Party chief Kenneth Jeyaretnam has declared the party's
intention to contest the six-member group representation
constituency, if it has enough candidates.
The People's Action Party (PAP) team representing Tanjong Pagar
GRC is led by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew and includes Acting
Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Lui Tuck Yew.
Since 1991, Tanjong Pagar GRC MPs have all been returned
unopposed.
The number of GRCs that the RP plans to contest has grown to
five, with the latest additions being Tanjong Pagar GRC and
Holland-Bukit Timah GRC. Mr Jeyaretnam, 51, mentioned those two
GRCs for the first time in an interview with Malay daily Berita
Harian, which was published yesterday.
Earlier, the RP said it would contest Hong Kah and West Coast
GRCs, and the Chua Chu Kang single-member constituency (SMC), on
its own. It would also run in the Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC in a tie-up
with Potong Pasir MP Chiam See Tong's Singapore People's Party.
Contacted by The Sunday Times, Mr Jeyaretnam said: 'One of our
objectives is to see that every seat in Parliament is
contested.'
Yesterday, two-term Tanjong Pagar GRC MP Indranee Rajah welcomed
the possibility of an electoral fight. 'Tanjong Pagar MPs are ready
for a contest,' she said, adding that opposition members have been
seen visiting parts of the sprawling GRC.
It covers a large area in central Singapore and spans Balestier
Road in the east to MacRitchie Reservoir in the north and
Commonwealth in the west.
The RP picked its five GRCs because they had not been contested
in recent elections. The son of the late opposition leader J.B.
Jeyaretnam added that West Coast and Tanjong Pagar GRCs also have
historical connections with his father.
'My father contested Telok Blangah, which is now in West Coast
GRC, and was elected MP twice in Anson, which now comes under
Tanjong Pagar GRC.' Mr J. B. Jeyaretnam contested Telok Blangah in
the 1979 by-election and the 1980 general election, losing both
times.
He became Singapore's first opposition MP in 15 years when he
won Anson in the 1981 by-election. Then the Workers' Party chief,
he defended the seat in 1984. But he had to vacate it in 1986 after
being fined $5,000 for making a false declaration on his party
accounts. He set up the Reform Party in 2008 but died later that
year.
The opposition parties are now gearing up for a general
election, which must be held by February 2012.
The National Solidarity Party has been targeting Jalan Besar,
Jurong and Tampines GRCs and the MacPherson SMC. The Workers' Party
has been active in Aljunied and East Coast GRCs, as well as Joo
Chiat and Nee Soon East SMCs.
The Singapore Democratic Alliance is contesting the Pasir Ris-
Punggol GRC, while the Singapore Democratic Party is targeting the
Bukit Panjang SMC.
If the opposition parties' plans come to fruition, this election
could be the most keenly contested since 1988, when 70 out of 81
seats were contested.
Mr Kenneth Jeyaretnam told Berita Harian that the RP's
prospective Malay candidates, to be named later, include
professionals and former civil servants.
The RP now has 100 members and as many volunteers. It announced
six party candidates in May, and yesterday, Mr Jeyaretnam said
there are six more seriously considering standing.
He also told Berita Harian that 'we want to end the policy of
treating Malays as a group that is suspicious, who cannot be
trusted to hold key posts in security and defence'.
'We don't want to treat or typecast anybody on the basis of
race,' he added.
Hong Kah GRC MP Zaqy Mohamad refuted this, saying: 'He is
outdated. No such policy exists. There is a lot more progress that
Malays can look forward to under the PAP and its policies.'
