Change constitution to make male candidates serve NS-LTK

[Relacklabrudder]

Stand for election? 'Ensure male candidates do NS first'

By Teh Joo Lin & Cheryl Lim

 

WORKERS' Party (WP) secretary-general Low Thia Khiang yesterday proposed amending the Constitution to ensure that all male election candidates must have done national service (NS).

 

He said it did not feel right for male MPs to represent the people unless they have gone through that rite of passage.

 

Mr Low did not name names, but his point was clearly aimed at People's Action Party (PAP) new face Janil Puthucheary, 38, who became a citizen in 2008 and has not gone through NS.

 

Rejecting those without NS stints would only be fair to everyone who has been through it, he said, including himself and his Aljunied GRC teammate Chen Show Mao.

 

Taiwan-born Mr Chen, a top corporate lawyer, did his NS before taking up citizenship in 1986.

 

Mr Low said the PAP should not field a candidate 'who just became a new citizen without serving national service'.

 

He pointed to the tough stance that the Government takes against Singaporean males who default on their NS obligations, and referred to statements by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, who is also Defence Minister, on the subject.

 

Mr Low pointed out that Major-General (NS) Chan Chun Sing, an MP-elect for Tanjong Pagar GRC, took a different line when asked about PAP candidates who had not done NS.

 

He quoted MG Chan as having said that someone who was not a citizen previously might not have done NS, but the more important question was what he could contribute to Singapore.

 

Mr Low asked: 'How can a former Chief of Army publicly state something contradictory to the Minister for Defence?'

 

Mr Chen, who also spoke at the WP rally last night, called for a more calibrated approach to immigration, in response to Minister for Trade and Industry Lim Hng Kiang's comments that capping the size of the foreign workforce presented a 'real dilemma' for the Government as it would likely mean turning away big-money investments from abroad.

 

Mr Lim had said on Sunday: 'We will keep foreign workers to one-third of the workforce, but I can tell you that one-third is a very severe limitation to us.'

 

Mr Chen said: 'Do you know why it's one-third? I don't know. Shouldn't we send someone to Parliament to ask them?'

 

He pointed out that the WP was not anti-immigration, but foreigners had to contribute to Singapore, instead of depressing the pay of locals.

 

Mr Chen added: 'The test of our progress as a nation is not whether we have more for those who already have much, but whether we provide enough for those who have less.'

[Csnewbie]

he pointed out that the WP was not anti-immigration, but foreigners had to contribute to Singapore, instead of depressing the pay of locals.

 

totally agree.

[Csnewbie]

Mr Chen, who also spoke at the WP rally last night, called for a more calibrated approach to immigration, in response to Minister for Trade and Industry Lim Hng Kiang's comments that capping the size of the foreign workforce presented a 'real dilemma' for the Government as it would likely mean turning away big-money investments from abroad.

 

instead of building up local entrepreneurs,want instant huge overseas investments,

 

which i think also doesn't do good to locals.

 

once in distress,overseas firms will pull away.

 

patriotic?

[Csnewbie]

Mr Chen said: 'Do you know why it's one-third? I don't know. Shouldn't we send someone to Parliament to ask them?'

 

1/3 looks reasonable?

 

childish thinking.

[Csnewbie]

Mr Low pointed out that Major-General (NS) Chan Chun Sing, an MP-elect for Tanjong Pagar GRC, took a different line when asked about PAP candidates who had not done NS.

 

another goes thru from political backdoor.

 

will he know he's there to serve his people?

Edited May 3, 2011 by Csnewbie

[Parkwalker]

All the more we need to verify and confirm...

 

don't you think?

[Leok777]

Yes let them serve NS first, then we see if they will truly want to serve the citizens.

[Babyt]

how can Gong Li and Jet Li contribute to sg huh?

 

they need to vote right?

[Park88]

Mr Chen, who also spoke at the WP rally last night, called for a more calibrated approach to immigration, in response to Minister for Trade and Industry Lim Hng Kiang's comments that capping the size of the foreign workforce presented a 'real dilemma' for the Government as it would likely mean turning away big-money investments from abroad.

 

instead of building up local entrepreneurs,want instant huge overseas investments,

 

which i think also doesn't do good to locals.

 

once in distress,overseas firms will pull away.

 

patriotic?

how to push up instant gratification of increase GDP to increase bonus and other related salary increase

[A5SB]

There's a more complelling case for abolishing GRC.

 

There is only one possible good out of GRC system, that is there will be minority representation in the Parliament, apart from that I really can't think of anything else. Is minority really a that important issue? Compared to the more ciritical issues that I am about to mention below, you judge for yourself.

 

As proven time and again, because of the GRC rule, the number of seats won by respective parties has no relation to the votes the party may gather overall, which is a much better representation of the amount of mandate. In 2006, PAP got 66.6% of the votes, however, they had 80/82 seats in Parliament. Is such a Parliament really representative of the people's will?

 

Another obvious flaw, is that there are weak candidates that can ride on the tailocat of more established, popular politicians, for a free and relatively easy ride into Parliament. The most blatant one being Ms Tin, where she is obviously under qualified, has no aptitude, zero maturity, unproven capability. Yet she is very likely to get into Parliament whether you like it or not.

 

Just these two reasons, I think the GRC system is rubbish and should be abolised. Take care of this, then you don't really have issues with "new citizen" candidates, as the electorate can evaluate for themselve whether they want such a candidate, and their collective will in impoosed on the final results. As long as the GRC exist, they can pull almost any pigs / dogs, and push that fella into Parliament.

[John112]

==>Gong Li and Jet Li contribute to sg huh

 

they are superstars and we are honored to have them?

[JE3722]

GRC should be abolished after this GE - and it might just be if Aljunied and Bishan-toa payoh or Marine Parade is lost.

 

Despite all the official reasoning.. it is just a way to

1) Let in untested new candidates into Parliament

2) Lock out the Opp Parties who were not able to file more then 1-2 good candidates in the past.

 

Change all back to SMC

This way, everyone must fight for their own mandate.

Good ones need not be dragged down by the bad ones in the GRC

Bad ones cant slip in due to the good ones.

This way, all Ministers and MPs can proudly proclaim to have the real mandate of the constituents.

 

Add in to the constitution a mandatory number of minority MP representative in Parliament.

If the electorate did not choose enough minority candidates, bring them in as NCMPs

 

[Ryosuke]

not possible,P$P won't let that happen.

they will throw in the green horns like MG Chan and BG Tan into GRC so that when the time is ripe or once they are confident/popular, they will then be assigned to other SMC or GRC.

for the kate spade girl, seriously don't know based on what is she being allowed to 'enter thru the back door' as she's not even a scholar unlike MG Chan and BG Tan.

 

 

 

[I-LOVE-CARS]

Stand for election? 'Ensure male candidates do NS first'

By Teh Joo Lin & Cheryl Lim

 

WORKERS' Party (WP) secretary-general Low Thia Khiang yesterday proposed amending the Constitution to ensure that all male election candidates must have done national service (NS).

 

He said it did not feel right for male MPs to represent the people unless they have gone through that rite of passage.

 

Mr Low did not name names, but his point was clearly aimed at People's Action Party (PAP) new face Janil Puthucheary, 38, who became a citizen in 2008 and has not gone through NS.

 

Rejecting those without NS stints would only be fair to everyone who has been through it, he said, including himself and his Aljunied GRC teammate Chen Show Mao.

 

Taiwan-born Mr Chen, a top corporate lawyer, did his NS before taking up citizenship in 1986.

 

Mr Low said the PAP should not field a candidate 'who just became a new citizen without serving national service'.

 

He pointed to the tough stance that the Government takes against Singaporean males who default on their NS obligations, and referred to statements by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, who is also Defence Minister, on the subject.

 

Mr Low pointed out that Major-General (NS) Chan Chun Sing, an MP-elect for Tanjong Pagar GRC, took a different line when asked about PAP candidates who had not done NS.

 

He quoted MG Chan as having said that someone who was not a citizen previously might not have done NS, but the more important question was what he could contribute to Singapore.

 

Mr Low asked: 'How can a former Chief of Army publicly state something contradictory to the Minister for Defence?'

 

Mr Chen, who also spoke at the WP rally last night, called for a more calibrated approach to immigration, in response to Minister for Trade and Industry Lim Hng Kiang's comments that capping the size of the foreign workforce presented a 'real dilemma' for the Government as it would likely mean turning away big-money investments from abroad.

 

Mr Lim had said on Sunday: 'We will keep foreign workers to one-third of the workforce, but I can tell you that one-third is a very severe limitation to us.'

 

Mr Chen said: 'Do you know why it's one-third? I don't know. Shouldn't we send someone to Parliament to ask them?'

 

He pointed out that the WP was not anti-immigration, but foreigners had to contribute to Singapore, instead of depressing the pay of locals.

 

Mr Chen added: 'The test of our progress as a nation is not whether we have more for those who already have much, but whether we provide enough for those who have less.'

 

100% Agree

[Nlatio]

To put things in perspective.... Why FT need to cum..... many already know, but just cannot accept the fact.....

 

We have jobs/works that local do not want to do... that is a fact

 

So we need FTs... everybody know

 

Yet, everyone is calling a stop to it.... got job no local want to do, cannot let FT do, they themselve dont want to do, expect other local to do....

 

The irony of a develop nation.....

 

But I do agree that the respective department cannot just grab any AH Mao Ah Kao cum also.... though I stongly believe that the LTK club will very much welcum the influx of

 

Chinese/Viet/Pinoy/Thai XMM to the KTV/HC....

[SeowChia]

good point

[Hermitage]

Mr Chen, who also spoke at the WP rally last night, called for a more calibrated approach to immigration, in response to Minister for Trade and Industry Lim Hng Kiang's comments that capping the size of the foreign workforce presented a 'real dilemma' for the Government as it would likely mean turning away big-money investments from abroad.

 

instead of building up local entrepreneurs,want instant huge overseas investments,

 

which i think also doesn't do good to locals.

 

once in distress,overseas firms will pull away.

 

patriotic?

 

Very true. Bringing in these FTs to take 1/3 of our jobs and even a parliamentary position without needing to serve even 1 second of NS. Never knock-it-down before, never change parade before, never stand-by-bunk before! Really need to send someone into parliament o ask them WTF they think they're trying to do?!?!

[Relagsingh]

Mr Low pointed out that Major-General (NS) Chan Chun Sing, an MP-elect for Tanjong Pagar GRC, took a different line when asked about PAP candidates who had not done NS.

 

another goes thru from political backdoor.

 

will he know he's there to serve his people?

 

ppl ex COA leh. who gave him scholarship 1?