What I remember is Paul the Octopus will only eat HUM.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1126338/1/.html
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GE: Rojak govt? Why not, says SDP
Posted: 02 May 2011 2230 hrs
SDP supporters
Photos 1 of 1
SDP supporters
Special Report
• Vote 2011
SINGAPORE: Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) candidate for Holland-Bukit Timah Group Representation Constituency (GRC) Tan Jee Say has noted the increasing trend for countries all over world to adopt a multi-party government.
Mr Tan, who spoke at a rally held in Bukit Panjang, said this is because society's interests are becoming too diverse to be represented by just one or two political parties.
Mr Tan was responding to comments made by NTUC's Secretary-General Lim Swee Say on how a coalition government will be a 'rojak' government.
"It's a healthy salad. In fact, it's called Singapore salad," Mr Tan said.
"Why is the PAP not proud of this national dish? But instead, (it) makes fun of it.
"A coalition government, or what Mr Lim calls a rojak government, is becoming common around the world. The world has moved beyond the two-party system."
Meanwhile, fellow Holland-Bukit Timah GRC candidate Ang Yong Guan said Singaporeans should not be afraid of the consequence of their votes as they are secret.
"Fear is often based on lack of facts," Dr Ang said.
"Have no fear. Your ballot paper will be burnt. The second fact is, why do you have a serial number? The serial number is to protect against fraud.
"If you don't have a serial number, you can just add one stack of ballot paper into the box."
SDP's Michelle Lee, meanwhile, took issue with the government's management of healthcare.
Citing a 2011 World Bank report, Ms Lee said Singapore's healthcare facilities ranked poorly - on some measures, worse than some third-world countries.
She said only countries like Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Cambodia spent less on healthcare than the Singapore government.
"Such a dearth of public spending on healthcare and shortage of healthcare facilities, treatment and consultation fees in Singapore have become prohibitively high for many," Ms Lee said.
"Waiting times for polyclinics in Singapore are, shall we say, legendary. We at the SDP suggest co-payment between the healthcare user and the state, where both share the burden of the cost of treatment... Medisave and Medishield are not enough."
Also at the rally on Monday night was SDP candidate for Sembawang GRC James Gomez, who criticised the PAP's policies on race as outdated and divisive.
Dr Gomez said race identification should be removed from our national identity cards.
"We are a migrant society. We are latently multicultural. We don't need an identity race card as a compulsory identification in our national identity card. That is colonial stigma," he said.
Dr Gomez also called for HDB's policy on racial quotas to be scrapped.
"It makes the exchange of flat difficult if we need to meet those racial quotas... That policy doesn't apply to commercial properties. That policy doesn't apply to private housing. Why do you discriminate HDB dwellers?" Dr Gomez said.
"These racial policies using three racial categories are out of date because the demography of Singapore has changed."
Also touching on issues relating to HDB was fellow Sembawang GRC candidate Mohd Isa Abdul Aziz.
He criticised the HDB upgrading programmes, saying the money used is actually from Singaporeans' CPF accounts.
He took issue with the price of HDB flats, especially in relation to how the government acquired the land for development in the first place.
Meanwhile, fellow Sembawang GRC candidate Jarrod Luo denied there is a split within the party.
Mr Luo refuted media reports that party chief Chee Soon Juan had tried to hold a protest march after Friday's rally in Jurong, and that some party members tried to stop him.
This followed comments made earlier by SDP member Ang Yong Guan, who said there is no split within SDP.
Mr Luo said: "When you see us here, do you see a divided party, or do you see a united front?
"I'm sure you see a united front, right?
"The 11 candidates of the Singapore Democratic Party are united not only in mind, not only in spirit, not only in ideology, not only in our plans, but were are united in our love for Singapore".
-CNA/wk
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1126338/1/.html
Home ›
Singapore News
GE: Rojak govt? Why not, says SDP
Posted: 02 May 2011 2230 hrs
SDP supporters
Photos 1 of 1
SDP supporters
Special Report
• Vote 2011
SINGAPORE: Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) candidate for Holland-Bukit Timah Group Representation Constituency (GRC) Tan Jee Say has noted the increasing trend for countries all over world to adopt a multi-party government.
Mr Tan, who spoke at a rally held in Bukit Panjang, said this is because society's interests are becoming too diverse to be represented by just one or two political parties.
Mr Tan was responding to comments made by NTUC's Secretary-General Lim Swee Say on how a coalition government will be a 'rojak' government.
"It's a healthy salad. In fact, it's called Singapore salad," Mr Tan said.
"Why is the PAP not proud of this national dish? But instead, (it) makes fun of it.
"A coalition government, or what Mr Lim calls a rojak government, is becoming common around the world. The world has moved beyond the two-party system."
Meanwhile, fellow Holland-Bukit Timah GRC candidate Ang Yong Guan said Singaporeans should not be afraid of the consequence of their votes as they are secret.
"Fear is often based on lack of facts," Dr Ang said.
"Have no fear. Your ballot paper will be burnt. The second fact is, why do you have a serial number? The serial number is to protect against fraud.
"If you don't have a serial number, you can just add one stack of ballot paper into the box."
SDP's Michelle Lee, meanwhile, took issue with the government's management of healthcare.
Citing a 2011 World Bank report, Ms Lee said Singapore's healthcare facilities ranked poorly - on some measures, worse than some third-world countries.
She said only countries like Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Cambodia spent less on healthcare than the Singapore government.
"Such a dearth of public spending on healthcare and shortage of healthcare facilities, treatment and consultation fees in Singapore have become prohibitively high for many," Ms Lee said.
"Waiting times for polyclinics in Singapore are, shall we say, legendary. We at the SDP suggest co-payment between the healthcare user and the state, where both share the burden of the cost of treatment... Medisave and Medishield are not enough."
Also at the rally on Monday night was SDP candidate for Sembawang GRC James Gomez, who criticised the PAP's policies on race as outdated and divisive.
Dr Gomez said race identification should be removed from our national identity cards.
"We are a migrant society. We are latently multicultural. We don't need an identity race card as a compulsory identification in our national identity card. That is colonial stigma," he said.
Dr Gomez also called for HDB's policy on racial quotas to be scrapped.
"It makes the exchange of flat difficult if we need to meet those racial quotas... That policy doesn't apply to commercial properties. That policy doesn't apply to private housing. Why do you discriminate HDB dwellers?" Dr Gomez said.
"These racial policies using three racial categories are out of date because the demography of Singapore has changed."
Also touching on issues relating to HDB was fellow Sembawang GRC candidate Mohd Isa Abdul Aziz.
He criticised the HDB upgrading programmes, saying the money used is actually from Singaporeans' CPF accounts.
He took issue with the price of HDB flats, especially in relation to how the government acquired the land for development in the first place.
Meanwhile, fellow Sembawang GRC candidate Jarrod Luo denied there is a split within the party.
Mr Luo refuted media reports that party chief Chee Soon Juan had tried to hold a protest march after Friday's rally in Jurong, and that some party members tried to stop him.
This followed comments made earlier by SDP member Ang Yong Guan, who said there is no split within SDP.
Mr Luo said: "When you see us here, do you see a divided party, or do you see a united front?
"I'm sure you see a united front, right?
"The 11 candidates of the Singapore Democratic Party are united not only in mind, not only in spirit, not only in ideology, not only in our plans, but were are united in our love for Singapore".
-CNA/wk