The Workers' Party

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[h=5]Leon Perera added 5 new photos.[/h]January 17 at 11:47pm ·


Yesterday morning, the WP East Coast team visited Simei, followed by landed house visits. We spent a lot of time discussing local and national issues and a lot of time listening. I enjoyed talking to one Singaporean family with four children about how we can create a climate that supports parenthood.

 

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[h=5]Leon Perera added 4 new photos.[/h]7 hrs ·


Out and about at Bedok on Saturday morning (23 Jan) with the awesome WP East Coast GRC volunteers. I spoke to one resident who talked about how the local MP held parties and events at the nearby playground. He urged us to do the same. I told him that we may face obstacles holding events in constituencies where the elected MPs are not from the WP, due to problems finding a venue. We were deeply touched to meet one resident who went out of her way to buy snacks for our hard-working volunteer team. Thank you and see you again soon! I was saddened to meet one man who said he was emigrating after GE2015 as he could no longer live with the absence of political balance. I asked him to reconsider, but told him that my best wishes are with him and his family whatever he decides.

 

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[h=1]More diversity needed among Singapore's leaders: WP's Leon Perera[/h] [h=2]The Non-Constituency Member of Parliament tells the House that “real national unity” must go beyond political affiliation and embrace “diversity, debate and disagreement”.[/h]

• By Justin Ong
• Posted 26 Jan 2016 16:09

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The Workers' Party's Leon Perera at a "live" GE forum on Sep 1. (Photo: Goh Chiew Tong)

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SINGAPORE: Opposition Workers’ Party politician Leon Perera on Tuesday (Jan 26) cautioned against a national leadership “overwhelmingly” sourced from the civil service, saying that the Singapore should embrace political and social diversity.


Said the Non-Constituency Member of Parliament: “When our leadership core comes overwhelmingly from one kind of career background - lifelong civil servants - the risk becomes greater.


"I respect our civil service, and the civil servants who have devoted their careers to serving the needs of people. But to have a core leadership that has very few with any other kind of career profile, that opens up the danger of group-think, self-rationalisation, and self-congratulation.”


He added: “How can we face the future as a developed country, if we are dominated by a very powerful state which is in turn dominated by an entrenched, single political party? There will be too much dependence on a small group of people and the risk is too high."


"When too much power is entrenched in a party or a group of persons individually, whoever they may be or from whatever party, that power breeds complacency and the tendency to be self-serving. It is matter of time."


WHAT IS 'REAL' UNITY?

Mr Perera noted that the results of the 2015 General Election meant Singapore came close to having no elected opposition Members of Parliament in the House, with the Workers' Party retaining its single-seat Hougang ward by a smaller margin, and taking Aljunied GRC with just 50.96 per cent of the vote. This could have meant a “parliamentary super majority for one party”, he said.


Mr Perera asked: “What is the greatest danger facing Singapore’s political landscape in the long term? Gridlock? Or the non-existence of any viable alternative party other than the ruling party?”


He said that debate among different voices has to be celebrated, as it is this discourse that builds the trust between the Government and the people.


"I find the casting of election results as a badge of national unity deeply unhelpful for nation-building. It suggests that what unites us is the support for one political party. I’m sure that most Singaporeans believe that real unity recognises different voices and debates among them. That is precisely what makes Singapore stronger," said Mr Perera, in his first speech in Parliament.


“Unity, as the bedrock of our nation, should lie in the trust between Government and people, the trust in one another, and a collective sense self-worth and national purpose. That will outlast any Government, any party, and lay a firmer foundation on which to build our nation.


“We must celebrate the diversity of views, debate, disagreement - and we must start from our schools to this Parliament chamber to all social spaces in between. We must celebrate this as the best way to test ideas, to agree to disagree, without branding one who disagrees as the enemy or disrespectful. This is real unity.

"Let us debate, disagree - but remain united as Singaporeans. That’s real unity worth fighting for.”


CEDRIC FOO'S RIPOSTE
Mr Cedric Foo of the People's Action Party would later counter Mr Perera's line of argument, saying that the fact that he was in Parliament despite not winning his GE2015 contest was testimony to the Government's push for diversity in politics.


Said the MP for Pioneer SMC: "Let me remind him that at the last General Election, every seat was contested, and that Singapore voted for the PAP and six other opposition members is the outcome of this voting. I hope he and his party will respect that.


"In fact, the presence of Mr Perera as an NCMP himself was the creation of the PAP Government, because we believe in diversity - as he suggested."




- CNA/jo

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/more-diversity-needed/2459078.html

 

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[h=5]The Workers' Party[/h]1 hr ·


In his maiden speech, [URL="https://www.facebook.com/Leon-Perera-515366291954885/"]Leon Perera spoke about welcoming different voices and encouraging debate, rather than perpetuating the misconception that unity is about support for a single political party.


"Our bedrock should be the trust we have in one another, our collective sense of self-worth and national purpose. This will outlast any government and any party and is a firmer foundation on which to build our nation."






Debate on President’s Address – Leon Perera | The Workers' Party
Madam speaker, it is my privilege to address this House today. It is not a privilege I take lightly. I shall speak today on the subject of national unity and specifically…
www.wp.sg






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[h=5]Yee Jenn Jong, JJ (余振忠)[/h]Yesterday at 9:10pm ·


The society now tends to excessively view issues in numerical terms - whether it is scores or rankings - noted Mr Ong, who is MP for Sembawang GRC.
"We allocate school places by PSLE T-scores and aggregate scores, and award tenders by lowest bid if we are buying - or highest bid if we are selling," he said.
...
"What we need is a clear focus on what truly matters - the worth of an individual, the standing of institutions, people and country, which can only be captured in part by numbers," he said.
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I wonder what the Acting Minister for Education thinks of MOE's recent directive to secondary schools NOT to take in any appeal students whose T-Score is below the cut-off for the school. Very much a number game.
Yes, mindset change is very important and there's quite a lot to change.



[URL="http://www.straitstimes.com/politics/parliament-more-room-for-wiser-minds-in-governing-says-ong-ye-kung"]


Parliament: More room for wiser minds in governing, says Ong Ye Kung
SINGAPORE - There can be more room for the Government to exercise judgment and discretion because the world is now too complex to be reduced to rules,…
straitstimes.com|By CHEW HUI MIN






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[h=5]Yee Jenn Jong, JJ (余振忠)[/h]10 hrs ·




"When the Constitution was changed in 1991 to allow for a popularly elected president with limited discretionary powers, it was meant to be a check against a rogue government.


But trouble emerged almost immediately with the very first EP, Mr Ong Teng Cheong, who collided with the Government over his role in keeping watch on the country's reserves.


Who would have thought that a former minister who had worked so closely with his Cabinet colleagues would clash with them so openly?

But it was nothing compared to what happened in the 2011 Presidential Election, when four candidates campaigned with differing views on the proper role of an elected president.


It opened the eyes of many to the pitfalls of having a politicised president with his own ideas of how he would check an elected government.
Who would have thought this would become an issue when so much care had been given to who could qualify to become a presidential candidate, with the cards stacked in favour of those from the Establishment?"
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There are some interesting points for discussions from this article. However what struck me most was why OTC should be considered to be "trouble" when he sought to do what he was asked to do, i.e. watch the reserves and challenge to know exactly what that he was asked to watch over.


The roles and powers of the EP are well spelt out. The powers are also very limited. Or is the Establishment uncomfortable with being questioned and checked, other than by those 'approved'?


That's the sense I got from reading this.




[URL="http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/consider-return-to-singapores-election-system-of-1965"]


Consider return to Singapore's election system of 1965
There is a new guessing game in town, on what changes the Government has in store for the political system here.. Read more at straitstimes.com.
straitstimes.com|By HAN FOOK KWANG






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[h=5]Dennis Tan Lip Fong 陈立峰[/h]January 17 at 12:33am ·




It was a special day for me yesterday as I attended Parliament for the swearing in ceremony with my fellow WP MPs as the 13th Parliament begins. MPs were sworn in by groups and Leon and myself formed the last group as we were sworn in as NCMPs. I invited my mother and my wife as my guests. It was a short but solemn ceremony.


Later in the evening, I attended the President's address for the opening of the 13th Parliament. I like the part of the President's address on the aim to foster a more caring society. I think it is important to have not just a caring society but a caring, compassionate AND inclusive society. This is especially as it has been admitted that we have become a more diverse society. Every Singaporean, regardless of his or her own race, vocation or economic standing, should be equally proud of being a citizen of this country.



The President also mentioned possible changes to the political system. I do not recall that the government has, during the last GE, campaigned on a ticket of political changes. I think any changes to our political system should enhance and not reduce the existing democratic norms we currently have.





[URL="https://www.facebook.com/dennistanlipfong/photos/a.450327241842830.1073741829.149151181960439/472566112952276/?type=3"]





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[h=5]Dennis Tan Lip Fong 陈立峰 shared The Workers' Party's post.[/h]January 18 at 3:37pm ·


The Workers' Party has filed a Parliamentary motion on 15 January 2016 to have the Non-Constituency Member of Parliament seat offered to Ms Lee Li Lian be declared vacant and for Associate Professor Daniel Goh to take up the seat. The motion will likely be decided by the Parliament at the sitting next week.


The Workers' PartyJanuary 18 at 2:04pm ·



WP Files Motion on NCMP Seat Offered to [URL="https://www.facebook.com/leelilian.sg/"]Lee Li Lian 李丽连
The Workers' Party filed a Parliamentary motion on 15 January 2016 to have the Non-Constituency Member of Parliament seat offered to Ms Lee Li Lian be declared vacant and for Associate Professor Daniel Goh 吴佩松 to take up the seat.
The motion was filed by Mr Low Thia Khiang, Member of Parliament for Aljunied GRC, and seconded by the other five elected Members of Parliament from the Worker's Party.
We expect the motion to come up for debate late next week.
Sylvia Lim
Chairman
The Workers' Party
18 January 2016







WP Files Motion on NCMP Seat Offered to Lee Li Lian | The Workers' Party
The Workers’ Party filed a Parliamentary motion on 15 January 2016 to have the Non-Constituency Member of Parliament seat offered to Ms Lee Li Lian be…
www.wp.sg






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[h=5]The Workers' Party[/h]26 mins ·


[URL="https://www.facebook.com/dennistanlipfong/"]Dennis Tan Lip Fong 陈立峰 spoke about the importance of strengthening governance and national institutions as a key pillar in nation-building.
"The independence and political neutrality of the civil service and statutory boards must be fiercely maintained so that Singaporeans will always have complete confidence in the non-partisan nature of these institutions."




Debate on President’s Address – Dennis Tan | The Workers' Party
Madam Speaker, in the President’s speech, he mentioned five key aims that the Government hopes to fulfil in this coming term: to keep Singapore safe and…
www.wp.sg






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[h=5]The Workers' Party[/h]10 hrs ·


Citing government nominees on the boards of professional bodies and sports groups, [URL="https://www.facebook.com/sylvialim65/"]Sylvia Lim points out that the Government needs to let go and devolve more power first, so that there is real and meaningful collaborative partnership between the Government and people.
Read her full speech here: http://www.wp.sg/debate-on-presidents-address-sylvia-lim/







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[h=5]The Workers' Party[/h]13 hrs ·


[URL="https://www.facebook.com/faisalmanap/"]Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap hopes that the community's perceptions and feedback on several issues could be gathered from the 'SGfuture Engagement' platform - these include the threat of radicalism as well as other sensitive issues such as that of wearing the hijab by Muslim women who work as nurses or serve in the SAF and Home Team.
"Disini, saya ingin membuat satu cadangan agar isu-isu yang bersifat terkini yang ada kesan kepada masyarakat umum dapat diperbincangkan pada platfom 'SGfuture Engagement'. Contohnya, isu yang sekarang hangat diperkatakan iaitu isu ancaman radikalisma. Selain itu, saya juga berharap agar platform ini juga boleh digunakan untuk mendapatkan pandang dan maklum balas holistik masyarakat bagi isu-isu yang dianggap sensitif seperti isu pemakaian hijab bagi muslimah yang bertugas dalam pasukan seragam seperti jururawat, pasukan askar, polis dan pertahanan awam."

See Translation




Debate on President’s Address – Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap | The Workers' Party
Pertama sekali, saya ingin mengambil peluang ini untuk merakamkan ucapan terima kasih saya kepada pengundi-pengundi GRC Aljunied yang telah…
www.wp.sg






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[h=5]The Workers' Party[/h]Yesterday at 6:25pm ·


[URL="https://www.facebook.com/sylvialim65/"]Sylvia Lim in her speech on the Presidential Address puts forth that it is assessment that drives student behaviour and asks if our educators may be allowed to give credit for answers that do not regurgitate what has been taught.
"If we want Singaporeans to be able to dream, our assessments should nurture a spirit of exploration, and encourage students to think out of the box and to have differing opinions."




Debate on President’s Address – Sylvia Lim | The Workers' Party
Exceptional Nation – An Empowered Nation In his address, the President asked Singaporeans to progress as an “exceptional nation, with a thriving economy,…
www.wp.sg






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Hi PE residents
If you have purchased tickets for the trip below, we look forward to see you at 6am this Sun at your respective pick up point.
Please do remember to bring your valid passport, wear comfortable shoes and bring trolleys!

 

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[h=5]The Workers' Party[/h]8 hrs ·


Low Thia Khiang shared his concerns on the proposed increase in the number of NCMPs in Parliament. He stated that NCMPs do not have the same powers as elected MPs, as they are not rooted in a constituency. Low added that being an MP requires more than the ability to debate in Parliament. Watch his interview here.

[URL="http://www.straitstimes.com/politics/wp-will-study-proposed-changes-to-political-system-low-thia-khiang"]


WP will study proposed changes to political system: Low Thia Khiang
SINGAPORE - Workers' Party chief Low Thia Khiang spoke on Wednesday night about changes proposed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to Singapore's…
www.straitstimes.com|By LIM YAN LIANG






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[h=5]The Workers' Party[/h]10 hrs ·


[URL="https://www.facebook.com/PNGENGHUAT/"]PNG ENG HUAT calls for the political system to be refreshed, but in ways that stay true to the Pledge: "We all want a clean, effective, and accountable government but not at the expense of less democracy, justice, equality."




Debate on President’s Address – Png Eng Huat | The Workers' Party
Madam Speaker, the President ended his address 2 Fridays ago with a call for Singaporeans to write the next chapter of our future together. The next chapter,…
www.wp.sg






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[h=5]The Workers' Party added 2 new photos.[/h]10 hrs ·




Here are some of our Parliamentary Questions for this week.

 

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[h=5]The Workers' Party[/h]4 hrs ·




A good summary of Low's reservations on the proposed changes to the NCMP scheme.



[URL="http://mothership.sg/2016/01/low-thia-khiang-casually-pointed-out-all-the-deficiencies-of-full-voting-rights-ncmp-scheme/"]


Low Thia Khiang casually pointed out all the deficiencies of full voting rights NCMP scheme |...
He highlighted a drawback here, a pitfall there and another downside here during doorstop interview.
mothership.sg






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[h=5]Daniel Goh 吴佩松[/h]Yesterday at 1:16am ·




A friend asked me yesterday, “Hey you have been quiet on FB lately, everything okay? You anxious about the NCMP thing? What the chances they will give it to you?” I replied, simply, “Yah super busy, admin, academic, baby, party, all work, no sleep.” It is way past midnight into Wednesday now, just did my feeding shift, and I finally realised January is coming to an end. The NCMP motion will be debated and decided in a little while.


How do I feel? Certainly not anxious, for I have no political ambition, no achievement desire. This has always been, for me, a calling to serve our beloved country, so that she would keep and meet the lofty ideals of the pledge our children would be saying with pride. And whatever the country’s highest authority decides, it will be right. No one is giving or denying me anything, so I shall not be grateful nor embittered either way.



PAP, WP, these are but vectors of the nation’s thoughts, and they will sort themselves out in a lunge and a parry. I am not even waiting by the phone, for when the country calls, it rings in the bones. I did have a deja vu flashback to sitting in a 3-tonner in full FBO though, and that was delightfully strange. So it is, what shall be, see you all in February!

 

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[h=5]The Workers' Party[/h]4 hrs ·



Low Thia Khiang, on insuring against bad governance and failure of government.


"The outcome of good politics is not just good policy and ensuring no gridlock. That would be a narrow technocratic view of politics. The outcome of good politics is the fostering of a political system that is able to withstand shock and turbulence, including the unexpected collapse or slow corruption of the ruling party, to ensure the continuity of the nation as a united people. Such a resilient political system must be able to make adjustment in the face of adversity."




Debate on President’s Address – Low Thia Khiang | The Workers' Party
Madam Speaker, the President asked an important question that should concern all Singaporeans in the next decade, “How do we ensure our island-nation…
www.wp.sg

 

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[h=5]The Workers' Party[/h]2 hrs ·




And that is all the Minister replied.