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Coffeeshop Chit Chat - Chiam kenna harassed by PAP in early yrs</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right>
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</NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>9:20 am </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT height=20 width="1%" noWrap align=right>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname width="68%" noWrap>ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (1 of 1) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>19540.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD>Chiam's tale rooted in humour
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->THE most entertaining speech during yesterday's debate on a Nominated MP's motion was made by Mr Chiam See Tong (Potong Pasir), who regaled the House with a story of an ill-fated tree.
The story is one of his favourites, Mr Chiam (right) said, and acknowledged telling it repeatedly. Still, it was 'worth telling once more'.
The opposition MP of 25 years used it to illustrate how he was discriminated against by bureaucrats and grassroots activists in his early parliamentarian days.
His point: The discrimination he faced because of his opposition status goes against the 'one united people' aspiration stated in the Pledge. Mr Chiam said he had wanted to plant a 'seven sisters' sapling - a gift from a nursery owner - near his constituency office.
'Like a dutiful MP', he wrote to the minister for permission. He was directed to the Parks and Trees Division, but had no luck there. He wrote to the minister again. Finally, he got a reply from the Housing Board. It said the soil outside his office did not suit the plant, so he could not plant it there.
'I planted the tree in any event,' he said, to laughs from the other MPs, including Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew.
But the same night he planted it, he said some hooligans uprooted it and threw it in front of his office.
Undeterred, he planted it in a big pot. The plant actually began to fruit. But the good times did not last. 'Somebody must have thrown a bottle of bleach into the pot and, sad to say, this tree of course wilted.'
His political point: 'How can we have unity in our people if the Government behaves in such a way?'
But he went on to add that such antics were a thing of the past. 'Nowadays, the ministers are more enlightened.'
He also took a stab at political tactics like telling opposition voters they would be the last to get facilities.
'If you stay in the HDB flats and if the lifts get spoiled and you get caught in the lift, you'd be last to be rescued. It's quite a frightening threat actually,' he said, to more laughter from the House.
Jesting aside, Mr Chiam made it clear he felt there was discrimination, and urged the Government to be fairer towards opposition MPs.
He believes if the Government treats the opposition fairly, 'it may get Potong Pasir back'.
'A bit of equality will do a lot of good,' he said.
He ended his speech with a hopeful message for Singaporeans. Referring to the line in the Pledge on achieving happiness, he said: 'The American Constitution also says they want to acquire happiness. Now, that is a very elusive thing.
'But I think we can achieve it with this Pledge, I think if Singapore builds on the foundation of this Pledge, it won't go wrong.'
[email protected]
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->THE most entertaining speech during yesterday's debate on a Nominated MP's motion was made by Mr Chiam See Tong (Potong Pasir), who regaled the House with a story of an ill-fated tree.
The story is one of his favourites, Mr Chiam (right) said, and acknowledged telling it repeatedly. Still, it was 'worth telling once more'.
The opposition MP of 25 years used it to illustrate how he was discriminated against by bureaucrats and grassroots activists in his early parliamentarian days.
His point: The discrimination he faced because of his opposition status goes against the 'one united people' aspiration stated in the Pledge. Mr Chiam said he had wanted to plant a 'seven sisters' sapling - a gift from a nursery owner - near his constituency office.
'Like a dutiful MP', he wrote to the minister for permission. He was directed to the Parks and Trees Division, but had no luck there. He wrote to the minister again. Finally, he got a reply from the Housing Board. It said the soil outside his office did not suit the plant, so he could not plant it there.
'I planted the tree in any event,' he said, to laughs from the other MPs, including Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew.
But the same night he planted it, he said some hooligans uprooted it and threw it in front of his office.
Undeterred, he planted it in a big pot. The plant actually began to fruit. But the good times did not last. 'Somebody must have thrown a bottle of bleach into the pot and, sad to say, this tree of course wilted.'
His political point: 'How can we have unity in our people if the Government behaves in such a way?'
But he went on to add that such antics were a thing of the past. 'Nowadays, the ministers are more enlightened.'
He also took a stab at political tactics like telling opposition voters they would be the last to get facilities.
'If you stay in the HDB flats and if the lifts get spoiled and you get caught in the lift, you'd be last to be rescued. It's quite a frightening threat actually,' he said, to more laughter from the House.
Jesting aside, Mr Chiam made it clear he felt there was discrimination, and urged the Government to be fairer towards opposition MPs.
He believes if the Government treats the opposition fairly, 'it may get Potong Pasir back'.
'A bit of equality will do a lot of good,' he said.
He ended his speech with a hopeful message for Singaporeans. Referring to the line in the Pledge on achieving happiness, he said: 'The American Constitution also says they want to acquire happiness. Now, that is a very elusive thing.
'But I think we can achieve it with this Pledge, I think if Singapore builds on the foundation of this Pledge, it won't go wrong.'
[email protected]
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