WP Tactical Movements (Chinese Media)

I refer to the following news reports ‘WP: To Focus Fire power in North Eastern Part’. (Shin Min Daily News, Page 03, 27/01/2010) & ‘WP: On Tampines GRC’ (Lianhe Wanbao, Page 07, 27/01/2010)

Upon reading the report sub-header of the Shin Min Daily News, I called up Mr Desmond Lim, Secretary General of the Singapore Democratic Alliance and we had a good laugh over the phone!

News Cuttings: On the Left (Shin Min Daily News) & On the Right (Lianhe Wanbao)

WP Tactical Movements

I refer to my comments in the following news reports ‘Opposition eyeing Tampines GRC’ & ‘WP walks away from 2 GRCs’ (27th January 2010, Straits Times).

On top of the comments published in the Straits Times, below is a raw (but fuller) recollection of the interview.

Straits Times: This is to clarify a rumour whether is WP going to contest in Tampines GRC?

Shin Leong: One possible reason for the rumour to come about in the first place is due to the fact that WP has been seen regularly in Tampines during our weekly public outreaches via the sales of The Hammer. However this shouldn’t be deemed as the basis of WP contesting in any particular wards for WP activists do our public outreaches in various parts of Singapore too. The contestation in any wards by the WP candidates could only be decided by the WP’s Elections’ Committee, bearing in mind of the prevalent strategic circumstances then & the existing amount of ground work done by respective WP area committees.

Straits Times: Do you have any comments about NSP’s Goh Meng Seng’s declared minister specific strategy for their would-be GE campaign in Tampines?

Shin Leong: For any opposition team to defeat the PAP incumbent in any ward, it is important for the team to understand both the macro & micro variables, macro being national concerns and micro being local [ward] considerations.

Straits Times: Are you saying that NSP’s strategy will not work?

Shin Leong: No, I am not saying that. It is good that NSP has come up with an engagement strategy as Singapore inches towards the next GE. However it is not for me to say whether whose strategy will work or not, as at the end of the day, as it is for fellow Singaporeans to decide.

Straits Times: Does that means WP will not contest Tampines at all?

Shin Leong: The political pie is huge enough for everyone. As it is, I see no compelling reason to have a 3-cornered fight, unless the strategic situation warrants it.

Straits Times: What type of strategic situation warrants a WP contest in Tampines?

Shin Leong: In GE2006 SDP unilaterally declared its intention that they will be contesting in Sembawang GRC. This was despite the final agreement reached at the opposition parties’ GE06 joint discussions held earlier. As a gesture of WP’s goodwill, WP was prepared to forgo a contest in the 6-men Sembawang GRC in exchange for long-time SDP contested 1-man Nee Soon Central SMC. In that instance, had SDP still insisted on contesting in Nee Soon Central SMC, WP would have no qualms to fight a 3-cornered fight.

Straits Times: Has WP bumped into NSP during your public outreaches in Tampines?

Shin Leong: Yes, several times indeed.

Straits Times: What are the other WP’s targeted areas?

Shin Leong: A visit to WP area committees' websites will be rather obvious. For any political observer who is familiar with WP’s ground activism vis-à-vis our committees, apparently the strategic focus seems to be in the northern, north-eastern & eastern quadrant of Singapore.

Straits Times: What about WP Central Area Committee (CAC)?

Shin Leong: WP’s CAC ground activists have been re-deployed to other fronts following Uncle Chiam See Tong’s declaration that he will be contesting in Bishan-TPY GRC. This was done out of respect for Uncle Chiam after he indicated his intention to contest in that GRC.

Straits Times: Does that means that WP is giving up on Ang Mo Kio GRC as the CAC covers AMK too?

Shin Leong: Ang Mo Kio GRC was contested by WP in GE2006 out of a political necessity. Firstly, to give the people of AMK a chance to vote, Secondly, to ensure that Singapore is not led by a ‘walkover’ PM. Thirdly, for the purpose of a block force mission to ensure that PM Lee’s movements was restricted, so that he can’t campaign freely for his other PAP colleagues. Similarly just as how the strategic objectives of the WP’s Ang Mo Kio team’s mission have been met for GE2006, the WP elections committee would have to once more consider the compelling strategic circumstances whether or not to contest in AMK in this coming GE. More importantly, WP has actively continued with our regular public outreaches via our Hammer in Ang Mo Kio GRC.

Straits Times: However this is not inclusive of house visits right?

Shin Leong: Yes, you are right.

Straits Times: Will the considerations of consolidating WP presence north-eastern quadrant result in the eventual decision for WP to contest in Tampines GRC?

Shin Leong: Unless there are compelling strategic reasons for WP to do so, such as party expansion and the need for resources’ concentration. Otherwise the present political pie is huge enough. Interestingly, the NSP team leader for Tampines GRC was an ex-WP candidate in GE06.

Straits Times: Has the WP commenced any house visits in Tampines GRC?

Shin Leong: Let’s not get into specifics.

Straits Times: Would be possible for the Straits Times to follow WP in your next house visits/ public outreach in Tampines GRC or any other areas?

Shin Leong: Well, you know the answer!

双诗会

秦皇展暴， 民反迎汉
高祖掌儒， 朝威千古

民国有三， 却没鼎立
共国有望， 但缺民主

饶欣龙, 1.09 AM, 27/12/2010

刘氏佣民， 汉世春秋
李后酒诗， 国殇绝唐

强曹霸羽， 未能尊胜
立备后邦， 汉室盛世

任保南博士, 7.01 AM, 26/12/2010
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A Loose Translation of the Above:

1) The First Qin Emperor (Qin Shi Huang) ruled with terror, the people revolted and ushered in the Han dynasty.

2) Gao Zhu (First Emperor of Han Dynasty, aka Liu Bang) understood & applied the humane virtues of Confucianism, firmly establishing the imperial governance system for thousands of years.

3) The Republic of China (1911 – 1949) had the three Representatives ideology (Nationalism, Democracy & People’s Livelihood), yet words aside, action wise these were not rooted.

4) The People’s Republic of China (Communist) (1949 – Present) seems to have a bright future ahead, but alas, the principle of democracy is sorely missing.

Yaw Shin Leong, 1.09 AM, 27.12.2010

1) The Liu clan had effectively tapped upon people, such that the Han Dynasty was eventually established from the ashes of the Spring & Autumn period.

2) The Li (Shi Min’s) descendants were more interested in merry drinking and composing poems, such that the illustrious Tang dynasty eventually came into a sorry & shameful end.

3) The strong Cao Cao (Wei, Three kingdoms) and the (Conqueror of the West) Xiang Yu (Pre-Han peiod) depended on their military might, yet might was not the only pre-conditions of securing eventual victory.

4) After establishing effective institutions of governance, the legacy of the Han Dynasty endures till this day.

Dr John Yam, 7.01 AM, 26.12.2010

Should School Teach Political Education?

I refer to my comments found in the Straits Times' INSIGHT, Page A36 (9th January 2010). Below is the full version of the interview:

Straits Times Q1: Do you support Mr Shanmugam's suggestion, and why? What do you see as the pros and cons of stepping up political education in schools?

Shin Leong: I am skeptical. It is obvious that the agenda behind the Minister’s suggestion is with the partisan aim of perpetuating the current political status quo, i.e. the predominance of the PAP. Still, I am prepared to give the suggestion a qualified support subjected to the (almost impossible) conditions of impartial delivery. If this is indeed achievable, the advantages would be that our students’ precepts & understandings of political knowledge will certainly be enhanced.

Straits Times Q2: Do you think students are or would be interested in political education, and why? Would it take more than political education lessons to make them interested in such topics? If yes, what else would be needed?

Shin Leong: It is quite ironic to be talking about getting our students to be interested in political education, when mere few decades ago, our earlier Singapore’s educational system ‘cultivated’ highly politicized student cohorts. Perhaps time machines would be needed! The fact of the matter is, students’ interests over political knowledge must be organic and ground up.

Straits Times Q3: How did you personally benefit or were influenced from "political education" or the lack of it in schools?

Shin Leong: My earliest ‘political education’ came from the library of the now defunct Clementi North Primary School, where I first read abridged books on political ideologies and personalities. Subsequently student activism in students’ councils and CCA groups gave me direct opportunities to lead, mobilize, practice conflict management and consensus building in students politics. Guess no amount of political education can beat hands-on experiences in politics.

Straits Times Q4: Do you have specific ideas on how this suggestion should be implemented, like what should be taught and who should be taught?

Shin Leong: In 1993, as a student councillor of Jurong JC, I had the opportunity to convince my student council’s teacher-in-charge to abolish the process of teachers’ appointment of student councilors. Subsequently I played a role in institutionalizing a direct students’ election there which persisted till this day. In my opinion, the process of voters or candidates' participation in students’ elections is highly effective in imparting political concepts such as ‘campaigning’, ‘candidates’ ,‘one man one vote’ & ‘first past the post’ etc. One specific idea is to institutionalize local students’ elections systems across public schools (even in primary schools!) so that our students may elect &/or reject their representatives into students’ councils & CCA groups.

Straits Times Q5: What do you think should be the aims of political education?

Shin Leong: If there is to be one, it ought to be one that provoke students’ thoughts on:

1) The different types of political systems.
2) Why Singapore chose to be a democracy in the first place?
3) The true essence & variables of democracy
4) Whether the essence & variables of democracy should be tempered upon?

工人党：来临大选将有新血

新明日报 （Shin Min Daily）06.01.2010

工人党组织秘书饶欣龙，今早对本报说：“在一个政党里，有人离开也有新人近来， 人事的流动很平常， 而且也不是一件坏事。党内有一些新血。”

至于新血包括什么背景的人士，饶欣龙说: 来临大选之时，大家就会知道。”饶欣龙表示，与戈麦斯认识10 多年，对方在上周一起喝咖啡时，透露了离开工人党的决定。

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WP: Infusion of new Blood

In an interview with the Worker’s Party’s Organizing Secretary Yaw Shin Leong this morning, he said: “In a political party, there will be members who leave and new members who join. The movement of people is very common and not necessarily a bad thing, as WP has been attracting new blood.”

When queried upon what are the backgrounds of these new blood? Yaw Shin Leong replied: “Come closer to pre-election period, we will know.” Yaw Shin Leong indicated that he knew James Gomez for more than 10 years and James shared the decision to lapse his WP membership last week over a coffee session.

On James Gomez’s Membership Lapse

联合早报(Lian He Zao Bao)
6th January 2009

工人党组织秘书饶欣龙昨晚受访时证实了戈麦斯退党的消息。

他透露上个星期与戈麦斯喝咖啡时，对方就一向他透露这个决定。

“我们参加思考中心时已认识，至到今已有十年。 相信他是经过深思熟滤， 才做出离开的决定。每个人到了人生的某个阶段， 都会有不同的想法和理想。人事的流动， 是很正常的。”

他说工人党感谢他多年来的贡献， 并祝福他未来的事业顺利。饶欣龙说戈麦斯没有透露是否会加入其他政党。“不过， 他是个富有政治创意的人，如果他加入其他政党，我不会感到惊讶。”

那它会不会担心戈麦斯加入其他政党， 对工人党造成竞争？饶欣龙笑着答说：“本地的政治空间还是够大的。”

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The Workers’ Party Organizing Secretary Yaw Shin Leong confirmed the news of James Gomez’s party membership lapse. Shin Leong revealed that over drinks with James last week, James shared with him of the decision.

“We knew each other since our Think Centre days, till now that’s about 10 years. I believe James has thought through very thoroughly prior to making the decision. Every individual upon reaching certain stages in their lives will have different perspectives and fresh aspirations. Furthermore the movement of personnel is common across all organizations.The Workers’ Party thanks James for his years of contributions and we sincerely wish him the best in all of his endeavors.”

Shin Leong said that James did not reveal whether he will be joining another political party. “However James is someone full of political creativity, hence if he is to join another political party, I would not be surprised.”

The reporter then asked if Shin Leong is concerned that if James Gomez is to join another political party, will that create competition for the Workers’ Party?

Shin Leong merely smiled and quipped that “the current political space in Singapore is vast enough.”

反对党：增加单选区选举更民主

新明日报 （Shin Min Daily News, 03 January 2010, Page 5）

受访的反对党人士对于下届大选可能有30个选区不感到意外，并认为 ， 增加单选区， 可以让选举制度更民主。

工人党组织秘书饶欣龙受访时说， 之前总理就已经提出来届大选会有更多单选区， 因此，他对下届大选可能有30 个选区不感到意外。

谈到执政党增加单选区，是否会提高反对党的胜算，饶欣龙以2006 （应该是2001）年在 义顺东单选区的选战为例说，虽然当时有人认为，何炳基副教授和工人党的傅日源博士旗鼓相当，　但是，何炳基最后以近70% 的得票胜出。

“ 反对党要挑战集选区， 所面对的问题是， 不一定能够找到少族群的 后选人参加竞选。”

不过，他承认，有更多当选区意味着，选民有更多机会投票， 行使他们投选议员的权利。

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Opposition: The Increase of Single Member Constituencies will result in relatively more democratic Elections

Opposition personalities when interviewed upon were not fazed by the possibilities of having 30 electoral constituencies in the next General Elections. They are also of the view that increasing the seats of single member constituencies will enhance Singapore’s current electoral system to be relatively more democratic.

Yaw Shin Leong of the Workers’ Party when interviewed said that PM Lee had previously mentioned that there will be more Single Member Constituencies (& smaller Group Representation Constituencies) in the next General Elections. As such he is not surprised with the possibility of having 30 electoral constituencies come next General Elections.

When queried upon whether the incumbent’s increment of Single Member Constituencies parliamentary seats will enhance opposition parties’ electoral chances, Yaw Shin Leong replied that it is not necessarily so, citing the example of GE2006 (ought to be GE2001)’s Nee Soon East Constituency where it was said (by bookies) that A/P Hoe Peng Kee & WP’s Dr Poh Lee Guan both stood a 50-50% of being elected into Parliament. However in the end Hoe Peng Kee secured approximately 70% of the votes casted.

(When queried upon what would be the disadvantages opposition parties face when contesting in smaller GRCs. Shin Leong explained that as it is, it is already quite a challenge to secure suitable candidates from the Malay, Indian & Eurasian communities.) (Smaller GRCs simply mean that there will be an overall increment in certain ethnicity requirements). As such a probable challenge most opposition parties face would be securing (suitable) candidates from certain ethnic communities to participate in the polls.

However, he acknowledged that, with more Single Members Constituencies’ wards, constituents will probably have more opportunities to cast their votes. (Typically SMCs are favored by opposition parties in view of resource constraints and much smaller campaign ops areas. However the WP has long held the view the GRC system is not democratic and must be abolished. It will certainly seek to do so when it is in the position to abolish it.)

*Comments in bracketed italic tags were also made by me during the 5 minutes phone interview.

Threshold of a New Decade

At this morning’s 6am’s dawn prayers held at my church, the pastor welcomed the congregation into the new decade. Only then the double significance of 1st January 2010 dawned upon me, specifically it is not merely the beginning of a new year, but concurrently it marks the beginning of a brand new decade.

The mark of a new year or a new decade for some people would be mere numerical play with little real significance. After all scholars are of the view that our current Gregorian calendar system, which was established by the 6th century scholar Dionysius Exiguus was wrong by four years or more…

Then again, isn’t this human? Specifically by acknowledging our imperfections but celebrating our humanity. Perhaps it is due such a life’s posture that the markings of numerals do hold some degree of significance in my life.

In the course of the past decade, somehow I have been “set apart” to activism in the advancement of political defense in Singapore, with the vision of developing Singapore politically via the establishment of a credible opposition presence in Singapore’s Parliament, vis-à-vis the Workers’ Party.

However, sometimes low-grade motivation obscures the above vision. The enchantment of leading a political ‘block force mission’ in the Ang Mo Kio GE06 campaign for the first time, seeing my first few published political articles, recollections of my first few house visits have faded, and I am faced with the daily grind of sustaining my momentum and more importantly my idealism. It seems that I must work even harder to keep my passion and political energy level high.

Yet, during this morning’s dawn prayers, my heart has been decisively delighted and determined.What was the reason for it? The pastor pointed the congregation to a chapter of an ancient book – Psalms. In chapter 84, it was recorded that the ancient psalmist’s rock-solid devotion to his Source (the Lord) superseded all other concerns. The psalmist knew that he had been set apart (divinely anointed) and he was completely committed to his calling (verse 9). In fact, if necessary, he was willing to serve in some menial positions (as a doorkeeper etc) in the house of his Lord rather than to live in the lavish tents of otherwise (verse 10).

In verse 11, I understood the reason for the same psalmist’s devotion. His Lord is pictured as a “sun & shield” which offers warmth, blessings and protection to the psalmist. His Lord does not withhold anything good from those who put Him first and who is willing to subject his conduct to His will.

Now that the political thrills of the past decade is over, I need to be even more committed, to persist and persevere in pursuing my political vision. As such I need to exercise even more discipline as I am truly enjoying the process. Therefore I need to follow the example of my ancient predecessor – by turning to my Source and to spend more time in meaningful interactions with people. Out of the rich texture of meaningful human relationships come positive similarities & differences that will certainly better the conditions of our beloved Singapore.

Today, at the threshold of this new decade, I rededicate my life to my Lord’s calling, who is my sun and shield and one who gives me the satisfaction of knowing that my walk is worthy of my calling.