History is awash with leaders who do not know when to quit

[makapaaa]

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>YOUR LETTERS
</TR><!-- headline one : start --><TR>Chiam See Tong should call it a day
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>




<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I read last Sunday's report, 'Recovering from stroke but Chiam is sharp and lucid', and am very surprised that in spite of his poor health, Mr Chiam See Tong is still performing his duty as a Member of Parliament for his Potong Pasir constituency.

I would have expected him to call it a day, not out of disrespect but rather out of sympathy after seeing him in such a state as shown in The Sunday Times photographs.
Mr Chiam has served his constituency for a very long time and has even become a legendary figure in the ward.
No one can fault him on his clean and honest track record.
In fact, it speaks volumes about a man who is sincere, modest and unassuming and who possesses an abundant willingness to listen.
He has also demonstrated the quality of a responsible opposition MP, and this is something any aspiring politician should take a leaf from.
It is understandable that letting go of his MP work at this juncture would be a most difficult decision for him to make.
But if he refuses to retire for the good of the community, then his reputation may suffer and he may even be seen as being selfish.
History is awash with leaders who do not know when to quit, and I hope Mr Chiam will not go this way.
This also raises the question of whether there is any parliamentary rule to retire an MP who has suffered a stroke.
The issue is not whether an MP wants to carry on working. That is for Parliament to decide. Chan Mia Lee aka "PAPee DOG"

Heng ah! Still thot this dog is trying to say me! *Ouch*​

 

[Sideswipe]

Chiam See Tong is democratically elected by the peoples.

Parliament have no right to remove him even if he doesn't appear in parliament / lay in hospital bed all day long.

But I like to know our procedures to remove a MP

In some countries, you need to get 10% of the constituency total population to sign a petition to remove the MP. Then the peoples can vote again wheater to remove the MP or not.

 

[fivestars]

Disqualifications of members
37E. A person shall be disqualified for appointment as a member if he —

(a) is or has been found or declared to be of unsound mind;

(b) is insolvent or an undischarged bankrupt; or

(c) has been convicted of an offence by a court of law in Singapore or a foreign country and sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than one year or to a fine of not less than $2,000 and has not received a free pardon:


Provided that where the conviction is by a court in a foreign country, the person shall not be so disqualified unless the offence is also one which, had it been committed in Singapore, would have been punishable by a court of law in Singapore.

Termination of membership
37F. —(1) The Chairman shall vacate the office of Chairman of the Council when a newly elected President assumes office during the term of appointment of the Chairman.

(2) A member shall vacate his seat in the Council —

(a) if he ceases to be a citizen of Singapore;

(b) if, by writing under his hand addressed to the Chairman, he resigns his seat; or

(c) if he becomes subject to any of the disqualifications referred to in Article 37E.

Determination of questions as to membership
37G. —(1) Any question as to the validity of the appointment of a member or whether any person has vacated his seat as a member of the Council shall be referred to and determined by a tribunal consisting of a Judge of the Supreme Court appointed by the Chief Justice and 2 other persons appointed by the Council.

(2) Any tribunal constituted under clause (1) shall —

(a) sit in private;

(b) afford the person concerned adequate opportunity to call witnesses and be heard; and

(c) report its decision to the Chairman.

(3) The decision of the tribunal shall be final and shall not be questioned in any court.

 

[HakkaThaileen]

<TR>Chiam See Tong should call it a day -->I read last Sunday's report, ......

... It is understandable that letting go of his MP work at this juncture would be a most difficult decision for him to make.

But if he refuses to retire for the good of the community, then his reputation may suffer and he may even be seen as being selfish.

History is awash with leaders who do not know when to quit, and I hope Mr Chiam will not go this way.
]

As the Chinese saying goes: 指桑骂槐?

 

[red amoeba]

aiya...cannot say like that. Mr Chiam and Mr Seng also both got medical leave what. If Mr Seng is still MP, by the same token, Mr Chiam should also be able to continue in his capacity as MP,

 

[makapaaa]

>>>(a) is or has been found or declared to be of unsound mind;<<<

Surely, to allow a butch-in-law and himself to lose $300B over 8 months is INSANE!

 

[HTOLAS]

Of course, the PAPzis would like him to go now.

First, under the law, THERE IS NO NEED TO HOLD A BY-ELECTION to fill the seat. As such, if Chiam steps down, the PAPzis will move their machinery into PP and crowd Chiam's people out. They might even choose to punish those who voted against them.

Second, they think SPP is a one-trick pony and with Chiam gone it would be crippled.

Third, they would absorb PP into a GRC (Marine Parade or AMK?) and make it history.

 

[SammyHulk]

Haizz....Time waits for no man such as Mr Chiam, Will it be matter of time PP will become Pap? Only Time will tell.

 

[fivestars]

As the Chinese saying goes: 指桑骂槐?

It means you shot the wolf in sametime you will shot the King Tiger too.

PAP keep on elect LKY to CEC and Minister in the sametime old guard PAP MP had to step down. Young PAP take over never repect old guard.

If LKY never step down, old guard will keep elect Dr Chiam See Tong into our parlaiment.

Prove:

50% Chiam old guard who move out potong pasir but Chiam still win

Most of small business man are Mr Setoh supporter but Chiam still win

Less people support Chiam TC committee council board compare to Mr Setoh RC and CC committee council board but Chiam still win