- Joined
- Jul 24, 2008
- Messages
- 33,627
- Points
- 0
They got so much side biz meh? Chor Boh Lan also must know limit mah! 
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgF noWrap align=right width="1%">From: </TD><TD class=msgFname noWrap width="68%">Otak Stall is #1 (whampoard) <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate noWrap align=right width="30%">Aug-27 9:40 pm </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT noWrap align=right width="1%" height=20>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname noWrap width="68%">insurance01 <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (5 of 49) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft width="1%" rowSpan=4> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>636.5 in reply to 636.3 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>Think it should be:
for:
5 NMPs
against:
1. 3 opposition (Sylvia Lim & Low Thia Khiang) + Chiam who I believe will vote with them 'cos he also doesn't believe in this GRC
2. 4 other NMPs swung by PAP
3. 55 other PAPs members
26 PAPs sleeping at home
1 (Ong Chit Chong) passed away
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>636.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/Prime%2BNews/Story/STIStory_272604.html
<!-- headline one : start -->House votes no change to by-election law
Motion vetoed 62 votes to 5 for giving unfair power to some MPs
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR></TR><TR></TR><TR><TD><!-- headline one : end --></TD></TR><TR></TR><TR><TD><!-- Author --></TD></TR><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Lydia Lim, Senior Political Correspondent
</TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- show image if available --></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->PARLIAMENT yesterday decided against changing the law on by-elections. The House voted down a motion filed by Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) Thio Li-ann calling on the Government to affirm the principle of representative democracy.
It urged new laws to require a by-election should the minority member, or half or more members of a GRC slate vacate their seats mid-term.
Ten MPs joined in the four-hour debate, which saw Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong set out the Government's stand for the first time since the death of Jurong GRC MP Ong Chit Chung last month sparked debate on the issue.
As it stands, the Parliamentary Elections Act requires a by-election in a GRC only when all its members vacate their posts. It sets no deadline for such polls.
Yesterday, PM Lee explained why.
After Singapore became independent in 1965, the Government opted for an electoral system focused on political parties, not individual candidates.
MPs here cannot switch parties and still keep their seats. Neither can they resign to force by-elections at will, as their counterparts in Britain, India and Malaysia do.
That system has served Singapore well by ensuring stability, and a strong, effective Government, as it gives whichever party wins a timeframe of five years in which to deliver, Mr Lee said.
In this system, if a parliamentary seat falls vacant mid-term, the party steps in to take care of affected constituents.
'The Prime Minister has the full discretion when to call a by-election because the vacancy does not affect the mandate of the Government, nor its ability to deliver on its programmes and promises,' he said.
Even though the law does not require a by-election in Jurong GRC, Mr Lee said he was mindful that 'Jurong is one MP short'.
'If I decide to call a by-election during this Parliament, Jurong is certainly one possibility I will consider,' he said.
Two MPs from the ruling People's Action Party objected to the proposal that the departure of a GRC minority candidate should automatically trigger a by-election.
Mr Hri Kumar Nair (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC) and Madam Halimah Yacob (Jurong GRC) said such a change would vest the minority member with extraordinary veto power.
MPs from the Workers' Party, Ms Sylvia Lim and Mr Low Thia Khiang (Hougang), also registered their opposition to the motion. It sought to entrench GRCs, a system which their party had never accepted, they said.
Ms Lim suggested the motion be amended to call for the abolition of GRCs. But that change was deemed irrelevant and disallowed by the Speaker of Parliament Abdullah Tarmugi.
The House eventually voted against Dr Thio's motion by 62 votes to five. Her fellow NMPs Loo Choon Yong, Eunice Olsen, Siew Kum Hong and Kalyani Mehta proved her staunchest supporters.
Prof Thio stood her ground but thanked the Prime Minister for his 'serious rather than summary' response to her arguments.
[email protected]
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgF noWrap align=right width="1%">From: </TD><TD class=msgFname noWrap width="68%">Otak Stall is #1 (whampoard) <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate noWrap align=right width="30%">Aug-27 9:40 pm </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT noWrap align=right width="1%" height=20>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname noWrap width="68%">insurance01 <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (5 of 49) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft width="1%" rowSpan=4> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>636.5 in reply to 636.3 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>Think it should be:
for:
5 NMPs
against:
1. 3 opposition (Sylvia Lim & Low Thia Khiang) + Chiam who I believe will vote with them 'cos he also doesn't believe in this GRC
2. 4 other NMPs swung by PAP
3. 55 other PAPs members
26 PAPs sleeping at home
1 (Ong Chit Chong) passed away
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>636.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/Prime%2BNews/Story/STIStory_272604.html
<!-- headline one : start -->House votes no change to by-election law
Motion vetoed 62 votes to 5 for giving unfair power to some MPs
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR></TR><TR></TR><TR><TD><!-- headline one : end --></TD></TR><TR></TR><TR><TD><!-- Author --></TD></TR><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Lydia Lim, Senior Political Correspondent
</TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- show image if available --></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->PARLIAMENT yesterday decided against changing the law on by-elections. The House voted down a motion filed by Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) Thio Li-ann calling on the Government to affirm the principle of representative democracy.
It urged new laws to require a by-election should the minority member, or half or more members of a GRC slate vacate their seats mid-term.
Ten MPs joined in the four-hour debate, which saw Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong set out the Government's stand for the first time since the death of Jurong GRC MP Ong Chit Chung last month sparked debate on the issue.
As it stands, the Parliamentary Elections Act requires a by-election in a GRC only when all its members vacate their posts. It sets no deadline for such polls.
Yesterday, PM Lee explained why.
After Singapore became independent in 1965, the Government opted for an electoral system focused on political parties, not individual candidates.
MPs here cannot switch parties and still keep their seats. Neither can they resign to force by-elections at will, as their counterparts in Britain, India and Malaysia do.
That system has served Singapore well by ensuring stability, and a strong, effective Government, as it gives whichever party wins a timeframe of five years in which to deliver, Mr Lee said.
In this system, if a parliamentary seat falls vacant mid-term, the party steps in to take care of affected constituents.
'The Prime Minister has the full discretion when to call a by-election because the vacancy does not affect the mandate of the Government, nor its ability to deliver on its programmes and promises,' he said.
Even though the law does not require a by-election in Jurong GRC, Mr Lee said he was mindful that 'Jurong is one MP short'.
'If I decide to call a by-election during this Parliament, Jurong is certainly one possibility I will consider,' he said.
Two MPs from the ruling People's Action Party objected to the proposal that the departure of a GRC minority candidate should automatically trigger a by-election.
Mr Hri Kumar Nair (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC) and Madam Halimah Yacob (Jurong GRC) said such a change would vest the minority member with extraordinary veto power.
MPs from the Workers' Party, Ms Sylvia Lim and Mr Low Thia Khiang (Hougang), also registered their opposition to the motion. It sought to entrench GRCs, a system which their party had never accepted, they said.
Ms Lim suggested the motion be amended to call for the abolition of GRCs. But that change was deemed irrelevant and disallowed by the Speaker of Parliament Abdullah Tarmugi.
The House eventually voted against Dr Thio's motion by 62 votes to five. Her fellow NMPs Loo Choon Yong, Eunice Olsen, Siew Kum Hong and Kalyani Mehta proved her staunchest supporters.
Prof Thio stood her ground but thanked the Prime Minister for his 'serious rather than summary' response to her arguments.
[email protected]
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>