<TABLE id=msgUN border=0 cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD id=msgUNsubj vAlign=top>
Coffeeshop Chit Chat - PLP Benjamin Chow Tio Kan X 2 !!</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=msgtable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="96%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msg vAlign=top><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgbfr1 width="1%"> </TD><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead vAlign=top><TD class=msgF width="1%" noWrap align=right>From: </TD><TD class=msgFname width="68%" noWrap>Toby Kuntakinte (PouletGeorge) <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>8:12 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 5) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>47785.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD id=msgtxt_1 class=msgtxt>[FONT=Comic Sans MS,Sans-Serif]First, Por Lumpar Benjamin Chow tio kan by LTK, the kena TIU again by Tan Suan Tiu !![/FONT]
#01: About Chen: WP rebuts Forum writer
<!--start of story text-->I REFER to Mr Benjamin Chow's letter ('About Chen: Time will tell'; yesterday). Mr Chow has cast aspersions on Mr Chen Show Mao, questioned his motives and concluded his letter with 'only time will tell'.
I agree that many things in life are proven by time. There is a famous adage in Chinese, lu yao zhi ma li, ri jiu jian ren xin (just as it takes a long journey to know the strength of a horse, it also takes time to know a person's real heart'). However, why does this apply only to Chen Show Mao and not to new candidates of the People's Action Party as well?
Show Mao has been in contact with the Workers' Party (WP) since 2007.
He has participated in WP's ground outreach such as (party publication) Hammer's sales and other party functions. He is not returning only when 'the pickings are ripe' as the writer alleged.
Show Mao's decision to come home and stand for election as a WP candidate should be seen in a positive light.
There is no certainty that he will win the election. He is at the peak of his career and has nothing to gain being on an opposition ticket.
We are glad we are able to attract good people today and provide a credible choice to the voters.
Show Mao's decision has helped raise the political interests of many Singaporeans including those based overseas.
It also stirred an 'apolitical 50-year-old native citizen' to write to the Forum Page.
This is indeed the positive impact Chen Show Mao has generated.
Low Thia Khiang
Secretary-General
Workers' Party
<!--end of story text-->
#02. Chen has done his share for Singapore
<!--start of story text-->MR CHEN Show Mao does not need to explain his decision as his actions have spoken louder than words ('About Chen: Time will tell' by Mr Benjamin Chow; yesterday). His resume alone is an answer but more importantly, it raises some issues our country currently grapples with.
Mr Chen served national service although he was not obliged to. Unlike Mr Chow and me who were born, bred and remain rooted in Singapore, Mr Chen was not born and was not wholly nurtured by Singapore. And yet, he chose to serve. What more do we need to ask of him?
We remember that NS was harsher then, the allowances thinner and yet, the records show Mr Chen served with distinction at the highest level possible. We have serving members of political and high office, including a People's Action Party new candidate, who became Singapore citizens but did not serve NS.
Mr Chen was the top student of his batch but never got to study the course of his choice nor was he given a scholarship. If he was given his choice of study (medicine), he would have probably spent the next 10 years studying and training here.
He was also not given a Singapore scholarship even though he showed academic and leadership qualities (he was president of an elected student council).
We have only ourselves to blame for not rooting this talent in Singapore but rather forcing him to go out into the world to make a name for himself, which he did.
Again, as we struggle with issues such as bond-breakers and foreign talent with no affinity for Singapore, we do have more pressing questions to ask before we start trying to question someone coming back with no reward in sight.
The Singapore opposition politician's life is a hard one, with nothing to gain and everything to lose - with a record that shows only sacrifice for Singapore with very little else in return.
I dare say the facts show Mr Chen in this respect to be whiter than white. Instead of questioning Mr Chen's motives, we have other more urgent matters to resolve.
Tan Suan Tiu
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#01: About Chen: WP rebuts Forum writer
<!--start of story text-->I REFER to Mr Benjamin Chow's letter ('About Chen: Time will tell'; yesterday). Mr Chow has cast aspersions on Mr Chen Show Mao, questioned his motives and concluded his letter with 'only time will tell'.
I agree that many things in life are proven by time. There is a famous adage in Chinese, lu yao zhi ma li, ri jiu jian ren xin (just as it takes a long journey to know the strength of a horse, it also takes time to know a person's real heart'). However, why does this apply only to Chen Show Mao and not to new candidates of the People's Action Party as well?
Show Mao has been in contact with the Workers' Party (WP) since 2007.
He has participated in WP's ground outreach such as (party publication) Hammer's sales and other party functions. He is not returning only when 'the pickings are ripe' as the writer alleged.
Show Mao's decision to come home and stand for election as a WP candidate should be seen in a positive light.
There is no certainty that he will win the election. He is at the peak of his career and has nothing to gain being on an opposition ticket.
We are glad we are able to attract good people today and provide a credible choice to the voters.
Show Mao's decision has helped raise the political interests of many Singaporeans including those based overseas.
It also stirred an 'apolitical 50-year-old native citizen' to write to the Forum Page.
This is indeed the positive impact Chen Show Mao has generated.
Low Thia Khiang
Secretary-General
Workers' Party
<!--end of story text-->
#02. Chen has done his share for Singapore
<!--start of story text-->MR CHEN Show Mao does not need to explain his decision as his actions have spoken louder than words ('About Chen: Time will tell' by Mr Benjamin Chow; yesterday). His resume alone is an answer but more importantly, it raises some issues our country currently grapples with.
Mr Chen served national service although he was not obliged to. Unlike Mr Chow and me who were born, bred and remain rooted in Singapore, Mr Chen was not born and was not wholly nurtured by Singapore. And yet, he chose to serve. What more do we need to ask of him?
We remember that NS was harsher then, the allowances thinner and yet, the records show Mr Chen served with distinction at the highest level possible. We have serving members of political and high office, including a People's Action Party new candidate, who became Singapore citizens but did not serve NS.
Mr Chen was the top student of his batch but never got to study the course of his choice nor was he given a scholarship. If he was given his choice of study (medicine), he would have probably spent the next 10 years studying and training here.
He was also not given a Singapore scholarship even though he showed academic and leadership qualities (he was president of an elected student council).
We have only ourselves to blame for not rooting this talent in Singapore but rather forcing him to go out into the world to make a name for himself, which he did.
Again, as we struggle with issues such as bond-breakers and foreign talent with no affinity for Singapore, we do have more pressing questions to ask before we start trying to question someone coming back with no reward in sight.
The Singapore opposition politician's life is a hard one, with nothing to gain and everything to lose - with a record that shows only sacrifice for Singapore with very little else in return.
I dare say the facts show Mr Chen in this respect to be whiter than white. Instead of questioning Mr Chen's motives, we have other more urgent matters to resolve.
Tan Suan Tiu
<!--end of story text--></TD></TR><TR><TD> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
