Punggol East By-Election -- WP Lee Li Lian
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Originally posted by FireIce:
to clock CIP hours
It's called VIA now.
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Originally posted by Summer hill:
It's called VIA now.
SMLJ is CIP & VIA?
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Originally posted by the Bear:
SMLJ is CIP & VIA?
The main reason why school kids do flag days and community services... -
Originally posted by ^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~:
The main reason why school kids do flag days and community services...oh.. the bullshit which the morons in power call "volunteer work"
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Originally posted by the Bear:
SMLJ is CIP & VIA?
CIP= Community involvement progamme
VIA= Values in action
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Originally posted by Summer hill:
CIP= Community involvement progamme
VIA= Values in action
selling flags is not community involvement
doing stuff disguised as "volunteer work" for an academic grade is the wrong type of values as that teaches that everything has a price and altruism is dead
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PAP to hold by-election rally this Friday06:23 PM Jan 17, 2013
SINGAPORE - The police have announced that a permit has been issued to the People's Action Party to conduct an "election meeting" - a rally - tomorrow (Friday) evening, from 7pm to 10pm.
The rally will be held at the open field In front of Block 183C, Rivervale Crescent, which is one of two designated rally sites for the Punggol East by-election hustings.
The police added that Rivervale Crescent, between the Arulmigu Velmurugan Gnanamuneeswara Temple and Block 182, will be closed to vehicular traffic from 4pm to midnight tomorrow, and that parking restrictions along the peripheral roads will be strictly enforced. Vehicles found parking and causing obstruction will be towed away, the police added.
Those attending the rally should take public transport to minimise traffic congestion, the police said, adding that motorists should tune in to the radio for updates on the latest traffic situation.http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC130117-0000122/PAP-to-hold-by-election-rally-this-Friday
SDA, RP candidates outline their 5-year plans for Punggol East
By Saifulbahri Ismail | Posted: 17 January 2013 2004 hrs
SINGAPORE: Candidates for the Punggol East by-election from the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) and Reform Party (RP) outlined their five-year plans on Thursday.
RP's secretary-general, Kenneth Jeyaretnam said his plan won't cost a lot of money while SDA's secretary-general, Desmond Lim said he wants to set up a residents' cooperative to build a hawker centre.
Mr Lim said his five year plan had been announced during the General Election in 2011.
It includes building a hawker centre, bicycle tracks, childcare centres and coffee corners.
He explained the plan can be funded by the town council as it has the operating and sinking funds.
For programmes that can't be funded by the town council, Mr Lim said he intends to invite interested parties to invest in joint-ventures with the residents.
One such idea is to establish a residents' cooperative for a hawker centre.
Mr Lim said: "They manage the place, give low rental and rent out the stall to their own residents to operate and run. Residents within this constituency can patronise and have a discount rate. For outsiders, of course it is normal rates."
Mr Jeyaretnam was also busy reaching out to residents.
He will be discussing his five-year plan for the ward with his grassroots team on setting up a legal clinic to help those in debt, as well as a tuition club.
He added that several residents of Punggol East are in the team as his primary advisers in this by-election.
The RP chief remains undeterred about some views that the by-election will be a two-horse race between the Workers' Party and the ruling People's Action Party.
Mr Jeyaretnam said: "People have got to be given the right to choose. It is like the idea that it is better to have one or two brands in the supermarket because it might confuse consumers."
Mr Jeyaretnam added he will not hold more than two rallies and that the first will probably be held this weekend.
- CNA/fahttp://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/specialreport/news/1248559_189/1/.html
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Originally posted by the Bear:
selling flags is not community involvement
doing stuff disguised as "volunteer work" for an academic grade is the wrong type of values as that teaches that everything has a price and altruism is dead
We don't sell flags.
Flag day is a day where students hold metal tins for people to donate money
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Desmond Lim has no change in plans which were soundly rejected..
KAJ still has no plan and needs to "discuss with his exec committee" first
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They failed to contest, again
04:45 AM Jan 17, 2013
SINGAPORE - With a red and white scarf draped over his head as he zipped around on a motorcycle, perennial election hopeful Zeng Guoyan was an intriguing sight at the Nomination Centre yesterday, even though he was without his trademark parrot.
Said Mr Zeng before heading into the Nomination Centre yesterday morning: "If you have S$14,500, you can contest. Better than going (to the) casino, isn't it?"
Mr Zeng was one of two independents - the other was Mr Ooi Boon Ewe - who showed up hoping to contest the Punggol East by-elections, but he did not file his nomination papers.
In the 2011 General Election, Mr Zeng turned up on Nomination Day in a yellow baju Melayu and tore up the envelope containing his application form. This time, he said he was not eligible to contest because of a previous conviction - he has had a string of run-ins with the law - and would lose his electoral deposit if he tried to.
Mr Ooi, another familiar sight at elections, also did not file his nomination papers and was later found at a bus stop, where he claimed his political donation certificate and cheque were in the car he had arrived in, but that the driver was "missing". He had been seen earlier looking for assenters outside the Nomination Centre.
Mr Ooi, who tried and failed to contest in the 2011 GE and Presidential Election, said his chances of winning the Punggol East by-election were "not good enough", but he "would contest in the next GE".
"If the chance of winning is there, why not," he asked. Louisa Tanghttp://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC130117-0000026/They-failed-to-contest,-again
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these two are morons... and KAJ & DL are not much better
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this is by election. not cosplay competition.
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Election rally got free food or not?
Bee hoon also can.
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Originally posted by charlize:
Election rally got free food or not?
Bee hoon also can.
got cai png with chicken drumstick , oso free transport
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i want nasi lemak can?
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i want chicken rice
whoever provide me chicken rice for rest of my life i sure turn up for rally
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Originally posted by laurence82:
i want chicken rice
whoever provide me chicken rice for rest of my life i sure turn up for rally
you can have the rice...i'll take the chicken -
Do you hear the people sing?
Singing a song of angry men?
It is the music of a people
Who will not be slaves again!
When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes! -
The four official candidates for Punggol East by-election are Dr Koh Poh Koon of the PAP, Ms Lee Li Lian of the Workers' Party, Mr Kenneth ]eyaretnam of the Reform Party and Mr Desmond Lim of the Singapore Democratic Alliance. It is the first four-cornered contest in a parliamentary election since 1997. We capture the colourful morning at the nomination centre and ask - if Singaporeans are tired from too many elections
ELECTION
FATIGUE?
GO FOR IT: (Above) People's Action Party candidate Koh Poh Koon (centre) with Mr Chan Chun Sing Oeft) and Mr Teo Ser Luck (right).HOT: The heat is on for Singapore Democratic Alliance secretary general Desmond Lim.
SUPPORTIVE SPOUSE: (Left) Ms Lee Li Lian of The Workers' Party with a supporter as husband Jacky Koh (with camera) records the moment
WHEELS: (Right) Businessman Zeng Guoyuan was upbeat when he arrived on his bike.
SHADE: Reform Party chief Kenneth Jeyaretnam with a supporter holding an umbrella.
TNP PICTURES:
GARY GOHREPORT: ESTHER NG, KOH HUI THENG
and AUDREY TAN
IN A span of 20 months, Singapore will have seen four elections, starting with the General Election in May 2011, the President Election a few months later in August, the Hougang by-election on last May and now the Punggol East by-election.This works out to an election every five months.
Municipal issues concerning Punggol East residents are somewhat the same as in the Hougang by-election: amenities, cleanliness, transport. (See report on page 6.)
On the national front, it's also the cost of living, transport, population growth, jobs, foreign workers - the same issues raised during the General Election.
Like Hougang residents, Punggol East voters will be voting for the third time.
Might they be tired of elections?
"No, I'm not tired. It is our job to do this and their job to help us. Without us they wouldn't know what's going on. This is the part we have to play, there is nothing to be tired of," said resident Muhammad Yazid, 22, who moved into Punggol East five months ago.
"It's not every day that things happen so it's not something to complain about. The campaigns and rallies are just the standard process of'elections," said Mr Yazid, a technician.
Another Punggol resident Dennis Tan, 60, who is self-employed and a resident of Punggol East for 14 years, said: "We don't' tired at all. We're happy. Happy that we have another choice."
A resident who declined to be named said it was "a bit tiring" to vote three times within two years, but admitted that in spite of the inconveniences, the by-election was something his family saw as a chance to tell politicians what they wanted in their estate.
Academics The New Paper interviewed said election fatigue would also depend on whether the residents preferred the status quo or wanted change.
Said sociologist Tan Ern Ser, an associate professor at National University of Singapore (NUS), it would be a "chore" for those who are quite happy with the status quo.
However, for those who are hoping for a change of party, or to put some pressure on the ruling party, having another election means another chance at pushing for their preferred party or voicing their concerns, said Prof Tan.
NUS political science lecturer Bilveer Singh said the electorate stands to gain a lot when parties come round promising to do a lot for them.
Indeed, Punggol East resident Winston Sanchez, 57, a store receiver, said that he looked forward to what the parties had to offer.
He said: "If there's something we are not happy about, we can get someone who can give us a better deal.
"I'm happy with the by-election because hopefully something will change. Because only when something like that happens, they will open their eyes and make changes," he said.
Expensive
But apart from Punggol residents, are Singaporeans as a whole suffering from election fatigue?
For the. civil servants and government agencies, yes, and it is expensive for the Government to organise," said Prof Singh.
However, Prof Singh who lives in the adjoining precinct of Punggol, said that there was interest in the by-election among Singaporeans in general.
Punggol East maybe tucked in one corner of the island, but Singaporeans as a whole are talking about the by-election, said political observer Mano Sabnani.
"Just the other day when I was taking the train, I overhead two young people talking about the by-election.
"I'm not sure if they were Punggol East residents, but I would say that ever since the last General Election, there's been heightened interest in politics among Singaporeans," he Said.
However, political commentator Eugene Tan, a law lecturer from the Singapore Management University said election fatigue could have set in among some of the electorate as the "same issues (from the last General Election) were carried forward and there seems to be no change in direction by the PAP and WP".
These issues were cost of living, income gap and immigration, he said
Former National Solidarity Party's secretary-general Goh Meng Seng also agreed that these same issues have "been recycled" in this by-election.
Said Mr Goh: "Unless candidates are creative enough to explore new issues, the Punggol East by-election will be really boring."
NOMINATION FERVOUR
WHERE TO? Private tutor Ooi Boon Ewe, 71, asking an election official where the Nomination Centre was. TNP PICTURE: GARY GOH
REPORT: ELIZABETH LAW
WHAT has a "sheikh" (right) on a three-wheeled motorcycle and a bunch of disappearing documents have in common?Nomination Day, believe it or not.
They were part of a grin-inducing sideshow yesterday by two wannabe candidates before the serious business of nominating the candidates for the Punggol East by-election could begin.
Shortly after 10.30am, a loud chugging sound could be heard, and a three-wheeled scooter appeared along Rivervale Link soon after.
Hardly anyone caught it the first time, but the rider went past two more times - just in case anyone missed his dramatic entrance.
On the bike was a man in a long white robe and a sheikh's headscarf.
The storage compartments on the sides of his scooter had the word "Police" on it and a red warning siren was perched between the handles.
His appearance came as no surprise to media gathered outside North Vista Secondary School.
Parrot man
It was businessman Zeng Guoyuan, 59, better known as "parrot man" at previous election events.
This time, he ditched the bird for the headgear.
Mr Zeng failed to stand in last year's Hougang by-election and the 2011 General Election, but was at the nomination centre to submit his papers for the Punggol East by-election.
Walking into the school alone at about 11 am, he said he had left his parrot at home. He then went into the school hall to submit his nomination papers.
Less than 20 minutes later, he came out the same way, wearing a bib in protest. He said election officials had rejected his application because of a "past incident", but did not say what it was, adding that to compete would be a
waste of money."It'll be $14,500 gone, immediately," he said, taking out the cash in $1,000 bills to show the media.
Another candidate wannabe was also unable to stand for election because of paperwork.
Private tutor Ooi Boon Ewe, 71, was the first to make his way into the school assembly hall at about 10.45am.
He has tried to contest in every presidential election since 1999, and also unsuccessfully tried to contest in the last three general elections.
But he left in a huff when officials said he could not stand without a donation certificate, which he said had "gone missing".
"It's all in my house, someone in the house. Someone in the house must have kept it, doesn't want me to be a candidate," he said at a bus stop outside the school.
He initially blamed his wife for hiding the document because he claimed she did not want him to stand, but he tried to retract his statement later in the evening when The New Paper spoke to him at home.
Unlike the two men, the four confirmed candidates had their paperWork all in order.
Dr Koh Poh Koon of the People's Action Party (PAP) was the first to arrive just after 11 am, when nomination officially started. He was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean and a group of about 30 supporters.
There was a round of applause from the group before Dr Koh, Mr Teo and a handful of supporters entered the nomination centre.
Mr Desmond Lim of the Singapore Democratic Alliance was the next to approach the school, but he waited at the gates for about 15 minutes.
When asked if he had enough people, he said he had enough people, but was waiting for two more people "out of respect".
Candidates filing their nomination papers had to have at least six supporting names, including the proposer, seconder and at least 4 assentors.
Mr Lim was quickly followed by Mr Kenneth Jeyaretnam of the Reform Party.
Chanting
The last to arrive was Workers' Party (WP) candidate Lee Li Lian, accompanied by party chairman Sylvia Lim.
A group of about 50 supporters followed and could be heard chanting the party's name as Ms Lee entered the school compound.
Meanwhile, party supporters had gathered in the school field, with the WP ones being the most vocal. They alternated between chanting the party name and singing songs in Hokkien.
As the scorching afternoon sun beat down, one woman fainted.
Pasir Ris GRC MP Dr Janil Puthucheary went to the woman's assistance.
He said: "I saw a group of people standing around so I went over together with Alex Yam (Chua Chu Kang GRC MP) and we assisted where we could.
"When she got better, we took her outside together with about four to five of her friends, where her father came to pick her up," he said.
Dr Puthucheary said the heat must have got a bit too much for her to bear, adding. that she was "quite young".
The candidates have until next Thursday to campaign before Punggol East goes to the polls on Jan 26.
-With additional reporting by Judith Tan, Koh Hui Theng, Celine Chen and Theodorn D'Cruz
Rising costs worry residents
Main concerns include amenities, transport and cleanliness
REPORTS: KOH HOI THENG
DEPENDING on the candidate you speak to, it's either democracy that needs fixing or Rivervale Plaza. Reform Party's (RP) Kenneth Jeyqaretnam and Workers' Party (WP) Lee Li Lian have indicated they will be campaignirfg on national issues.
But Dr Koh Poh Koon of the People's Action Party (PAP) and Mr Desmond Lim of the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) are focusing on municipal issues.
What's on the minds of the Punggol East residents?
The New Paper interviewed residents last week to get a sense of the hot-button issues in the ward.
Engineer Sham Mohd Noor, like many of the 122 residents interviewed, said cost of living is No. 1.
"The cost of living is getting very high, even transport (fares) are going up. Everything goes up, but never comes down," he lamented.
But Mr Sham said that doesn't mean ruling out local issues too.
"Both national and municipal issues are important What happens on the national level, for example, living costs, will affect my family expenses.
"Immediate issues like neighbours' noise also affect our environment So all issues, whether national or municipal, have to be addressed," he added.
Be they national or local, the lines are blurred, said political commentator Eugene Tan. After all, broad national issues have very local effects.
"Things like costs of living are very real. The impact of higher grocery prices and electricity bills is more immediate and people feel the pinch."
Added Prof Tan, a Nominated MP and Singapore Management University law lecturer: "When you're in the sandWiched group that's aspiring to move up the socio-economic ladder and are ineligible for financial assistance that the bottom 20 per cent get, you'll feel it."
Types of homes
Six in 10 homes in the ward comprise five-room and executive HDB flats, as well as private apartments.
Most of the flats today were built after the PAP's General Election win in 1997, The Straits Times reported.
Punggol East was part of the Pasir Ris-Punggol Group Representation Constituency before the 2011 General Election.
Real estate prices in the young estate have gone up since then as demand rises.
A four-room build-to-order flat sold for around $250,000 in the early days, said Mr Lee Sze Teek, senior manager for training, research and consultancy at property firm Dennis Wee Group.
In the last quarter last year, the transacred price for a four-room resale flat was between $400,000 and $500,000, an increase that "is in line with HDB resale price index change", he added.
Private home owners have also seen quite a "substantial price increase" for their property, said Mr Alan Cheong, senior director of research and consultancy at Savills Singapore.
The average transaction was between $600 and $700 psf five years ago. Today, property near the MRT station can command up to $1,000 psf, while those further away fetch about $850 psf.
Mr Sham lives in a five-room Rivervale flat with his wife, a designer, and three girls. The family has a maid.
He bought the flat for about $250,000 in 1998. But Mr Sham has no plans of cashing in on his profitable real estate. He said: "I'm comfortable living here. My workplace and my daughter's school are nearby. I also don't want to take up a loan (to service the purchase of a new flat)."
Still, he feels squeezed by rising prices.
Mr Sham and his wife, a dual-income couple, spend at least $3,000 on essentials like food, transport and education. That's a quarter of their $12,000 monthly income.
Resident S. Toh, who is in her 50s, took issue with high health-care costs. The mother of four said she ended up paying $150 when her three children suffered gastric flu in November.
Dusty
Clinic assistant Pauline Jee, 41, was upset at Rivervale Plaza's slow upgrading works.
"The construction is taking so long and it makes the whole area very dusty. As a result, my mother-in-law doesn't want to go to the market there any more," the mother of three said.
On Sunday, Dr Poh said upgrading works at the plaza will be ramped up after Chinese New Year.
Madam Tee also pointed to the lack of amenities like education centres and playgroups for young children.
PAP's Dr Koh and RP's Mr Jeyaretnam have said they would raise these concerns.
Calling the electorate more educated, more vocal and more demanding, Prof Tan said voters would be on the lookout for viable alternatives, "regardless of whether it's the ruling party or opposition".
Added Institute of Policy Studies' senior research fellow Gillian Koh: "As a voter, I would be looking for political leaders with courage.
"They need to explain how the different challenges listed play out against each other, and how there just aren't easy answers that fix all of them at the same time."
Mr Sham and the 31,000-plus voters in Punggol East will make their opinions known when they go to the polls on Jan 26.
- Addidonal reporting by Celine Chen, Kerri Heng, Nathanlel Hong, Lhavanya Dharmalingam, Theodora D'cruz and Audrey Tan
Residents say...
WE ASKED 122 Punggol East SMC residents: If a party candidate were to come by, what are some of the issues you would raise with him or her?
Municipal issues
Amenities: 22
Cleanliness: 15
Traffic/transport: 13
Neighbours: 9
Safety: 8
Others: 1 (transparency of town councils)
Total: 68National issues
Rising cost of living: 36
Transport: 10
Foreign workers: 9
Health care: 8
Population growth: 6
Elderly: 5
Education:5
Housing:4
Others: 5 (CPF and unemployment)
Total: 88
• Each resident can raise more than one issue.
AT A GLANCE
Voters for by-election
31,649
(During GE 2011: 33,281)PROFILE OF RESIDENTS
Race
Chinese: 79 per cent
Malay: 11 per cent
Indian: 8 per cent'
Others: 2 per centAge
50 and above: 24 per cent
36 to 49: 27 per cent
22 to 35: 23 per cent
12 to 21: 11 per cent
0 to 11: 15 per centHousing
5-room: 44 per cent
4-room: 37 percent
Executive: 12 per cent
Private: 4 per cent
1-room/2-room: 3 per cent• Based on ST Jan 10, 2013
ELECTION
SITESCampaigning period
Until Jan 24Outdoor rallies to be held at two venues
• Open field in front of Block 128C,
Punggol Reid Walk
• Open field in front of Block 183C,
Rivervale CrescentCooling-off day
Jan 25Polling day
Jan 26
News, The New Paper, Thursday, January 17 2013, Pg 4-7 -
Originally posted by laurence82:
Do you hear the people sing?
Singing a song of angry men?
It is the music of a people
Who will not be slaves again!
When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes!Will you join in our crusade?
Who will be strong and stand with me?
Somewhere beyond the barricade
is there a world you long to see?
Do you hear the people sing?
Say, do you hear the distant drums?
It is the future that they bring
when tomorrow comes! -
my HK colleague posted this on her FB
she pointed out that the song is similar in lyrics to PRC anthem but people just dont like PRC anthem but put Les Miserab one as their ringtone
lol
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who going rally tmr?
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jia pah bo ah nee eng .....
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Workers’ Party Rally for Punggol East By-Election – 19 Jan 2013
Join us at the first Workers’ Party Rally for the Punggol East By-Election.
Come support the Workers’ Party and our candidate Ms Lee Li Lian! See you there!
Date: 19 Jan 2013 (Sat)
Time: 7pm
Venue: Open Field in front of Blk 183C Rivervale Crescent