Apr 14, 2011 - Straits TImes
by Andrea Ong
THE opposition National Solidarity Party (NSP) on Thursday
unveiled seven candidates who will stand in the Tampines GRC and
the two single seats in Whampoa and Pioneer for the coming
polls.
The five GRC candidates are: NSP secretary-general and
businessman Goh Meng Seng, 41, company director Reno Fong, 42,
project manager Syafarin Sarif, 35, management consultant Raymond
Lim, 27, and career counsellor Gilbert Goh, 49. All except Mr Goh
and Mr Fong are rookies.
The other two are former Non-Constituency MP Steve Chia, 41, an
equity and index futures trader who will stand in Pioneer, and
company director Ken Sun, 64, who will contest Whampoa.
Both are contesting their fourth election.
The seven were unveiled at a press conference held at the NSP
office on Thursday afternoon.
Mr Goh said the Tampines GRC team will focus on the
affordability and availability of HDB flats as part of the NSP's
strategy of challenging ministers in charge of hot-button issues on
their home turf.
National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan, 63, is the anchor
minister in Tampines GRC. Other likely members on the PAP team are
Minister of State for Education and Home Affairs Masagos Zulkifli,
Ms Irene Ng, 47, and two new PAP faces, former Monetary Authority
of Singapore managing director Heng Swee Keat, 49, and executive
secretary of Young NTUC Steve Tan, 38.
The NSP has already rolled out 11 candidates for the
Moulmein-Kallang and Jurong GRCs, and also for the Radin Mas and
Mountbatten single-seat wards.
The party said it will field a total of 20 to 30 candidates for
the coming polls.
NSP candidates for Tampines GRC and 2 SMCs
THE seven NSP candidates who faced the media on Thursday
are:
Goh Meng Seng
Age: 41
Occupation: Businessman
Marital status: Married with a daughter, 7
Highest educational qualifications: Bachelor of Social Science
(Hons) in Economics and Bachelor of Arts from the National
University of Singapore
Languages/dialects spoken: English, Mandarin, Hainanese, Hokkien
and Cantonese
Likely to be fielded in: Tampines GRC
Electoral history: Secretary-general of NSP
Contested in Aljunied GRC in 2006 under the Workers' Party (WP)
banner, winning 43.9 per cent of the votes.
Why I joined the opposition: To fight for social justice and the
welfare of the people
One cause I would champion: More affordable housing and medical
welfare for all Singaporeans
Syafarin Sarif
Age: 35
Occupation: Regional Project Manager; NSP central executive
council (CEC) member; NSP Malay Bureau secretary
Marital status: Single
Education: Bachelor of Arts (Merit) in Political Science and Malay
Studies from NUS
Languages/dialects spoken: English, Malay, conversational Mandarin,
elementary Tamil
Likely to be fielded in: Tampines GRC
Electoral history: Never stood for election. Volunteered as an
election agent for the Singapore Democratic Alliance in Jalan Besar
GRC for the 2006 polls.
Why I joined the opposition: To provide Singaporeans with a choice
for an alternative voice in Parliament
One cause I would champion: Equal job opportunities for
Singaporeans
Raymond Lim Peng Ann
Age: 27
Occupation: Management consultant
Marital status: Single
Highest educational qualifications: Master of Commerce (Applied
Finance) from the University of Queensland, Australia
Languages/dialects spoken: English, Mandarin and Hokkien
Likely to be fielded in: Tampines GRC
Electoral history: Never stood for election
NSP CEC member; head of NSP Youth Guild
Member of Young PAP from 2003 to 2010
Why I joined the opposition: To send the voices of the people to
Parliament and build a more vibrant political society in
Singapore.
One cause I would champion: Help Singaporeans fight for affordable
housing and job security.
Gilbert Goh
Age: 49
Occupation: President of transitioning.org, a registered society
which provides support services for the unemployed
Marital status: Married to a bank executive, 45, with one daughter,
17
Highest educational qualifications: Graduate diploma in counselling
from the Executive Counselling and Training Academy, Swinburne
University of Technology, Melbourne
Languages/dialects spoken: English, Mandarin and Cantonese
Likely to be fielded in: Tampines GRC
Electoral history: Never stood for election.
Why I joined the opposition: I want to be a voice for the
marginalised and the disadvantaged, especially the unemployed in
their 40s and 50s.
One cause I would champion: Equal employment opportunities for
Singaporean citizens.
Reno Fong Chin Leong
Age: 42
Occupation: Company director
Marital status: Married to Chionh Seok Ling, 42, who works in the
airline industry, with a son, 10, and daughter, 6.
Highest educational qualifications: Bachelors degree in engineering
management from the University of Western Sydney
Languages/dialects spoken: English, Mandarin, Hokkien, Cantonese
and Teochew
Likely to be fielded in: Tampines GRC
Electoral history: Assistant secretary-general of NSP
Contested in Jalan Besar GRC in two general elections under the SDA
banner.
In 2001, the team won 25.5 per cent of the votes. In 2006, they won
30.7 per cent of the votes.
Why I joined the opposition: I want to see a multi-party parliament
in order to safeguard the rights of Singaporeans.
One cause I would champion: Singaporeans whose wages have been
suppressed by the influx of foreign 'talent' who may not be so
talented.
Age: 41
Occupation: Equity and index futures trader
Marital status: Married to a web developer, with a daughter, 7, and
son, 3
Highest educational qualifications: Bachelor of Arts (Merit) in
Psychology and Philosophy from NUS
Languages/dialects spoken: English, Mandarin, Teochew and
Hokkien
Likely to be fielded in: Pioneer SMC
Electoral history: NCMP from 2001 to 2006.
Contested in three general elections. In 1997, he stood in Hong Kah
GRC on the NSP ticket, winning 31 per cent of the votes.
In 2001, he stood in Chua Chu Kang SMC under the SDA banner,
winning 34.7 per cent of the votes, high enough to enter Parliament
as an NCMP.
In 2006, he again stood in Chua Chu Kang SMC on the SDA ticket,
winning 39.6 per cent of the votes.
Why I joined the opposition: I believe there must be competition in
politics because it will benefit people and society when there are
alternatives in debating policies in Parliament.
One cause I would champion: As seen from my track record as an
NCMP, I will fight for many issues, from reducing cost of living
and providing good jobs for Singaporeans to greater accountability,
transparency and a more democratically vibrant Singapore.
Ken Sun
Age: 64
Occupation: Company director;
Marital status: Married to a manager in a property management
company, with two sons aged 34 and 33
Education: Master of Arts (Education) from the University of Hull,
United Kingdom
Languages/dialects spoken: English, Mandarin, Hokkien and
Malay
Likely to be fielded in: Whampoa SMC
Electoral history: NSP CEC member; founder member and former
secretary-general of NSP
Contested in three elections.
In 1988, he stood on the NSP ticket in Whampoa SMC, winning 40.5
per cent of the votes.
In 1991, he stood on the NSP ticket in Tampines GRC, winning 40.5
per cent of the votes.
In the 1992 by-election in Marine Parade GRC< he stood under the
NSP banner, winning 1.4 per cent of the votes.
Why I joined the opposition: I wish to bring about balance in the
political fortunes of Singapore and offer a more rational view on
some policies which are narrow-minded and crafted to suit a certain
class of people.
One cause I would champion: The need for happiness in our lives. We
should not spend too much on materialistic pursuits.