Ooi Boon Ewe intends to run in Punggol East by-election
By Kimberly Spykerman | Posted: 10 January 2013 1237 hrs
Mr Ooi Boon Ewe,
71, was the first to show up at the Elections Department at 10:40am
on Thursday to collect the nomination
papers.
He told reporters that he's running for the seat, as politics is in
his blood.
Mr Ooi, who lives in Sengkang and is self-employed, said he'll be a
full-time Member of
Parliament, if elected.
But he acknowledged that it'll be a tough fight, and added that
he's prepared for it.
Mr Ooi said even though he's not confident because of what had
happened in his past attempts, he'll continue to come up with new
ideas. "When you're an experienced politician, you're not scared of
anything. You're a fighter. So you fight," he
said.
In the late afternoon, Mr Zeng Guoyan showed up at the Elections
Department to collect the nomination papers.
Mr Zeng was the only independent candidate who received the
Political Donation certificatein
the Hougang by-election in May last year, but did not file his
nomination papers.
- CNA/ck/de
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1247073/1/.html
The Singapore Democratic Party(SDP) collected three sets of
nomination papers from the Elections Department this afternoon.
Party chairman
Mohamed Jufrie Mahmood was spotted entering the the Elections
department building on Prinsep Street just before noon with another
SDP member.
They emerged 20 minutes later with three thick brown envelopes
containing complete sets of nomination papers.
When asked who
the three sets were for and whether it meant that the SDP had three
possible candidates, Mr Jufrie smiled and said that the SDP will
announce its candidates in due course. The party is thought to be
considering between fielding infectious disease expert Paul
Tambyah, party treasurer Vincent Wijeysingha and psychiatrist Ang
Yong Guan.
He added that he was hopeful that the party can avoid a
multi-cornered fight in the ward.
Private tutor Ooi Boon Ewe also turned up in the morning to pick up
nomination papers, saying he intends to run.
The 71-year-old also tried to run in 2011 Presidential Election and
contest the Sengkang West ward in the General Election. His
application for a Certificate of
Eligibility was turned down in the Presidential Election and he did
not submit his forms in the General Election after failing to
secure enough assenters.
http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/singapore/story/sdp-collects-three-sets-nomination-forms-20130110
Workers' Party ready for Punggol East by-election: Low Thia
Khiang
SINGAPORE: The
Workers' Party (WP) Secretary General Low Thia Khiang said the
party is ready to contest the by-election in Punggol
East.
Mr Low said his party will announce the candidate in due course and
added that the logistics are ready for the
by-election.
Speaking to the media before the start of his Meet-the-People
session on Wednesday evening, Mr Low said that it is good that the
prime minister has decided to call a by-election as soon as
possible.
He said it is fair so that residents of Punggol East can have a
representative of their own.
He said: "It is
logical for the PAP to call and settle the by-election issue in
Punggol East as soon as possible. PAP is the incumbent in Punggol,
they have an advantage being an incumbent unlike Hougang, thereby
it is logical for the prime minister to settle it and call (a
by-election) as fast as possible before any party can further
entrench and establish themselves
there."
Mr Low said he does not want to speculate on the results but said
that the voters have seen what the party can offer and will leave
it up them to decide.
On the
possibility of facing a six-cornered fight, Mr Low said so far
there are no plans to have a joint meeting with other opposition
parties who have voiced their interest to contest in the
ward.
When asked if the recent saga involving Aljunied-Hougang Town
Council and Action Information Management (AIM) will have an impact
on the by-election, Mr Low said: "I welcome the Prime Minister's
announcement to review the town councils' fundamentals as well as
to investigate. I welcome the response to the issues the Workers'
Party have raised to the attention of
Singaporeans."
The party has issued a call for volunteers to help with the
by-election.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1246961/1/.html
Reform Party & SDP eye Punggol East by-election
contest
SINGAPORE: Reform
Party's Secretary-General Kenneth Jeyaretnam has said his party is
"strongly considering" whether or not to contest the upcoming
Punggol East
by-election.
But Mr Jeyaretnam said he will be the candidate fielded if the
party does decide to do so.
He added that he would re-locate to live in Punggol East if he is
elected.
"Punggol East you know is a quarter the size of West Coast, and so
despite the short amount of time available, we are very confident.
Locally on the ground, the residents have the same issues as most
constituencies," he said.
On the possibility of a six-cornered fight, Mr Jeyaretnam said it
is healthy for Singapore that the people are given a choice on
ideology and who they think will be most
effective.
Chairman of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) Mohamed Jufrie
Mahmood said news of the by-election being called for Punggol East
came as a surprise.
He said the SDP did not expect that the Prime Minister would decide
on the by-election so soon.
Speaking to the media at the Punggol East ward on Wednesday
evening, Mr Jufrie said even though the party is ready for a
contest, it would have to accelerate its campaign...
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1246943/1/.html
