GE Recollections: Dr Poh Lee Guan vs Prof Ho Peng Kee 2001 Anti-Climax

[elephanto]

The other day watching Prof Ho Peng Kee on TV proposing Ah Long legislation, a blast from the past jolted my memory banks.

GE2001

Then as a single-member constituency, Nee Soon East saw challenger from WP, Dr Poh Lee Guan standing Assoc Prof Ho Peng Kee. Prof Ho, in Parliament since 1991, was a soccer-mad staid man with the legal background. He was also a Christian.

His religion was never until 2001. Then the so-called 'Temple tempest' as one newspaper report put it, flared up.

Seemed that opponent Dr Poh Lee Guan, a trainer and a self-proclaimed Nee Soon boy who in a short time before & during campaigning, had captured the imagination of local voters there with bystanders shouting out affectionately 'Ah Poh !'

He was supposed to be very thick with people in the Nee Soon Temples - the temple management people who are likely to be clan & community elders as well. Dr Poh was rumored to be a volunteer with them.

Then rumors came out that temple folks in Nee Soon unhappy with Ho Peng Kee & his grassroots leaders. Seemed that they had been 'asked to donate to grassroots' , also application for permits for temple activities/dinners dealt with in high-handed manner.

Undercurrent of dissatisfaction. Talk about bona fide 'grassroots' upheaval.

Remembering how Nee Soon Central once returned people like SDP's Cheo and with the new millenia's hopes of new hopes for opposition, I thought an upset quite likely - not impossible.

Assoc Prof Ho not someone with sparkling personality, an angmo kangtang person how to match 'Ah Poh' - some more got religious incompatibility.

KNN What happen next ?

Old Man & his sharp sensitive nose for political wind. Must have gotten good feedback from the Nee Soon East ground.

LKY stepped in.

Arranged for closed door meeting with temple elders.

Emerged saying all settled.

Big misunderstanding. nipped problem in the bud - all a matter of poor communication.

I thought - izzit ?

True enough, all earlier hopes of a possible upset dashed.

What happened ? It wasn't even close.

Result : 73.7% win for Ho Peng Kee.

Since then, Ho Peng Kee was noted for denying WP a permit to hold a cycling event at east coast park saying 'people might come up to them to argue politics' so got security concerns (Crap!) & MORE RECENTLY, bypassed for promotion to full minister by K Shanmugam who leapt from backbencher to full minister, so Ho remained Sr Minister of State (law & home affairs).

For more:
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aw.nus.edu.sg/alumni/docs/hopengkee.pdf
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sgblogs.com/entry/57077

 

[scroobal]

The first such incident was with Dr Tay Eng Soon, another born again Christian. In both cases, PAP cadres/grassroots leaders were involved in the mini rebellion. Thats why the votes were not close. The third internal rebellion occurred when Ong Ah Heng was passed in favour of Lim Kim San's nephew, Pang Kim Hin.

The other day watching Prof Ho Peng Kee on TV proposing Ah Long legislation, a blast from the past jolted my memory banks.

GE2001

Then as a single-member constituency, Nee Soon East saw challenger from WP, Dr Poh Lee Guan standing Assoc Prof Ho Peng Kee. Prof Ho, in Parliament since 1991, was a soccer-mad staid man with the legal background. He was also a Christian.

His religion was never until 2001. Then the so-called 'Temple tempest' as one newspaper report put it, flared up.

7

 

[elephanto]

bro, wat about Tay Eng Soon? He was once my MP (River Valley), then scali transferred far far to the east.

I know Ong Ah Heng, loyal grassroots helper in Old Man's Tg Pagar ward for donkey years. When Ng Pock Too lost in Yishun, in the end got to get 'Lao Cheow' to win back from SDP.

From yr writing, was Ong supposed to be running against JBJ in Anson '81? Cos that's the 1st & last & only occasion Pang Kim Hin was fielded.

Ho Peng Kee was rumored won't carry joss-stick or enter temple premise. I think the latter a bit far fetched but the former to be expected.

I think all Spore Political Leaders should put aside all their petty religious restrictiions when performing public duties. God judges yr heart not all those nonsensical banned practices! In Sikh temple, even Woody gotta wear turban !

 

[elephanto]

I wonder what LKY told the temple elders behind close doors.

" Limpei kah li kong, u better listen, give face must give back face...
limpei last time buddy buddy with Hong Choon Abbot when he alive,dun play play.

In the 50s & 60s, limpei 'angsali', 'ho chwee swa' (bt ho swee), 'o kio tow' (havelock), similancheow kampong also vsiti before, not scared of you all one ....'

I think no other PAP leader would have the street cred & authority to pull that sort of stuff off in place of LKY

 

[scroobal]

Eng Soon told grassroots leaders that due to his religious beliefs he can't do the joss-stick bit and spare him from the old practices. So they revolted. In Peng Kee's it was more to do with permits and lease extension. Since Peng Kee is from the Charismatic church, they decided to run the same show.

I don't think they are going to get away again as this National Day marked a significant event - City Harvest Kong was given a seat amongst the National Religious Leaders. The new age church has strong followers in the the Admin Service and old man's eldest grandchild is already lost to the new age flock.

Ah Heng is a vet and was the designate to take over from Nair who went to the Istana. For the first time also campaign chief was GCT and not old man. The PAP Anson branch revolted. As it was truly a working class ward, at that time it was supposed to go to some that was close to workers.

As punishment, some were expelled and Ah Heng was posted out to Nee Soon for a while. After serving his sentence, he was put on the GRC slate.

bro, wat about Tay Eng Soon? He was once my MP (River Valley), then scali transferred far far to the east.


I think all Spore Political Leaders should put aside all their petty religious restrictiions when performing public duties. God judges yr heart not all those nonsensical banned practices! In Sikh temple, even Woody gotta wear turban !

 

[kingrant]

I wonder what LKY told the temple elders behind close doors.

" Limpei kah li kong, u better listen, give face must give back face...
limpei last time buddy buddy with Hong Choon Abbot when he alive,dun play play.

In the 50s & 60s, limpei 'angsali', 'ho chwee swa' (bt ho swee), 'o kio tow' (havelock), similancheow kampong also vsiti before, not scared of you all one ....'

I think no other PAP leader would have the street cred & authority to pull that sort of stuff off in place of LKY

Since you mentioned Abbot Hong Chun, let me just digress a bit. I heard that Old Man always went to consult Hong Chun before he travelled. But the Abbot never did like Old Man. and said his karma is no good - toxic. But he put up with it, since Old Man is so powerful, he didnt want to offend him.

 

[Sideswipe]

How many peasants can those temple clan & community elders mobilize to vote for someone. 50, 100, 200 500? Do those temple guys supporters all live in Nee Soon East?

think the temple issue is massively exaggerated.

In today Singapore, there is no clan or community elders able to mobilize massive numbers of peasants to vote for somebody.

 

[elephanto]

Since you mentioned Abbot Hong Chun, let me just digress a bit. I heard that Old Man always went to consult Hong Chun before he travelled. But the Abbot never did like Old Man. and said his karma is no good - toxic. But he put up with it, since Old Man is so powerful, he didnt want to offend him.

Ha ha these urban legends i also heard my father tell me nong nong ago...
u heard the other one, when garment wanna build MRT at Raffles Place & Marina South, scared feng shui affected, so consult Abbot.

Abbot advised need big circulation of 'ba gua' - octogram, so end up: release $1 gold coin although round but within the circle presto ! 8-sided octogram

Till today, I dunno the veracity of such urban legends ... including the part abt Pinkie slapping Dhana though recorded as hearsayin academic tracts as well....

 

[elephanto]

I don't think they are going to get away again as this National Day marked a significant event - City Harvest Kong was given a seat amongst the National Religious Leaders. The new age church has strong followers in the the Admin Service and old man's eldest grandchild is already lost to the new age flock.

don't think who get away with what ?

It's true megachurch adherents in Admin Service very strong. Also among the professions: lawyers,accountants etc.

Remember Kong's announcement of $310m investment in Central South to be nearer 'the market place' - a very strategic target comprising the top crust of influence peddlars, opinion makers & business leaders. See, mega churches are smart, why print 'seditious literature' & be accused of overt proselytization?

Ah Heng is a vet and was the designate to take over from Nair who went to the Istana. For the first time also campaign chief was GCT and not old man. The PAP Anson branch revolted. As it was truly a working class ward, at that time it was supposed to go to some that was close to workers.

As punishment, some were expelled and Ah Heng was posted out to Nee Soon for a while. After serving his sentence, he was put on the GRC slate.

1981 Anson Election, my 1st attendance of rallies. I still remember that one in the small car-park cum SBS 65 old bus depot behind the 3-room HDB flats of Jln Bt Merah/Lower Delta. Indeed a historical landmark.