GE: PM Lee urges Aljunied GRC voters to
think carefully about their vote
SINGAPORE : Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has urged
the voters in Aljunied GRC to think carefully about their vote as
it is an important one.
Speaking to the media after visiting two markets and foodstalls in
the Kaki Bukit division of the GRC on Monday morning, he said he is
fighting to win.
The People's Action Party's Aljunied GRC team have been working
hard on the ground.
Giving them the added support on Monday was the party's Secretary
General. When asked about Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew's views on
the consequences for the PAP losing a GRC, PM Lee said: "I am
running the election, MM is expressing his views.
"But my view is this is an important fight and that is why we put a
strong team here and I came to support Ong Ye Kung and that's why I
told George (Yeo), 'anything which you need to support you from HQ
just shout and we will provide the backing to you. You have our
full support, we are fighting to win.'
If we were not fighting to win, we would not put such a strong team
down here and I would not have reinforced it with Ong Ye Kung and I
would not be here going table to table encouraging people to vote
for us."
Prime Minister Lee said voters in Aljunied GRC have been supporting
the People's Action Party for successive elections since 1988 and
the candidates for the coming election are well recognised. Mr Lee
said he is confident that the team will do their best.
Like in the 2006 election, the PAP is being opposed by the Workers'
Party in this division.
Mr Lee said that the competition this time round is fiercer.
He added: "The PAP has fielded a very good team to look after
Aljunied GRC. George Yeo is an outstanding foreign minister and
minister - not just in foreign affairs but with ideas and
contributions in many different areas outside of his own
ministry.
"Lim Hwee Hua also is a very capable person - very reliable,
meticulous and strict in her standards. Zainul Abidin has been very
successful in MFA also because he represents Singapore with
confidence and ability and can hold our position and advance our
cause internationally and I am hoping he will be our next
Speaker.
"Then we have Cynthia Phua as town council chairman - everywhere,
every place and even when she is not there, there is an iPhone app
you can tell her what's happening and she will see through it and
she is one of our best town council chairman.
"We have Ong Ye Kung - a very strong candidate from the labour
movement who has great potential to go further and to be an office
holder. He cares for people. He did a very good job in the
Workforce Development Agency."
"So for Aljunied voters - you really want the best team to look
after Aljunied, to look after you in the constituency and also to
look after you nationally and in Parliament.
"Our team has got the ability, they have the plans, they have the
track record and they have the determination and commitment to see
it through.
"Our advice to voters is think carefully and vote in your own best
interest. ... make sure that you will get a team that will take
care of Aljunied, take care of your neighbourhood, your estate,
your own block, your flats and make sure it preserves the value of
your property as well as take care of you on a broader national
stage in Parliament and in government.
"If you make that calculation, I think rationally it makes sense
and the correct choice we think is the PAP."
To a question about the opposition's proposal that a minister who
loses in a GRC become a "nominated minister", Mr Lee said it was a
frivolous idea and there is no such arrangement.
The prime minister also dismissed as "ridiculous" a suggestion from
the Workers' Party's candidate Pritam Singh that Mr George Yeo run
for the Presidency.
Mr Lee said: "You don't expect me to answer that kind of a
question, neither does Pritam Singh."
- CNA/
