by Woo Sian Boon
SINGAPORE - The first clear sign that polls could soon be held in
Punggol East emerged yesterday, as covering Member of
Parliament Teo Ser Luck attended to the Single Member
Constituency's first Meet-the-People Session (MPS) in the new year
flanked by an unfamiliar face.
Dr Koh Poh Koon, 40, a colorectal surgeon at Mount Elizabeth
Hospital, was brought around and introduced to constituents by Mr
Teo, portending the People's Action Party's (PAP) campaign
machinery has been cranked up amid recent reports that party
activists in the ward have started buying plywood for election
posters.
While Dr Koh was side-by-side with Mr Teo for much of the MPS as
the latter spoke with residents, Mr Teo otherwise gave little away
on the possibility that Dr Koh could be the PAP's candidate should
a by-election be called.
Mr Teo described Dr Koh as a "keen volunteer" and a friend who was
there "observing and sitting down with other volunteers to
understand the (residents') needs".
He added: "I think he knows that I'm handling two constituencies at
the same time. I have a couple of friends tonight who have joined
us, he's not the only one."
Dr Koh took a similar stance, telling TODAY he was "just (there) to
help … because it is a busy" day. He declined to say whether he had
been approached to stand as a candidate "because people will always
speculate".
Dr Koh said that he had attended a "tea session" - a moniker given
to PAP recruitment sessions.
When asked if he would consider contesting should he be asked, Dr
Koh replied: "If anyone is approached, I think they will have to
consider seriously because it doesn't just concern themselves,
(they) will also have to consider the welfare of the
residents."
Since 2002, Dr Koh has served as an Executive Committee Member at
the Telok Blangah Dover Crescent Resident's Committee and as an
Assistant Liaison Officer (Singapore Police Force) for Telok
Blangah Dover Crescent Neighborhood Watch Zone. He is also a Member
of the Community Emergency Response Team.
Responding to reporters' questions, Mr Teo reiterated that he had
"not heard anything" about the date of a possible
by-election.
Still, given yesterday's development, political analysts believe
that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong could be calling one soon to
elect a replacement for former MP Michael Palmer.
Said former Nominated MP Siew Kum Hong: "It looks like (Dr Koh) is
going to be the PAP candidate for Punggol East and that
preparations for a by-election are kicking into high
gear."
The National University of Singapore's Dr Tan Ern Ser agreed,
hazarding May as the likely period for a by-election.
"It is after the White Paper on population issues, the Budget,
Labour Day, and at a later phase of the National Conversation," he
said.
The Punggol East ward, vacant since Mr Palmer's resignation
lastmonth over
an extramarital affair, has attracted strong interest from
Opposition parties, with at least three firmly indicating that they
would field a candidate, if and when a by-election is called.
With a multi-cornered contest on the cards, analysts had mixed
reactions to Dr Koh's possible candidacy.
Mr Siew said: "If this is presumably the new PAP candidate … then
you are parachuting in an unknown; a completely new face into a
by-election that will be quite hard-fought
since so many opposition parties have registered their
interest."
"One possible conclusion is that the PAP is having a hard time
finding candidates. For example, one obvious question would be,
'Why is it not Ong Ye Kung?'"
Mr Ong was a first-time candidate on the PAP Aljunied GRC team
which lost in the General Election in 2011. Touted to be of
ministerial calibre, Mr Ong recently quit the National Trades Union
Congress and joined the private sector.
Mr Siew added: "Another possible conclusion is that the PAP might
have done some calculations and perhaps thought that with at least
a three-way fight, an unknown PAP candidate can still have a good
chance of winning."
But Dr Tan pointed out that "any candidate the PAP put up is likely
to be new anyway, unless it sent Mr Desmond Choo (who lost in
Hougang in GE 2011) to Punggol East as a candidate, which I see as
unlikely."
Meanwhile, Mr Teo told reporters he welcomed the keen interest from
opposition parties in Punggol East.
"I've always thought that the residents would have more choice if
it's a multi-cornered fight … Like I've said before, it's always
important that the interests of the residents must be placed
first," he said.
About 80 residents attended the MPS yesterday. Mr Teo attributed
the larger-than-normal turnout to the fact that the MPS was not
held for two weeks due to the Christmas and New Year
holidays.
Asked what qualities Punggol East residents would be looking for in
a candidate, Mr Teo said he has to be someone who can "engage the
ground effectively and also someone who can understand the needs of
the very young to the very old, and also the middle income
group".
He added: "Most importantly, their heart must be in the right place
and have a passion to serve."
http://www.todayonline.com/Hotnews/EDC130109-0000042/New-face-in-Punggol-East-a-sign-of-polls-to-come
