SDP to contest in Punggol East by-election
Added on: Thursday Yesterday
Total comments: 12
Singapore Democrats
The SDP has drawn up comprehensive policies which
address the concerns and worries of our fellow Singaporeans. We
look forward to putting our policies before the voters of Punggol
East and give Singaporeans a chance to vote for an alternative to
the PAP. These policies are:
1. To introduce the Singaporeans First policy where Singaporeans
are given priority in employment and to stop the 6.5 million
population target (see Singaporeans Come First, the full policy paper
will be published soon),
2. To scrap the 3M (Medisave, Medishield, and Medifund) system and
introduce a National Health Investment Fund in order to make our
healthcare system non-profit making and affordable for everyone
(see The SDP National Healthcare Plan: Caring For All
Singporeans),
3. To introduce Non-Open Market flats to make HDB prices affordable
for our people (seeHousing A Nation: Holistic Policies For Affordable
Homes),
4. To peg ministerial salaries to the wages of the lowest 20
percent income earners (seeEthical Salaries For A Public Service Centered
Government), and
5. To re-prioritize our Budget so as to increase investment in our
children's education, SMEs and the needy (see Shadow Budget 2012: Securing Our Future).
We are building a competent and constructive opposition party and
we would like to offer a new type of opposition politics to the
voters.
We look forward to bringing up these alternatives in Parliament and
engaging the PAP in meaningful and substantive debates. We are keen
to put our policies before the voters of Punggol East and give
Singaporeans a chance to vote for an alternative to the PAP.
For the first time, an opposition party has proposed alternative
policies that focus on the people’s real needs. We hope our
participation in this by-election will help to bring about a
maturing of our country’s politics. The SDP's participation will
allow the by-election to focus on the people's concerns and
policies that will address them.
In the past several years and especially since the 2011 General
Elections, we have been building up our party machinery and
know-how in campaigning. Our ranks have grown and resources have
expanded.
We are confident in bringing our campaign to Punggol East and
communicating our message to our voters there. We will start work
immediately and we will concentrate our resources on the
constituency in the lead up to the election.
We also have a slate of qualified and credible candidates whom we
can field. Whoever is selected will serve the residents of Punggol
East with competence, commitment and compassion. We will decide on
the candidate in due course.
In summary, we would like to offer the voters of Punggol East the
policies, capabilities and candidate who would best serve them as
their representative in Parliament.
http://yoursdp.org/news/sdp_to_contest_in_punggol_east_by_election/2012-12-27-5502
SINGAPORE - That makes it six.
With the Singapore Democratic Party announcing on Thursday that it
too wants to contest the Punggol East single seat, we now have the
prospect of an election ballot with half a dozen choices on it -
PAP, Workers' Party, SDP, Reform Party (RP), Singapore Democratic
Alliance and former Singapore People's Party (SPP) candidate
Benjamin Pwee.
Two others have bowed out of the race, the SPP and the National
Solidarity Party.
This time, there was no apparent discussion among the parties of
who would get to contest it. The traditional pow-wow that the
opposition parties have to carve up the turf before general
elections has not taken place. Instead, it seems to be a contest of
who can boast the best claim on the ward. To boost their
credentials, RP and SDA have even started conducting visits
there.
The question, of course, is why?
The same scramble did not take place when Hougang went up for a
by-election so why is everyone so interested in contesting Punggol
East?
Here are some possible
theories:
1. The weaker WP claim: Punggol East is no Hougang. While one is a
recognised WP stronghold, the other is a place where the party has
little track record or brand loyalty. The new ward has only been
contested once by the WP and even then it certainly appeared to be
low on the their priority list. Most of its resources were focused,
perhaps rightly, on campaigning elsewhere.
Then there is the question of the candidate. Does WP have a good
one? One that could trump the party chiefs of the other contenders?
If not, the others may feel that they can put up a better
fight.
The opposition is known to take into account the strength of
candidate and track record when carving up turf. On both counts
here, it looks like this is a place where all the parties are
starting out on an approximately equal footing.
Others may argue that since WP appeared to discount the SDA's claim
on the ward in 2011, it has less clout to negotiate for others to
make way.
2. Is it winnable? Mr Michael Palmer won 54.5 per cent of the vote
in 2011. If the trend for by-elections hold and we assume that the
opposition will make up ground, then the lead held by the PAP is a
slim one. Add to that the possibility that the scandal might have
eaten away at vote share, and the opposition parties may be betting
on an upset.
3. Strategic bargaining: Another possibility is that many of the
parties will ultimately choose not to contest. But having thrown
their hat in the ring, they can use their apparent concession here
for leverage the next time they are at the table carving up
turf.
4. Historical legacy: If there is an by-election here, it will be a
historical one. Never before has such a high-ranking PAP member had
to resign in disgrace. And here is a chance for an opposition party
to really rub salt in the wound. Win or lose, participants know
they are going to get some good exposure simply by competing. The
publicity might be even worth risking their deposit for.
Do you have a theory? Why do you think so many opposition parties
are going for Punggol East? Do you think a multi-cornered fight is
desirable or should one party be allowed to go in for a straight
fight? Which one?
http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20121227-392004.html
So exciting now. 
