More volunteers helping out, say opposition parties
By Kor Kian Beng & Mavis Toh
National Solidarity Party candidate Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss with election volunteer Amran Junid (above) in Mountbatten during her walkabout yesterday. -- PHOTOS: NURIA LING, GAN THENG WEI
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GOING to the movies and dining with friends are typical after-work pursuits for Mr Amran Junid.
But since last month, the 38-year-old owner of a Web solutions company has been knocking on doors, three times a week, in the Mountbatten single-seat ward.
He is among a group of more than 15 volunteers helping National Solidarity Party (NSP) candidate Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss, 48, canvass for support in the ward ahead of the next polls. He was introduced to her by a mutual friend.
Explaining his move, Mr Amran said: 'Rather than complaining about the Government, I wanted to get involved and help residents through her.
'It's been an eye-opener, offering help to residents in rental flats and talking to them about their concerns, such as jobs and costs of living.'
As the election buzz builds up, opposition parties say more volunteers are knocking on their doors than during the 2006 General Election.
Most are first-timers, like Mr Amran, who do not expect to be paid even for their transport, they added.
They trace the increase to a greater willingness among young people to be associated with the opposition and the use of the Internet and social media tools like Facebook to attract volunteers.
The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) said its supporters 'came mainly through our online appeals'.
Added its chief Chee Soon Juan: 'This is because the Internet has allowed us to get our message out more effectively.' The party also has at least 40 videos on YouTube.
Similarly, the Workers' Party (WP), the NSP and the Reform Party (RP) have been very active in using their websites and Facebook to recruit volunteers.
But the bigger pool of volunteers is perhaps inevitable as the upcoming general election is expected to be contested by at least 40 opposition newcomers - the most in more than 20 years.
Among the tasks undertaken by volunteers, who are not party members, are putting up election posters, going on house-to-house visits, and even doubling as counting agents on Polling Day.
Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) secretary-general Desmond Lim said it has recruited 110 volunteers, exceeding the 69 it had in 2006.
Six in 10 of them are first-timers and younger than 35. Most are personal friends of SDA members, while others are recruited through word-of-mouth or the party's website and hotline, he added.
The RP has fewer than 100 volunteers, said its leader Kenneth Jeyaretnam.
Some opposition leaders, however, declined to divulge the size of their volunteer pool, fearing it could give away the number of constituencies they plan to contest.
A contest in a GRC would require at least 100 volunteers, while that in a single-seat ward, about 30 to 50. So, the RP would need about 300 volunteers should it contest two GRCs and three single-seat wards, as it declared it would.
The WP's chairman Sylvia Lim did not respond to queries, while The Straits Times understands the SDP has a core of 20 volunteers, with another 50 who help out less often.
NSP secretary-general Goh Meng Seng would only disclose that about 40 per cent of its volunteers are first-timers, more than half of whom are younger than 35.
As for their occupations, Mr Goh said the party does not ask for them: 'We take down their names, addresses and contact details and tell them that we will inform them when we need help,' he added.
Bus driver Albert Tang, 56, who volunteered with the SDA in 2006, is doing it again. He spends three nights a week accompanying the party leaders on house visits in the Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC.
He also plans to guide the first-timers on what to do, like giving tips on how to approach and talk to residents.
Said Mr Tang: 'When I first volunteered, I was afraid to talk to residents. Now I can approach and chat with them easily.'
By Kor Kian Beng & Mavis Toh
National Solidarity Party candidate Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss with election volunteer Amran Junid (above) in Mountbatten during her walkabout yesterday. -- PHOTOS: NURIA LING, GAN THENG WEI
View more photos
GOING to the movies and dining with friends are typical after-work pursuits for Mr Amran Junid.
But since last month, the 38-year-old owner of a Web solutions company has been knocking on doors, three times a week, in the Mountbatten single-seat ward.
He is among a group of more than 15 volunteers helping National Solidarity Party (NSP) candidate Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss, 48, canvass for support in the ward ahead of the next polls. He was introduced to her by a mutual friend.
Explaining his move, Mr Amran said: 'Rather than complaining about the Government, I wanted to get involved and help residents through her.
'It's been an eye-opener, offering help to residents in rental flats and talking to them about their concerns, such as jobs and costs of living.'
As the election buzz builds up, opposition parties say more volunteers are knocking on their doors than during the 2006 General Election.
Most are first-timers, like Mr Amran, who do not expect to be paid even for their transport, they added.
They trace the increase to a greater willingness among young people to be associated with the opposition and the use of the Internet and social media tools like Facebook to attract volunteers.
The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) said its supporters 'came mainly through our online appeals'.
Added its chief Chee Soon Juan: 'This is because the Internet has allowed us to get our message out more effectively.' The party also has at least 40 videos on YouTube.
Similarly, the Workers' Party (WP), the NSP and the Reform Party (RP) have been very active in using their websites and Facebook to recruit volunteers.
But the bigger pool of volunteers is perhaps inevitable as the upcoming general election is expected to be contested by at least 40 opposition newcomers - the most in more than 20 years.
Among the tasks undertaken by volunteers, who are not party members, are putting up election posters, going on house-to-house visits, and even doubling as counting agents on Polling Day.
Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) secretary-general Desmond Lim said it has recruited 110 volunteers, exceeding the 69 it had in 2006.
Six in 10 of them are first-timers and younger than 35. Most are personal friends of SDA members, while others are recruited through word-of-mouth or the party's website and hotline, he added.
The RP has fewer than 100 volunteers, said its leader Kenneth Jeyaretnam.
Some opposition leaders, however, declined to divulge the size of their volunteer pool, fearing it could give away the number of constituencies they plan to contest.
A contest in a GRC would require at least 100 volunteers, while that in a single-seat ward, about 30 to 50. So, the RP would need about 300 volunteers should it contest two GRCs and three single-seat wards, as it declared it would.
The WP's chairman Sylvia Lim did not respond to queries, while The Straits Times understands the SDP has a core of 20 volunteers, with another 50 who help out less often.
NSP secretary-general Goh Meng Seng would only disclose that about 40 per cent of its volunteers are first-timers, more than half of whom are younger than 35.
As for their occupations, Mr Goh said the party does not ask for them: 'We take down their names, addresses and contact details and tell them that we will inform them when we need help,' he added.
Bus driver Albert Tang, 56, who volunteered with the SDA in 2006, is doing it again. He spends three nights a week accompanying the party leaders on house visits in the Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC.
He also plans to guide the first-timers on what to do, like giving tips on how to approach and talk to residents.
Said Mr Tang: 'When I first volunteered, I was afraid to talk to residents. Now I can approach and chat with them easily.'
