TJS and group to form new party

[kingrant]

Any new party is welcome. TJS will be a strong magnet. Voters are looking up to well qualified people to increase the volume in parliament, and TJS will fit the bill. However, the Opp camp must organise the battle turf so there's no vote splitting, so that everywhere where the PAP is weakened, there is a strong challenger.

 

[borom]

The WP has been too quiet in parliament-esp Chen Show Mao (given his legal background).
We elect them to speak out for us.

I will vote for a party that dares to voice out fiercely and aggressively the issues of foreign immigrants, CPF, cost of housing and education.
What has the WP said about these issues that will cause the PAP to squirm in their seats the way Francis Seow challenged LKY in the Law Society Debate.

Note:On 16 October 2007, Amnesty International issued a public statement that mentioned Seow as one of two prominent lawyers who had been penalized for exercising their right to express their opinions. Amnesty International named him a "prisoner of conscience

 

[blindswordsman]

Any new party is welcome. TJS will be a strong magnet. Voters are looking up to well qualified people to increase the volume in parliament, and TJS will fit the bill. However, the Opp camp must organise the battle turf so there's no vote splitting, so that everywhere where the PAP is weakened, there is a strong challenger.

True, provided he is not pulled down by the hangers-on or other jokers in his own party. Every credible oppo candidate is a headache to the pappies.

 

[blindswordsman]

Die lah!! Why they keep forming new opposition parties and non could win a seat in Parliament?

Waste of everybody's time lah!!

No two tigers in one hill. Every one seeks to be the boss. Surely TJS wants to form main oppo party in Parliament and put WP in his pocket.

 

[blindswordsman]

The WP has been too quiet in parliament-esp Chen Show Mao (given his legal background).
We elect them to speak out for us.

I will vote for a party that dares to voice out fiercely and aggressively the issues of foreign immigrants, CPF, cost of housing and education.
What has the WP said about these issues that will cause the PAP to squirm in their seats the way Francis Seow challenged LKY in the Law Society Debate.

Note:On 16 October 2007, Amnesty International issued a public statement that mentioned Seow as one of two prominent lawyers who had been penalized for exercising their right to express their opinions. Amnesty International named him a "prisoner of conscience

Did he speak but his speech was not reported? Years ago, Parliament session was televised but now, no sound, no picture.

 

[SadPlumpGal]

Nicole Seah and Tan Jee Say? Nicole already said she committed the biggest mistake.

She is now deeply in love with a much older man, working in Thailand and enjoying herself.

 

[Force 136]

Most of the kids over at EDMW are against TJS for spoiling the Presidential Elections resulting in the election of KFC - Minority President.

Perhaps he should take a lower profile and allow another to be Sec-Gen...

 

[Force 136]

Nicole had already broken up with her guy friend......

 

[Jah_rastafar_I]

So is Nicole Seah joining this new party too? What about TJS's ex team mates like Michelle Lee and Vincent?

If only nicole could join. Just be a girl and suddenly the party is more popular.

 

[phouse3]

Most of the kids over at EDMW are against TJS for spoiling the Presidential Elections resulting in the election of KFC - Minority President.

Perhaps he should take a lower profile and allow another to be Sec-Gen...

Png Eng Huat, Seah Choon Wee, Yap Eng Kian, Alex, etc. supported TKL because he was seen closer as an Opposition guy. The purpose was to split TJS' votes.

Then TKL look weak, so WP shifted to TCB. Seah ran to Thailand for holiday.

Those fellows jeering Tony Tan included TCB and TKL supporters.

 

[tanwahp]

One of the challenges that many potential and capable candidates who have a relatively polished background and experience in a world outside politics is that parties like WP, SDP and even NSP either do not welcome them in readily or their history and makeup do not appeal to them.

This is where TJS and his party will appeal to them. TJS needs people quickly and they are not expected to to jump thru hoops to qualify. This would certainly be the case with WP where candidate selection is the toughest.

Quite a few angles on this issue alone.

One, a party bothers to have a tough candidate selection because it wants to give Singaporeans their best. This should be applauded. Any party that does not do this is not serious. We can question the result - for example the PAP's tough candidate selection churns out moneymongers because of the values of the party. But having a selection process is good. A party can only field 87 candidates. There are probably 100,000 people in Singapore with "polished background" of which 500 are interested in politics. The next criteria would be their character, especially if you can be a team player. Moreover, you should not select 87 of "polished background" or you would become elitist. Which means at most 50 seats for these types and 37 from the rank and file (ITE grads, common engineers etc.)

Two, a strict candidate selection is not an impassable candidate selection. Very few who are really good will be turned down by the candidate scarce opposition. CSM, Daniel Goh and Leon Perera have made the mark. Leon joined when it already has 7 MPs and a bundle of potential candidates but he did not seem to have a problem being identified. No one knows what TJS issue with WP is but there are people saying he is self centred; I am hazarding a guess that could be the answer.

Three, candidacy is not the only way someone with "polished background" can contribute. WP has a retired colonel, a female lawyer from a top firm and several other university graduates of different trades who have never run for an election. Lee Lilian did not join WP for candidacy, intending to do grassroots work all her life but was identified as candidate and we know she became a MP and failed N Levels.

The new party has less than 2 years to prove itself and I wish them the best. People said the same of RP in 2008 and we knew what happened in the end. Filling the gaps is not the only way a party should exist for. Although TJS is not KJ, they are not easy to work with. Nicole Seah can attest. KJ by being the top of the list merely hastened the process of a self-destruction.

 

[scroobal]

No issues with a tough candidate selection process. It provides for good structure and party discipline. It also prevent charlatans with a sweet tongue doing damage in the long run.

Like all good things there are also drawbacks. One distinct disadvantage is that known achievers will still have to go thru the hard yards. One of the reasons achievers leave the civil service despite its sky high salary is that they cannot wait for the bureaucratic wheel to turn to make a material difference.

Singapore cannot depend for WP alone to address the PAP. Others can contribute as well in their own way and by different means.

Quite a few angles on this issue alone.

One, a party bothers to have a tough candidate selection because it wants to give Singaporeans their best. This should be applauded. Any party that does not do this is not serious. We can question the result - for example the PAP's tough candidate selection churns out moneymongers because of the values of the party. But having a selection process is good. A party can only field 87 candidates. There are probably 100,000 people in Singapore with "polished background" of which 500 are interested in politics. The next criteria would be their character, especially if you can be a team player. Moreover, you should not select 87 of "polished background" or you would become elitist. Which means at most 50 seats for these types and 37 from the rank and file (ITE grads, common engineers etc.)

Two, a strict candidate selection is not an impassable candidate selection. Very few who are really good will be turned down by the candidate scarce opposition. CSM, Daniel Goh and Leon Perera have made the mark. Leon joined when it already has 7 MPs and a bundle of potential candidates but he did not seem to have a problem being identified. No one knows what TJS issue with WP is but there are people saying he is self centred; I am hazarding a guess that could be the answer.

Three, candidacy is not the only way someone with "polished background" can contribute. WP has a retired colonel, a female lawyer from a top firm and several other university graduates of different trades who have never run for an election. Lee Lilian did not join WP for candidacy, intending to do grassroots work all her life but was identified as candidate and we know she became a MP and failed N Levels.

The new party has less than 2 years to prove itself and I wish them the best. People said the same of RP in 2008 and we knew what happened in the end. Filling the gaps is not the only way a party should exist for. Although TJS is not KJ, they are not easy to work with. Nicole Seah can attest. KJ by being the top of the list merely hastened the process of a self-destruction.

 

[steffychun]

We might have heard from the grapevine for some time, but here's the official news from Zaobao.

http://www.zaobao.com.sg/realtime/singapore/story20140523-346429

Sorry it's in Chinese and I'm not too good with translations.

Good luck! Even the SDP would beat him.

 

[Clone]

Let the bashing begin! Oh wait...

 

[rusty]

Sigh..after decades of tyrannic rules...there are still desires for quality candidates.
A decision should have been contrived by now to oust PAP regardless of qualification.
I have made up mind many elections ago but always thwarted by those severely indoctrinated.
Come on...its only for 5 years not decades...its the change we need not the candidate.

 

[Debonerman]

No issues with a tough candidate selection process. It provides for good structure and party discipline. It also prevent charlatans with a sweet tongue doing damage in the long run.

Like all good things there are also drawbacks. One distinct disadvantage is that known achievers will still have to go thru the hard yards. One of the reasons achievers leave the civil service despite its sky high salary is that they cannot wait for the bureaucratic wheel to turn to make a material difference.

Singapore cannot depend for WP alone to address the PAP. Others can contribute as well in their own way and by different means.

People with the will, means and integrity should show hand now....It's only two more years. Don't be like the NSP who shows up in the Tampines only after the announcement of a new GE.

 

[scroobal]

Very hard as we were all raised to respect the govt, do not argue etc. The fear factor and invasion of privacy is also an issue. You know that SPH will fuck your life up. Look what they did to Nicole Seah.

Its only when the election is close to fever pitch that they will step forward.

People with the will, means and integrity should show hand now....It's only two more years. Don't be like the NSP who shows up in the Tampines only after the announcement of a new GE.

 

[kukubird58]

Very hard as we were all raised to respect the govt, do not argue etc. The fear factor and invasion of privacy is also an issue. You know that SPH will fuck your life up. Look what they did to Nicole Seah.

Its only when the election is close to fever pitch that they will step forward.

hahaha...don't talk cocck and wayang and try to score brownie points lah.....
in your mind you already concluded that WP will not form the govt for a long while....
meaning papee will still be in power for a long while....
don't you ever remember what you posted just days ago?????

 

[steffychun]

If he's planning to take on a GRC, who are his Malay and Indian counterparts?

 

[tanwahp]

One distinct disadvantage is that known achievers will still have to go thru the hard yards. One of the reasons achievers leave the civil service despite its sky high salary is that they cannot wait for the bureaucratic wheel to turn to make a material difference.

Of course there are trade offs in anything. The alternative is a lacking party that guarantees you absolute candidacy but you have to put in even more hard work and that just to keep your deposit. I am not sure if that is any less of a "hard yard"; the reverse might be more true.

Singapore cannot depend for WP alone to address the PAP.

Agree and it's good if there was another party right now with WP's strength. Not only will we have an opposition back-up, the likelihood that WP and this party can work out a united front is higher.