Png Eng Huat: Getting only 1 vote is not the same as not putting your name up!!!!
MINUTES OF THE EXTRAORDINARY MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL HELD ON 12 MAY 2011 AT BLK 701 #01-01 HOUGANG AVENUE 2 SINGAPORE 530701
PRESENT
Sylvia Lim, Low Thia Khiang, Mohd Rahizan Bin Yaacob, Eric Tan, Lee Lilian, Yaw Shin Leong, Koh Choong Yong, Png Eng Huat, Gerald Giam, Jane Leong, Frieda Chan, Ng Swee Bee, Glenda Han and Muhamad Faisal
ABSENT WITH APOLOGIES:
John Yam
...
NON-CONSTITUENCY MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT (NCMP)
The first decision to make was whether WP should accept the NCMP seats.
CEC deliberated and unanimously decided to accept the two NCMP seats offered to the Party.
...
NCMP SEAT OFFERED TO EAST COAST GRC
Chairman reported that East Coast GRC team had obtained the third highest percentage of votes but only one candidate from the East Coast GRC team could take up the NCMP seat. Hence CEC had to nominate one of the candidates from the East Coast GRC team to take up the seat.
Chairman explained the procedure of secret ballot. She said that if the result of the first ballot ended up with a tie, CEC would take a short break and reconvene a second secret ballot. Thereafter, if there was still a tie, Chairman would then exercise a casting vote.
CEC agreed with the procedure.
Eric Tan Heng Chong read from a prepared letter explaining why he should be nominated to take up the NCMP seat. He reiterated that he was the team leader of the East Coast GRC, and that SG had agreed to support him months ago if his team were qualified for NCMP seats. He further revealed that on Tuesday, 10 May 2011, SG and Chairman had met up with him, asking him instead to reconsider allowing a younger candidate in his team to take up the seat.
Eric Tan said that he felt betrayed, as he had put in a lot of effort in this GE to build up the team; he had worked hard and had contributed to the party in past years. Although he understood the need and the importance of party leadership renewal, it should be done in a proper manner and not sprung on him like a bomb.
SG clarified that when he agreed to support Eric Tan for NCMP seat, he did not envisage the current scenario of only one seat being available to the team, as in usual circumstance, there would be two seats available when a GRC team is qualified to take up NCMP seat. That was also the reason why he decided to speak to Eric Tan with the Chairman to explain the situation and to impress upon him the critical situation WP faced in the future regarding leadership renewal, if the party failed to plan ahead now. It was beyond just personal support.
SG said that in any case, both Eric Tan and him had agreed at the meeting that both would accept the decision of the CEC in good faith and move on.
Thus, SG proposed that while he understood Eric Tan’s position and how he felt, CEC should go into the balloting process immediately since Eric Tan had been allowed to state his view to the CEC instead of prolonging the debate.
Shin Leong felt that the views of the East Coast team members should be heard. Chairman noted that they had already made their views known via email to CEC.
CEC went into the process of secret balloting.
The results of the ballot were as follows:-
Number of Votes to nominate Gerald Giam : 7
Number of Votes to nominate Eric Tan : 5
Number of Votes to nominate Png Eng Huat : 1
Abstentions : 1
Gerald Giam was declared elected to accept the NCMP seat offered to East Coast GRC team.
Eric Tan said that he would resign from the party and tendered his letter of resignation to SG and Chairman. Chairman and SG as well as other CEC members urged Eric Tan to reconsider his decision. SG said that he would not open his letter until Eric Tan had made a clear decision later, after the meeting.
Chairman closed the meeting at 8.35pm.
