Teo Soh Lung's Facebook:
Opposition Unity and Candidates for Punggol East
Minister of State for Trade and Industry, Teo Ser Luck’s caution (30 Dec 12) that candidates for the Punggol East by election should have the welfare of the residents at heart is fitting. I would go further to say that the candidate should also have the well being of all Singaporeans at heart. Indeed, politicians whether in power or not, should always have in mind the well being of all citizens.
There has been much discussions among netizens on the subject of opposition unity. Everyone is assuming that there will be a by election and confident that one will take place. There shouldn’t be any doubt because a by election will be in the interest of the residents of Punggol East? Why should they be deprived of a voice in parliament? Why should they share a PAP member of parliament? They pay the same taxes as the rest of Singaporeans. They are entitled to be represented by a parliamentarian of their choice? So there is no reason why the prime minister would want to deprive them of their right to be represented in parliament, even though the law regarding the exercise of his discretion to call a by election has yet to be decided by our highest court.
Four opposition parties have already declared their interest in contesting the by election. Netizens and the PAP are happy that there will be more candidates and therefor more choices. This indeed is good but what would happen if the some candidates fail to obtain the minimum number of votes to reclaim their election deposits?
Regrettably, this is a serious possibility because the share of opposition votes is as limited as those voting for the PAP. Let’s assume that 51% of the voters didn’t want a PAP member of parliament. If there is just one opposition candidate, he or she will garner all 51% and enter parliament. But if this 51% is to be shared by four candidates, the outcome would be the sending in of one more PAP candidate into parliament even though he or she has only 49% of the voters’ confidence. The majority of the residents of Punggol East would thus be deprived of an opposition representation in parliament even though that was their intention. A couple of the four opposition candidates may also lose their deposits which is not a small sum. It was $16,000 in the last general election. Why this deposit is so huge that it favours only members of the ruling PAP is an issue which opposition members of parliament can debate.
Clearly, while more candidates offer residents more choices, the end result may not benefit anyone except the PAP.
Straight fight
I think the majority of Singaporeans would not want to see three or four corner contest in Punggol East. What can the opposition parties do if this is what Singaporeans wish for? There is a suggestion that all other parties make way for the Workers’ Party because they had contested in that constituency at the last GE and lost by a small margin. This proposition is of course favourable to the WP. But why should other parties give way? After all, Punggol East belonged to the PAP until recently and not the WP. All parties had pulled out of Hougang when there was a by election there last year because they acknowledged that Hougang belonged to the WP. This is not the case with Punggol East.
There is another suggestion. Could not opposition parties come together and agree to put up one strong candidate. It does not matter if he or she is a member of WP, SDP, RP or SDA. He or she has the backing of all the parties. Such a candidate with the support of all parties would be a clear show of opposition unity for Singaporeans and the chance of his/her winning will be excellent.
Would such a scenario happen? Well, why not? It is most attractive. If the voters of Punggol East know that such a candidate has the backing of all the opposition candidates, there is a serious possibility that they will vote for him because the constituency will be served not by just one party but by several parties.
On the national level, the best elected candidate will be a great asset to all Singaporeans. The standard of debate in parliament will for sure be markedly improved. Right now, most parliamentarians are reading from prepared texts and there is hardly any quality debate.
What are the chances of opposition unity?
Recently I heard an academic say that the chances of opposition unity is slim because unlike Malaysia, we have not reached a critical stage of political development where the opposition is on the brink of taking power. This is quite true. Why should an opposition party make way for another knowing that it is not a life or death situation. Why not participate just for the experience.
I think Singaporeans can prove the pundits wrong! We are very good at being first in everything. Why not prove that we can have opposition unity with the endorsement of the best candidate even though our political development is far from a two party system.
Opposition Unity and Candidates for Punggol East
Minister of State for Trade and Industry, Teo Ser Luck’s caution (30 Dec 12) that candidates for the Punggol East by election should have the welfare of the residents at heart is fitting. I would go further to say that the candidate should also have the well being of all Singaporeans at heart. Indeed, politicians whether in power or not, should always have in mind the well being of all citizens.
There has been much discussions among netizens on the subject of opposition unity. Everyone is assuming that there will be a by election and confident that one will take place. There shouldn’t be any doubt because a by election will be in the interest of the residents of Punggol East? Why should they be deprived of a voice in parliament? Why should they share a PAP member of parliament? They pay the same taxes as the rest of Singaporeans. They are entitled to be represented by a parliamentarian of their choice? So there is no reason why the prime minister would want to deprive them of their right to be represented in parliament, even though the law regarding the exercise of his discretion to call a by election has yet to be decided by our highest court.
Four opposition parties have already declared their interest in contesting the by election. Netizens and the PAP are happy that there will be more candidates and therefor more choices. This indeed is good but what would happen if the some candidates fail to obtain the minimum number of votes to reclaim their election deposits?
Regrettably, this is a serious possibility because the share of opposition votes is as limited as those voting for the PAP. Let’s assume that 51% of the voters didn’t want a PAP member of parliament. If there is just one opposition candidate, he or she will garner all 51% and enter parliament. But if this 51% is to be shared by four candidates, the outcome would be the sending in of one more PAP candidate into parliament even though he or she has only 49% of the voters’ confidence. The majority of the residents of Punggol East would thus be deprived of an opposition representation in parliament even though that was their intention. A couple of the four opposition candidates may also lose their deposits which is not a small sum. It was $16,000 in the last general election. Why this deposit is so huge that it favours only members of the ruling PAP is an issue which opposition members of parliament can debate.
Clearly, while more candidates offer residents more choices, the end result may not benefit anyone except the PAP.
Straight fight
I think the majority of Singaporeans would not want to see three or four corner contest in Punggol East. What can the opposition parties do if this is what Singaporeans wish for? There is a suggestion that all other parties make way for the Workers’ Party because they had contested in that constituency at the last GE and lost by a small margin. This proposition is of course favourable to the WP. But why should other parties give way? After all, Punggol East belonged to the PAP until recently and not the WP. All parties had pulled out of Hougang when there was a by election there last year because they acknowledged that Hougang belonged to the WP. This is not the case with Punggol East.
There is another suggestion. Could not opposition parties come together and agree to put up one strong candidate. It does not matter if he or she is a member of WP, SDP, RP or SDA. He or she has the backing of all the parties. Such a candidate with the support of all parties would be a clear show of opposition unity for Singaporeans and the chance of his/her winning will be excellent.
Would such a scenario happen? Well, why not? It is most attractive. If the voters of Punggol East know that such a candidate has the backing of all the opposition candidates, there is a serious possibility that they will vote for him because the constituency will be served not by just one party but by several parties.
On the national level, the best elected candidate will be a great asset to all Singaporeans. The standard of debate in parliament will for sure be markedly improved. Right now, most parliamentarians are reading from prepared texts and there is hardly any quality debate.
What are the chances of opposition unity?
Recently I heard an academic say that the chances of opposition unity is slim because unlike Malaysia, we have not reached a critical stage of political development where the opposition is on the brink of taking power. This is quite true. Why should an opposition party make way for another knowing that it is not a life or death situation. Why not participate just for the experience.
I think Singaporeans can prove the pundits wrong! We are very good at being first in everything. Why not prove that we can have opposition unity with the endorsement of the best candidate even though our political development is far from a two party system.
