Oct 21, 2004
Election fever hits some opposition parties
Recruitment drives and ward visits stepped up; PAP takes note
By Azhar Khalid and Sue-Ann Chia
ELECTION fever appears to have infected some opposition parties,
with
symptoms such as more intense ground activities recruitment drives
for
candidates.
And this has not gone undetected by the men and women in
white.
The Straits Times understands that a confidential People's
Action
Party report circulated to its MPs early this year had commented
on
how opposition activities 'have intensified'.
The National Solidarity Party (NSP), for instance, started gearing
up
for election late last year, said Mr Steve Chia, a Non-Constituency
MP
and central executive committee member.
'We knew then that there was going to be a political handover and
the
new prime minister could call for an early election,' he
said.
While he is now expecting it to be called after the presidential
polls
next September, the NSP is not taking any chances. It has been
holding
almost monthly tea receptions to reach out to potential members
and
stepped up constituency visits to once a week recently.
Mr Chia said the areas targeted are those which were contested by
the
Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) - a grouping of opposition
parties
which includes NSP - in the 2001 polls.
These are: Chua Chu Kang, Bukit Timah, Jalan Besar GRC and Tampines
GRC.
But he lamented that it has been difficult to sustain the pace
of
visits due to a lack of resources and manpower.
The leader of SDA and veteran Potong Pasir MP Chiam See Tong said
that
likely changes in electoral boundaries made planning
difficult.
Still, his Singapore People's Party announced on its recently
revamped
website that it was looking for new candidates and
volunteers.
As for Mr Chiam himself, the 69-year-old said he is not retiring
and
is focused on retaining Potong Pasir, which he has held since
1984.
A third member of the four-member SDA, the Singapore Malay
National
Organisation (PKMS), has been a lot quieter, with the party content
to
wait for directions from Mr Chiam, said party president Borhan
Ariffin.
Over at the Workers' Party (WP), members have been pounding
the
streets, almost on a weekly basis.
According to the information posted on its website, it has
conducted
close to 100 visits, covering 17 constituencies ranging from
its
Hougang stronghold, helmed by its chief and MP Low Thia Khiang,
to
wards led by heavyweight ministers.
These include Ang Mo Kio GRC, which is headed by Prime Minister
Lee
Hsien Loong, and Sembawang GRC, led by Deputy Prime Minister Tony
Tan.
Aljunied seems to be a target Group Representation Constituency
(GRC)
for the WP.
It has made 17 visits there so far, 11 of which were to areas
in
Hougang, which fall within the GRC's boundaries.
As the GRC surrounds Mr Low's Hougang ward, the aim is to
make
campaigning easier for the party should there be electoral
boundary
changes before the next polls.
Next on the WP's target list: Jalan Besar GRC, which it has visited
16
times, 10 of which have been in the Geylang Bahru area.
But party executive council member Yaw Shin Leong would not confirm
if
such activities, started soon after the 2001 polls, have
escalated
recently. He was equally coy about the nature of these
visits.
Instead, he referred The Straits Times to its website, which has
a
notice for volunteers to help out in ground campaigns in the
east
which it plans to ramp up.
The website also shows pictures of WP members - including top
office-bearers like Mr Low and chairman Sylvia Lim - out and about
on
various activities, including door-to-door visits, market and
food
centre tours, and selling or distributing party flyers and
newsletters.
Unlike the WP, some opposition parties, such as the Singapore
Democratic Party (SDP), have not revved up their election
engines.
Assistant secretary-general Wong Hong Toy said that the party has
not
called a central executive committee meeting since party chief
Chee
Soon Juan returned in mid- September after months abroad.
Said Mr Wong: 'Nothing has been discussed. So far, party activities
on
the ground have been on an ad-hoc basis.'
But he insisted that the SDP is prepared if elections are called
early.
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