http://sg.yfittopostblog.com/2010/08/26/pap-stands-more-to-lose-from-electoral-boundary-changes/
Member of Parliament
(MP) for Tanjong Pagar GRC, Mr
Baey Yam
Keng says the ruling People’s Action
Party stands to lose more from any changes
to electoral boundaries ahead of the next General
Election.
Mr Baey, who is also the deputy managing director of public
relations firm, Hill and Knowlton (Singapore), was referring to the
policy of revising electoral boundaries before the country
goes to the polls on Nomination
Day.
Comments by Foreign Minister
George Yeo last month hinted that the next General
Elections could be held “by the end of this year”.
Singapore is currently divided into 24 electoral divisions,
comprising 15 Group Representation
Constituencies (GRCs), and nine Single Member
Constituencies (SMCs) but the government announced
earlier this year that more changes can be expected ahead.
In the past, local opposition parties have also claimed
the boundary review report is released without giving
them sufficient time to formulate their campaign
strategy.
In the 2001 General Elections, the revised boundaries
were released about one week before Nomination Day. In
2006, they were announced about 7 weeks before.
But the 39-year-old Baey was quick to dismiss the timing
and policy of the boundary report and that any
changes would hand the ruling party an unfair
advantage.
“Boundary changes are inevitable in every election in any
country and with more SMCs and smaller GRCs, there will be more
changes to boundaries this time,” he said.
“But if you look at the incumbent MPs, most are PAP MPs, so
actually the PAP might have more to lose,” he explained.
Mr Baey, who is married with three kids aged 6 between 10,
also said that if the boundary changes are seen to be really
unfavourable to certain parties, the voters can make their voices
heard.
He said, “I think voters will see it and they will use their
votes to express their unhappiness if they feel it’s unfair.”
Turning his attention to the introduction of the “cooling off
day” — a 24-hour period before polling day in which
no political parties can campaign or hold rally speeches
– he said it would allow voters to think through their
decision carefully before going to the ballot box.
“As a voter, I will welcome that because it allows me more time
to think through, to cast a vote that is based on more rational
thinking,” he said.
Hear Mr Baey’s thoughts on the electoral boundary changes as
well as the upcoming General Elections.
