SDP will contest a by-election in Punggol
East
But party chief
Chee not eligible for polls until 2015; possible 6-way fight
looms
Dr Chee did not name any SDP candidate yesterday for the
single-member constituency.
By TESSA WONG
THE Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) became the fourth
opposition party yesterday to throw its hat in the ring for Punggol
East.
But party chief Chee Soon Juan will not be its
candidate for the single-member constituency, should a by-election
be held there.
Dr Chee told reporters this during a press
conference held to announce SDP's plan to contest the constituency,
which fell vacant after its MP and Speaker of Parliament Michael
Palmer resigned following an extramarital affair.
Reporters had asked Dr Chee if he would be SDP's
candidate as he was no longer a bankrupt.
He said he was not eligible to stand for election
until 2015 because of fines that exceeded $2,000.
Under the Constitution, a person is disqualified
from standing in an election for five years when he has been fined
more than $2,000, jailed for more than a year, or given both
penalties.
Dr Chee was fined $20,000 in 2010 for four offences
committed in 2005 and 2006. They were for speaking in public
without a permit.
The party said it would decide on its candidate "in
due course". Asked if party treasurer Vincent Wijeysingha was in
the running, Dr Chee said he would "not be ruled out".
Speculation has been rife online that the party may
field Dr Wijeysingha. He was present at the press conference but
declined to comment.
The SDP's entry into the fray looks set to turn a
Punggol East by-election into a six-cornered fight.
Three other opposition parties - Workers' Party,
Reform Party and Singapore Democratic Alliance - have signalled
their intention to contest while Mr Benjamin Pwee has expressed
interest in running as an independent.
He is a former member of Singapore People's
Party.
When asked if SDP's move would dilute the
opposition vote, Dr Chee said it was targeting citizens who
normally vote for the People's Action Party (PAP) but have since
"lost their trust" in it.
"Our target is to win the votes over from the
people who are fed up, but at the same time haven't seen an
opposition party that is able to offer alternatives they can really
sink their teeth into," he said.
SDP said it had produced several comprehensive
policies, ranging from housing to health care.
"We would like to offer a new type of opposition
politics to the voters... We are keen to put our policies before
the voters of Punggol East," it said.
Dr Chee also said the SDP would be contacting other
opposition parties to "come to an agreement" on who should
contest.
Former Nominated MP Siew Kum Hong believes a
six-cornered fight "will only hand Punggol East to the PAP on a
silver platter''.
He added: "If any opposition party other than WP
contests, it would be taking a huge risk of being seen as a
spoiler, which would inevitably affect its chances in the next
general election."
Home, The Straits Times, December 28 2012, Pg B10
i think the MIW are shitting themselves so they activated ALL
their moles
