From Channel Newsasia:
Singapore’s Electoral Boundaries Review Committee convened
By S Ramesh
HANOI: Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong says the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee has been convened.
Typically, the prime minister appoints the committee just before a General Election to review the electoral division boundaries and recommend changes.
The committee examines the growth of the voter population from the last General Election and recommends the number of Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs) and single-member constituencies (SMCs) and their boundaries.
Speaking to the Singapore media on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Hanoi on Saturday, Mr Lee said he has issued the instruction to convene the committee and it is being chaired by the Secretary to the Cabinet, Tan Kee Yong.
Prime Minister Lee’s revelation comes hot on the heels of a speech made by Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong on Friday at a university forum that the political buzz will increase in Singapore as many Singaporeans believe that the General Election will be held later this year or early next year.
Prime Minister Lee weighed in with this to say: “I don’t think it is any surprise. Elections are due some time before February 2012, so if you haven’t got the signal by now, something must be wrong with you.”
On when the report by the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee would be out, Mr Lee said Singaporeans would have to wait and see.
The release of the report is seen as one of the clearest signals of a General Election around the corner.
For the 2006 General Election, the report was released about seven weeks before Nomination Day.
With changes to the Parliamentary Elections Act in Singapore to increase the number of SMCs from the current nine to 12, and to reduce the size of some of the GRCs, especially the ones with six MPs currently, the final report of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee would be very much looked out for by current Members of Parliament and the opposition parties, some of whom have already been reserving the GRCs which they want to contest in.
Prime Minister Lee also revealed that he expects to bring in quite a number of new candidates and several potential office holders to contest in the upcoming elections.
He said: “I expect to bring in quite a number of new candidates and several potential office holders and they will strengthen my leadership team.
“But I am not announcing elections today. But there will be time to introduce them and get to know them.”
On the latest Cabinet revamp announced by him on Wednesday, before he left for the Hanoi summit, Mr Lee said it is a reshuffle with the cards which the government presently has.
He said: “It’s a reshuffle with the cards which we presently have. For the ministers, as I said in my comment, it is a logical consequence or move which we set a couple of years ago when I appointed Lui Tuck Yew as Acting Minister and when I brought in Shanmugam as the Law Minister and Second Minister for Home Affairs. So gradually we are bringing them into positions and putting them in place.
“(For the) Parliamentary Secretaries, (their promotions) is a reward for performance and contributions. They are all deserving and I think they will continue to work hard in the same portfolios they have been hitherto, because I haven’t reshuffled them. Beyond that, we will wait till I bring in new cards, which means I bring in new candidates, which will be in the general election.”
Singapore’s leaders have said that out of the next General Election, the country must produce Singapore’s fourth Prime Minister and a core team of younger Ministers who will take over from the present team.
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I think it’s ok for the current minister to be re-elected. coz personally i think they are doing quite well to handle the macro stuff, just that they are “abit” out of touch with the daily life with lesser beings like us lar..
So i think we need to throw in a few perks to motivate them more lor and the ministers will be given additional perks that is relevant to their ministry. eg Mr Mah will be provided free HDB lodging and any related expenses incurred relating to his stay in HDB during his stinct as the minister of MND. or the entire transport ministry will be given free concession passes for all public transport rides on our 1st world transportation system.
in anyways, it’s always nice to see our leaders to take the initiatives for the lesser being like us to follow.
just my 2 cents worth..
Amber signal flashed across global economies in the past fortnight. Inflation stumbled easy monetary policy threatening to derail its manufacturing rebound. Japan’s manufacturing stalled. Two incubating signs of recovery in US collapsed back – consumers spending in retail and unexpected decline in manufacturing forcing unemployment back up to 9.8%. That is 2010 high. Eurozone is sinking in sovereign debt woes in Ireland, Portugal and Spain and Greece is near default again. Germany, the powerhouse of Europe slowed by 50% in the third quarter. China reversed stimulus drive, restrict banking lending and promises tighter monetary regime in 2011 as inflation rages. Even students in university riot over canteen food prices.
No election this year. Most probably it will be after 2011 budget laced with lollies for increasing cynical voters. Citizenry across the country are now declining “subsidized” LUP and estate upgrading when previously such pork barrelled politics were envious by those missed out. It is stunning to me that first time foreign visitors speak of grim faces and distress on public street among local population – few smiling faces among adults.
The political, economic landscape, and voters mood have changed as the Government continues in denial of policy failures.
The Government missed a window of election opportunity in 2010. The election lollies of big spending promised 3 months ahead will be funded of reserves ( Constitutional amendment promised to allow for that) according to media report as GST post-budget will rise from 7% to 10%. The MIW is caught in its election tail spin that will be hard to reverse even if election is held in March 2011. It must be waiting for a better global economic outlook that is proving increasingly hostile.
“Inflation stumbled easy monetary policy threatening to derail its manufacturing rebound.”
should be read as
“Inflation stumbled CHINA’S easy monetary policy threatening to derail its manufacturing rebound.”
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