Kelvin Teo
During General Election 2006, Goh Chok Tong was given a special assignment to assist the PAP candidates in the Opposition wards Hougang and Potong Pasir in electioneering. Despite dangling HDB upgrading carrots at Hougang and Potong Pasir residents, he still failed to secure victory in both wards.
In response, Dr Gillian Koh from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy raised a question: “If it is pitched as a contest between Mr Goh versus Mr Chiam and Mr Low, can the PAP and Mr Goh afford the strategy not to work” during a 2006 March interview with TODAY.
More recently, PAP member A.K. Lakshmanan, a long-time resident of Potong Pasir asked the PAP’s central executive committee if the party had ‘abandoned’ Potong Pasir after losing in 2006. However, with the announcement that Potong Pasir and Hougang are eligible for the Lift Ugrading Program, some speculate an intensification of the PAP’s intention to up the ante of its contest at those wards.
Now, let’s take this scenario further into a hypothetical situation and address this question which speculators and observers may have been asking all along – if the PAP wants badly to take back Hougang and Potong Pasir and decides to send their ministers to contest there, would such a tactic be successful?
In order for such a tactic to be successful, the basic assumption is that a typical minister carries some sort of a ‘sacred cow’ status in the voters’ eyes, so much so that they loathe to vote against the minister. This is a reasonable assumption, given the fact that a minister would have at least a considerable level of political cache.
However, there was a slight surprise that our Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong secured a mere 66.14% of the votes at Ang Mo Kio GRC, close to the average that the other non-minister PAP members secured. To put the electoral competition into a proper perspective, Lee’s party colleagues were up against seasoned opponents from the opposition camp whilst the former faced the ‘suicide six’ squad of relatively young candidates with no experience at the polls at all.
It is the Prime Minister whom we are talking about, and if we follow the basic assumption about the heavyweight status of these candidates (and hence the reference to them as “sacred cows), Lee would be expected to perform better than his non-minister party colleagues with the added fact that he was up against a bunch of newbies. This did not materialize as he only managed an average score.
Furthermore, ministers would have to deal with a certain ‘bone’ in their throats, which the non-minister PAP candidates may be spared from – the contentious issue of ministerial pay. The comparatively high remuneration that our ministers enjoy is not going to be popular among voters. Regardless of where they contest, inclusive of current opposition-held wards, they will have to deal with this ‘bone’.
Affinity to personalities also plays a big role during a contest at an opposition-held ward. Mr Chiam is a familiar face at Potong Pasir in all his years there spent serving the residents. Mr Low Thia Khiang has an even more unique way of bonding with Hougang residents; he is renowned for attending funeral wakes. His PAP rival, Eric Low, at first tried to race with him in the funeral circuit by sending out grassroots supporters on bicycles, circling the void decks of HDB flats on a lookout for funeral wakes, which he would subsequently attend. However, Eric gave up after six months.
Low Thia Khiang knew who was having funeral since the application for funeral permits would be filed at the Town Council, which the latter has access to. According to Eric, the “blanket” with the condolence message would be sent out by Low Thia Khiang even before the coffin arrives. Due to Low’s unique way of bonding, he has moulded into an appealing personality in his voters’ eyes. If the PAP wants to send a minister to contest Hougang, it is very likely that the latter would have to ‘race’ with Low in the funeral circuit at Hougang.
Dialect also plays a part in establishing rapport between the candidate and the residents, especially amongst residents from the same dialect group including those who utilize that particular dialect as part of their daily lingua franca. There is no denying that Low’s fluency in his teochew dialect has not gone unnoticed among his voters. The Teochew dialect is predominantly spoken by Singaporean chinese residents at Hougang. They were originally from Kampong Ponggol, a predominantly Teochew community before relocating to Hougang. Although newer residents eventually came to Hougang from all over Singapore, there is still a sizable Teochew community present.
Hence, one cannot simply dismiss the effect of personality appeal of opposition candidates, and even if ministers are sent to contest Mr Chiam and Mr Low at Potong Pasir and Hougang (a hypothetical contest especially at Potong Pasir because Chiam is leaving his ward to contest in a targeted GRC for the next elections, and also this is his last contest due to old age and health issues), they need to win over voters with their own brand of personality appeal and that would take some time. Displacing the appeal of their opposition rivals could prove even tougher.
Therefore, even if a minister is sent to contest in an opposition-held ward, he may not even win. Firstly, it is not safe to assume that a minister portfolio would automatically win extra votes. Secondly, the minister candidate may not necessarily be successful in displacing the personality appeal that the opposition candidates have built up over the years. Hence, for the PAP to send a minister to contest against Mr Low at Hougang for instance would be as good as playing a high-risk game in which the former would have more to lose from such a gamble.
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Time for our friends to go into full steam…. dont wait for them to announce, do your homework and actions now. I think better to send A teams into GRC where LSS, MBT resides and flush them out.
“Mr Low Thia Khiang has an even more unique way of bonding with Hougang residents; he is renowned for attending funeral wakes. His PAP rival, Eric Low, at first tried to race with him in the funeral circuit by sending out grassroots supporters on bicycles, circling the void decks of HDB flats on a lookout for funeral wakes, which he would subsequently attend. However, Eric gave up after six months.”
This goes to show that this Eric Low is in for the money only (once in as a PAP MP, get directorship in multiple GLCs and earn $$), and not the desire to serve. How many PAP MPs are full time serving the residents like LTK and CST? The PAP MPs should be totally ashamed of themselves.
To all Singaporeans, especially those that are still naively voting for PAP – do you want a part-time PAP MP or a full-time Oppo MP? Can the super rich PAP MPs, who have tons of easy money being appointed to GLC boards IDENTIFY or SYMPATHISE with what you are facing day to day? Do they even know the frustrations of taking the damn cramped bus and MRT everyday? Do they even know that prices keep going up, and say idiotic things like “good to have price increases gradually rather than 1 big step”?
Use your vote wisely. Loose your voice and we ordinary citizens will be trampled upon like dirt, while they the “elites” will be laughing all the way to their banks while pouring scorns on you with remarks such as “every month when I look at my CPF statement I feel so happy – it is growing” or “Mas Selamat escaped because SINGAPOREANS have become COMPLACENT”.
Vote wisely.
From the above postings, it seems to me that the ruling party is going to have a very very tough fight this time round. Every round gives goodies, after that take back more. Sheesh!
I will bet a heavy weight from the PAP will be trounced if roped in to challenge Potong Pasir Incumbent Low Thia Kia…..
[i]How many PAP MPs are full time serving the residents like LTK and CST? The PAP MPs should be totally ashamed of themselves[/i]
in my block there was 1 old lady she exceed 100 years ole
no party no centurion awards
she finally rest in peace age 102…
where was the 6 grc mps
when we have a peasant who attained 1 century year of aged?
even the bloomin 154th media got no clue as well
the RC perhaps? ole yes they know..they just act blurred dumbed and stupid as usual…no gained no party………..
There should be this ‘Prize’ for Ministerial job in Singapore. However, that Prize should not be the Million Dollar Salary.
The Prize is not relative to what he/she can earn in the private sector.
The Prize is not relative to % of GDP.
The Prize is not relative to leaders in other countries.
The Prize is priceless as it would be shared by all Singaporeans…Freedom!
Free Singapore in the next General Election!
Lets not be naive, had the PAP put in a minister in Hougang and another in Potong Pasir, we know it would be game over for both Mr. Low and Mr. Chiam.
The Prime Minister did not score a perfect victory in his home-ground was something most people would have expected. It was simply due to the childish thought by certain group of voters : “Since the PM is sure to win, there is no harm for me to vote for the Opposition Party”. It is what responsible Singaporeans called “playing with fire”. Just be honest to yourselves, who in his right mind would want a bunch of kids to manage his GRC where his life as well as the lives of his spouse and children would be affected by any silly decision made by those kids?
Hi, My Views,
Plse do not degenerate yourself to be the “Mr Ah Q” of the 21st century..
[i]My Views on December 5th, 2009 3.55 am Lets not be naive, had the PAP put in a minister in Hougang and another in Potong Pasir, we know it would be game over for both Mr. Low and Mr. Chiam. [/i]
leekuanyew wouldn’t dared to utter such bold sentence and words
gohchoktongue just act blurred dumb and deaf when leehsienhloong give him a hint to remove himself from marine parade surewin grc to contest the last election in potong pasir as a real gungho heman….
where were this two GREAT GRAND SELFPRAISED seasoned senoir pap ministers?
both of them wore a skirt each and hide under the GRC banners holdin hands with 5 other men….
part II
don’t forget this sentence as well
when an international journalist asked leekuanyew himself why did’t he place his owned head in the choppin block in potong pasir…
leekuanyew answer was:
ole the prime minister didn’t DELEGATE that task/challenge to me, the GREAT leekuanyew himself….
and have the cheek to appoint himself as mental minister…
yeap defiteniteLEE a mental case…………
If LSL was in a true political party, he could have lost his position as Sec-Gen of his party as his showing in the last GE could have triggered a vote of no confidence within the party or face a challenge at least for the leadership. Well guess this PAP is not a typical political party, it;s more like a political club run by the same person with changing titles… hehe…
Nah, he won’t dare put himself or any of the ministers (without portfolios) in his office or any of the full time ministers against LTK or CST. He should if he boasts so much about their abilities.
Why do we really need 2 SM’s and a MM in the PM ‘s Office and the how many (I have lost count) ministers without portfolios(notice how they dropped this term?)?
To me, it’s simply a clear signal of incompetence. Anyway you look at it. It’s unacceptable. How big is Singapore?
I digressed a little. The point is this. Will LSL dare to put even one of those ministers without portfolios up against LTK and CST? The opposition should dare them though I don’t think this is a risk the PAP dare stand up to.
Refer to comment 61 by [ialsowantobeanmp]
“leekuanyew wouldn’t dared to utter such bold sentence and words
gohchoktongue just act blurred dumb and deaf when leehsienhloong give him a hint to remove himself from marine parade surewin grc to contest the last election in potong pasir as a real gungho heman….
where were this two GREAT GRAND SELFPRAISED seasoned senoir pap ministers?
both of them wore a skirt each and hide under the GRC banners holdin hands with 5 other men….”
Both the MM and SM have more important roles to do in their GRCs than to be seen bullying two opposition candidates who do not pose any threat to Singapore’s prosperity, racial harmony and political stability.
At any rate, when residents in your ward have supported you to be their MP over the past decades, you owe them a duty not to leave them; you don’t just leave them for another ward to advance your personal or party interests! Both the MM and SM are fully aware of such immoral behaviour, though one can’t be sure of either Chiam or Low.
@64) My Views on December 7th, 2009 3.55 am
Eh, I thought it was walk over for Tanjong Pagar and Marine Parade? You are talking about personal and party interests, so that’s what’s important for them, then?
Refer to comment by 64) My Views.
“At any rate, when residents in your ward have supported you to be their MP over the past decades, you owe them a duty not to leave them;”
Your “supported you” includes those eligible voters that have no choice because it was a walkover?
“…you don’t just leave them for another ward to advance your personal or party interests!”
By your argument, Mr Chiam is selfish because he intends to lead a team in a GRC next?
“Both the MM and SM are fully aware of such immoral behaviour, though one can’t be sure of either Chiam or Low.”
What’s immoral about leaving your existing ward and contest somewhere else? If that’s the case, then Mrs Lim Hwee Hua, Mr Lim Boon Heng and Mr Khaw Boon Wan have all committed this sin when they change wards in the last GE?
You’re just blindly hammering down our opposition members, using your own double standards moral yardstick.
Please note that Mrs. Lim Hwee Hua, Mr. Lim Boon Heng and Mr. Khaw Boon Wan are ministers. They were trained and groomed in one GRC and transferred to another GRC in the interests of the nation. Chiam and Low are members of parliament representing and looking after the interests of their respective single wards.
To My Views,
The 3 ministers are first and foremost, elected members of parliament representing their ward. They are no different from CST and LTK! And to quote you again, “…you don’t just leave them for another ward to advance your personal or party interests!”. Didn’t they move on because they were instructed by their party? Isn’t this in the interest of the party?
How convenient of you to say “in the interests of the nation” now. Does that mean these 3 ministers were not doing their part for their wards?
You seemed to have problems understanding the words “training” and “grooming”.
The three persons were, rightly, identified to possess a minister’s calibre. They were placed in certain GRCs to be trained by the respective experienced ministers. You send the students to the teachers, not the other way round. Got it now?
@My View
Are you sure PAP is still GROOMING Lim Boon Heng? He is already an old bird that had past down his portfolio to LSS, why shift ward? Is he a late groomer or what?
//My Views
//Lets not be naive, had the PAP put in a minister in Hougang and another in Potong Pasir, //we know it would be game over for both Mr. Low and Mr. Chiam.
tell that to GOh CT. HE went to the 2 opposition wards to rally support and got burnt.
Your minister Gan and MBT were burnt there before.
please send your ministers there. Tell your boss that.
////The Prime Minister did not score a perfect victory in his home-ground was something //most people would have expected. It was simply due to the childish thought by certain //group of voters : “Since the PM is sure to win, there is no harm for me to vote for the
It would have been great if the opposition had sent in a well known opposition memebers and not to have caused the PM to be below his party’s average… to bad all the cock you mentioned above don’t gel with reality.
//Opposition Party”. It is what responsible Singaporeans called “playing with fire”. Just be
None of the opposition members lost more monies (not even a fraction) than the PAP wards led supposedly by ministers and professionals.
Where is the sign of responsibilities?
There were none demonstrated by PAP.
//honest to yourselves, who in his right mind would want a bunch of kids to manage his GRC //where his life as well as the lives of his spouse and children would be affected by any silly //decision made by those kids?
Too bad the harsh reality was PAP MP made their wards lose monies and scold the ward over the complaints.
how is that responsible?
//my views
//You send the students to the teachers, not the other way round. Got it now?
I wonder where he got the confidence to sprout this kind of crap? His grand master pig lky lost more monies than anyone in S’pore.
Not because it is his own monies but the public monies.
There is absolutely nothing that can be taught by him.
PAP send in an old fool into elections.
//My views
//lim boon heng
Lim BT is one of the worst labour minister (after LSS).
If this is the final product of PAP grooming, I think PAP needs to improve its selection process to get better (much better) people into its circle.
How else to raise the quality of the ministers?
I’m going to be a bankruptcy, all because of Rws and Mbs. Can PAP HELP?