Chiam gunning for a GRC
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Mar 25, 2011 - Straits Times
by Jeremy Au Yong
Singapore People's Party secretary-general Chiam See Tong and party member Alex Tan handing out pamphlets to residents at a coffee shop in Sin Ming Road, in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC. --ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
OPPOSITION leaders are not so 'small-minded' as to contest GRCs just for the sake of building a legacy, said Potong Pasir MP Chiam See Tong yesterday.
The 76-year-old is the latest opposition leader to weigh in against Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng's remarks on Wednesday, questioning the motives of opposition parties.
DPM Wong had said that there were opposition leaders who wanted to contest GRCs in order to leave a legacy as the first party to win a GRC, or to use it as a tool for leadership renewal. That, he said, was not what polls should be about.
'Is it about the interest and missions of political parties or an individual's interest to create a legacy or to make history?' he asked.
The comments seem to be directed primarily at Mr Chiam and Hougang MP Low Thia Khiang. Mr Low is mulling a GRC bid while Mr Chiam had said as early as last year that he was planning to contest the five-MP Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC led by DPM Wong.
Yesterday, Mr Chiam stressed that legacy-building had nothing to do with his GRC bid: 'It (a legacy) was never in my mind at all.' He added: 'We are not that small-minded.'
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THE ACCUSATION
'Is it about the interest and missions of political parties or an individual's interest to create a legacy or to make history?'
Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng, on the opposition aiming to win a Group Representation Constituency
THE REBUTTAL
'We are not that small-minded... I've left my safe haven of Potong Pasir for a more dangerous ground because I want to expand the number of opposition members in Parliament.'
Potong Pasir MP Chiam See Tong, who had announced last year that he intends to do battle in the five-MP Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC led by Mr Wong.
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Jia You Mr Chiam, win your last battle !!!
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That makeshift cubicle at the void deck
The makeshift cubicle that served as the office for Mr Chiam's Meet The People sessions for the past 27 years
Posted by theonlinecitizen on March 25, 2011
by Andrew Loh
Seeing Mr Chiam See Tong up close is inspiring. Anyone who thinks that age or the two strokes he suffered in recent years have dented his spirit would be highly mistaken. The veteran opposition politician is as stout-hearted as he has always been.
As I waited for him to end his Meet-The-People session on Thursday at Block 121 in Potong Pasir, I was struck by the sight of what must now be legend – that singular table sited at a corner of the void deck, partitioned for privacy by aluminium panels into a makeshift cubicle.
That’s where Mr Chiam has conducted his MPS for 27 years.
The ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) – that is, the Government – has refused to provide offices for opposition Members of Parliament (MP). PAP MPs conduct their MPS’s at the air-conditioned offices of its PAP Community Foundation (PCF) kindergartens premises. And since opposition parties do not have their own chain of kindergartens and their MPs are not of the PAP, the PAP would say it is thus not appropriate to have opposition MPs use the PCF spaces.
Mr Chiam’s void deck cubicle is truly a symbol of how utterly petty our politics is, as played out by the ruling PAP.
As a Singaporean, I am ashamed that we would treat an elected Member of Parliament this way.
But Mr Chiam is unfazed.
“If a person … really wants to be an MP,” Mr Chiam says, “he can work the ground and he can show himself to the people – that he is hardworking and he is for the people. I think he will get elected that way and show that he is a true representative of the people.”
And as such, Mr Chiam does not believe in the Non-constituency MP (NCMP) scheme. “I don’t believe in going into Parliament by the back door,” he says. “[The] NCMP is not really elected by the majority of Singaporeans. It is a token of the PAP.”
I was curious about what the veteran politician thought of the six new PAP candidates unveiled so far. “They look very impressive on paper,” Mr Chiam says. “They have to win the hearts and minds of the voters, isn’t it? And that is a difficult task because it takes time. You can’t [befriend] a person overnight.”
Turning to his health, I asked if he is able to withstand the rigour and stress of an election. “Well, you must remember I was a sportsman in my early days,” Mr Chiam says. “I was a school swimmer. And when I say school swimmer, I mean school swimmer,” he says with evident pride in his voice, “because I’m from ACS (Anglo-Chinese School). It’s somebody to be a school swimmer in ACS. You must be strong and fit.”
Those who still doubt his physical ability should visit Bishan-Toa Payoh on Sunday where he will be conducting his walkabout, Mr Chiam says. “Then you see whether I am fit or not,” he added. He is expected to lead a team to contest the area in the elections in his bid to win a Group Representation Constituency (GRC) – something which no opposition party has achieved so far.
Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC is helmed by Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng. Mr Wong on Wednesday had questioned the opposition’s intention in wanting to win a GRC. He asked if this was to satisfy personal ambitions and questioned if the opposition winning a GRC has anything to do with benefiting Singaporeans.
“Is it about the interest and missions of political parties or an individual’s interest to create a legacy or to make history?” Mr Wong asked. Mr Wong also challenged the opposition to reveal their candidates early so voters can scrutinize them.
“Most of Singapore already know the candidates of the opposition,” Mr Chiam says. “Opposition like to talk a lot. They inadvertently reveal the names of their candidates. I think everybody knows who is standing at Bishan Toa Payoh. In fact I announced my candidacy about a year ago. How can you say that we did not reveal?”
Mr Wong seems to have alluded particularly to Mr Chiam when he asked if the opposition’s reasons for wanting to win a GRC was so that its candidates could leave a legacy – a personal ego trip rather than out of consideration for the future of Singapore.
“We are not so small-minded,” Mr Chiam says. “Our purpose is mainly to expand the opposition. At the moment as you know opposition only has two MPs in Parliament. PAP has 82. If the opposition captures a GRC, that will be a big psychological blow to the PAP. It’s no longer an impregnable fortress.”
And Mr Chiam added: “Any step that the opposition does that dents the PAP is one step forward for the voters.”
Mr Chiam remains just as sharp as he ever was.
Perhaps Mr Wong should be more concerned about his own legacy. Besides going down in history as the minister who let a limping suspected terrorist escape – not once, but twice – Mr Wong has only won in one election, despite having contested six General Elections in total so far.
His first and only victory was at his very first election – in Kuo Chuan SMC in 1984. After the Government introduced the GRC system in 1988, Mr Wong has had five walkovers.
What a contrast to Mr Chiam’s six consecutive contests and victories!
History indeed will remember Mr Chiam as one who went about quietly in his work in serving the people, in spite of the odds and the mountains he has had to climb, put in his way by a ruling party which apparently holds an elected representative of the people in little regard – if he is not of their ilk.
Mr Chiam’s legacy is, really, that of humility and steely determination. He has contested in eight General Elections. Won six of them – and going on his ninth. As far as I know, no other MP in Singapore’s post-independence history has such a record of six consecutive outright wins. Not even Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew (five).
So, Mr Chiam has nothing else to prove to anyone, least of all to Mr Wong.
He does not need to win a GRC, in my opinion, for his name to be remembered. Indeed, his 27 years of service is testament enough. Yet he continues to serve despite his physical condition.
But perhaps what is most inspiring to me is that Mr Chiam’s example shows that serving the people does not have to include multi-million dollar paychecks and posh or ostentatious surroundings.
All it takes, really, is a bit of heart.
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Unlike PAP, Chiam and Mr low meet the people place is different.
PAP MPs stay in MP and gt grassroots member to help them.
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"I want to expand the number of opposition members in Parliament." Zzz. What is the use? People should vote for the party whose manifesto they think is the best for Singapore.
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vote for chiam :)
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Originally posted by croco2006:
vote for chiam :)
He is the longest opposition MP in power.Can Mr Low or any other opp MP break his record in the future?
This guy certainly deserves to be honoured.
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Didnt Wong said he WELCOME OPPOSITION CHALLENGE.
NOw he chicken out isit? He afraid d Mas selamat blunder will cost him his $MILLION$ seat/
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Wong dun want to be the 1st DPM voted out. He panicked.
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With due respect to Mr Chiam, I think he should retire whilst he still can walk. Let the younger generation do the politiking in this general election and see how they fair. The same goes for Mr Wong Kan Seng - recently talking about chinese-educated candidates when the chinese, malay and Indian schools were closed long, long ago.
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Chiam had make WKS feel so small
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Originally posted by SevenEleven:
Chiam had make WKS feel so small
Chiam fight 6 GE while WKS only 1 with 5 walkover.
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Originally posted by Clivebenss:
Chiam fight 6 GE while WKS only 1 with 5 walkover.
shorty kan is special enjoying status as a nephew-in-law. -
Originally posted by afan:
shorty kan is special enjoying status as a nephew-in-law.and he's afraid of a man that suffered stroke twice?
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Originally posted by Clivebenss:
Wong dun want to be the 1st DPM voted out. He panicked.
Maybe they might move him to another GRC.
Just to throw a curve ball to the opposition plans.
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Originally posted by charlize:
Maybe they might move him to another GRC.
Just to throw a curve ball to the opposition plans.
May be WKS is stepping down.
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If you asked me, frankly I see chiam losing potong pasir, and not securing that GRC this coming elections.
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Originally posted by ditzy:
If you asked me, frankly I see chiam losing potong pasir, and not securing that GRC this coming elections.
It depends on whether the voters at Bishan and Toa Payoh are daft or not. -
Interesting fight!!!!
Wks vs Cst
Have a feeling that cst will pull the crowds towards him. Cst still well liked to most of the pple dispite his stroke, he's a strong man.
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Opposition should learn from this lesson.
Build up rapport with the residend and make your name known to many residents in your area and outside your area. Make sure everybody know who you are especially when someone mention your name eg) Tan Ah Kow...pple will automatically know you. Half battle is won.
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Originally posted by likeyou:
Interesting fight!!!!
Wks vs Cst
Have a feeling that cst will pull the crowds towards him. Cst still well liked to most of the pple dispite his stroke, he's a strong man.
He is still strong as least in spirit.
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Originally posted by Clivebenss:
May be WKS is stepping down.
They could be retiring all the unpopular ministers just so they can minimize their losses for the election.
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Originally posted by charlize:
They could be retiring all the unpopular ministers just so they can minimize their losses for the election.
they are on musical chairs now, nobody can be sure where they are standing or sitting.
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Originally posted by Clivebenss:
they are on musical chairs now, nobody can be sure where they are standing or sitting.
Maybe they dump all the unpopular ministers into one GRC and sacrifice that one to the opposition.
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Better to just lose one GRC than 4 or 5.