Punggol East By-Election coming ? MP steps down

[limlim]

concern2:

Now they humanize the vixen... using a story as a cap on the MP-LO case.


Seriously, everyone should watch Journey to the West

It is actually very educational.

一路向西? :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

[Way2GO]

concern2, I m reading dis forum fr back to front so will likely missed out on wat went on b4.

wat r d lessons fr ‘Journey to the West’.
me also introduced my children to ‘Three Kingdoms’ besides ‘Journey to the West’.
‘Three Kingdoms’ is wan of their fav.

[ChiefKiasu]

Way2GO:

concern2, I m reading dis forum fr back to front so will likely missed out on wat went on b4.

wat r d lessons fr 'Journey to the West'.
me also introduced my children to 'Three Kingdoms' besides 'Journey to the West'.
'Three Kingdoms' is wan of their fav.

You are talking about the books, the drama series or the cartoon version that they show on Sunday mornings? I like the Three Kingdoms too

[Way2GO]

concern2:

PM Lee \"considering seriously\" whether to call by-election

By S Ramesh | Posted: 21 December 2012 2000 hrs
(source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1243944/1/.html#.UNSY4WXPSM8.facebook)

SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong says [u]he is considering seriously[/u] if a by-election should be held for the Punggol East single-member constituency, and if so, when to hold one.

The parliamentary seat in Punggol East fell vacant following the resignation of the MP for the area Michael Palmer.

Mr Lee was replying to questions from the Singapore media at the end of his visit to India on Friday.

The prime minister said he was very surprised and saddened by what had happened in the case of Mr Palmer.

Mr Lee said that it was quite clear that once the PAP understood what had happened, Mr Palmer had to resign.

The former Speaker of Parliament resigned from the PAP and his MP post earlier this month, after revealing to Singaporeans that he had an extramarital affair with a former staff member of the People's Association who was working in the Pasir Ris-Punggol constituency office.

On reports that four opposition parties have expressed interest to contest a by-election in Punggol East, Mr Lee said: \"Well, I haven't decided when to hold the election or whether to hold the election and if so when. If I decide to hold, then it is within the right of any candidate from any of the opposition parties to come and it is up to the voters to decide whom they want to support.

\"From the PAP's point of view, of course we will field the best possible candidate, and work our utmost to win and retain the voters' support in Punggol East. As to what sort of candidate we field, we will find the best possible person, but we are serious in our requirements and it is not easy to produce a rabbit out of a hat.\"

On calls for a legal timeline for a by-election, Mr Lee explained that he had expressed his view on the matter in Parliament a few years ago.

He explained again why it is right that Singapore does not have a time limit for a by-election or an absolute requirement that a by-election be held.

Mr Lee said: \"There is a reason for it, because you are electing a team to represent you when you are going to a general election and not just electing an individual in that constituency, but really, you are electing a member of a government and the person stands wearing a logo representing a political party.

\"Really, the right way to choose a government is in a general election when the choice is put and that choice is really for the term of the government. Unless there is a complete change in Parliament, otherwise, individual MPs - whether they resign or something happens to them - ought not to be able to upset the overall political situation, and that's the reason why it is designed like this.

\"Of course, in a practical situation, if you do have a vacancy, if there is no special reason one way or the other, then there would be expectations that you ought to have a by-election to fill the seat, and that's something which I will consider.

\"We are different, because we started off different when we went into Malaysia. When we were in Malaysia, we complied with the Malaysian norms, and in the light of the experience we had during that period, after we left Malaysia, we changed back to what we were before the Malaysian period, because we did not want in a tight situation, one person deciding to resign and therefore forcing the government to change.

\"Why should one person decide what really should be decided by the electorate as a whole. So there is a reason for that. You may accept it to a certain degree, you may have a view, but it is not something that is accidental.\"

Asked if he had decided on the next candidate for the post of Speaker of Parliament, Prime Minister Lee said the House will have the name of the candidate in time for the next sitting of Parliament on 14 January.

Mr Lee said that the Speaker of Parliament is elected by the House.

So, Mr Lee said, it is right that when the candidate is decided upon, PAP MPs would be informed first, and thereafter the person would be made known.
_______________________

My thots on PM's response to d media's query on BE. I bolded n underlined d relevant parts.
On a personal note, m 99% certain dat his heart is with d country but many a time his public responses gives doubt as to whether his first priority is with d ppl n country or it's PAP first n foremost.
d decision n timeline to hold BE for a vacant seat shd nvr rest in d hands of a single person.
d original constitution was amended to put dat power in d PM's hands.
I read PM's explanation on d matter a few years ago, but I didn't buy it lock, stock n barrel.
Why bring in GRC to justify d stand-in when Punggol East is an SMC?
PM Sir, u actually contradict urself in dat statement.
PM, there is no further need to seriously consider, do d right thing, let d voters decide.
They deserve proper representation in parliament, not a TSL stand-in. Don't be kiasu, d tide may be against u, but u still may not lose d seat. Watever d outcome, ur party will still hold d majority n preside over Parliament. IMHO, doing d right thing now will put u in a better position come 2016.

'Not easy to produce a rabbit out of a hat'?
:faint:
:oops:
PM Sir, me m truly embarrassed just as me was with wat u said about garlic n onions at F1 when ur response was broadcasted to d world.
IT IS belly easy to to pull a rabbit out of a hat after wan prepare d props n practice sleight of hand. :evil:
me think wat u really mean to say is dat it is not easy to to find gud candidates of d right calibre n watever stringent screening process u hv in place, there is no guarantee on wat will happen down d road, tio-bo?
PM, u still remember a Lta Ho fr ur cadet days?

[Way2GO]

ChiefKiasu:

You are talking about the books, the drama series or the cartoon version that they show on Sunday mornings? I like the Three Kingdoms too

me got both d books in print n d drama series on CD.
d boys didn't read d books.
d wan with a much acclaimed mainland China actor acting in d lead role as Zhuge Liang is belly gud.

[Imami]

Way2GO:

concern2, I m reading dis forum fr back to front so will likely missed out on wat went on b4.

wat r d lessons fr 'Journey to the West'.
me also introduced my children to 'Three Kingdoms' besides 'Journey to the West'.
'Three Kingdoms' is wan of their fav.

You are back! so long no see (your post)!

[octoberbaby]

three kingdoms is better

[concern2]

Way2GO:

My thots on PM's response to d media's query on BE...

:boogie: Thank goodness you're back - finally, one of the few who are willing to talk openly about politics - before I start torturing the unwilling parties around me..

Way2GO:

many a time his public responses gives doubt as to whether his first priority is with d ppl n country or it's PAP first n foremost.

Precisely. Was hoping to see some sincere act of apology to have the people re-select their MP instead of conveniently putting us under the arm of another GRC. Why put us under SMC in the first place?

Way2GO:

Why bring in GRC to justify d stand-in when Punggol East is an SMC?..
PM, there is no further need to seriously consider, do d right thing, let d voters decide. They deserve proper representation in parliament, not a TSL stand-in. Don't be kiasu, d tide may be against u, but u still may not lose d seat. Watever d outcome, ur party will still hold d majority n preside over Parliament. IMHO, doing d right thing now will put u in a better position come 2016.

Same thoughts here.

Way2GO:

'Not easy to produce a rabbit out of a hat'?
:faint:
:oops:
PM Sir, me m truly embarrassed just as me was with wat u said about garlic n onions at F1 when ur response was broadcasted to d world.
IT IS belly easy to to pull a rabbit out of a hat after wan prepare d props n practice sleight of hand. :evil:

Me was thinking - not so easy to find a \"rabbit\" these days :evil: ? (cos too many \"foxes\" have eaten up the rabbits.) Although he only said it as an idiom, I found the mention of \"rabbit\" is pretty symbolic here (although it wasn't intentional) - their 'whiteness', value system, intelligence, their ability to survive, camouflage, the ability to come up with contingency plans...\" Really not easy. Yet, it is still the right thing to do. Can understand if need time, but to consider not having a by-election is not acceptable.

[concern2]

Way2GO:

My thots on PM's response to d media's query on BE...

:boogie: Thank goodness you're back - finally, one of the few who are willing to talk openly about politics - before I start torturing the unwilling parties around me..

Way2GO:

many a time his public responses gives doubt as to whether his first priority is with d ppl n country or it's PAP first n foremost.

Precisely. Was hoping to see some sincere act of apology to have the people re-select their MP instead of conveniently putting us under the arm of another GRC. Why put us under SMC in the first place?

Way2GO:

Why bring in GRC to justify d stand-in when Punggol East is an SMC?..
PM, there is no further need to seriously consider, do d right thing, let d voters decide. They deserve proper representation in parliament, not a TSL stand-in. Don't be kiasu, d tide may be against u, but u still may not lose d seat. Watever d outcome, ur party will still hold d majority n preside over Parliament. IMHO, doing d right thing now will put u in a better position come 2016.

Same thoughts here.

Way2GO:

'Not easy to produce a rabbit out of a hat'?
:faint:
:oops:
PM Sir, me m truly embarrassed just as me was with wat u said about garlic n onions at F1 when ur response was broadcasted to d world.
IT IS belly easy to to pull a rabbit out of a hat after wan prepare d props n practice sleight of hand. :evil:

Me was thinking - not so easy to find a \"rabbit\" these days :evil: ? (cos too many \"foxes\" have eaten up the rabbits.) Although he only said it as an idiom, I found the mention of \"rabbit\" is pretty symbolic here (although it wasn't intentional) - their 'whiteness', value system, intelligence, their ability to survive, camouflage, the ability to come up with contingency plans...\" Really not easy. Yet, it is still the right thing to do. Can understand if need time, but to consider not having a by-election is not acceptable.

[concern2]

limlim:

concern2:

Now they humanize the vixen... using a story as a cap on the MP-LO case.


Seriously, everyone should watch Journey to the West

It is actually very educational.

一路向西? :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

Yar hor, never thought of it this way.