Singaporeans will decide on their next Government on 6 May.  They have to judge the performance of the PAP Government, Ministers and MPs as compared to that of those opposition MPs and their parties.  The PAP is fielding 24 new candidates to serve you.  They are younger than those who made way for them.  Several will be office holders.  In each election, 4-5 years, we field young men and women so that the government will continue to be capable and experienced with a good one quarter of MPs and Ministers for the younger generation to represent the younger voters who have come of age.  Without this systematic introduction of young new blood, Singapore’s government will grow old and out of touch.  The inputs from the younger generation of 24 young and able people will help when deciding policies to improve your lives, upgrade your estates, beautify and green up the environment, clean up the rivers and have more water sports, and most important of all, more and better jobs to replace those leaving for China, India and Vietnam. 

For Tanjong Pagar, our 3 new candidates are Lui Tuck Yew, Baey Yam Keng and Tan Chin Siong[1].  They are men of integrity and proven ability.  In 4-5 years, they will be as experienced like Indranee Rajah, Koo Tsai Kee.

The journalists said walkovers mean the PAP candidates have no mandate.  How can this be?  When an opposition picks on a constituency, whether a single or a GRC, they choose the constituency where the PAP is weakest where they think they have a chance of winning.  They avoid constituencies they know they will lose.  They have stayed away from Tanjong Pagar for the last 3 general elections.  So far there is no sign that Chiam’s SDA or Low Thia Khiang Workers’ Party or any other party will contest Tanjong Pagar.  Whether they do or do not, the PAP will still work for you as we have done after the last 3 elections.  Your homes have been improved with MUP (main upgrading), LUP (lift upgrading), more greenery and gardens, a cleaner environment, improved schools for your children, conveniently sited clinics and hospitals in each region, better community clubs and recreational facilities for the old and young.   Most important of all we have created better jobs with new investments.

By the next election, at least one of the new candidates will go on to lead another GRC.  This is the quality of men we have to serve you.  In the next 4-5 years they will show that they can deliver.  They will establish their reputation for competence and leadership.  Khaw Boon Wan, returned uncontested in 2001; now he is heading Sembawang GRC.  This is a good system.  It requires the opposition to find candidates as good as the PAP’s if they want to win.  And after winning, opposition candidates must prove that they can run a town council to cater to the needs of their voters.  If they win a GRC, they must show that they can administer a whole new town, ie a whole GRC.  Only then, can they hope to win more GRCs.  

Low Thia Kiang (WP) has asked “Do Singaporeans need an opposition, do they want an Opposition?  The answer is of course, they do. But they want an opposition that is equal to the job, that can match the PAP in integrity, capability and commitment.  We want to have a First World parliament for Singapore.  So we need to have a First World Government and a 1^st World Opposition.

If Mr Low is as proud of his candidates as the PAP is of ours, he would have presented them at the same time as the PAP so voters can compare the 2 sets of candidates.  But he held back in spite of being teased by the Prime Minister.  Now, under pressure, he first produces the best three.  We have told him where PAP candidates will be fielded.  He should say where his candidates will be fielded, so voters know who they were going to get. 

Is it bad for of Singapore to have no opposition in Parliament?  From 1965 to 1981, for 16 years, there was no opposition MPs.  In fact, Singapore made the rapid economic and social progress. 

With the departure of JB Jayaratnam the WP has moved away from gutter politics and have dropped some of the disreputable candidates. JBJ gave the opposition a bad name. Now Chee Soon Juan is giving the opposition a bad name. When the opposition move to higher standards of contention and disputation, the PAP will respond at that higher level. If they play the politics of the Third World, making wild defamatory allegations, like what the SDP have published in The Democrat timed for this election, they will destroy themselves.

Winning a single constituency can sometimes be a matter of luck.  If you have 2 brand new candidates contesting for the first time, voters cannot tell in two weeks which of two is the better, the more reliable candidate.  You can see who is the better speaker, but not who is more honest, more sincere, reliable and capable.  So the opposition want all constituencies to be singles for them to try their luck. But with 9 single constituencies, the opposition can only win two.

Low Thia Khiang, Chiam See Tong and Steve Chia know that they can win seats only if they have good candidates like the PAP. They are learning from the PAP, that to win they have to field credible candidates, people with ability, track records and the dedication to work.  However none of them have yet found a credible core of such men and women to field.  Hence they are shy to present their candidates early like the PAP for careful scrutiny and comparison.

The Opposition have only now announced their candidates. If they are proud of their candidates, they would introduce them early, as the PAP has done. Then everyone has time to study and compare their candidates with the PAP’s.

When you vote, vote for the best candidate or the best group of candidates in a GRC. Whichever party he belongs to, choose the most reliable and capable as your MP or MPs.  If he or they also happen to be in the PAP, it is an added benefit. 

The PAP is very likely to be the next Government.  So PAP MPs will have the government’s attention to get the problems of their constituents attended to.  For example, flooding near the Bedok reservoir, only a PAP MP can get you priority attention of the government.  A PAP government must give more attention to the constituencies that support the PAP.  This is so everywhere. Any government must first look after its supporters, whether it is America, Britain, Australia, Malaysia, Thailand or Singapore.

Only an effective government can provide security and stability and nurture talent of Singaporeans and bring in investments and jobs to give a good life for all.  Only capable ministers can make a small island with no natural resources, give Singaporeans a better living than the countries that have oil, gas, timber, rubber, palm oil and other natural resources. 

Whether or not Tanjong Pagar GRC is contested, we will serve you.  We are ready, election materials, posters, manifesto, agenda of meetings and house to house visits.  If the opposition comes, we will give them a rousing contest.