Any Opposition Call For Jurong East By-Election?

[Ramseth]

So far, no opposition parties are making any noise for by-election. Well, the mourning period isn't over yet, perhaps to show some respect for the dead.

Anyway, SDP* isn't making noise perhaps because they may have difficulty fielding a team even if a by-election is called. WP may have the candidates but may not have the logistics, after concentrating its base grounds in the midlands east and northeast for so long.

NSP may have a good shot at it, since Steve Chia et al contested the neighboring Hong Kah GRC in 1997 and CCK SMC in 2001, even winning an NCMP seat then. RP being fresh and unattached elsewhere yet, may also have a good shot at it.

*SDP contested Jurong GRC in 2001. The campaign resulted in the infamous "Mr. Goh, come here, where's the money?" defamation suit that disqualified Dr. Chee from standing again.

 

[NgEjay]

According to Mr Lim Boon Heng, also an MP in Jurong GRC, and constitutional law expert Kevin Tan, no by-election is mandated, and the workload can be shared by the remaining GRC team. (ST article, 15 July)


For example, when senior minister of state for education Tay Eng Soon died in August 1993, other Eunos GRC MPs — Mr Charles Chong, Mr Chew Heng Ching and Mr Sidek Saniff — took care of Dr Tay’s residents in Tampines North.


In 1999, when then-Jalan Besar GRC MP Choo Wee Khiang resigned his seat in Parliament before he was convicted of a cheating offence, the three remaining MPs in Jalan Besar GRC — Dr Lee Boon Yang, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim and Mr Peh Chin Hua — took over Mr Choo’s duties in the Whampoa division.


I would therefore like to ask if the GRC system unfairly protects the incumbent party from having to face the electorate in the event that one of the GRC team members passes away or resigns his post.


After all, the electorate voted for the incumbent party on faith that all members of the team would take care of their needs if they were voted into office.


If one member is no longer able to serve the residents, shouldn’t the residents be polled again to determine if the rest of the GRC team is up to their expectations?

 

[LaMei]

Knight / Ramseth...

How come hor..when we women go for 2 - 3 mths maternity leave..we have this fear that our job will be replaced, and many company have no qualms making us feel so..the company will justify their action by employing a temp staff to cover the workload, and some of the temp staffs end up taking over the job even though the new mothers are back from maternity leave.

but why is it that a post of such importance, the workload can be share by the rest and that is for another 2-3 years before the next election leh..

and another thing I wonder also, for those who are covering the MP workload, they will not be sharing that MP allowance lah hor?

hmmm...

 

[Erudio]

ea MP in a GRC team rep a constituency in a GRC. in fact, when we vote a GRC team, we r voting for bulk MPs. but ea constituency must hv 1 MP

by logical x-tension, when the MP of a cons leave the cons, that cons has no MP, other MPs in GRC team no count since ea MP can't hv more than 1 cons to his name. So, must re elect a new MP.

The evil PAP has perverted democracy. i wonder how the law was even pass at the beginning!

 

[Getloud]

Since the rest of the MPs can take over his job, means every GRC have at least one Cho Bo Lan MP.
Then why should pay the 'Extra' MP million $$$ salary???

 

[Nomad]

no use,the election's rules and regualtions do not have any rules stating that if any MP in an GRC resign,sack or pass away,there must be an by-election.
his/her ward can and will be shared among the other MPs in the GRC.

i do not think the opposition will call for one as the economic is not so good. the chance of winning it becomes slimmer in this situation as those living there will be too concerned about their daily living.

 

[Sideswipe]

will any opps party call for by-election or
we have a group of wayang parties who aren't interested in elections?

 

[Ramseth]

My opinion is that, if PAP calls a Jurong GRC by-election, it will be a multi-cornered fight, handing another handsome victory to PAP again. Have we forgotten Marine Parade By-Election 1992? 4-cornered fight and almost 5-cornered.

Opposition unity, easier said then done, easier expected and even easier disappointed. I'm more or less in the inside circles. I know there're some unsurmountable obstacles and even irreconciliable differences. Even for those not in the inside circles, some observations are self-evident.

For example, C.S.J. took over SDP, S.K.T. formed SPP with C.S.T., NSP split from SDA. Goh Meng Seng resigned from WP and joined NSP. J.B.J. decided to form a new party instead of rejoining WP or joining another party. Edmund Ng resigned from NSP and joined the newly formed RP. Chia Ti Lik resigned from WP and formed SgHR that disbanded shortly thereafter, then formed an informal F4 group that's participating in SDP activities but not signing up as members.

The public may not know the details and whys, but I'm sure they can see these things happened and keeps happening. Of course, oppositon supporters would wish for a truly united front like what happened in Malaysia. At this moment and the foreseeable future, it's regrettably wishful thinking.

However, that doesn't mean I'm against a Jurong BE or can't be bothered. I'd like to see one, for the sake of democracy, and for the opposition parties to be test themselves in credibility and electability for the next GE.

 

[sunny302]

No By-Election will be called lah as JE is a GRC and not a single member ward. Somethime back, a PAP member in JB GRC was convicted of CBT and resigned from that GRC and life just moved on.:(

If it's a single member ward like Anson,in the past, a mandatory by-election has to be called within a certain period under the constituition.... Most WP supporters then would remember it cos that's were JBJ 1st got elected and made it to PH

 

[High Command]

Not going to happen. But if it were to happen I am most certain that we will see our first opposition GRC.

 

[bebo]

I would therefore like to ask if the GRC system unfairly protects the incumbent party from having to face the electorate in the event that one of the GRC team members passes away or resigns his post.

Good point. I tend to think so. Perhaps this should be raise as an issue.

 

[bebo]

My opinion is that, if PAP calls a Jurong GRC by-election, it will be a multi-cornered fight, handing another handsome victory to PAP again. Have we forgotten Marine Parade By-Election 1992? 4-cornered fight and almost 5-cornered.

How about if they try to do it differently? How many MPs in Jurong GRC? Four member GRC? Then why don't SDP sent one candidate, WP one candidate, RP one candidate and SDA one candidate. You then have a single opposition entity against the ruling party.

 

[Sideswipe]

the opps should demand for proportional representation for at least 30% of seats during GE period. GE period is the only time when PAP will reply back to the public and the opps.

I can't see why PAP have any legitimate reason to reject PR. Hopefully, the general public will understand single winner district is not proportional to the % of nationwide votes gained by each party. and PR will reduce the effect of gerrymandering electoral districts and % of wasted votes.

1 person 2 votes system - 1 for constituency and 1 for favored political party.

 

[Ramseth]

How about if they try to do it differently? How many MPs in Jurong GRC? Four member GRC? Then why don't SDP sent one candidate, WP one candidate, RP one candidate and SDA one candidate. You then have a single opposition entity against the ruling party.

If that could happen, then there wouldn't be so many opposition parties to begin with. There'd be just one solid rock instead of scattered pebbles.

 

[Ramseth]

I can't see why PAP have any legitimate reason to reject PR. Hopefully, the general public will understand single winner district is not proportional to the % of nationwide votes gained by each party. and PR will reduce the effect of gerrymandering electoral districts and % of wasted votes.

I can't see how any party in power has any legitimate obligation to change the system to reduce their own number of seats. The only chance of PAP considering proportional representation is if they start to lose GRCs, so that the first-past-the-post sword starts slicing their sides.

 

[LaMei]

My opinion is that, if PAP calls a Jurong GRC by-election, it will be a multi-cornered fight, handing another handsome victory to PAP again. Have we forgotten Marine Parade By-Election 1992? 4-cornered fight and almost 5-cornered.

Opposition unity, easier said then done, easier expected and even easier disappointed. I'm more or less in the inside circles. I know there're some unsurmountable obstacles and even irreconciliable differences. Even for those not in the inside circles, some observations are self-evident.

For example, C.S.J. took over SDP, S.K.T. formed SPP with C.S.T., NSP split from SDA. Goh Meng Seng resigned from WP and joined NSP. J.B.J. decided to form a new party instead of rejoining WP or joining another party. Edmund Ng resigned from NSP and joined the newly formed RP. Chia Ti Lik resigned from WP and formed SgHR that disbanded shortly thereafter, then formed an informal F4 group that's participating in SDP activities but not signing up as members.

The public may not know the details and whys, but I'm sure they can see these things happened and keeps happening. Of course, oppositon supporters would wish for a truly united front like what happened in Malaysia. At this moment and the foreseeable future, it's regrettably wishful thinking.

However, that doesn't mean I'm against a Jurong BE or can't be bothered. I'd like to see one, for the sake of democracy, and for the opposition parties to be test themselves in credibility and electability for the next GE.

My dear Ramseth...

It is interesting to note that you mention CTL in this manner...

SGHR is not a political party..F4 is not formed by CTL..
F4 was a name given to us by 1 of your associate in SBF and we happen to adopt it...

I am even finding it amusing to be correcting you..
unless you are telling me you are ignorant to the happening, or chose to..

Your Friendly LaMei

 

[Ramseth]

My dear Ramseth...

It is interesting to note that you mention CTL in this manner...

SGHR is not a political party..F4 is not formed by CTL..
F4 was a name given to us by 1 of your associate in SBF and we happen to adopt it...

I am even finding it amusing to be correcting you..
unless you are telling me you are ignorant to the happening, or chose to..

Your Friendly LaMei

Apologies for any inaccuracy or error on my part about the founding and naming. But sure, I understand that SgHr and F4 are not political parties. What I meant in this context is, not only members of political parties may be counted on to stand for election as I wouldn't be surprised if non-partisan activists and independents too may want to stand, but getting unity is difficult.

By the way, if I recall correctly, the name F4 was first used by LeeTahSar. If it's indeed him you're referring to, then it's my turn to correct you. He's not my associate, just a coincidental acquaintance.

 

[Ramseth]

RP being fresh and unattached elsewhere yet, may also have a good shot at it.

J.B.J. has just issued an open letter to L.H.L. challenging him to call a by-election for Jurong GRC.

 

[LaMei]

Apologies for any inaccuracy or error on my part about the founding and naming. But sure, I understand that SgHr and F4 are not political parties. What I meant in this context is, not only members of political parties may be counted on to stand for election as I wouldn't be surprised if non-partisan activists and independents too may want to stand, but getting unity is difficult.

By the way, if I recall correctly, the name F4 was first used by LeeTahSar. If it's indeed him you're referring to, then it's my turn to correct you. He's not my associate, just a coincidental acquaintance.

Apologies though accepted, but I must add that you previous posting was indeed misleading linking SGHR and F4 to CTL as his political platform.

Ahh..now your memory is working, as you have correctly pointed out the person who first used that term on us, refuting your previous post that it was a informal group form by CTL to participate in SDP's activities but not signing up as member.

"1 of your associate" - still in contact with, MSN, invite for dinner, keep company with, ally, friend, link / connect esp as ideas in mind..

IMHO, I do think my use of "1 of your associate" is appropriate..."ilk" might be too rude to put you in the same class as him...

 

[Soundwave]

J.B.J. has just issued an open letter to L.H.L. challenging him to call a by-election for Jurong GRC.

Well I doubt that the by-election will happen. If it does I think we may see our very first opposition GRC! Still hope springs eternal.