Electoral Boundaries Review Committee 2020 report; 14 SMCs, 17 GRCs in next General Election

Singapore GE: Number of MPs to increase from 89 to 93, four new SMCs and a Sengkang GRC created
By Royston Sim, Deputy News Editor (Politics), The Straits Times, 14 Mar 2020

Singapore will increase the number of elected MPs in Parliament by four, and do away with six-member group representation constituencies (GRCs) in changes to constituency boundaries announced yesterday, raising expectations that the next general election could be called within the next few months.

The changes are incremental in nature, with the largest ones taking place in the fast-growing north-eastern part of the island. In all, about 13 per cent of voters will find themselves in a new constituency, compared with the 19 per cent of voters affected by boundary changes ahead of the 2015 election.

Political analysts said the next election could be held as early as next month, or in early May or June.

The Electoral Boundaries Review Committee submitted its report to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Wednesday, and the Government has accepted its recommendations.

The number of Members of Parliament will go up from 89 to 93.

There will be 14 single-member constituencies (SMCs) and 17 GRCs, up from the current 13 SMCs and 16 GRCs.

A new four-member Sengkang GRC will be created by merging the former Sengkang West and Punggol East SMCs, as well as parts of Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC.

In all, three SMCs have been taken off the map - Punggol East, Seng-kang West and Fengshan. The Workers' Party, which contested all three in the previous election, yesterday questioned their removal.

In their place are four new single seats, including Punggol West which will be carved out of Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, and Yio Chu Kang from Ang Mo Kio GRC.

The mammoth six-member Ang Mo Kio and Pasir Ris-Punggol GRCs, helmed by PM Lee and Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, respectively, have both been trimmed to five-member GRCs. In all, there will be 11 five-member GRCs - three more than in 2015. The number of four-member GRCs remains six.



Two anticipated hot battlegrounds - East Coast GRC and West Coast GRC - have each grown to become five-member GRCs.

East Coast GRC, which is expected to see a strong challenge mounted by the Workers' Party, has absorbed Fengshan. Meanwhile, the new Progress Singapore Party formed by former People's Action Party MP Tan Cheng Bock is tipped to contest West Coast GRC, which has absorbed polling districts from Chua Chu Kang GRC and Hong Kah North.

In keeping with recent practice, the boundaries of opposition-held seats - Aljunied GRC and Hougang - have remained intact.

The committee said it reviewed the electoral boundaries taking into account "current configurations, changes in the number of electors due to population shifts and housing developments".

Its recommendations continue reforms to the system that PM Lee had initiated ahead of the 2011 GE, to further reduce the average size of GRCs and create more SMCs.

The average number of MPs per GRC in the coming GE will be 4.65, down from 4.75 in the 2015 GE.

There are 2,594,740 voters heading to the polls, which have to be held by April 2021 - up from 2,460,484 in the 2015 election.

The committee, which comprises five senior civil servants, was formed on Aug 1 last year.

The next question is when Parliament will be dissolved, and the writ of election issued. In the last four elections, Parliament was dissolved between one day (2001) and 54 days (2011) after the report was released.



The hustings will be held amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Yesterday, Singapore announced more social distancing measures to fight the coronavirus pandemic and proposed that gatherings be limited to 250 people.

PM Lee had said on Thursday that the outbreak could continue for a year, and maybe longer. He also emphasised that the situation here remains under control, and the disease outbreak response level - currently at orange - will not be raised to red, the highest level.

Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat on Wednesday said the COVID-19 situation and its impact on the economy are likely to worsen, and ensuring Singapore can focus on overcoming the challenges is a major factor in deciding when to hold the general election.

Observers said mass rallies, a mainstay of past GEs, are unlikely to take place in the coming one, and online campaigning could feature prominently instead.

'Pervasive' lapses found in Workers' Party town council accounts: KPMG; WP MPs sued by own Town Council AHTC over $33 million in improper payments

Weaknesses cover key areas of governance, financial control and reporting, among others: KPMG
By Lim Yan Liang, The Straits Times, 22 Jul 2016

Auditors of the Workers' Party-run Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC) had harsh words for the way it was managed, saying they found "pervasive" control failures in its accounts and work processes over the past five years.

These weaknesses cover key areas of governance, financial control, financial reporting, procurement and records management, KPMG said in a report on Wednesday.

In all, KPMG flagged six areas where AHTC's control environment had failed to set the foundation for discipline and structure for its internal workings. These include the lack of communication and enforcement of integrity and ethical values. For instance, "highly irregular" methods were used to process over $60 million worth of payments, and temporary accounts used for more than one million transactions were not cleared swiftly.

Also, several payments were made using a dummy code that meant duplicate or fictitious payments could be made without being detected. The town council's audit committee also did not meet as often as it should to address the issues raised by AHTC auditors as well as the Auditor-General.

"There is an issue larger than the sum of individual lapses at AHTC," KPMG said in its report, which the Workers' Party (WP) released on Wednesday night.

* Workers' Party MPs Court Case against Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC) -October 2018 *

The lapses were a systemic problem and fixing them means town councillors have to "reset the tone at the top of AHTC" to emphasise competence and accountability.



KPMG estimated that the town council will take at least 18 months to rectify all the lapses and weaknesses that have been found.

AHTC chairman Pritam Singh said it accepts all the recommendations in full, and its MPs "will immediately lead an exercise to review" governance, controls and other key areas identified in the report.
Last night, the Housing Board noted "with grave concern" the findings, including the town council's slow progress in remedying the lapses after "a long and protracted process for AHTC to appoint an independent accountant following orders by the Court of Appeal".

"It is imperative that AHTC takes immediate steps to reset its tone from the very top," it added.

"As large sums of public monies are at stake, AHTC also needs to account to its residents and the public whether any monies have been lost as a result of these lapses," it said.

The monthly report by KPMG is its fourth on the state of AHTC, which hired it to look into its books following significant lapses in governance flagged by its own auditors and the Auditor-General in a special report in February last year.

The new report completes one part of KPMG's work, which is to identify where AHTC did not comply with the Town Council Act.

MP David Ong resigns due to extramarital affair; joins growing ranks of Political ASSHOLEs

PAP MP for Bukit Batok David Ong resigns; by-election to be called
Reported affair with married party volunteer the reason for decision; opposition eyes Bukit Batok seat
By Janice Heng and Rachel Au-Yong, The Sunday Times, 13 Mar 2016

People's Action Party MP for Bukit Batok David Ong resigned as both an MP and party member yesterday after admitting to a "personal indiscretion".

Mr Ong, 54, is believed to have had an extramarital affair with a married woman, who is a grassroots activist in his constituency.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said a by-election will be called "in due course" in Bukit Batok, which the PAP won with 73 per cent of the votes in a three-way race in last September's general election.

The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) said it will be contesting the seat and will hold a walkabout in the area this morning.

Mr Ong, who is married with three teenage children, told The Sunday Times: "I feel that it's the right thing to do to step down for the best interests of the party, my constituents and family. There is personal indiscretion on my part, which I deeply regret."

He added: "I would appreciate if you can give me and my family the privacy to heal and rebuild."



He is the third MP in five years to resign from his seat because of an affair. The Sunday Times has learnt that the woman in question is Ms Wendy Lim, 41, a PAP member who works in a logistics firm.

Yesterday, many residents and volunteers said they were surprised at Mr Ong's sudden resignation, adding that they appreciated his hard work in the constituency and were sorry to see him go.

In addition to the SDP, which contested the seat at the Sept 11 general election, several other opposition parties could also stand in the by-election.

It would be the third by-election following Hougang in 2012 and Punggol East in 2013.

Town Council issue a top priority: Punggol East MP Charles Chong

Mr Charles Chong from the People’s Action Party, who won the Punggol East SMC seat at the 2015 General Election, says he will attend a briefing by Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council on Monday morning before approaching Punggol East’s current town council and arrange for its handover.
By Elizabeth Goh, Channel NewsAsia, 13 Sep 2015

MP Charles Chong won back Punggol East SMC for the People's Action Party (PAP) following the 2015 General Election, and his first order of business is the town council issue.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a walkabout in the SMC on Sunday (Sep 13), Mr Chong said: "We're taking them out of one town council, possibly merging it with the former town council which they were in - Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council."

"We need to have a clean set of accounts first before we can merge. But if necessary, maybe we will hold separate accounts until we resolve all these issues," Mr Chong said.

Punggol East SMC is currently under the Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council, which is managed by the Workers' Party.

When asked what the estimated timeline would be for the handover as well as for obtaining funding from the Ministry of National Development (MND), Mr Chong said: "I think MND has made it clear that they require a clean set of accounts before they resume funding, so we intend to get that as soon as possible. Once we have those clean set of accounts, there's no reason for MND to withhold funding from Punggol East, and with that I think we can do so much more."

He also noted the benefits of merging the town councils. "I think if you look at Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council - I was the Chairman years ago for a long period of time - it has never been in deficit. Accounts are in order, things are run smoothly also. So it's better to be with a town council which everything is in order, accounts are also reliable, and then we can continue restoring services like what it was before."

Mr Chong added that from experience, the handover of town councils will take about three months. "We'll try to do it as quick as possible. If we can do it in a shorter period, so much the better."

Mr Chong also said he would be briefed by Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council on Monday morning. "After which, we will then approach the current town council and arrange for its handover, but we want to do it as soon as we can."

"I think Ms Lee Li Lian has already told the media she will work towards a smooth handover. I look forward to a smooth handover also," he said.

GE2015: SMC results; PAP's Punggol East win opens door to AHPETC accounts

Single-Member Constituencies: Punggol East





PAP wrests single seat back with narrow win
Workers' Party candidate Lee Li Lian says she will not take up NCMP post
By Christopher Tan, Senior Transport Correspondent, Jalelah Abu Baker and Marissa Lee, The Straits Times, 12 Sep 2015

The sums have somehow added up for Mr Charles Chong, as the veteran MP reclaimed Punggol East for the People's Action Party (PAP) from the Workers' Party (WP).

Mr Chong, 62, beat the incumbent, Ms Lee Li Lian, 37, by a thin margin, garnering 51.76 per cent of valid votes.

His win ends the opposition's short hold on the single-member constituency, which it secured in January 2013 in a by-election called following the resignation of PAP MP Michael Palmer over an extramarital affair.

Back then, Ms Lee beat PAP's Dr Koh Poh Koon with 54.5 per cent of the votes.

During his campaign, Mr Chong dwelled on the affairs of the Punggol East town council, saying that Pasir Ris-Punggol town council had a surplus of $1 million when it handed its accounts over to the WP after the 2013 by-election.

The WP denied the claim vigorously, insisting that the town council had a deficit of $282,009 then.

The debate took on a life of its own on social media, with professional accountants weighing in on the matter. And observers reckoned that the PAP's claim would backfire.

But as the latest election results have shown, that did not happen.

Mr Chong said his immediate plans were to "get (the) town council in order and some municipal issues, and also some issues which residents have brought up to me during the last few Meet-the-People Sessions".

He also said residents had complained that maintenance of the town had "deteriorated".

"There was not much I could do until I took back the town council, then we can know how much funds we have," he said.

Asked if he expected to win, the man who claimed his first - and equally thin - SMC victory four years ago in Joo Chiat, said: "I never take things for granted. Most of my contests, they have been close. I never take anything for granted."

He said he had a slight advantage as "some of the areas, I have taken care of before".

Before Joo Chiat, Mr Chong was an MP for the Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, which Punggol East was a part of.

Mr Chong, who has been in politics for nearly three decades, said he did not want to harp on the town council accounts, but the WP "kept on raising it during the rally, so I had to respond".

"I think one way of resolving (this) once and for all is to have all the accounts checked, do a forensic, once and for all," he added.

Ms Lee, who impressed residents in 2013 with her earnest and approachable ways, said that her loss may be down to "municipal issues".

"I respect the voters' decision": The Workers' Party's Lee Li Lian says she will not take up a Non-Constituency MP post. She lost her Punggol East seat to People's Action Party's Charles Chong. #GE2015LIVE UPDATES: bit.ly/ge2015resultsWATCH LIVE: http://sgvotes.sg
Posted by Channel NewsAsia Singapore on Friday, September 11, 2015

She broke down and cried after the sample count was done, but managed to compose herself later when she met the press.

"Right from the start, we cannot expect that we will win," she said. "We have to fight for every vote. We cannot take any election for granted."

Ms Lee looks poised to be offered a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament position because she lost by the thinnest margin among all losers.

But she said she would not take it up.

"I respect the voters' decision," she said.

With Punggol East back with the ruling party, the number of seats the opposition has in Parliament will shrink from seven to six.

GE2015: Charles Chong pledge to clear up Punggol East's books

By Jermyn Chow, Defence Correspondent and Jessica Lim, The Straits Times, 9 Sep 2015

If elected in Punggol East SMC, People's Action Party candidate Charles Chong will open its books, get independent auditors to dig into the accounts and find out its "exact financial position".

Speaking last night at a rally in Pasir Ris, he said: "We need to find out the exact state of accounts and how the money was spent."

The veteran backbencher is challenging Workers' Party (WP) candidate Lee Li Lian, who won the seat in a 2013 by-election.

Referring to WP's claims that Punggol East was in deficit before being handed over to the party's town council, Mr Chong said the facts are clear, despite conflicting accounts. He added that PAP town councils have been transparent, and voters can access the financial statements of their town councils.

"I would have brought a piece of paper to show you here tonight, but I don't think those sorts of theatrics are necessary, nor is it constructive. We must have nothing to hide, and our accounts must always be reliable and properly certified, for everyone to see," he said.

As soon as the accounts are put in order, he said he would get the Ministry of National Development to restore the grants due to Punggol East so that the PAP can improve maintenance and cleanliness in the estate.

Low Thia Khiang cements Wayang Party tag for Workers' Party with AHPETC saga

Education Minister Heng Swee Keat joined the debate in Parliament (13 Feb 2015) on the Auditor-General's report on the audit of Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC)

He proceeded to list the signature act of the Workers' Party.

First quote: "The WP has over 20 years of experience in managing town councils well and not just small town councils but a huge GRC town council in Aljunied. We know the ins and outs of running a constituency. Even when obstacles were thrown in our path to trip us up, we still have managed to ensure residents' needs are well taken care of." This was by Mr Gerald Giam when he spoke to residents at a rally on Jan 23, 2013.


Second quote. "If WP wins Punggol East, I am confident that we will manage the town council competently. WP has had more than 20 years of experience managing Hougang SMC. After GE 2011, we quickly adapted to take charge of Aljunied GRC under a very short timeframe. We will take over the town council functions with as little disruption as possible to the residents. I have the experience and know-how in running a town council." This was by Ms Lee Li Lian at the rally to residents on Jan 22, 2013.


So we have heard that you can take charge of a TC, and big ones too, under a very short timeframe. So all the explanations that all the WP members have given us so far, which is the correct version?

That you have plenty of problems, plenty of challenges or that you can take charge within a short timeframe, overcome any obstacles and that you are experienced and you have the know-how.


Third quote: "WP MPs are committed to being politically accountable to voters for town management under the current regime. Whatever else is done in other countries, the responsibility for town management has been legislated to the MPs under the Town Councils Act. We accept this responsibility and have pledged during elections to manage towns entrusted to us to the best of our ability. We intend to continue keeping this promise." This is by Ms Sylvia Lim in a parliamentary session on May 13, 2013.

I was most astounded to hear what Mr Low Thia Khiang said yesterday in this House, that we should depoliticise the transitioning process. Mr Low, you're the secretary-general of the WP and have just said the exact opposite of what Ms Sylvia Lim, chairman of the WP, said in this House in 2013.

Did you just change your mind when things went wrong in AHPETC or you never believed in what you were doing? Or were Mr Gerald Giam, Ms Lee Li Lian and Ms Sylvia Lim misleading residents?

Do you have any conviction or do you just say whatever is expedient for the moment, even if it means misleading Singaporeans?

Teo Ser Luck: The politician who nearly joined a gang

Minister of State for Trade and Industry Teo Ser Luck, 46, comes to the interview dressed in a T-shirt, shorts, and slippers. He admits he is still learning the ways of a minister, but he is not worried about being different. He talks to Robin Chan about the upcoming Budget, his tough childhood and his best workout partners.
The Straits Times, 15 Feb 2014

What will this year's Budget, to be announced next Friday, have for SMEs? They are feeling cost pressures three years into Singapore's economic restructuring, with some feeling they are being forced out of the country.

It is still about growth. It is still about staying on course. It is definitely about restructuring, but we understand the challenges they are facing. So the schemes that we have, we have to monitor the utilisation. And if possible, (improve on it) if there is a need, based on the feedback, like we have done with the Innovation and Capability Voucher. (The $5,000 voucher is for SMEs to pay for upgrading services across productivity and innovation. It will be enhanced in March to cover more areas.)

Some businesses will find it harder than others. We look at what we can do to help them. But at the end of the day they have to do it for themselves. We are just facilitating.

We don't need more schemes. There are already too many. So what we need to do is enhance some, make it easier to use and access. That is why we are setting up the SME centres, setting up the merchants' committee (an initiative launched last month in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC for shopkeepers to give feedback and learn about government schemes), and we work with the trade associations. It actually helps (raise) the awareness.

Dr Koh Poh Koon and toilet humour

By Tessa Wong, MyPaper, 16 Dec 2013

Ask Dr Koh Poh Koon whether it was unbecoming for him to star in a cheeky - some say distasteful - YouTube video about colons, and he will give you a shrug.

"Already people are calling me the 'asshole doctor'... what's the difference?" said the colorectal surgeon with a laugh, adding that it was not as if "I put on a clown costume and ran around... It wasn't demeaning at all."

In October, Dr Koh stepped back into the public eye with a humorous video about colon cancer, produced by Fortis Healthcare.



Chock-full of literal toilet humour and fart jokes, it features Dr Koh lampooning his turn in January's Punggol East by-election, where the People's Action Party (PAP) candidate lost to the Workers' Party's Lee Li Lian.

One scene has him donning a victor's garland and pumping his fist in the air, while urging viewers to go for early colorectal screening.

The video received mixed reactions online. Some found it humorous while others said it was unprofessional. One website said it was proof that he "does not want to run for office again".

But Dr Koh said that if he lost any political points with the video, it is a "good sacrifice", given its worthy message.

"If people have the mindset that politicians must be strait-laced, they must be cast in a certain mould, I can't help it. But at the end of the day, our job is to be as close to the ground as we can, to have a common platform with the people we serve," he said.

When voters have conflicting desires...

Many want to have more opposition MPs but not a change in government

By Elgin Toh, The Straits Times, 9 Feb 2013

MATHEMATICALLY, it was difficult to argue that the People's Action Party's (PAP) rule was under serious threat. But for many, an emotional threshold seemed to have been crossed.

In the aftermath of the Workers' Party's (WP) decisive win in the Punggol East by-election, many Singaporeans instinctively rejected the idea that the one-seat swing was nothing more than, well, a one-seat swing.

Maybe it had to do with the fact that the WP looked to be on a roll and the mighty PAP was on an unprecedented losing streak.

Nonetheless, I was fascinated by rumination over the larger significance for the country of what can only be described as the slightest of alterations to parliamentary balance - from 81-6 to 80-7.

Former foreign minister George Yeo wrote on Facebook: "Whither Singapore?" A Straits Times Forum writer defended the one-party system.

And my colleague Leslie Koh wrote about the question that came to his mind after hearing the result: "Would I see the PAP lose power in my lifetime?"

Whether or not these were overreactions, my conversations with others confirmed that they were fairly commonplace.

These didn't just come from political conservatives or PAP supporters. Some people who showed signs of anxiety were also highly critical of many government policies. And some would have cheered when the Punggol East result was announced, only to grow a little more circumspect later on.

At a time when Singapore is entering uncharted political waters, the fear of the age-old bogeyman - the "freak" election result - seems to be making a comeback.

The difference this time: It looks more bottom-up.

PAP won't push for facilities in Punggol East

Limit to what it can do for residents as its candidate was not elected: Teo Ser Luck

By Toh Yong Chuan, The Straits Times, 6 Feb 2013

THE People's Action Party (PAP) will stop pushing for new infrastructure projects in Punggol East, and end its weekly Meet-the-People sessions there.

Announcing the moves at a Punggol East community event last night after its by-election loss barely two weeks ago, Northeast Community Development Council (CDC) mayor Teo Ser Luck said there is a limit to what the PAP can do for residents of the single-seat ward given that its candidate was not elected to represent them.

Mr Teo was made caretaker MP after former Speaker Michael Palmer resigned last December over an extramarital affair, triggering the by-election which saw the Workers' Party's (WP) Lee Li Lian elected MP.

Last night, PAP candidate Koh Poh Koon said: "If you are not the MP, you do not necessarily have the resources and the full support of the people to carry out some of the things." 

He also said that to be fair to the incumbent MP, "we need to give her the space to do what she can for the residents, because that is the voters' decision".

The new facilities and improvements that the PAP will not be pushing for include childcare centres, integrated elder-care facilities, feeder bus services, wet markets and a community club. These were projects that Dr Koh campaigned on.

Its weekly MPS will cease immediately. Mr Teo said residents can approach Ms Lee if they need help to follow-up on cases the PAP handled. He expects the transition to be smooth, as the town council handover has been.

Punggol East By-election: Analysis & Reactions

What lies ahead in politics after Punggol East

There are implications for the PAP, WP and other parties as they gear up for GE2016 

By Han Fook Kwang, The Straits Times, 27 Jan 2013 

The Workers' Party's win in Punggol East will mean many different things to many people.

Does it signal that the opposition tide is even stronger today than during the 2011 General Election? What does it say about the ruling party's ability to hold the ground?

Here are my five takes on what the result means.

First, it reinforced the conventional wisdom that a by-election favours the opposition, perhaps even more so in this new normal. With the WP victorious now in two by-elections since GE2011, it has been even more firmly entrenched as the other party in an emerging two-party system.

The result in Punggol East shows that all the issues that surfaced in GE2011 and which caused the ruling party to lose Aljunied GRC have not gone away and might even have gained greater force, especially the desire for a stronger opposition presence in Parliament.

Neither have the hot-button issues on immigration, housing, public transport and health care been resolved to voters' satisfaction. It might be the case that whatever changes the Government makes to these policies will not satisfy voters who simply want more alternative voices.

If this is indeed the case, and the ruling party acknowledges it, then it may have to change its approach and accept that no matter what it does to these policies, it will lose some electoral ground until a new political balance is reached between the People's Action Party (PAP) and the opposition. Indeed it might have to bite this bullet sooner rather than later if, in its desire to hold the political ground, it becomes overly populist in its policies and alienates even its own supporters.

Workers' Party wins Punggol East by-election 2013

WP sweeps Punggol East with 54.5%

Victory margin of nearly 11 percentage points surprises political observers

By Jeremy Au Yong, The Sunday Times, 27 Jan 2013

It was touted as a close fight, but Workers' Party (WP) candidate Lee Li Lian, 34, sailed into Parliament on her second attempt yesterday, riding on the crest of strong support in the Punggol East single- member constituency.

The final margin of victory was nearly 11 percentage points, or more than 3,000 votes, as she overturned decisively the scores of two years ago.

This time, she raked in 54.52 per cent of the votes. The People's Action Party's (PAP) Dr Koh Poh Koon picked up just 43.71 per cent, a rout that stunned observers and PAP MPs alike.

Talk of spoilers and dark horses proved unfounded as the two others in the four-cornered fight - the Reform Party's Mr Kenneth Jeyaretnam and Singapore Democratic Alliance's Mr Desmond Lim - netted less than 2 per cent of the vote combined. Both lost their deposits, and Mr Lim gained the dubious honour of scoring the smallest vote share since independence.

Punggol East By-election: PAP Rally, 24 Jan

Koh pledges to work hard to make improvements in estate
By Goh Chin Lian and Leonard Lim, The Straits Times, 25 Jan 2013

PEOPLE'S Action Party candidate Koh Poh Koon closed his campaign last night with a straightforward message for Punggol East voters: Vote for me and my team, we will work hard for you.

He said at the party's rally: "The team we have that stands before you is a team that has concrete plans, a team that takes action seriously.

"We are a team that has real potential, that sees real opportunities for improvement to our estate... We are prepared to work hard."

He vowed to voice the concerns of Punggol East residents in Parliament, "vigorously and energetically and emphatically".

Taking an indirect swipe at opposition attacks on government policies, he said a resident told him it was easy to criticise, but much harder to do the work.

Punggol East By-election: RP Rally, 24 Jan

WP accused of being 'blindly obedient'

By Joyce Lim And Toh Yong Chuan, The Straits Times, 25 Jan 2013

THE Reform Party (RP) made a last-ditch bid for the Workers' Party (WP) vote bank last night, attacking its opponent for being "blindly obedient" in Parliament.

Unlike the WP, which votes with the Government "on every issue that counts", RP candidate Kenneth Jeyaretnam promised to be the genuine voice of the voters.

"There is a general feeling here of disappointment with WP," he said at his last campaign rally in the Punggol East by-election.

He took issue with the WP's policy alternatives, saying they were decades old.

The older son of late WP leader J.B. Jeyaretnam said that he knew the ideas were dated as his father had sought his input as an economist in the 1980s and 1990s.

"The WP are probably still using that same manifesto I helped write as a student," said the Cambridge-educated economist.

The party is, therefore, unable to push the Government on its economic policies.

Punggol East By-election campaign - 23 Jan

Koh will be strong voice in the House: Halimah

By Leonard Lim, The Straits Times, 24 Jan 2013

NEW Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob gave a strong endorsement of People's Action Party candidate Koh Poh Koon yesterday, saying she is confident he would be a strong voice in the House.

Speaking to reporters after joining Dr Koh on the campaign trail in the morning, she said: "Every Member of Parliament who is elected is expected to do his job vigorously to pursue what he is most passionate about, to bring about a difference to the lives of Singaporeans."

She said she was confident that if he was elected, Dr Koh would pursue issues which he believed in with rigour and passion, including those related to the elderly, the poor, or families and children.

She also observed that the 40-year-old had put in "tremendous" effort to connect with residents, and many already knew him. "That speaks volumes. To connect over just a few days is not easy."

The colorectal surgeon was introduced as a candidate just two weeks ago and has been going on walkabouts and pressing flesh in Punggol East every day since.

Madam Halimah, who had previously developed a reputation as a spirited backbencher who raised issues related to the elderly and the poor, spoke readily about Dr Koh.

However, she did not want to be drawn into an ongoing debate on the parliamentary performance of Workers' Party (WP) MPs.

The Jurong GRC MP would only say: "Everyone has to develop his own style, his own niche, and you need to pursue these interests vigorously."

Punggol East By-election: WP Rally, 23 Jan

WP can act as insurance in case of corrupt regime: Low

Build up effective check and balance system, says party chief

By Kor Kian Beng, The Straits Times, 24 Jan 2013

WORKERS' Party (WP) chief Low Thia Khiang swopped a defensive stance for full-frontal attack at the Punggol East by-election, questioning the durability of the Singapore political system and its economic policies.

He slammed the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) last night for being a poor shadow of its past over its recent lapses of judgment, urging voters to see the opposition party as an "insurance" in case of a corrupt regime.

He cited two unprecedented missteps as signs of the PAP's decline - the extramarital affair of Speaker of Parliament Michael Palmer that triggered the by-election and the last-minute withdrawal of PAP candidate Steve Tan at the 2011 General Election.

In addition, the PAP-led Government has privatised essential services such as public transport, utilities and electricity, leading to profit-driven companies and rising costs of living for the people, he charged. He also criticised the Government for selling the management of these services to government-linked companies like Temasek Holdings.

Punggol East By-election campaign - 22 Jan

Go by what candidates can offer: DPM Teo

He urges residents to compare Koh's comprehensive plan with that of others

By Goh Chin Lian, The Straits Times, 23 Jan 2013

DEPUTY Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean yesterday called on Punggol East voters to compare the plans People's Action Party (PAP) candidate Koh Poh Koon has to offer with those of other candidates, as he sought to focus the campaign on the man himself.

He said: "Poh Koon basically is a man with a comprehensive plan for Punggol and he will get it done. I hope that residents will compare what Poh Koon has to offer together with what other candidates can offer."

He was speaking to reporters with Dr Koh by his side, holding a flier that set out the candidate's plans for the constituency.

These include expanding or adding new childcare centres, and setting up study areas for youth, integrated elder-care facilities and a job placement centre.

Also on the list: pushing for feeder bus services, exploring options for more wet markets and coffee shops as well as building a new community club.



DPM Teo also gave another reason for voting in Dr Koh: The constituency will gain from working with the larger Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC under the PAP, where he is the team leader.

The GRC has cooperated with the constituency on projects and he looked forward to working with Dr Koh as "one big Pasir Ris-Punggol family", he said.

Earlier, both men and Minister of State Teo Ser Luck welcomed children heading for class at a PAP Community Foundation kindergarten. They later canvassed for votes at Rivervale Plaza, from shop owners and customers at a wet market and two foodcourts.

His call to compare the candidates and their plans contrasts with the Workers' Party's pitch to voters to give it one more seat because the PAP is already in power.

Asked about the WP's stance, he said: "Well, that's not a new argument. They use it all the time."

DPM Teo noted that residents have received Dr Koh well.

"I think they will find that he is a very down-to-earth person, listens, good sense of humour too. And he will work hard for them."

He declined to comment on criticism levelled by some opposition supporters at the WP.

Punggol East By-election: WP Rally, 22 Jan

Not workable for Opposition to unite: Low

By Teo Xuanwei, TODAY, 23 Jan 2013

The fractious nature of Opposition politics here and the management of town councils came to the fore last night at the Workers’ Party (WP) rally, as its leaders tackled two hotly debated issues for the first time since the by-election was called in Punggol East.

Following charges of “arrogance” levelled at the WP for rejecting the overtures of other Opposition parties to negotiate a pact for the by-election, WP chief Low Thia Khiang said that, in today’s political situation, to have all Opposition parties coming together as one political force is an “unworkable concept”.

WP Chairman Sylvia Lim also brought up the People’s Action Party (PAP) town councils’ sale of computer software to Action Information Management (AIM), as she charged that since the WP took over town council management in Aljunied, she has seen that town management had become political to the point that residents may be used as “pawns for political gain”.

Speaking in Mandarin, Mr Low explained why his party decided to go its own way by pointing to how fractures in the Singapore Democratic Party in the ’90s had resulted in disarray in the Opposition camp, which, in turn, caused voters to lose confidence in opposition parties.

“The WP insists on going its own way ... not because of arrogance or lack of respect for other parties, but to prevent history from repeating itself, and from letting people down again,” he said.

Punggol East By-election campaign - 21 Jan

Aiming to be part of change from within

Koh feels Govt is already moving in the direction he thinks is right

By Goh Chin Lian, The Straits Times, 22 Jan 2013

AS HE dashes from house to house, ringing doorbells, shaking hands and handing out fliers, two things quickly become clear about Dr Koh Poh Koon.

First, the 40-year-old People's Action Party (PAP) candidate is still very new to the world of politics and second, that he is in a real hurry to establish himself in Punggol East.

He tends to run, not walk, between houses as he tries to connect with as many of the 31,649 voters as he can. The relentless pace is possible because Dr Koh is something of a fitness junkie, with his grassroots volunteers often finding themselves trailing behind him.

Almost everything about his journey into politics has been on a compressed schedule.

Invited to tea with the PAP in the middle of last year, it seemed that the original plan was to field him in the next general election.

But last month, after former Speaker of Parliament Michael Palmer resigned, he was asked to consider running. He got the confirmation on a Saturday a few weeks later and by Wednesday, he was introduced as a candidate.

His friends tried to dissuade him, fearing a tough fight and that he would have to toe the PAP line on policies that he disagreed with.

To him, however, the PAP government is a good one that has already set in motion policy changes since the watershed 2011 polls.

"If the Government is already in the midst of change and it is moving in a direction that I think is the right direction, then it's better to be involved in the process of change from within," he said one Saturday night after a long day of campaigning.