by Cassandra Chew
DEPUTY Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng fired a salvo at opposition
parties on Wednesday.
He accused them of wanting to capture a group representation
constituency (GRC) for the wrong reasons.
'Some say they are doing it for party renewal, some want to be
the first ones to do so, but what is the election about? Is it
about the ambitions of a political party or individuals to make
history?' said Mr Wong, who is also Coordinating Minister for
National Security, and an MP in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.
He was referring to comments made by opposition leaders Low Thia
Khiang of the Workers' Party and Chiam See Tong of the Singapore
People's Party in recent weeks on their plans to possibly contest
in a GRC.
He urged voters to back the stronger team that can serve them
better, and not simply for the sake of having more opposition,
especially at a time of global uncertainty when Singapore must keep
pace or risk being left behind.
He noted that Parliament will have at least nine opposition MPs
after the next election under the Non-Constituency MP scheme even
if they are not elected.
Mr Wong was speaking at a media conference held on Wednesday to
introduce three new candidates for the People's Action Party at the
party's headquarters in Bedok.
They are Ms Foo Mee Har, 45, Standard Chartered's global head of
premium banking, Mr Steve Tan Peng Hoe, 38, executive secretary of
Young NTUC, and Mr Desmond Lee Ti-Seng, 35, associate director in
the legal and regulations department of Temasek Holdings, the
government's investment arm.
