Goh just said Hougang and PP resident no upgrade if PAP lost

last SG · 2006-03-27T22:23:11+00:00

after upgrade, they will raise lotsa charges, cos they will say need to maintain the standard etc..so end up paying much more..

king108 SG

Smile Can I ask for just 1 peanut. Thanks. I eat already and keep the shelf

Atobe SG

In the Channelnewsasia report, SM GCT remarks were printed as follows:

If Mr Sitoh is elected into Parliament in the upcoming General Election, Mr Goh says he will offer himself as a resource person to push the ideas in Cabinet.

But he stressed that Mr Sitoh will be the main person in the fight for Potong Pasir.

Mr Goh also elaborated on what he means by raising the whip in Parliament so that Mr Sitoh and Mr Eric Low can raise opposing views.

Mr Goh says: "Actually I was trying to find a way out to a question where somebody said that there are people who wanted an opposition. They also want upgrading, so in my mind I thought well we can have the best of both worlds - we can have upgrading and if they elect Sitoh Yih Pin and Eric Low, we can lift the whip for them. That means we can also have an opposition voice in Parliament.

"Let's make it clear, I mean they are PAP MPs so it is not quite the same as an opposition MP. But what I hope Eric Low and Sitoh Yih Pin would do regardless of whether the whip is lifted or not is to speak their minds frankly. Whatever views they have, even though they disagree with the government or with the party, they must voice them in Parliament - that's important. So it's my advice to Sitoh Yih Pin just now.

"I say, 'Look, in order to establish yourself later on as an MP, you must not come across as a 'yes' man. Come across as Sitoh Yih Pin, who has got a view, who has got a voice; be prepared to raise difficult issues to the government so the whip is actually immaterial.' It's whether he is prepared to speak on policies when he has a different view and whether the government will support it." - CNA/de

Unfortunately, SM GCT did not mention the all important part, that is -

will the PAP MPs regaining the Opposition Wards be allowed to vote according to their conscience, and if they can vote against their Party's Policies ?

Is it of any use to lift the Party's Whip for these PAP MPs to speak their mind and not be YES-Men, but at the end of the debate - all PAP MPs have to submit to the Party's Politics and end up as YES-MEN, as all have been for the last FORTY YEARS in the Singapore Parliament.

king108 SG

Cool I think today paper got say somethings. but I see him so tired so never read...can read up and tell me..

Medicated Oil SG

After providing so much positive response to the WP mandate, where is the ruling party mandate ?

Or is there a mandate at all ?

The opposing party have introduced their new representatives, followed by the rulling party.

Where is the initiative ?

Every one can guarantee all the goodies.

But, the goodies are NOT FREE and borne by the foolish people who support blindly.

No one come out and say to lower the cost of medical and utilities and transport by lowering the MP salary.

No one can guarantee no fee hike.

Is some one running out of ideas or he is being supported by too much super yes men ?

DailyFreeGames.com SG

Let’s support SDP bah… PAP is a big bully that likes to control its citizens through unfair means…

googoomuck SG

I think besides being paid the highest wages, Singapore is also the only country with 3 prime ministers in the garment, Harry Lee and Son and The Holy Goh.

When the Holy GOH was PM, he shut the gate to many students who wanted to study medicine. Degrees from some overseas medical schools were not recognised. Now The flood gate is opened wide to let doctors with overseas qualifications to come work in Singapore.

NOL once hired a Dane to help turn the company profitable. The Dane brought his friends to take the high posts. The local staff joked that NOL means No Orientals Left. Holy Goh then said that if he did not allow foreign talents in, NOL would mean No One Left.

After a few years, the Dane's contract was terminated early because he could not make NOL profitable. He left with some $4m in severence pay.

The ruling party can find candidates who can talk the talk. Can they walk the walk?

Dear voters, pls vote wisely in the coming GE.

[email protected] SG

wor. so now PAP have to resort to dirty tactics like these to win ah?

charlize SG

It's not "now".

They have been doing it since the first upgrading exercise years back. Laughing

BillyBong SG

Singaporeans should learn to read behind the lines and see through the puff of smoke created.

Unfair to discredit Chiam's good work

March 28, 2006
The Straits Times

I READ the article, 'The gathering storm' (ST, March 25), with interest.

Besides the challenge from Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong who is 'storming into Potong Pasir and Hougang to win them back for the People's Action Party', opposition MPs probably face another obstacle: dismissive press reports.

Even though the article tried to highlight some of the good that Mr Chiam See Tong has done for Potong Pasir, it did more to cast a disparaging shade on the work done by him.

For example, because of its tranquillity and rustic charm, Potong Pasir was referred to as a 'dead town' that even the dead forsake, after they were 'exhumed from their century-old home'. For all that Mr Chiam has done in the past 22 years, Potong Pasir was described as a 'laid back' ward and the writer found it 'logic-defying' that the residents refused to be enticed by the PAP carrots.

Despite 97 per cent of the residents polled expressing that they were 'happy living in the ward', the writer expressed his reservations and summed up the work done in Potong Pasir as stop-gap measures: 'life in Potong Pasir during non-election season is hardly the stuff of fireworks'.

The use of rhetoric was most sarcastic: 'Sports facilities? Not even a park to jog in, unless you count Bidadari Cemetery's pavements' as fitting.

The fate of Potong Pasir was then decisively sealed: 'Mr Chiam is so old' and 'Toa Payoh Lorong 8 looks the worse for wear and suffers the curse of being compared' to a newer-looking ward across the road. And there is also the younger MP of the ruling party who is wielding the 'PAP's lightning bolt' and the keys to unlock funds to deliver upgrading.

I am not sure why most of the upgrading works in the 'PAP-held Lorong 6' were completed recently or what impact an article like this, with its uncanny timeliness and telling diction, has on the election outcome, but I think it is rather unfair, and even misleading, to dismiss Mr Chiam's hard labour in his ward.

I would like to point out the following with regard to the article:

Bus service No. 142 is not the sole service in the ward; others include service nos. 8, 13, 26, 31 and 151.

The Lorong 8 market was upgraded within the last five to six years and the playgrounds had also been upgraded.

No parks, but sporting facilities such as basketball courts had been constructed.

Residents can give feedback and suggestions for improvements to their MP via an online channel named 'Your Voice' in the Potong Pasir Town Council website, besides the Meet-the-People sessions.

Community events, including festive celebrations, have been organised, albeit without the sea life-unfriendly $1 shark's-fin soup.

Some towns, especially those in the western parts of Singapore, look equally, if not more, 'sleepy'. On the other hand, Potong Pasir contains an old-world charm, away from the maddening crowds.

In Melbourne, my friends and I sometimes travelled two hours to get to malls and cinemas from the suburbs. The 'plight' of Potong Pasir residents is nowhere compared to this.

In conclusion, one should note the absence of a level playing field for Mr Chiam as the Ministry of National Development channels Community Improvement Projects Committee funds for town improvements only to grassroots advisers who are all PAP leaders. Opposition MPs also do not have access to the community development council funds for community assistance.

I think it is ironic that the Potong Pasir residents pay taxes but are excluded from the good these funds bring. Supporting an opposition MP is no excuse for this.

The revolver might be old but the shots can still hit the right spots. Perhaps Potong Pasir residents should stick to their guns.

Lena Soh Kwee Kim (Ms)

Asia1.com

One thing cropped up, why are opposition wards denied access to national development funds even though they won their elections fair and square?

Isn't that a crooked scheme bent on funnelling more financial power to losing candidates of the the lightning party? How is that considered legitimate?

This should be brought up in parliament if it has not been raised already.

[email protected] SG

yes. im being sacarstic. Mr. Green

niceguy_123 SG

Originally posted by googoomuck:
I think besides being paid the highest wages, Singapore is also the only country with 3 prime ministers in the garment, Harry Lee and Son and The Holy Goh.

When the Holy GOH was PM, he shut the gate to many students who wanted to study medicine. Degrees from some overseas medical schools were not recognised. Now The flood gate is opened wide to let doctors with overseas qualifications to come work in Singapore.

NOL once hired a Dane to help turn the company profitable. The Dane brought his friends to take the high posts. The local staff joked that NOL means No Orientals Left. Holy Goh then said that if he did not allow foreign talents in, NOL would mean No One Left.

After a few years, the Dane's contract was terminated early because he could not make NOL profitable. He left with some $4m in severence pay.

The ruling party can find candidates who can talk the talk. Can they walk the walk?

Dear voters, pls vote wisely in the coming GE.[b][/b]

Not concerned with the economy and business issues.. Just very angry at why the Singapore coffers belonging to fellow singaporeans are being denied just becos they voted the opposition.

Isn't upgrading a national interest? Maybe Hougang residents and PP residents are not singaporeans.. so they are denied the upgrading benefits.

So lame . Lou Goh used this trick again .. Mad Can't he think of anything better.

LazerLordz SG

HDB as a corporation should have the last say in any upgrading plans.Not the ruling party.

national programmes must not be tainted with party politics.

countdracula SG

perhaps theyoung men of hougang and potong pasir should be exempted from ns since they are not ‘considered’ singaporeans.

greencoral SG

We should all write in to HDB to question their upgrading policy.
They have a feedback form for their Quality Service Manage at:

http://www5.hdb.gov.sg/pc14/isos0174p.nsf/ElecFeedback?OpenForm

Atobe SG

This abuse is only possible when the POWER OF ONE dominate all spheres of powers - that were supposed to be separated into the Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary.

While the Ruling Political Party can freely muscle the HDB to provide space at the HDB void decks to open PAP runned and managed Kindergartens, PAP managed Community Projects, and Office Space for the " Meet-the-People-Sessions " - the same has been refused to the successfully elected Opposition Members of Parliament when they apply for the same from the HDB.

These discriminatory policies forced onto the HDB to act negatively towards the Opposition Members of Parliament has been UNASHAMEDLY practiced since Chiam See Tong first came into Parliament.

Do we need to be surprised to the already well known farce of the Ruling Party about Singaporeans being in a Democratic First World Country, where everyone is treated EQUALLY without any discrimination due to Ethnicity, Relgion, or Language ?

Unfortunately, the one important word seem to have been INTENTIONALLY left out, and that is POLITICS.

The Ruling Party has surprisingly displayed a very THIN SKIN towards the slightest remarks of corruption and abuse of power, but remains unfazed with a THICKEST SET OF SKIN - grown over FORTY YEARS of Monopolistic Power - against any criticism towards all kinds of accusations of its execution of discriminatory policies towards the OPPOSITION, and blatantly executed in contempt towards the Singapore Electorate.

Consider the following report :-

Can any one Opposition challenge the POWER OF ONE from WITHIN THE SYSTEM ?

Is it any wonder that CSJ has to resort to publicising the abuses of the POWER OF ONE on the International Stage, while at the same time drawing attention to himself being abused by the System ?

spencer99 SG

HG and PP residents should be exempted from income tax and GST.

robertteh SG

I support this proposal - Hougang and Potong Pasir residents be exempted from paying income tax and GST.

Lessformore SG

Well, what ever said, I really believe in the party. Because they are always full of action. No I'm not refering to legal action. Like the members, I believe that they will win, even if:

1) Electoral Boundries were drawn according to estates areas and Bradell did not belong to Marine Parade or Tanjong Pagar to Pulau Ubin GRC
2) There are no GRC with 4 to 6 members to ensure minority representation
3) All were single wards, (with only chinese candidates like it was before GRC)
4) Candidates deposit was only $5,000 (thousands will stand for elections)
5) Election campaigning was not used for defamation suits (clear you speech with the police, like Speakers Corner)
6) No upgrading (why pay more SC)
7) No cash bonus ( anyway most donate the proceeds to NKF)

Take all this away and they will still still be in power and will make a clean sweep. They have the best candidates, they have honest people, they work tirelessly for the good of the family...no make that country and people , they make great sacrifices by giving up million dollar jobs to serve us. I am convinced, am willing to put money where my mouth is............if only they would too and prove that they do not need all the measures said above..and still can win..

I believe........I can fly.....I believe.....go pappy pappy go

mppp SG

... and they earn peanut only... Mr. Green

BillyBong SG

You must be delirious to think the Ruling Party will make a clean sweep should SMCs be re-introduced in place of GRCs. 1991 showed why the Ruling party fears having SMCs since it encourages everyone from unknown candidates of opposition parties to independents to stand for elections. That was the reason why SDP could wrest 4 seats out of nothing. The residents were simply fed up of INACTION by the ruling party and with SMCs came more election opportunities.

I have always maintained that SMCs, not GRCs, are a better gauge to determine the mandate of the people. It is also the chance to judge a candidate's character and assess his qualities. In the case of GRCs, we have numerous nameless neophytes hiding behind heavyweight ministers to such an extent that the people think of it more as a minister's ward rather than a GRC and the campaign is made along that line. Media footage also focuses on THE MINISTER rather than THE TEAM to subtly relay the message that the team is the MINISTER and the MINISTER is the team.

Electorial boundaries should never be changed in the first place. What kind of govt gerrymanders in such unscrupulous politiking that they would carve out hot zones and annex them to favourable PAP-aligned wards? Such an act can be deemed cowardly politics since the likes of the now-defunct Cheng San GRC could very well have been in opposition hands by now.

In addition, the likes of Nee Soon could also have been under opposition control. Narrow wins forced subsequent Nee Soon South to be absorbed into AMK GRC, with Nee Soon North joining Sembawang.

If that isn't enough, why isn't ANY REASON STATED for re-drawing of electorial boundaries in the first place? How can anyone claim that the electorial boundaries committee is an IMPARTIAL BODY with no affiliation with the Ruling Party?

And the upgrading carrot is without doubt ONE of the KEY CARROTS that attract residents to vote them. Without it, they aren't any better off (materialistically) compared to opposition wards. Low Thia Khiang has done an excellent job cleaning up Hougang even without national development funds that are otherwise available (unconstitutionally) to the losing candidate Eric Low of the Ruling Party. Can you imagine what he and Chiam could possibly achieve with such funds made available to them? Is it any wonder why the Ruling party continues to refuse the opposition wards access to these fundings?

You must be living in a fantasy world to think our ministers GAVE UP MILLION DOLLAR JOBS to run the govt?!?!? Utter rot.

I seriously doubt they will be earning this kind of salary in the competitive and merciless private sector.

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