Why did ST interview only 12 people to draw their own conclusion?
No split in party, say PAP activists and MPs
11 out of 12 interviewed say election results not conclusive enough
Published on Aug 30, 2011
By Kor Kian Beng , Tessa Wong and Rachel Chang
Activists and MPs of the People's Action Party (PAP) have dismissed presidential election runner-up Tan Cheng Bock's charge that the narrow margin between him and president-elect Tony Tan reflected a division in the ruling party.
Eleven of the 12 people interviewed yesterday said the election results were not conclusive enough to back Dr Tan Cheng Bock's claims of a divide in the party and his assertion that its rank-and-file members had backed him while its leadership, like elected MPs and ministers, preferred Dr Tony Tan.
Said Joo Chiat MP Charles Chong: 'I think it's simplistic to draw this conclusion of a divide from the election results. Both Dr Tan Cheng Bock and Dr Tony Tan were acceptable to rank-and-file activists, too.'
Chua Chu Kang GRC MP Zaqy Mohamad agreed, saying the near-35 per cent support that Dr Tan Cheng Bock had garnered would include a large number of non-PAP members.
No split in party, say PAP activists and MPs
11 out of 12 interviewed say election results not conclusive enough
Published on Aug 30, 2011
By Kor Kian Beng , Tessa Wong and Rachel Chang
Activists and MPs of the People's Action Party (PAP) have dismissed presidential election runner-up Tan Cheng Bock's charge that the narrow margin between him and president-elect Tony Tan reflected a division in the ruling party.
Eleven of the 12 people interviewed yesterday said the election results were not conclusive enough to back Dr Tan Cheng Bock's claims of a divide in the party and his assertion that its rank-and-file members had backed him while its leadership, like elected MPs and ministers, preferred Dr Tony Tan.
Said Joo Chiat MP Charles Chong: 'I think it's simplistic to draw this conclusion of a divide from the election results. Both Dr Tan Cheng Bock and Dr Tony Tan were acceptable to rank-and-file activists, too.'
Chua Chu Kang GRC MP Zaqy Mohamad agreed, saying the near-35 per cent support that Dr Tan Cheng Bock had garnered would include a large number of non-PAP members.