GE: SPP names 2 GRC candidates
By Hoe Yeen Nie | Posted: 10 April 2011 1607 hrs <LINK rel=image_src href="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/imagegallery/store/phpe9LCel.jpg">
<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=260 align=right><TBODY><TR><TD width=20 align=right> </TD><TD width=240 align=right>
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=60 vAlign=top> </TD><TD class=update height=80 vAlign=top><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#f6f6f6 width=138>Photos </TD><TD bgColor=#f6f6f6 width=47>1 of 1</TD><TD bgColor=#f6f6f6 width=18><INPUT id=btnPrev disabled onclick=Prev(); value="<< Previous" src="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/images/butt_previous.gif" width=18 height=15 type=image></TD><TD bgColor=#f6f6f6 width=19><INPUT id=bntPlay onclick=Play() value="Play - Stop" src="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/images/butt_stop.gif" width=19 height=15 type=image></TD><TD bgColor=#f6f6f6 width=18><INPUT id=btnNext disabled onclick=Next(); value=" Next >> " src="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/images/butt_next.gif" width=18 height=15 type=image></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Singapore People's Party</TD></TR><TR><TD> </TD><TD class=update> </TD></TR><TR><TD> </TD><TD><TABLE style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #cccccc" border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=240><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width="100%"><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#cccccc vAlign=top>
</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>Special Report </TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#cccccc vAlign=top>
</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=subheader vAlign=top width="4%">•</TD><TD class=bodytext width="96%">GE Countdown </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- for Facebook Like function --><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=510><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=4><HR align=left color=#dddddd SIZE=1 width=510></TD></TR><TR><TD height=30 vAlign=center width=510 colSpan=4><?xml:namespace prefix = fb ns = "http://www.facebook.com/2008/fbml" /><fb:like class="fb_like fb_edge_widget_with_comment fb_iframe_widget" href="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1121893/1/.html" layout="standard" show_faces="false" width="510" action="recommend"><IFRAME style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; WIDTH: 510px; HEIGHT: 22px; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" id=f2dcd4600484224 class=fb_ltr title="Like this content on Facebook." onload=FB.Content._callbacks.f255605f8eecef() src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?action=recommend&api_key=113370852059819&channel_url=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.ak.fbcdn.net%2Fconnect%2Fxd_proxy.php%3Fversion%3D0%23cb%3Df109c75ed39810d%26origin%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.channelnewsasia.com%252Ff1cff07dd8c0f%26relation%3Dparent.parent%26transport%3Dflash&href=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.channelnewsasia.com%2Fstories%2Fsingaporelocalnews%2Fview%2F1121893%2F1%2F.html&layout=standard&locale=en_US&node_type=1&sdk=joey&show_faces=false&width=510" frameBorder=0 allowTransparency name=f1ca29eb89bcce3 scrolling=no></IFRAME></fb:like></TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=4><HR align=left color=#dddddd SIZE=1 width=510></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
SINGAPORE : The Singapore People's Party's (SPP) team in Bishan-Toa Payoh Group Representation Constituency (GRC) is taking shape.
It will be led by Secretary-General Chiam See Tong, and includes Benjamin Pwee, a former high-flyer in the civil service.
The candidates were unveiled during the party's walkabout on Sunday.
There had been concerns that Mr Chiam would not have enough candidates to contest the five-member Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.
But on Sunday, he showed off two members, and promised more to come.
Mr Pwee is seen as the party's trump card. He was an officer in the Administrative Service, and a former chairman in the People's Action Party's (PAP) youth wing in the Thomson area. He now runs his own business strategy consultancy firm, I-deo Asia.
He said his heart is in Bishan, having grown up there.
Mr Pwee had also followed his father, Robert Pwee, on his grassroots activities for the PAP.
Speaking in Mandarin and Cantonese, he said he had struggled before making his decision, but believes it was the right choice.
Mr Pwee said: "I believe a country at our stage of development needs more voices on the ground, where citizens can participate in the political process through different means...And if I can play a role, I would be happy to step forward."
He added that he would like to represent the concerns of residents in his age group and senior citizens.
Another new candidate is Wilfred Leung, Mr Chiam's campaign manager in the last General Election.
He is also the Assistant Secretary-General of the SPP.
He said: "What we are bringing to the residents of Bishan-Toa Payoh is very simple. They have everything here, that is without a doubt. What our team is going to bring to Bishan residents is just one thing - their voice to Parliament."
He added that his experience as a town councillor in Potong Pasir will be useful, if he is elected.
"In the town council, I have experienced the whole process of being able to achieve our promises despite some of the constraints that we have," he said, adding that he has also been active in the Meet-the People Sessions for several years.
Mr Leung joined the party in 2004, while Mr Pwee only officially joined a week ago.
Both of them said one reason why they have decided to stand is out of a wish to help fulfil Mr Chiam's desire of contesting in a GRC.
The remaining two candidates are expected to be announced soon, and according to electoral rules, one of them has to be a Malay candidate.
There are indications he is 48-year-old businessman Mohamad Hamim Aliyas, a founding member of the party, who was with Mr Chiam's side during the walkabout.
With the SPP mounting a challenge, the coming General Election marks the first time residents of Bishan-Toa Payoh would get to vote since the constituency was formed in 1997.
While some welcomed the competition, a few residents expressed some concern over Mr Chiam's health.
One of them is 55-year-old Betty Chia. She said: "One reason why I think he is going into a GRC is maybe because if he stands alone (in a Single Member Constituency), (his health) will be a weak point for him. But if he stands in a GRC and people feel that the party is playing a part for Singapore, then they may want to vote for him."
Another resident, 52-year-old Amrjit Singh, is more sceptical of the SPP's chances. He said: "They have so far been winning in Potong Pasir, but they can't do anything in Potong Pasir. What can they do for us in Bishan?"
It is not going to be an easy fight for the SPP, which is likely to come up against a strong slate of incumbent MPs from the PAP. While Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC sits just adjacent to Mr Chiam's stronghold of Potong Pasir, the residents here are a lot more diverse, and the candidates said they will have to spend more time getting familiar with issues on the ground, before revealing their campaign platform.
Besides Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, SPP will also contest in the single wards of Hong Kah North and Potong Pasir.
The party said it will not be announcing any new battlegrounds.
Mr Chiam said: "I do not think we want to dilute our resources. We want to concentrate on a few good potential constituencies...and we will be happy if we win all those constituencies that we contest in."
Mr Chiam has named his wife, Lina Chiam, as the candidate in Potong Pasir, while SPP Chairman Sin Kek Tong is expected to stand in Hong Kah North.
Mr Sin showed up near the end of the walkabout as a show of support for Mr Chiam, having just completed his rounds in Hong Kah North.
- CNA/wk/ms <!-- Zone Tag : Channel News asia In Text <script type="text/javascript"> innity_pub = "66368270ffd51418ec58bd793f2d9b1b"; innity_zone = "12251"; innity_width = "**"; innity_height = "**"; innity_country = "SG"; </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://cdn.innity.com/network.js"></script>-->
By Hoe Yeen Nie | Posted: 10 April 2011 1607 hrs <LINK rel=image_src href="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/imagegallery/store/phpe9LCel.jpg">
<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=260 align=right><TBODY><TR><TD width=20 align=right> </TD><TD width=240 align=right>
Singapore People's Party</TD></TR><TR><TD> </TD><TD class=update> </TD></TR><TR><TD> </TD><TD><TABLE style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #cccccc" border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=240><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width="100%"><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#cccccc vAlign=top>
SINGAPORE : The Singapore People's Party's (SPP) team in Bishan-Toa Payoh Group Representation Constituency (GRC) is taking shape.
It will be led by Secretary-General Chiam See Tong, and includes Benjamin Pwee, a former high-flyer in the civil service.
The candidates were unveiled during the party's walkabout on Sunday.
There had been concerns that Mr Chiam would not have enough candidates to contest the five-member Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.
But on Sunday, he showed off two members, and promised more to come.
Mr Pwee is seen as the party's trump card. He was an officer in the Administrative Service, and a former chairman in the People's Action Party's (PAP) youth wing in the Thomson area. He now runs his own business strategy consultancy firm, I-deo Asia.
He said his heart is in Bishan, having grown up there.
Mr Pwee had also followed his father, Robert Pwee, on his grassroots activities for the PAP.
Speaking in Mandarin and Cantonese, he said he had struggled before making his decision, but believes it was the right choice.
Mr Pwee said: "I believe a country at our stage of development needs more voices on the ground, where citizens can participate in the political process through different means...And if I can play a role, I would be happy to step forward."
He added that he would like to represent the concerns of residents in his age group and senior citizens.
Another new candidate is Wilfred Leung, Mr Chiam's campaign manager in the last General Election.
He is also the Assistant Secretary-General of the SPP.
He said: "What we are bringing to the residents of Bishan-Toa Payoh is very simple. They have everything here, that is without a doubt. What our team is going to bring to Bishan residents is just one thing - their voice to Parliament."
He added that his experience as a town councillor in Potong Pasir will be useful, if he is elected.
"In the town council, I have experienced the whole process of being able to achieve our promises despite some of the constraints that we have," he said, adding that he has also been active in the Meet-the People Sessions for several years.
Mr Leung joined the party in 2004, while Mr Pwee only officially joined a week ago.
Both of them said one reason why they have decided to stand is out of a wish to help fulfil Mr Chiam's desire of contesting in a GRC.
The remaining two candidates are expected to be announced soon, and according to electoral rules, one of them has to be a Malay candidate.
There are indications he is 48-year-old businessman Mohamad Hamim Aliyas, a founding member of the party, who was with Mr Chiam's side during the walkabout.
With the SPP mounting a challenge, the coming General Election marks the first time residents of Bishan-Toa Payoh would get to vote since the constituency was formed in 1997.
While some welcomed the competition, a few residents expressed some concern over Mr Chiam's health.
One of them is 55-year-old Betty Chia. She said: "One reason why I think he is going into a GRC is maybe because if he stands alone (in a Single Member Constituency), (his health) will be a weak point for him. But if he stands in a GRC and people feel that the party is playing a part for Singapore, then they may want to vote for him."
Another resident, 52-year-old Amrjit Singh, is more sceptical of the SPP's chances. He said: "They have so far been winning in Potong Pasir, but they can't do anything in Potong Pasir. What can they do for us in Bishan?"
It is not going to be an easy fight for the SPP, which is likely to come up against a strong slate of incumbent MPs from the PAP. While Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC sits just adjacent to Mr Chiam's stronghold of Potong Pasir, the residents here are a lot more diverse, and the candidates said they will have to spend more time getting familiar with issues on the ground, before revealing their campaign platform.
Besides Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, SPP will also contest in the single wards of Hong Kah North and Potong Pasir.
The party said it will not be announcing any new battlegrounds.
Mr Chiam said: "I do not think we want to dilute our resources. We want to concentrate on a few good potential constituencies...and we will be happy if we win all those constituencies that we contest in."
Mr Chiam has named his wife, Lina Chiam, as the candidate in Potong Pasir, while SPP Chairman Sin Kek Tong is expected to stand in Hong Kah North.
Mr Sin showed up near the end of the walkabout as a show of support for Mr Chiam, having just completed his rounds in Hong Kah North.
- CNA/wk/ms <!-- Zone Tag : Channel News asia In Text <script type="text/javascript"> innity_pub = "66368270ffd51418ec58bd793f2d9b1b"; innity_zone = "12251"; innity_width = "**"; innity_height = "**"; innity_country = "SG"; </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://cdn.innity.com/network.js"></script>-->
