SINGAPORE: The Workers' Party (WP) held its third and final rally for the Punggol East by-election on Wednesday evening.
Speakers made a concerted attempt to convince voters that the party's candidate Lee Li Lian is best suited to represent residents in Parliament.
Non-constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) Gerald Giam responded to Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean's comments that WP MPs do not make a strong stand on important issues like population and foreign workers.
Mr Giam said large sections in the party's manifesto are dedicated to these issues and in Parliament, the party's MPs have all stated their positions on such matters.
Party secretary general Low Thia Khiang said he did speak up in Parliament on the issue of foreign workers and even suggested how the foreign worker quota can be better recalibrated.
But he said his proposal was not taken up by the government.
Mr Low added DPM Teo and the PAP should stop misleading voters - because the WP has been trying as hard to fix the mistakes made by the ruling party.
Mr Low said: "WP's stand on policy making and alternative solutions are clear. Every policy made must be made with the objective of improving the life of nation as whole, not only for a small group. If the result is only a small group benefiting from it, then the policy has failed.
"Society must be inclusive and this small nation of ours will quickly lose its identity and soul. Ladies and gentlemen, we cannot afford to put our lives in the hands of a sleepy driver. Do not put another sleepy driver into Parliament."
Speakers also addressed some concerns over the party's ability to take care of residents' needs, pointing to the WP's 20 years of experience in managing town councils.
Candidate Lee Li Lian said if elected, she will not offer multi-million dollar projects. Her immediate task, if elected, would be to ensure the smooth running of the town council.
On issues like immigration, she said WP is not anti-immigration, but it is the pace of immigration that is of concern.
She added that stay-at-home parents who do not have any income should receive the same infant and child care subsidies as other working parents.
Ms Lee said: "(There is) great imbalance in Parliament right now, that is why there is an urgent need to vote more Workers' Party candidates into Parliament. On 26 January, your ballot paper is not just a paper with cross on it, it is a signal to send a message to ruling paper that all is not well, we need more constructive changes."
Others spoke of how Punggol East residents have the chance of bringing in more opposition MPs into Parliament to make the government work harder for Singaporeans.
Hougang MP Png Eng Huat mentioned the ownership of the town council management software.
He said should there be a material change in a WP constituency, the new management will take over the town council completely intact with the original software.
He added the new management can then decide whether it wants to continue to use the software or discard it, as the software belongs to the town council.
Mr Png said the WP believes that the interest of residents must come above politics.
Party chair Sylvia Lim spoke about using the vote to build what she described as a more equal society.
"The Workers' Party believes that the way forward is to ensure that the country's governing principles takes into account not just economic growth but well-being and happiness as well," she said.
"Sustainable development, retirement security, social safety nets, all these are critical if we are to move forward as a united people. What we need are MPs who can empathise with the struggles that you face daily. Use your vote to bring about a more equal society, let Parliament be a microcosm of society with more MPs from the non-elite class to speak for the people."
- CNA/xq
WP responds to criticism, promotes Lee in final rally
This article
WP responds to criticism, promotes Lee in final rally
can be opened in url
http://newsallegretto.blogspot.com/2013/01/wp-responds-to-criticism-promotes-lee.html
WP responds to criticism, promotes Lee in final rally
