<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=640 align=center><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=640><TBODY><TR><TD width=414><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=414><TBODY><TR vAlign=bottom><TD height=42>[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]This story was printed from channelnewsasia.com [/FONT]</TD></TR><TR><TD height=4 background=/cna/print/images/line.gif>
<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=600 align=center><TBODY><TR><TD width=44>[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Title[/FONT]</TD><TD width=10>:</TD><TD width=546>[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]GE: Opposition should work to secure one-third of seats in parliament, says WP's Sylvia Lim [/FONT]</TD></TR><TR><TD width=44>[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]By[/FONT]</TD><TD width=10>:</TD><TD width=546>[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][/FONT]</TD></TR><TR><TD width=44>[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Date[/FONT]</TD><TD width=10>:</TD><TD width=546>[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]09 April 2011 2046 hrs (SST) [/FONT]</TD></TR><TR><TD width=44>[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]URL[/FONT]</TD><TD width=10>:</TD><TD width=546>[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1121755/1/.html [/FONT]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE border=1 cellSpacing=5 borderColor=#cccccc borderColorLight=#cccccc borderColorDark=#cccccc cellPadding=3 width=600 align=center><TBODY><TR><TD>[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]SINGAPORE: "Towards a First World Parliament" - that is the Workers' Party campaign slogan for the elections. It calls for more opposition voices to keep the ruling party on its toes by occupying enough seats to block any constitutional amendment that requires at least two thirds of the House votes.
Ms Lim was speaking to reporters at its headquarters in Syed Alwi Road, where the Workers' Party unveiled their campaign slogan and manifesto for the election.
Ms Lim said: "If we really believe the constitution is important to us and that it should not be amended for inadequate reasons, then I think it's very important for us to defend it.
"And if the government should ever try to amend it for partisan advantage for example, I think it's important for there to be sufficient numbers of members of the house to vote against it."
Ms Lim also responded to comments made by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, who said the opposition is asking for a "high premium" in the form of "15 to 20 per cent of seats in parliament", but they "can't deliver" when called upon.
"If you do maths, 15 per cent still leaves 85 per cent of them. Is he saying that the ruling party cannot function at 85 per cent? I don't know what is his point really. Does the PAP want to be 100 per cent in power?"
The Workers' Party also introduced its 63-page manifesto, which covers 15 areas of public policy.
They include calls for the government to spend more on healthcare, re-look immigration policies and bring down the voting age to 18, so as to encourage young people to have an early interest in politics.
The Workers' Party said it will be introducing its election candidates soon, but the timing depends on when the elections are called. In the meantime, the party will continue with its house-to-house visits and walkabouts.
-CNA/ac
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