'Time-Bomb' Focus
The recent debate over the 'time-bomb' seems like a ploy to drag WP into an argument, instead of focusing on other issues in the WP manifesto.
I hope these issues alone would not be WP's focus, albeit they are good.
The question of employment, foreign talent and economic growth should be well addressed too.
Thank you, Raj
Response:
Dear Raj, there are indeed losts more other issues that are contained within the Manifesto and we have certainly drawn attention to this fact. We will continue to use every opportunity to do so and especially so when someone or group tries to narrow the focus of the Manifesto to suit their own agenda. Cheers, James
What are WP's chances in coming GE?
Hi Mr Gomez,
My name is Tan, and I think you have a very nice site and blog. As you are 1 of the more of credible opposition party member, I have some questions i would like your respected opinions on.
What do you think of the "relative" electoral chances of WP and the Opposition in the forthcoming General Election ?
And may i ask what you consider to be the decisive factors that will determine the outcome of this Election?
Thank you very much and i wish you best of luck in the coming election.
Regards,Tan
Response:
Dear Tan, thank for your email and kind words.I think any attempt to predict the results of the WP or the Opposition on the whole is largely a speculative exercise. Having said that, I do have a wish list for the WP for the upcoming GE. That is to increase its overall vote share for votes cast for the WP. I also hope that the GE will serve as a catalyst to grow the Party further in terms of recruitment, enhance the political experience of existing members and put the WP on a firmer footing for the next GE.An important turning point in GE is how the local media reports on the opposition. This does play a role in the overall outcome.Cheers, James
Singapore Forum 2006 panelists
The organisers of the Singapore Forum on Politics 2006, on Saturday 25 February have informed me of the panelists, suggested topics and order of presentation.
Click to see updated programme and bio1. Gillian Koh
Research Fellow, Institute of Policy Studies
(suggested area: PAP government’s policy-planning strategies)
2. James Gomez
Worker’s Party
(suggested area: opposition politics: obstacles, strategies, and prospects)
3. Viswa Sadasivan
CEO, Right Angle Group
(suggested area: perspectives from/on the media)
4. Geh Min
Nominated Member of Parliament and President, Nature Society (Singapore)
(suggested area: non-electoral aspects of democracy, i.e. NMP, civil society, etc)
5. Kirpal Singh
Associate Professor of English Literature, Singapore Management University
(suggested area: alternatives to political elections, a ‘post-electoral’ democracy?)
The presentations will be followed by discussion.
GRC’s minority rationale is poor
The minority representation policy rationale of the GRC implemented from the 1988 GE is weak. It only forms a little part, or hardly any, of the voters’ conscious decision when voting for a GRC. In fact the election of a minority candidate is a supplementary and procedural issue, rather than a motivating one when voting for a GRC.
The GRC has been expanded several times, but the rationale for expansion has not been founded not on the expansion of multiculturalism ideals but rather linked to economies of scale of managing housing estate operations. This is evidenced by linking the GRCs to administrative structures such as Town Councils and Community Development Councils that provide a range of municipal and social assistance services.
Most of the time the GRC is campaigned on the premise of not wanting to “lose” a minister or linked to material incentives such as subsidized upgrading. It is not campaigned for the election of a minority candidate.
Since 1988 all minority MPs have been elected through the GRC scheme. The percentage of minority MPs have not significantly increased compared to the pre-GRC days. Following the 1968 GE there were 29.3% of minority MPs while in the 2001 GE there were 26.2 %.
In the 1998 GE when the GRC was first introduced, the percentage of minority MPs in Parliament dropped to an all time low of 16%.
(Reference: "
Ethnopolitics, Vol. 4, No. 4, 413-428, November 2005" Eugene Tan,
Multiracialism Engineered: The Limits of Electoral and Spatial Integration in Singapore)
WP Manifesto Launch
I spoke at the launch of the WP's Manifesto, "You Have A Choice" on 14th Janunary 2006 at the Party HQ.
I presented Section 5 on EDUCATION and Section 11 on ARTS, MEDIA, INFORMATON AND NEW TECHNOLOGY.
Copies of the Manifesto are available through the
Workers' Party.
Is SGLoyalist Melvin Tan of WP?
Dear Mr James Gomez,
You have written in a commentary on your website,
http://www.jamegomeznews.com/, that : " Melvin Tan’s blog is entitled Singapore Loyalist but does not list his real name, and states that his writings are done on his personal capacity and do not represent the official positions of the Workers’ Party. He also takes part in forums under the handle “SgLoyalist”."
(link:
http://www.jamesgomeznews.com/article.php?AID=230)
In popular forums like Sammyboy, there is a regular and active participant by the handle of "SgLoyalist". Reading from your comments, we would naturally associate this "SgLoyalist" with Melvin Tan. However "SgLoyalist" has denied in Sammyforum that he is a politician when queried, which means that he is not Melvin Tan. This contradicts what you have asserted, so we forummers at Sammyboy forum would like to know from you whether what you have written correct or incorrect, or Melvin Tan is not being truthful about this matter.
As a matter of public interest, I will be posting this email in Sammyboy forum, and will also do so on your reply.
Thanks and Regards
Deen Lee KLym
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Dear Deen Lee, Thanks for visiting my site. This is to confirm the contents of the article you refer to are accurate at the time of writing and posting. However when using information from JGN please be aware of the User Policy especially B. Contents Policy, Sub-Sections 3 (Warranties) and 4 (Forward-looking statements).
