hougang, including the need for a by-election. For this, I sincerely apologise.'

WP chief Low Thia Khiang, referring to former MP Yaw Shin Leong's expulsion in a letter to Hougang residents in Mr Png Eng Huat's manifesto

Waiting for Poh
Self-appointed back-up didn't show up but loomed large on tense morning
By Rachel Chang, The Straits Times, 17 May 2012

FROM where they had stationed themselves on the field of Serangoon Junior College, Mr S. Ganesan, 37, and Mr G.E. Diran, 62, had an unobstructed view of the long walkway from the entrance to its main building.

Candidates for the Hougang by-election would have to traverse the stretch - papers in hand, assentors in tow - to register for the race.

Umbrellas up against the relentless sun, the People's Action Party supporters, both unionists from Sembawang shipyard, kept their eyes on the walkway.

They were not waiting for their candidate, Mr Desmond Choo, or his opponent, Mr Png Eng Huat of the Workers' Party. Both had already made their way in half an hour ago.

As the minutes ticked by towards noon, when the window for nominations would close, Mr Ganesan wondered aloud: 'Is he coming or not?'

In the end, Dr Poh Lee Guan, 50, a WP veteran who had threatened to make the by-election a three-cornered fight, stayed away.

But the private lecturer's shadow loomed large over both sides during a tense Nomination Day morning.

At 9am, WP supporters began gathering in the coffee shop across from Serangoon JC, poring over news reports of Dr Poh's intention to roil the party's plans to keep the ward.

At the PAP's Hougang branch a few avenues away, the same topic dominated.

The prevailing mood on both sides was confusion and, in the case of one WP supporter, awe at the possibility that it could be an elaborate calculation. 'Who knows? Maybe the WP engineered it themselves,' said WP supporter Kelvin Lim, a businessman. 'It could be party strategy.'

A day earlier, Dr Poh had been granted a political donation certificate from the Elections Department, which prospective candidates must apply for. But the WP denied that he was their reserve candidate.

Cautious from too many lost elections, those on the PAP side refused to openly celebrate the sign of the WP's fissure. 'It may be a ploy,' mused one veteran who declined to be named, on the bus to Serangoon JC. 'To give us false hope, then afterwards, our morale will drop.'

If they had harboured hopes that Dr Poh's candidacy may split the WP's vote and give 34-year-old Mr Choo an edge, PAP activists were soon reminded that Hougang was, and has been since 1991, a lion's den for men in white.

As the PAP contingent, led by National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan and Education Minister Heng Swee Keat, made their way into Serangoon JC, they were watched in silence by hundreds of WP supporters who lined the road in blue.

Some cheering and clapping met their arrival. That spirited show of support, however, could not match the din that erupted 20 minutes later when Mr Png arrived, flanked by party chief Low Thia Khiang and the WP's Aljunied GRC MPs.

'Workers' Party!' chants alternated with 'Huat ah!' - Hokkien for 'to prosper', and the last syllable of Mr Png's name.

Once inside the compound, the hundreds of supporters waited for their candidates to complete the registration pro-cess, engaged in prolonged cheering matches, all the while keeping an anxious eye out for Dr Poh.

Under the burning sun, party bigwigs like Mr Low and Mr Khaw, who is the PAP chairman, mingled with supporters from across the island. PAP activists had come from as far as Jurong GRC.

The WP contingent included campaigners for former presidential candidate Tan Cheng Bock and opposition figures like the Singapore Democratic Party's Michelle Lee.

Politicians from both sides went around reminding supporters not to jeer at the opposing candidate when they delivered their one-minute speeches.

Jeering at the Government-endorsed candidates in last year's General and Presidential Elections had marred proceedings.

When stray boos rang out later from some WP supporters during Mr Choo's address, Aljunied MPs Chen Show Mao and Pritam Singh gesticulated fiercely to silence them.

'That is not how we should behave,' said Mr Goh Peng Hong, a PAP activist from Sembawang. 'In here, we support different parties, but outside we are Singaporeans.'

As noon approached, it began to seem more and more unlikely that Dr Poh would appear to complicate the race.

Then, at 11.48am, a rustle went through a group of veteran WP members. Dr Poh was apparently perched at the coffeeshop outside, nursing a kopi with two friends.

As reporters rushed to confront the supposed 'unofficial back-up', as he later described himself, the PAP men, on the other side of the field, turned their gazes from the walkway. They did not know that he was just outside, but it would not matter anyway.

Even if Dr Poh ran through the gates now, it was unlikely that he would register in time. 'Game over,' said Mr Ganesan, referring to the WP veteran's political career.

The wait was over. But the straight fight between blue and white was just starting.

I wanted only to be the spare tyre, says Poh
WP veteran denies he was seeking publicity
By Tessa Wong & Andrea Ong, The Straits Times, 17 May 2012

THE rife speculation over whether Workers' Party (WP) veteran Poh Lee Guan would contest the Hougang by-election turned out to be a damp squib yesterday.

The man, whose actions surprised even his own party, declared that all he wanted to do was be the 'unofficial back-up' and 'spare tyre' candidate.

'I'm a business professor, I always tell my students that critical issues need to have a back-up plan or Plan B,' he told reporters minutes before nominations closed.

Dr Poh, 50, a private school lecturer, had sparked speculation when the Elections Department announced on Tuesday that he had been granted a political donations certificate, a prerequisite for standing in an election.

Within hours, the WP said he was 'not meant as WP's back-up candidate'.

But a New Paper report yesterday quoted Dr Poh as saying he wanted to run.

It led to a tense wait outside Serangoon Junior College, the Nomination Centre, yesterday morning. But he was a no-show when nominations closed at noon.

In fact, 10 minutes before the deadline, he was sipping coffee with friends at a nearby coffee shop.

Dressed in party colours of a blue shirt and black trousers, he told reporters he had always intended to be the unofficial back-up to WP's candidate Png Eng Huat. But he admitted he never told his party bigwigs of his plan.

He also denied telling The New Paper he would contest in Hougang, insisting it was never his 'objective and motivation from the very beginning'.

Dr Poh said he collected the forms for the political donation certificate on his own last Monday and sent them in last Friday.

He claimed he did not know the Elections Department would announce the names of those who got the certificates. 'It was a surprise, I wanted it to be a non-event. I wanted to be like the spare tyre that's put inside the boot, just in case we need it.'

As for why he did not tell the party of his plan, he said: 'I was thinking this would not be a matter that would affect everybody, it's just a quiet affair.' He also said he did not clear the air earlier because 'I did not want to contradict the party'.

He denied he applied for the certificate to show his unhappiness with the party or seek publicity.

Dr Poh, who had stood on the WP ticket in three previous general elections, also dismissed suggestions that he was unhappy that Mr Png - whom he called 'my buddy' - was picked for Hougang.

'I'm here to support as a party member and we want to do our best to secure Hougang, which is our home,' he said.

While he earlier said he would be at the Nomination Centre to watch Mr Png's speech, he appeared to change his mind on the way there. After a supporter spoke to him, he turned back and both drove off in Dr Poh's light blue sedan.

The emergence of mavericks or dissenting voices even as the party prepares to do battle in Hougang has raised questions if all is well in the party ranks.

Besides Dr Poh's move, his Nee Soon GRC teammate Sajeev Kamalasanan resigned from the WP on Sunday after he failed to become a cadre.

Mr Sajeev is the fourth candidate to leave since last May's polls. East Coast GRC candidate Mohamed Fazli Talip, who quit in February, also said he was disappointed with the cadre selection process.

However, WP chief Low Thia Khiang said yesterday it is a 'normal occurrence for a developing party' that some individual members may form different opinions or leave for greener pastures. He stressed there is no rift in the party.

The WP has weathered similar departures in the past. At least four candidates quit after the 2006 general election, including executive council members Chia Ti Lik and Goh Meng Seng. Mr Chia and Mr Goh went on to join other opposition parties.

While similar concerns were raised then over the party's leadership style, the WP rebounded, attracting high-calibre members like top lawyer Chen Show Mao, and won Aljunied GRC last year.

Still, managing members and their personalities will become more crucial as the WP seeks to grow its ranks and establish its parliamentary presence. Said a member: 'It's a good time for the party to reflect on its internal management.'

One issue is whether it can make all members feel amply motivated and appreciated.

Last night, its former East Coast GRC team leader Eric Tan, who quit after last year's polls, posted on Facebook his support for Mr Sajeev and Mr Fazli. He said he felt 'indignant' as the criteria for the selection of candidates 'must be more stringent than cadres', and the party should recognise candidates for their contributions.

However, Mr Low yesterday said the party would decide collectively on what each member's contributions were. 'We cannot say that because you participate in (an) election, you contribute. How about these people who work day and night to help you? They're equally contributing and it's an important contribution.'

The party values all its members, he added. 'Whether you're educated, you're not educated, (if) you make a contribution, your contribution will be recognised by the party.'

Low raps Poh for failing to inform party
He dismisses idea of any rift; says voters still have confidence in party
By Tessa Wong, The Straits Times, 17 May 2012

WORKERS' Party (WP) chief Low Thia Khiang yesterday chastised party veteran Poh Lee Guan, saying that as a senior cadre he should have known better and informed the party beforehand about his plan to apply for a political donation certificate.

The certificate is a must for contesting an election.

Mr Low said he would understand the slip-up if it had been made by a new member who was unaware of the party's standard operating procedures.

'But I think (Dr Poh) has been in the party for quite some time, was a candidate before, so I expected him to know what he should do and what is his responsibility as a cadre member.

'That's what we value a lot,' he told reporters, speaking in Mandarin and English.

Dr Poh, 50, a private school lecturer, had contested the past three general elections under the WP banner. He sparked widespread speculation that he would contest Hougang when an Elections Department announcement on Tuesday showed his name among those who had applied and received the certificate.

His move caught the WP by surprise, and yesterday Mr Low said the party had not heard from Dr Poh since the news broke. But neither did the party leaders try to contact him.

When asked why, Mr Low said: 'First, he should let us know if there's any intention of doing such a thing. I don't think the leadership of the Workers' Party expects to be caught by surprise.'

He added that 'it's basic human decency actually to have a sense of accountability'.

Also, when they heard what he did, it was 'a bit too late' to check with him as they were busy preparing for Nomination Day, he said.

Mr Low declined to discuss whether the party would punish or expel Dr Poh, saying that any such move will be decided by the Central Executive Committee after they speak to him. This meeting, he added, is likely to take place only after the by-election. He also declined to speculate on Dr Poh's reasons for his action.

Earlier yesterday, Dr Poh had told reporters that he just wanted to be an 'unofficial back-up' to the WP-endorsed candidate, Mr Png Eng Huat.

When asked if he accepted the explanation, Mr Low said: 'If he comes and speaks to me, probably I can better understand the intention behind all this, rather than speak to me through (the media).'

His relationship with Dr Poh is 'good', he said, but he could not recall the last time they spoke.

The Dr Poh incident comes hot on the heels of the resignation of Mr Sajeev Kamalasanan, who was a WP candidate in last year's general election.

Mr Sajeev, who was in the Nee Soon GRC team with Dr Poh, quit on Sunday after he was not made a party cadre.

He is the fourth candidate to depart after last year's polls. The others were former Hougang MP Yaw Shin Leong, who was expelled, Mr Mohamed Fazli Talip, and party veteran Eric Tan, who left because he was not made a Non-Constituency MP.

But Mr Low, in his usual combative manner, dismissed suggestions that these moves signal a growing rift in a party often touted for its unity.

Besides pointing out that these were part and parcel of a growing party, he said the selection of an NCMP or cadre lies with the central leadership, not with a single person.

He also shot down speculation that these incidents have damaged Hougang voters' confidence in the party.

'The Hougang residents have known the Workers' Party and myself for so many years. I think they know what kind of person I am - I'm pretty transparent. And Workers' Party has shown itself to be a responsible party, transparent.

'We are prepared to face the press even with such an embarrassing situation like (what happened with) Yaw Shin Leong,' he said.

Pointing to all the WP MPs who had turned up in a show of support for Mr Png yesterday, he declared: 'The WP stands united. Voters also have confidence in WP.'

BUSINESSMAN 'DISQUALIFIED BECAUSE OF RUDE BIRD'

BUSINESSMAN Zeng Guoyan (right) claimed he was told the night before by the Elections Department (ELD) that he was probably ineligible to contest the by-election, even though he had been issued a political donation certificate.

But he showed up at yesterday's nominations anyway. In the end, he did not file his papers.

When contacted, the ELD said all its officer did on May 15 was to explain to Mr Zeng the qualifications to be an electoral candidate.

Mr Zeng, remembered by some for walking around with a parrot on his shoulder and tearing up in public his nomination papers at last year's GE, was fined in 2009 for putting up banners of escaped terrorist Mas Selamat outside his hair products shop in Toa Payoh.

But yesterday, he claimed he was disqualified because he was fined in 2008 when his parrot uttered vulgarities to a policeman entering his shop.

'I cannot contest, I was disqualified. But it was my bird,' he protested. 'It was my bird that scolded the police officer, because the police officer came into my shop early in the morning.'