NSP candidates for Tampines GRC, Whampoa and Pioneer SMCs
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Apr 14, 2011 - Straits TImes
by Andrea Ong
THE opposition National Solidarity Party (NSP) on Thursday unveiled seven candidates who will stand in the Tampines GRC and the two single seats in Whampoa and Pioneer for the coming polls.
The five GRC candidates are: NSP secretary-general and businessman Goh Meng Seng, 41, company director Reno Fong, 42, project manager Syafarin Sarif, 35, management consultant Raymond Lim, 27, and career counsellor Gilbert Goh, 49. All except Mr Goh and Mr Fong are rookies.
The other two are former Non-Constituency MP Steve Chia, 41, an equity and index futures trader who will stand in Pioneer, and company director Ken Sun, 64, who will contest Whampoa.
Both are contesting their fourth election.
The seven were unveiled at a press conference held at the NSP office on Thursday afternoon.
Mr Goh said the Tampines GRC team will focus on the affordability and availability of HDB flats as part of the NSP's strategy of challenging ministers in charge of hot-button issues on their home turf.
National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan, 63, is the anchor minister in Tampines GRC. Other likely members on the PAP team are Minister of State for Education and Home Affairs Masagos Zulkifli, Ms Irene Ng, 47, and two new PAP faces, former Monetary Authority of Singapore managing director Heng Swee Keat, 49, and executive secretary of Young NTUC Steve Tan, 38.
The NSP has already rolled out 11 candidates for the Moulmein-Kallang and Jurong GRCs, and also for the Radin Mas and Mountbatten single-seat wards.
The party said it will field a total of 20 to 30 candidates for the coming polls.
NSP candidates for Tampines GRC and 2 SMCs
THE seven NSP candidates who faced the media on Thursday are:
Goh Meng Seng
Age: 41
Occupation: Businessman
Marital status: Married with a daughter, 7
Highest educational qualifications: Bachelor of Social Science (Hons) in Economics and Bachelor of Arts from the National University of Singapore
Languages/dialects spoken: English, Mandarin, Hainanese, Hokkien and Cantonese
Likely to be fielded in: Tampines GRC
Electoral history: Secretary-general of NSP
Contested in Aljunied GRC in 2006 under the Workers' Party (WP) banner, winning 43.9 per cent of the votes.
Why I joined the opposition: To fight for social justice and the welfare of the people
One cause I would champion: More affordable housing and medical welfare for all Singaporeans
Syafarin Sarif
Age: 35
Occupation: Regional Project Manager; NSP central executive council (CEC) member; NSP Malay Bureau secretary
Marital status: Single
Education: Bachelor of Arts (Merit) in Political Science and Malay Studies from NUS
Languages/dialects spoken: English, Malay, conversational Mandarin, elementary Tamil
Likely to be fielded in: Tampines GRC
Electoral history: Never stood for election. Volunteered as an election agent for the Singapore Democratic Alliance in Jalan Besar GRC for the 2006 polls.
Why I joined the opposition: To provide Singaporeans with a choice for an alternative voice in Parliament
One cause I would champion: Equal job opportunities for Singaporeans
Raymond Lim Peng Ann
Age: 27
Occupation: Management consultant
Marital status: Single
Highest educational qualifications: Master of Commerce (Applied Finance) from the University of Queensland, Australia
Languages/dialects spoken: English, Mandarin and Hokkien
Likely to be fielded in: Tampines GRC
Electoral history: Never stood for election
NSP CEC member; head of NSP Youth Guild
Member of Young PAP from 2003 to 2010
Why I joined the opposition: To send the voices of the people to Parliament and build a more vibrant political society in Singapore.
One cause I would champion: Help Singaporeans fight for affordable housing and job security.
Gilbert Goh
Age: 49
Occupation: President of transitioning.org, a registered society which provides support services for the unemployed
Marital status: Married to a bank executive, 45, with one daughter, 17
Highest educational qualifications: Graduate diploma in counselling from the Executive Counselling and Training Academy, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne
Languages/dialects spoken: English, Mandarin and Cantonese
Likely to be fielded in: Tampines GRC
Electoral history: Never stood for election.
Why I joined the opposition: I want to be a voice for the marginalised and the disadvantaged, especially the unemployed in their 40s and 50s.
One cause I would champion: Equal employment opportunities for Singaporean citizens.
Reno Fong Chin Leong
Age: 42
Occupation: Company director
Marital status: Married to Chionh Seok Ling, 42, who works in the airline industry, with a son, 10, and daughter, 6.
Highest educational qualifications: Bachelors degree in engineering management from the University of Western Sydney
Languages/dialects spoken: English, Mandarin, Hokkien, Cantonese and Teochew
Likely to be fielded in: Tampines GRC
Electoral history: Assistant secretary-general of NSP
Contested in Jalan Besar GRC in two general elections under the SDA banner.
In 2001, the team won 25.5 per cent of the votes. In 2006, they won 30.7 per cent of the votes.
Why I joined the opposition: I want to see a multi-party parliament in order to safeguard the rights of Singaporeans.
One cause I would champion: Singaporeans whose wages have been suppressed by the influx of foreign 'talent' who may not be so talented.
Age: 41
Occupation: Equity and index futures trader
Marital status: Married to a web developer, with a daughter, 7, and son, 3
Highest educational qualifications: Bachelor of Arts (Merit) in Psychology and Philosophy from NUS
Languages/dialects spoken: English, Mandarin, Teochew and Hokkien
Likely to be fielded in: Pioneer SMC
Electoral history: NCMP from 2001 to 2006.
Contested in three general elections. In 1997, he stood in Hong Kah GRC on the NSP ticket, winning 31 per cent of the votes.
In 2001, he stood in Chua Chu Kang SMC under the SDA banner, winning 34.7 per cent of the votes, high enough to enter Parliament as an NCMP.
In 2006, he again stood in Chua Chu Kang SMC on the SDA ticket, winning 39.6 per cent of the votes.
Why I joined the opposition: I believe there must be competition in politics because it will benefit people and society when there are alternatives in debating policies in Parliament.
One cause I would champion: As seen from my track record as an NCMP, I will fight for many issues, from reducing cost of living and providing good jobs for Singaporeans to greater accountability, transparency and a more democratically vibrant Singapore.
Ken Sun
Age: 64
Occupation: Company director;
Marital status: Married to a manager in a property management company, with two sons aged 34 and 33
Education: Master of Arts (Education) from the University of Hull, United Kingdom
Languages/dialects spoken: English, Mandarin, Hokkien and Malay
Likely to be fielded in: Whampoa SMC
Electoral history: NSP CEC member; founder member and former secretary-general of NSP
Contested in three elections.
In 1988, he stood on the NSP ticket in Whampoa SMC, winning 40.5 per cent of the votes.
In 1991, he stood on the NSP ticket in Tampines GRC, winning 40.5 per cent of the votes.
In the 1992 by-election in Marine Parade GRC< he stood under the NSP banner, winning 1.4 per cent of the votes.
Why I joined the opposition: I wish to bring about balance in the political fortunes of Singapore and offer a more rational view on some policies which are narrow-minded and crafted to suit a certain class of people.
One cause I would champion: The need for happiness in our lives. We should not spend too much on materialistic pursuits.