A kind Rethinking

Early days of Parliamentary hearing. True that the people are asking for change. 

People have been asking for a change - guess when that change has some affect on the ballot box.  

Bukit Batok By-Election: Part time or Full Time MP

Image from The Online Citizen: http://www.theonlinecitizen.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/fulltimeMP-682x336.jpg

Dr Chee pledges to be a full time MP if he is elected while Mr Murali if elected pledges to be a part-time MP.

Dr Chee answers in this video raised some questions about the work of an MP and how part-time MP is not enough time to engage with the people.

Should MPs be working full time or part time?

For the full transcript check out The Online Citizen site. http://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2016/05/dr-chee-soon-juanmeet-the-people-session-one-time-a-week-is-not-enough/ 

Bukit Batok by-election: Full Time / Part Time MP?

Image from The Online Citizen: http://www.theonlinecitizen.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/fulltimeMP-682x336.jpg

Dr Chee pledges to be a full time MP if he is elected while Mr Murali if elected pledges to be a part-time MP. Dr Chee answers in this video raised some questions about the work of an MP and how part-time MP is not enough time to engage with the people. Should MPs be working full time or part time?

See this post from The Online Citizen for the full transcript:
http://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2016/05/dr-chee-soon-juanmeet-the-people-session-one-time-a-week-is-not-enough/

I archive the following. Originally posted on 23/8/2015 on FB as a link with a comment.

"Heng ah. He remind us not to put the wrong people."

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/mobile/singapore/minister-heng-warns/2067526.html

Minister Heng warns against putting wrong people in charge of future

TODAY reports: Education Minister Heng Swee Keat noted that if the “wrong people” are in charge and flip-flop on policies, an entire generation could be set back.

• By Ng Jing Yng, TODAY
• Posted 22 Aug 2015 15:04
• 
  

SINGAPORE: Having celebrated its big five-O with a bang less than two weeks ago, the Republic is at a critical point where decisions taken will have huge repercussions for its future, said Education Minister Heng Swee Keat.

In an interview with TODAY earlier this week, Mr Heng, who headed the steering committee to guide and coordinate the SG50 celebrations, reflected on Singapore’s transformation and expressed excitement about the nation’s future.

However, he cautioned: “I am also anxious that if we make the wrong decisions, what we … have been fortunate to inherit could be squandered very quickly.”

Elaborating, Mr Heng noted that if the “wrong people” are in charge and flip-flop on policies, an entire generation could be set back. “We are poised at a point ... to make the right decision ... to build on this legacy and try to reach the next peak, (or) we may take the wrong turn and land in a different place,” he said, urging Singaporeans to contemplate what they want the nation’s future to be.

With the next General Election (GE) around the corner, Mr Heng reiterated that a post-mortem by the ruling People’s Action Party on GE 2011 - during which it received 60.1 per cent of the popular vote, the lowest since independence - concluded that most of the Government’s long-term policy decisions were in the right direction. He cited, as examples, the introduction of WorkFare in 2006 and the tightening of foreign-worker inflow, which started in 2010.

However, an area where it has to do more is the “communication of policy and in connecting with our people”, said the minister. To that end, public agencies have been trying to identify the beneficiaries of policies and simplify the benefits in its communication with them. The agencies also make it a point to repeat policy announcements to ensure Singaporeans are aware of new initiatives.

On whether the Government’s efforts in the past four years would pay off in the coming polls, Mr Heng stressed that voters should not be taken for granted and that the election is about Singapore’s future and electing people who can take the country forward.

On the kind of political discourse he hopes to see, Mr Heng cited integrity as being fundamental. “Integrity in terms of basic things like managing public funds, in how we can safeguard public interest, and also integrity in terms of intellectual honesty,” he said.

“I do expect that we should be intellectually honest and not say one thing on one occasion and something else on another, whenever it is convenient”.

Art Fazil: How To Answer To PAP?

Art Fazil's answer to PAP....

http://rilek1corner.com/2015/09/07/art-fazil-how-to-answer-to-pap/

An article published on http://rilek1corner.com/ by Singer/Musician Art Fazil that was published during the GE 2015 campaign period.

Rilek 1 corner is a web portal that features the latest news about Singapore's Malay community and Islam.

I archive below.

Art Fazil: How To Answer To PAP?

How To Answer Back:

The PAP are banging on the crucial Malay votes to help swing the election should the Chinese votes split at 50/50. They are targeting the older malay generation who are more inclined to vote for the PAP. Here are a few tips on how to answer back should your parents or grandparents give you the usual PAP spin :

1. When they tell you “we used to be backward, no modern facilites, kampong houses, jamban (toilet) no pump, etc. so without the PAP we won’t be like this now.”
You answer: Its the job of any elected government to make a country progress including providing housing, roads, water system, sewage system. Thats why we pay taxes like GST, Income tax etc. Singapore is not the only country on the planet that became modernised in the last 50 years.

2. When they tell you: “Look at the countries around Singapore and how much troubles they are in”.
You answer: If our neighbour has a fever and we have a toothache, as much as we empathise with the neighbour being sick with fever, we have our own toothache to deal with. Other people’s problems are theirs, not ours. And there is a Kaypoh Road in River Valley.

3. When they tell you: ”We must be thankful to the PAP because compared to the neighbouring countries, we are better off”.
You answer: Stop making comparisons like that. If really they need to compare, then compare Singapore by GDP i.e. against developed nations in Europe and compare our welfare, health and retirement policies. Its easy to compare against a less developed economy. That’s bullying. Its like a guy driving a fast car and laughing at the man on the trishaw. But try comparing Singapore to that of developed nations and we will see the shortcomings.

4. When they bring up THE Name of the Dead: Tell them that nobody asked LKY to join politics. He wanted to be the Prime Minister, ran for elections and he got the job. LKY did not work for free. He was paid a salary, like any other civil servant. The salary came from tax-payers money. And he also said untrue things about Malays/Muslims in his Hard Truth book. (The book hasn’t been re-edited inspite of the backlash from the Malay/Muslim community).

5. When they say: “If you don’t vote the PAP, they will know & you will be in trouble”.
You answer: The vote is secret. No one will know who voted for whom. And by the way, the whole country knows majority of residents in Aljunied, Hougang & Punggol East didn’t vote for the PAP. They are still alive and kicking.

6. When they tell you: “Look how many mosques the PAP has built.”
You answer: In Singapore there used to be more than 100 mosques built by the community (read ex-Mufti Isa Semait’s biography) which has been around for many years. Sadly such heritage sites are now gone. In place are MUIS-administered mosques with a 99 year lease. Also ask them about Waqaf land being taken away, sold for peanuts resold to developers for gazzilions of dollars.”

7. When they tell you only the PAP has Malay interest at heart.
You answer: Yaacob Ibrahim

GE2015: Final thoughts (1 of 4)

This series of blog posts by Sudhir as he reflected on the issues of GE 2015.

As I am still working on editing the GE 2015 reader. I thought I should put something here to continue working on that publication.

Looking at these materials again is actually quite interesting now that we know how the elections go. I still feel strongly that the debate must continue.

http://sudhirtv.com/2015/09/10/ge2015-final-thoughts-1-of-4/

[...]First, as Singapore prepares for its next phase of development, we simply do not have a sufficient diversity of ideas in the public realm. Our level of public debate and discourse is terrible. Our country is not having the conversations it so desperately needs.

Though our political complacency is partly to blame, I believe it is mostly the PAP’s fault. It does not genuinely want the opposition and observers like myself to contribute to any debate. [...]

Article on Dr Wong Souk Yee

An article from Today which I recorded here.This article features Dr Wong and more about her below. The headline "Former Poliical detainee" make me wonder what is this suppose to tell us.

While in Aljunied GRC contesting as a PAP candidate K. Muralidharan Pillai, he was the son a political detainee. His father was trade unionist, P.K. Pillai. 

Other sons of political detainees from the PAP included Sembawang GRC candidate, Ong Ye Kung and Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC incumbent Janil Puthucheary.
http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/lawyers-late-father-was-a-political-detainee

I wonder why being a son of ex political detainee would even be relevant right? If I ever get time to write more on this. For now, the article actually makes a point about "Robin Hood Economics" of Barisan Socialis. Is there any truth in this? Again that point suggests that 'opposition parties' will bankrupt Singapore financially.

Dr Wong Souk Yee. Photo: Ooi Boon Keong/TODAY

Former political detainee wants Government to be more transparent, accountable

BY

NEO CHAI CHIN

chaichin@mediacorp.com.sg

PUBLISHED: 9:57 PM, AUGUST 29, 2015

UPDATED: 9:58 PM, AUGUST 29, 2015

SINGAPORE — Dr Wong Souk Yee joined the Singapore Democratic Party back in 1995 but is only now standing in the General Election because she believes in the need for more opposition Members of Parliament.

“Even after the celebrated 2011 elections, we have only seven opposition MPs out of 87 seats. It is no wonder that we have a lopsided Parliament as laws are passed without any meaningful debate or challenge. It is no wonder that many people feel that Parliament is not a meaningful representation of our concerns and aspirations,” she wrote in her biography on the SDP’s website.

Dr Wong, who lives in Marsiling, said she will champion accountability and transparency if she is elected.

“Accountability means that the Government must explain their decisions and actions to the citizens,” she said. “It also means taking responsibility, for example, for the constant breakdown of our MRT trains. When problems at such a national level happen, the government must appoint an independent inquiry to find out what has gone wrong. And I stress the word, independent inquiry, not just people appointed by themselves to check on themselves.”

The Government must also be transparent by providing the public with the “right information” to make informed decisions. “Does the Singapore public know how much money we have in Temasek Holdings and in the GIC and how the funds are being used? Is there proper accounting?” she questioned.

Her academic expertise is in English literature and creative writing, but Dr Wong is also a fan of Hong Kong dramas and said she would be able to communicate with residents in Mandarin and Cantonese. An animal lover, she dubbed her six cats and dog her “seven children”.

Wong Souk Yee, 56

Adjunct Lecturer at the Centre for English Language Communication, National University of Singapore

Fact file:

Has a PhD in Creative Writing and Literature from the University of New South Wales; also has Bachelor of Accountancy from the then-University of Singapore.

Was a political detainee for 15 months in the 1980s and has written a play about detention without trial

Single, has six cats and a dog

She said:

“I am standing in this General Election because we just need more opposition MPs in Parliament. People’s Action Party (PAP) MPs cannot and do not check on the actions of their own party. How many PAP MPs have the courage to vote against their party when a Bill is proposed in Parliament?

Dérive electronically once more, please.

You might have noticed this change on your FB feeds sometime ago. You see some of your friend's FB statuses and not all of them. As you would probably guess, Facebook has personalised your feeds. Facebook algorithm will choose what you see based on how you interact with your friends. I think that is a really big problem and the only way to see different people appear on your feed is to intentionally interact with them. So much trouble right?

What does that mean to the internet? What does that mean to us?

Then I was looking up the internet and I found Eli Pariser who, according to Wikipedia, is a left-wing political and internet activist. He is also Chief Executive of Upworthy (https://www.upworthy.com/), the board president of MoveOn.org and a co-founder of Avaaz.org.

Here is a video of his talk on TED. He called this phenomenon "filter bubble".

He even wrote a book.

The Filter Bubble: What the Internet Is Hiding from You which you can buy on amazon. He has been thinking about this problem for a while (the book and the video were published in 2011).

Pariser points out that many web services are doing this. Facebook and Google are some prime examples. We experience this every day when we use search engines, social media sites etc.

Pariser points out that for us to grow intellectually, it is equally important for us to interact with those that disagree with us and those that agree with us. With information 'invisibly' personalised and delivered to us. Are we too happy with the junk food / candy that Facebook and Google have given to us that we no longer wish for the carrots? In that sense, have we lost sight of what the internet was meant to be?

I want to bring up the concept of dérive (drift) which was a technique for understanding and developing the theory of psychogeography. It was developed by the Letterist International (1940s) and subsequently adopted by the Situationist International (1950s). In performing a dérive, one must clear their minds of their intentions or motives and allow oneself to be drawn by the attractions of the terrain and encounters. 

For the Situationists, dérive are essential to counter the increasingly predictable and monotonous experience of everyday life in advanced capitalism. In that sense, the dérive is meant to disrupt our usual paths and brings us a new awareness of our city. When I was an art student, I was pretty blown away by the Situationists International and their antics. I am not sure if it resonates as much now, but dérive is still relevant and can be good way to rethink Singapore or any city. 

I often get lost on the web. Moving from video to video, page to page - feeding my curious mind. In some ways, I would like to think of it as some kind of electronic dérive on the internet super highway. With the Filter bubble, we do need to think if we are really 'drifting' as freely as we think we are. Or are we made to think that way and in actual fact, we are really not growing intellectually. 

Before we continue, I need to point out that there are also some people out there who disagreed that the filter bubble exists (or is negligible) [read here & here].

For something closer to home, law academic, Eugene Tan pointed out that the internet and social media will not be a game-changer in the elections because of 'echo chamber effect'. He observed that social media only attract those who share the same sort of views [1 , 2].

If Tan is right about the 'echo chamber effect' of social media, then Pariser is right in arguing that this filter bubble will ultimately be bad for us and bad for democracy. In that sense, I am disappointed at how social media have developed. I think the developers have lost the plot.

This struggle for the freedom to surf what you don't yet know has something to do with the politics of big data [3]. It is important for more people to discuss this and try to understand how that can change our lives. 

How was your social media experience during the General Elections 2015? Was your feed filled with others who supported your political views?

The Rainbow at the End of GE

Political participation is a term used to describe different ways an individual attempts to engage and influence his or her leaders. Elections are often seen as the essence of democracy and voting a key element of citizen participation. The General Elections (GE) is a time when political participation gets amplified.

Prior to Nomination Day, the Elections Department (ELD) received 220 applications for the Political Donation Certificate. This time, the applicants included a group of five people, who called themselves “concerned citizens”, who were prepared to contest as independent candidates. One of them, Ms Fatimah Akhtar, 46, said of their gesture: "We are sending out a message to all political parties that whatever it is, you should be sending candidates who are qualified and capable. Some of the candidates fielded inspired me to run, because with their background, my potted plant can be an MP." [1]

During this campaign period, a viral YouTube video titled “Why Vote For Desmond Lim?: SDA Punggol East By-Elections Online Rally”, made by a user called "MADE IN SINGAPORE", deliberately subtitled the video in a way to make fun of the election candidate Desmond Lim’s English pronunciations. Although the video was from an old campaign, this video was circulated and picked up mostly negative comments on his ability to be a politician. [2]

Both these cases suggest that some members of the public feel strongly that only the 'qualified and capable' have a right to speak and be heard in parliament. Something seems wrong that a human can be reduced to being as good as a ‘potted plant’.

Like the other opposition parties, the Manifesto of Desmond Lim’s the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) also covers key issues like The Population White Paper, Central Provident Fund (CPF) & Retirement, the Costs of housing & healthcare, and more. The SDA has also raised some brilliant initiatives, like priority for jobs at its town council, a “befriender programme” as a form of outreach for residents to look out for one another and regular town hall meetings. [3]

However, the YouTube video distracted the public from the real message that SDA wants to convey in this GE. It seems that only those with high academic qualifications, a distinguished job, and can speak well are suitable to represent for the people in parliament. This may come across as elections humour but it also shows that part of the electorate is maintaining People’s Action Party (PAP)’s status quo for parliament participation where only the 'qualified and capable' are allowed to have a voice in parliament. With this framework, it would be more challenging for the ‘common Singaporean’ to be an MP and that limits the spectrum of political participation available to the ‘common Singaporean’.

Kevryn Lim from the National Solidarity Party (NSP) wants to be elected as she wants to represent single-parents in Singapore because she is one herself. [4] In the rally speech at Macpherson on the 7th September 2015, she, Lim Tean and Cheo Chai Chen from NSP, all raised the issues faced by single-parent families. They argued that single-parent families should receive the same benefits as other families. Currently, single-parent families are not allowed to buy Built-To-Order (BTO) flats and not entitled to full maternity leave and baby bonus. Lim said, “I understand what they are going through. Let's fight for equal rights, let's not leave anybody behind.”

Lim’s entry as an election candidate has not been smooth. Some members of the public questioned NSP’s decision to field her as a candidate because her previous job as a part-time model. They are concerned that fielding her as a candidate will ruin the opposition’s reputation. [5]

However, it is important to point out that NSP’s support and Lim’s personal voice as a single mother have done more for single-parent families during this GE than the PAP has done over their 50 years in government. From this, one can see how cumbersome and slow the machinery of change is with the PAP.

The elections is only one way of political participation. It might seem like an effective strategy to be heard but the larger issue here is if our society has space for diversity in our political participation. I need to point out that this space is not limited to space in parliament but the space of the everyday. There are people whose voices have been ‘excluded’ from political participation in parliament and the everyday.

These three incidents of the ‘potted plants’, Desmond Lim’s video and Kevryn Lim’s participation in the GE show that some members of the public, knowingly or unknowingly, continue to silence the ‘excluded’. This is the real political struggle: The struggle of the 'excluded' to speak for themselves, and to get their voices legitimised and heard. We need to think of how we can re-configure not only our parliament but even more importantly, our everyday.

Tharman Shanmugaratnam used the metaphor of the rainbow that appeared after the heavy rain on the day of Lee Kuan Yew’s funeral. He said, “That rainbow is all of us who are here today. All of us are Singaporeans - we are rainbow. Different races, Malay, Chinese, Indian, Eurasian, pioneers, young children, we are all the rainbow.” [6]

It is said that this particular rainbow did not appear on that day but diversity does exist in Singapore. [7]

Just as a rainbow is also a sign of hope, elections offer hope and present an opportunity for a better future. As polling day approaches, I ask myself, “What kind of rainbow do I want to see at the end of this GE?”

The rainbow I want to see is greater political participation that reflects the diversity of Singapore. This can be achieved in our everyday when we create and maintain an inclusive space for everyone to speak and be heard. In parliament, political participation can also be furthered with more political parties representing the diversity in Singapore. Only then, will there be real change and a better future for everyone.

I don't know who you are but thank you

As we were leaving the Singfirst Rally at Queenstown Stadium, we noticed an elderly couple holding hands and standing at the carpark.

At first I thought they were waiting for someone to pick them up. Then I realised that they were not waiting still but moving extremely slowly.

I approached them and asked if they were alright. I found out that the husband has Parkinson's disease and have trouble walking. They are thinking of taking a taxi even though they live a few blocks away. At this time, a mother and daughter passed by and offered them a ride after knowing about this elderly couple's problem.

So while waiting for their ride, I spoke to them.

I found out that both of them are working as hawkers at a nearby hawker centre. Despite the husband's condition, he really wanted to come and listen to the rally. I asked if they have Internet and computer at home, the wife said no. She said that he attended many rallies during GE2011 and he wanted to do so this time too. I asked if he is on medication and she replied yes but the medicine is quite expensive. She also felt that the PAP was good in the past but life is not good now. The government has no heart now. 

Their ride arrived. I bade them farewell and the kind-hearted driver sent them back. 

Many people are moved by the presence of Chiam See Tong when he appears at rallies to render support to the other candidates. Chiam is an icon of the opposition and his presence inspires the people and reminds them of the struggle. Seeing this sweet couple clutching each other's hands and seeing that grin on the husband's face as they walk home. Tonight their courage and determination have moved me.

I did not manage to ask them for their names but I want to thank both of them for reminding me that elections are important because they give us hope and a real opportunity for us to vote for change. 

Ang Mo Kio PAP MP Yeo Guat Kwang holds 64 jobs | Singapore Election Watch

MP Yeo Guat Kwang well he used to be AMK GRC with Lee Hsien Loong. Now posted to contest in ALJunied GRC.

Many people speculated the reason to be so he will not 'drag' down PM's GRC. Also the fact that no heavy weight PAP ministers were sent to contest in Aljunied kind of make it look and feel more this way.

Yes, he is the guy with 64 jobs. Sure or not.... he work damn hard.

From: http://singaporeelection.blogspot.sg/2011/07/ang-mo-kio-pap-mp-yeo-guat-kwang-holds.html

Ang Mo Kio PAP MP Yeo Guat Kwang holds 64 jobs

MP Yeo Guat Kwang who is a team mate of PM Lee in Ang Mo Kio GRC.

Other being a PAP MP, he has an amazing 64 other positions !!!

1. Member, Government Parliamentary Committee on Manpower
2. Member, Government Parliamentary Committee on Community Development, Youth & Sports
3. Member, GPC for Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts
4. Vice Chairman, Aljunied Town Council
5. Alignment Director, NTUC Quality Worklife & All Nationalities
6. Acting Advisor to Taxi Operators’ Association
7. President of Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE)
8. Vice-Chairman, North East Community Development Council
9. Member, Board of Directors of PUB Board
10. Advisor to the Singapore Table Tennis Association
11. Advisor to the Singapore WeiQi Association
12. Advisor to the Ren Ci Hospital
13. Advisor to the Bright Vision Hospital
14. Advisor to Artistes & Performers’ Association
15. Advisor to Restaurants Association of Singapore
16. Executive Secretary, Singapore Chinese Teachers’ Unions
17. Director, Financial Industry Disputes Resolution Centre (FIDReC)
18. Advisor, Federation of Merchants’ Associations, Singapore
19. Executive Secretary, Amalgamated Union of Statutory Board Employees
20. Member, Workplace Health and Safety Council
21. Co-Chairman, National Tripartite Committee on Workplace Health
22. Co-Chairman, Customer Centric Initiatives
23. Co-Chairman, NTUC-SNEF Migrant Workers’ Forum
24. Member, Aids Business Alliance
25. Member, Mental Health Alliance
26. Member, Centre for Service Excellence and Leadership Governing Council
27. Member, SPRING Standards Council
28. 28) Patron to Pets Enterprises & Traders Association (PETAS)
29. PAP Community Foundation HQ Executive Committee
30. Member, Committee to Promote Chinese Language Learning (CPCLL)
31. Member, Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA)
32. Member, AVA Human Resource Committee
33. Member, WSH Council Finance Committee
34. Member, Tripartite Committee on Employability of Older Workers
35. Member, Tripartite Committee on Portable Medical Benefits
36. Member, Tripartite Committee on Flexible Work Arrangement
37. Member, Quality Service Advisory Council
38. Member, Institute for Service Excellence @ SMU (ISES) Governing Council
39. Member, Motor Industry Disputes Resolution Centre Pte Ltd Board of Governors
40. Member, Retail Price Watch Group
41. Member,Tobacco Licensing Consultative Panel
42. Member, Ngee Ann Kongsi Council
43. Advisor, Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore Staff Union (IRASSU)
44. Advisor & Trustee, NatSteel Employees Union (NEU)
45. Business Advisor, NTUC LearningHub Pte Ltd
46. Advisor, Yeo Clan General Association
47. Advisor, Singapore Taoist Federation
48. Advisor, Fo Guang Shan (Singapore)
49. Advisor, Mun San @#$% Tuck Chee
50. Advisor, Society of Sheng Hong Welfare Services
51. Advisor, Sian Chay Medical Institution
52. Advisor, Society of Tourist Guides (Singapore)
53. Advisor, Singapore Furniture Association
54. Advisor, Eggs’ Import/Export Trading Association (Singapore)
55. Advisor, Federation of Merchants’ Singapore
56. Advisor, JCI Senators Club of Singapore
57. Advisory Board Member, Singapore-China Association for Advancement of Science & Technolo----
58. Patron. Buddist Fellowship
59. Independent Director, Grandwork Interior Pte Ltd
60. Independent Director, Japan Foods Holding Ltd
61. Independent Director, Koyo International Ltd
62. Independent Director, United Envirotech Ltd
63. Independent Director, Asia Water Technolo---- Ltd
64. Independent Director, HLH Group Ltd

Somehow the word EXCESSIVE seems grossly inadequate to describe what Mr Yeo is doing. Given that he is PM Lee’s team mate in Ang Mo Kio GRC, I would assume PM Lee knows about this and approves of Mr Yeo’s 64 other jobs. I would also assume that having 64 other jobs is consistent with the “Rules of Prudence” issued by PM Lee.

Yeo then replies on the website: 

MP Yeo Guat Kwang replies 
May 31st, 2011 

Mr Yeo Guat Kwang

Dear Editor,

I read with interest the article “Yeo Guat Kwang – PAP MP with 64 other jobs” published on your website.

I would like to clarify the points made in this article, which I feel do not fairly reflect my current duties as a Member of Parliament and have been taken out of context.

I have three main duties; As the Director for Quality Work-life and All Nationalities at NTUC which champions Workplace Health and Workers’ Safety and Fair Treatment for all workers including migrant workers, as a Member of Parliament for Ang Mo Kio GRC; and an honorary duty as the Elected President for Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE).

My other affiliations listed on both the Parliament website and your article are memberships and advisory roles. I wish to clarify that apart from my job as NTUC director and as Independent Director to the few companies stated. I do not receive remuneration for these other roles.

I see these roles as affiliations which help me to improve my understanding of the ground, in the context of my duties as either an MP, CASE President or NTUC Director. These are platforms that help me to reach out to and serve people from all walks of lives.

For instance, it is part of my MP duties to sit on two GPCs; As a labour MP, I am supposed to play an advisory role to several unions, and this in turn give me opportunities to be with the workers at the ground. Same as these, as part of my duties as CASE president, I was invited to advisory position of the respective trade associations. I undertake these duties pro-bono.

I also participate actively in what may seem like many committee memberships. These may be standing or ad-hoc committees that were convened for specific purposes. Some of these committees have since adjourned because the project is completed.

For my advisory positions in VWOs, I was invited to sit on their board in my personal capacity and I undertake these meaningful roles on a pro bono basis too. In this capacity, I have helped these VWOs raise funds and grow. I see this as an important way for me to further strengthen my role in serving the community and Singaporean.

I wish to emphasise that the many roles listed in the article should not be taken out of context. They represent my affiliations and networks and are episodic in nature. I am fully committed to my duties as an MP, as a union leader and as a consumer advocate. I believe that these affiliations and networks should be seen as my attempts to connect with the many good people and organisations that have and are doing their part to better the lives of Singaporeans. I think of it as a large network of family and friends, with whom I have connections with and with whom we share mutual resources, advice and support.

I thank you for publishing this response on your website as a sign of good faith. I would like to invite the Temasek Review editors, writers and readers to join me at my Meet the People Session or social events to see for themselves the work I and my team do on the ground.

Yours Sincerely,

Yeo Guat Kwang

National Day Rally 2015

So you heard the National Day Rally last night. So you also heard rumours of the President will also call for elections today.

I see some comments floating around on FB about the Pm's rally speech. Here is a chance to engage in more discussion through the government website, Reach.

https://www.reach.gov.sg/participate/national-day-rally

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will deliver his National Day Rally (NDR) speech on 23 August 2015. How will this year’s NDR impact you and your family? Watch this page for the latest NDR updates and join the discussion!

Helping lower and middle income families. I think they are asking for an open discussion on reach website. Please speak ur mind.

Debate .. anyway, just went there... not many comments at all.

Well, there are different topics to Discuss there:

Housing - Higher Income Ceilings & Housing Grants 

Singapore - 50 Years from Now

Maintaining a Strong Community Spirit

Encouraging Singaporeans to have More Babies

From Third World to First as One United People

Re-employment Age to be Raised from 65 to 67

Proximity Housing Grant Introduced

Fresh Start Housing Scheme Introduced

Seek Life Long Learning to Develop Full Potential

Help for Malay Community in Education and Housing

Keeping Cost of Living Affordable

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singaporescene/1-000-month-salary-really-afford-buy-hdb-065834523.html

Can $1,000-a-month salary really buy you a HDB flat?

By Yahoo! Singapore | SingaporeScene – Sat, Mar 3, 2012

Minister of State for Manpower and National Development Tan Chuan-Jin on Friday evening took to Facebook to clarify the comment made by Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam in Parliament on Thursday.

In a Facebook note titled "Earn $1,000 a month and you want to buy a flat?!", Tan intended to clarify and break down the process that permits a household that earns a combined monthly income of $1,000 to purchase a two-room Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat.

Taking the example of a two-room Build-to-Order (BTO) flat in Fernvale Lea in Sengkang, that was offered in January this year, Tan took its selling price of $100,000, from a price range of between $83,000 and $112,000.

He said first-time applicants who earn $1,000 in combined monthly income qualify for the Additional CPF Housing Grant of up to $40,000, as well as the Special CPF Housing Grant of up to $20,000, which can be used for the down payment for the flat purchase. This will amount to offsetting $60,000 from the selling price.

With a loan from HDB for the remaining $40,000, Tan demonstrated the repayment as follows:

• Taking a 30-year loan: $161 per month
• Taking a 25-year loan: $182 per month
• Taking a 20-year loan: $214 per month

He pointed out that for an income earner with a $1,000 monthly salary, he has $217 contributed monthly to his CPF Ordinary Account, which means that his monthly cash outlay will be $0.

"This support for families enable them to move from rental to owning their own homes," said Tan, who added that rentals for families with total monthly incomes of $1,000 come up to between $90 and $123 for a one-room, and between $123 and $165 monthly for a two-room flat.

Beyond that, Tan wrote that 4,300 two-room BTO flats that have been reserved for families that earn less than $2,000 per month were built since 2006, with more to come this year. He described the situation as "manageable", adding that the Ministry of National Development (MND) is increasing its building of rental flats, so that by this year there will be about 50,000 of them, cutting down waiting time for a rental flat from 21 to eight months.

New electoral boundaries announced: 13 SMCs, 16 GRCs, one in six voters will see shift

Well, it is a surprised to receive news today about the new electoral boundaries today. Below is a very long report. For the record (not sure if I have a chance to analyse this article below).

Elections is a time that politicians present their ideals and vision of Singapore to its people. It is also another opportunity for those that are excluded to establish their identity and getting their voice legitimised and heard.

People get angry at this Gerrymandering (giving the incumbent that political advantage) because we like fairness. That's my interpretation. We want to see clean and fair politics - not waste time thinking only about running housing estates.

Why change electoral boundaries? Are the PAP afraid that the ground is not sweet enough? No Lah, Because the incumbent can and has every intention of staying in power.



From http://www.straitstimes.com/politics/new-electoral-boundaries-announced-13-smcs-16-grcs-one-in-six-voters-will-see-shift

SINGAPORE - Changes have been made to the boundaries of electoral constituencies ahead of the next general election.

One in five voters, or 19 per cent of voters, will find themselves in a new constituency, according to the report of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee made public on Friday.

This figure is fewer than the 30 per cent of voters affected in the past boundary redelineation ahead of the 2011 General Election.

There are around 2.46 million eligible voters, up from 2.35 million in 2011.

The number of elected Members of Parliament will rise from the current 87 to 89.

There will also be 13 Single-Member Constituencies (SMCs) and 16 Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs), up from the current 12 SMCs and 15 GRCs.

Two SMCs have been absorbed into neighbouring GRCs: Joo Chiat will be part of Marine Parade GRC, while Whampoa will be part of Jalan Besar GRC.

Three new SMCs have been created from larger GRCs: Bukit Batok has been carved out of Jurong GRC, Fengshan out of East Coast GRC, and MacPherson out of Marine Parade GRC.

However, 10 of the existing 12 SMCs remain largely unchanged, with Sengkang West seeing several polling districts moved to neighbouring Ang Mo Kio GRC.

There will also be six four-MP GRCs, up from the current two.

They are Chua Chu Kang GRC, East Coast GRC, Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, and West Coast GRC, as well as new Jalan Besar GRC and Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC.

Jalan Besar GRC is largely made up of the existing Moulmein-Kallang GRC, as well as districts from existing Tanjong Pagar GRC and Whampoa SMC.

Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC is made up of polling districts from the existing Chua Chu Kang GRC and Sembawang GRC that have seen significant population growth in recent years.

There will also be eight five-MP GRCs, down from the current 11.

These eight GRCs are: Aljunied, Bishan-Toa Payoh, Jurong, Marine Parade, Nee Soon, Sembawang, Tampines and Tanjong Pagar GRCs.

Both Aljunied and Tampines GRCs remain unchanged.

Sembawang absorbs districts of neighbouring Nee Soon GRC, while Nee Soon GRC absorbs districts of neighbouring Ang Mo Kio GRC.

Bishan-Toa Payoh and Tanjong Pagar GRCs will incorporate neighbouring districts from Moulmein-Kallang GRC.

Meanwhile, the existing two six-MP GRCs remain: Ang Mo Kio and Pasir Ris-Punggol GRCs.

Ang Mo Kio GRC, which is helmed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, will absorb districts from Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC as well as Sengkang West SMC that have seen population growth from new housing developments in recent years.

The release of the report comes less than two weeks after Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in reply to questions in Parliament on July 13 that the committee had been formed two months ago.

While there is no fixed date for the election to be called after the report is made public, it has in previous elections taken as short as one day and as long as one month and 26 days.

Mr Lee also said he had entrusted the committee to have smaller GRCs, so as to reduce the average size of GRCs to below five, and to have at least 12 SMCs.

The release of the report is widely seen as a sign that the next general election, which must be held by January 2017, is round the corner, with People's Action Party activists as well as observers expecting it to take place as early as September.

With the committee's report out, the next stage in the lead-up to Polling Day is for Parliament to be dissolved and the writ of election issued. In 2001, this happened one day after the boundaries report was issued, and in 2011, one month and 26 days.

Nomination Day must take place no earlier than five days and no later than one month after the writ is issued. Nomination Day is the start of the campaign period, which is required by law to be a minimum of nine days.

There is then a Cooling-Off Day, which falls on the eve of Polling Day when voters cast their ballots.

PM Lee, when announcing the formation of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee in Parliament on July 13, had assured the House there would be time for everyone to digest the committee's report once it was published.

"To the maximum extent possible, we will make sure that there is enough time elapsed so that everybody can read the report, understand it and know where they stand before elections are called," he had said then. "But I don't think it is possible to say that we promise a certain minimum period, such as six months, because it depends very much on the exigencies of the situation and on when elections become necessary."

An earlier version of this story said one in six voters will be affected by the boundary changes. It should be one in five. The earlier calculation excluded voters in Moulmein-Kallang GRC who will move to the renamed Jalan Besar GRC.