EBRC objectives: Stop “Out of Aljunied”, Stop SDP Breakthrough and “Negative-Asset” Ministers.
First of all, we have to congratulate the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee for creating more competitions, especially, multi-cornered competitions in the East.
When making changes, EBRC aims to achieve 3 goals:
To prevent “Out of Aljunied” for Workers’ Party. This is the most important objective.
To prevent Singapore Democratic Party making any breakthrough in the North and Central.
To look for a solution to retire “negative-asset” ministers or reduce PAP damages.
From the reported claims from different political parties, we will expect multi-cornered contests not only in single constituencies but also in group representative constituencies.
The PAP hopes to have a repeat of 2011 Presidential Election. Then Tony Tan won the Presidency when he got only 35% of the votes, a narrow win.However, a win is still a win. He did in even in the very last minute, after recounts of votes.
How to achieve multi-cornered contests?
By inserting a single constituency into a GRC.
By moving Joo Chiat and Whampoa into Marine Parade and Jalan Besar GRCs respectively, it will invite competitions from WP and NSP. As SingFirst also expresses interest in Marine Parade, it is possible there is a 4-corner contest there.
By maintaining a GRC
Tampines and Pasir-Punggol have seen visits by several parties. Tampines may have 4-corner fight as NSP, WP and SingFirst have all showed interest. SDA has declared their interest in Pasir-Punggol GRC so do WP.
Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC is basically no change except adding 3 polling districts. SPP and DDP have made their claims here.
By re-arranging a GRC
Changes in Tanjong Pagar GRC and the dismantling of Moulmein-Kallang GRC will also invite different claims by different parties. SDP and SingFirst and even Reform Party have expressed in this GRC.
By creating single constituencies
The re-creation of Fengshan, MacPherson and Bukit Batok single constituencies will certainly invite interest from different parties.
There is no change in all WP-held constituencies. However, multi-cornered contests are expected outside Aljunied. The PAP can’t do very much in Aljunied. However, it is important to prevent WP “Out of Aljunied”. EBRC’s review create many opportunities for political competitions near and around Aljunied.
Another not so obvious motive of EBRC is to prevent the outreach of SDP and to prevent a SDP’s breakthrough in parliament. This is done through the breaking up a GRC to reduce SDP outreach. In GE2011, Sembawang and Holland-Bukit Merah GRCs are next to each other. The link is now broken by the creation of Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC. Can SDP existing resources take on these 3 GRCs plus Tanjong Pagar GRC?
By inserting some polling districts from Nee Soon GRC to Sembawang GRC and withdrawing some from Sembawang to form the new Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, SDP will need to refocus their efforts here. With limited resources, can SDP make a breakthrough this time?
SDP is calling for volunteers to increase their outreach.
If we look at the map of Singapore, from Sembawang to Tanjong Pagar, it is in the Centre, dividing the East and the West of Singapore. Could it be the second major battle field after the East?
EBRC likes to play magic all the time. Some constituencies disappeared in the past but re-emerge this time. Some breaks into four, like Moulmein-Kallang GRC. The PAP has several “negative-asset” ministers and how can they get rid of them? They may have to do it before the election and not after the election, like GE2011 when we saw the retirement of Wong Kan Seng, Mah Bow Tan, Goh Chok Tong and even LKY.
Lui Tuck Yew is one of them. With the disappearance of Moulmein-Kallang, Liu can retire earlier. Just look at his reaction and compared it with Dr. Yaacob Ibrahim, one will see the difference. Yaacob welcomes (back) the creation of Jalan Besar GRC. There are some more “negative-asset” ministers that you can easily figure out. Besides ministers, there are also “negative-asset” MPs, Lee Bee Wah, Tin Pin Ling (not likely to be fielded in MacPherson due to delivery)….Altogether there are about 25% of current PAP MPs will go on retirement.
2 questions to ask...
http://pijitailai.blogspot.sg/2015/07/ebrc-objectives-stop-out-of-aljunied.html
First of all, we have to congratulate the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee for creating more competitions, especially, multi-cornered competitions in the East.
When making changes, EBRC aims to achieve 3 goals:
To prevent “Out of Aljunied” for Workers’ Party. This is the most important objective.
To prevent Singapore Democratic Party making any breakthrough in the North and Central.
To look for a solution to retire “negative-asset” ministers or reduce PAP damages.
From the reported claims from different political parties, we will expect multi-cornered contests not only in single constituencies but also in group representative constituencies.
The PAP hopes to have a repeat of 2011 Presidential Election. Then Tony Tan won the Presidency when he got only 35% of the votes, a narrow win.However, a win is still a win. He did in even in the very last minute, after recounts of votes.
How to achieve multi-cornered contests?
By inserting a single constituency into a GRC.
By moving Joo Chiat and Whampoa into Marine Parade and Jalan Besar GRCs respectively, it will invite competitions from WP and NSP. As SingFirst also expresses interest in Marine Parade, it is possible there is a 4-corner contest there.
By maintaining a GRC
Tampines and Pasir-Punggol have seen visits by several parties. Tampines may have 4-corner fight as NSP, WP and SingFirst have all showed interest. SDA has declared their interest in Pasir-Punggol GRC so do WP.
Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC is basically no change except adding 3 polling districts. SPP and DDP have made their claims here.
By re-arranging a GRC
Changes in Tanjong Pagar GRC and the dismantling of Moulmein-Kallang GRC will also invite different claims by different parties. SDP and SingFirst and even Reform Party have expressed in this GRC.
By creating single constituencies
The re-creation of Fengshan, MacPherson and Bukit Batok single constituencies will certainly invite interest from different parties.
There is no change in all WP-held constituencies. However, multi-cornered contests are expected outside Aljunied. The PAP can’t do very much in Aljunied. However, it is important to prevent WP “Out of Aljunied”. EBRC’s review create many opportunities for political competitions near and around Aljunied.
Another not so obvious motive of EBRC is to prevent the outreach of SDP and to prevent a SDP’s breakthrough in parliament. This is done through the breaking up a GRC to reduce SDP outreach. In GE2011, Sembawang and Holland-Bukit Merah GRCs are next to each other. The link is now broken by the creation of Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC. Can SDP existing resources take on these 3 GRCs plus Tanjong Pagar GRC?
By inserting some polling districts from Nee Soon GRC to Sembawang GRC and withdrawing some from Sembawang to form the new Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, SDP will need to refocus their efforts here. With limited resources, can SDP make a breakthrough this time?
SDP is calling for volunteers to increase their outreach.
If we look at the map of Singapore, from Sembawang to Tanjong Pagar, it is in the Centre, dividing the East and the West of Singapore. Could it be the second major battle field after the East?
EBRC likes to play magic all the time. Some constituencies disappeared in the past but re-emerge this time. Some breaks into four, like Moulmein-Kallang GRC. The PAP has several “negative-asset” ministers and how can they get rid of them? They may have to do it before the election and not after the election, like GE2011 when we saw the retirement of Wong Kan Seng, Mah Bow Tan, Goh Chok Tong and even LKY.
Lui Tuck Yew is one of them. With the disappearance of Moulmein-Kallang, Liu can retire earlier. Just look at his reaction and compared it with Dr. Yaacob Ibrahim, one will see the difference. Yaacob welcomes (back) the creation of Jalan Besar GRC. There are some more “negative-asset” ministers that you can easily figure out. Besides ministers, there are also “negative-asset” MPs, Lee Bee Wah, Tin Pin Ling (not likely to be fielded in MacPherson due to delivery)….Altogether there are about 25% of current PAP MPs will go on retirement.
2 questions to ask...
http://pijitailai.blogspot.sg/2015/07/ebrc-objectives-stop-out-of-aljunied.html
