As online chatter continues over former PAP electoral candidate Ivan Lim, who stirred controversy over negative reports on his behaviour, yet another PAP candidate has slowly gained traction on social media.
Unlike Lim, however, 50-year-old Desmond Tan Kok Ming has been on the receiving end of some very positive comments.
Tan was unveiled by the party on Wednesday (June 24) as a GE candidate, alongside Lim and two other newcomers .
Prior to joining the People’s Association (PA), Tan served in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) as a brigadier-general.
Pandemic or not, home-based learning (HBL) is set to become routine, with schools setting aside several days every month for online learning.
Minister for Education Ong Ye Kung, in his video address to school leaders at the Annual Workplan Seminar last Thursday (June 25), said that due to the pandemic, teachers, students and parents went through “an unexpected crash course” in HBL.
But while recognising that HBL cannot be a substitute for school, where there is social interaction, the building of soft skills and values transmission, he said that HBL encourages more independent, self-directed learning, which is one of the most important lifelong skills.
“The sensible thing to do is to complement classroom teaching with HBL, and make HBL a permanent and regular feature of education,” he said, suggesting that, perhaps, for a start, HBL could be held once a fortnight.
But HBL days should not be packed with lessons or curriculum teaching. Nor should it be a “free-for-all” where the student does whatever he wishes, he said in the address which was released to the media.
SINGAPORE: Candidates will be able to apply for police permits to use perambulating vehicles fitted with loudspeakers as part of their campaigns in the run up to the General Election, the police said on Sunday (Jun 28).
From 2pm on Tuesday – Nomination Day – candidates and their agents may apply for the permits, subject to a list of conditions.
They include: not speaking in person, livestreaming, or broadcasting music or videos from the vehicles.
“Allowing candidates to speak from the back of perambulating vehicles would amount to a de facto rally and will attract a crowd around them,” the Elections Department said earlier this month.
“It would pose significant risk to public order, public health and road safety, if crowds congregate or follow the perambulating vehicle on the road.”
The police will also not grant permits for thank you vehicular processions after Polling Day, as large group gatherings are not allowed under the current Ministry of Health guidelines.
“These processions tend to attract crowds, with higher public health and public order risks, and moreover, are not critical to the electioneering process,” the police said.
Applications for a permit to use a perambulating vehicle can be submitted online by candidates or their election agents.
They must provide the vehicle’s registration number, make and model, and the applications must be submitted by noon on Jul 8, the day before Cooling off Day.
Candidates whose applications are approved will be notified via email and will need to acknowledge the permit conditions before the permit can be issued.
Applicants who have difficulties submitting their online application can call the Police Elections Permits Office (PEPO). If the issue cannot be resolved over the phone, the office may grant an appointment for a meeting at its office at the Police Cantonment Complex.
Those going to the complex will have to undergo temperature screening and exchange identity documents for security passes.
The police reminded people to comply with the Parliamentary Elections Act. Anyone who is not a citizen of Singapore is prohibited from taking part in any election activity.
No one should conduct any election activity unless they receive written authority from a candidate or election agent.
With the Covid-19 situation going on, there won’t be any physical rallies during this general election. Instead, each candidate will be given three minutes of airtime on national television and radio.
They will also be reaching out through the Internet. Already we’ve seen several live-streaming events done by various parties.
There may be no rallies, the place where we usually see supporters all decked out with political party-themed outfits and memorabilia, but that’s not to say you can’t show your support in other ways, even as we all stay at home.
Different political parties have dropped their merch online or are handing them out for free, and you can show your support by carrying them when you’re out or simply displaying them at home.
SINGAPORE: Tourism-linked businesses will be allowed to reopen in stages during Phase 2 of the COVID-19 “circuit breaker” reopening, beginning with 13 attractions from Jul 1, said the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) on Sunday (Jun 28).
After three months of closure, the casinos at Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa, Universal Studios Singapore and Singapore Zoo may resume operations after having had their safe reopening proposals approved, said STB in a media release.
The other attractions that can reopen from Jul 1 are: ArtScience Museum, Sands SkyPark and Observation Deck, Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay, S.E.A. Aquarium, Madame Tussauds, Jurong Bird Park, River Safari, Bounce and Zero Latency.
Domestic tour operators may also start submitting applications to resume operations.
Most attractions will be restricted to 25 per cent of their operating capacity “for a start”. Attractions and tour operators must follow this rule and apply other safe management measures that are “tailored to reduce the COVID-19 transmission risks of each attraction or tour”, said STB.
Such measures must be included in their reopening proposals, which will be assessed by the tourism board.
“Operators must demonstrate effective implementation of safe management measures to provide a safe environment for customers and workers, and may resume operations only after receiving approval from the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI),” said STB.
Singapore Zoo, Jurong Bird Park and River Safari, will reopen to the public with COVID-19 safe management measures in place on Jul 6, 2020. (Photo: Wildlife Reserves Singapore)
LIMITED OFFERINGS, MANDATORY ONLINE BOOKINGS
Access to the casinos will be limited to existing members and annual levy holders.
Universal Studios Singapore will be open from Thursday to Sunday – except on its reopening day on Jul 1, a Wednesday – between 2pm and 9pm. With the exceptions of shows and street entertainment, all other offerings are available, said Resorts World Sentosa.
S.E.A. Aquarium will be open from Saturday to Tuesday, between 10am and 5pm. It will only reopen on Jul 4, with all shows, public feeding sessions and character meet-and-greets still suspended.
All guests, including annual and season pass holders, are required to make online reservations in advance before visiting the park.
Only Friends of the Gardens members will be able to visit Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay from Jul 1, while the public can do so from Jul 11 onwards. The attraction will be open from 9am to 8pm.
Visitors must book their timed-entry tickets in advance, as physical ticketing counters will not be open. Tickets go on sale online from Jul 7.
Gardens by the Bay said these ticketed attractions will remain closed on Jul 1 and open in phases at a later date: Cloud Forest, OCBC Skyway, Supertree Observatory, Floral Fantasy and the Garden Rhapsody sound and light show.
Singapore Zoo, Jurong Bird Park and River Safari will reopen on Jul 6, said Wildlife Reserves Singapore. Guests are required to book timed-entry tickets online before visiting the parks.
STB chief executive Keith Tan said Singapore’s “tourism sector has been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, but our industry partners have responded with professionalism and resilience”.
“With tourism reopening in a safe and gradual manner, STB’s key priority will be to ensure that tourism businesses can provide a safe and enjoyable experience for their guests and visitors.
“While it will be some time before Singapore can fully welcome international visitors, we hope Singaporeans and residents of Singapore will enjoy what our tourism businesses have to offer, in a socially responsible way,” added Mr Tan.
The speed with which the Ivan Lim affair played out shows how even People’s Action Party (PAP) politics is not a safe route to fame and fortune.
There are three milestones in Lim’s torturous journey that show that you enter politics, even if you are an establishment person, at your own risk.
When a personal crisis hits, you are on your own, no safety blanket.
First, as the allegations against the PAP candidate hit the fan, the party’s first secretary-general, Heng Swee Keat, pushed him publicly to respond.
That gave the impression, to some at least, that this was a battle Lim had to fight on his own.
The DPM could have said the party will get back with a response soon. That way Heng would have shown that it would be a collective decision and not an individual one.
He went one step further saying that he was prepared to talk to Lim’s accusers to get to the truth of the story. And one of Lim’s accusers said he was prepared for it but wanted the discussion to be made public.
Second, Lim had no choice but to rush out with a statement.
Instead of showing some kind of contrition, he was seen as digging his heels.
“Make Your Vote Count” will be the Workers’ Party’s (WP) slogan for the general election.
WP secretary-general Pritam Singh unveiled the party’s slogan and manifesto on Sunday (June 28), saying the party wanted to call on focus the overwhelming parliamentary super-majority held by the ruling People’s Action Party.
He added that there is a real risk of a wipeout of elected opposition MPs at the July 10 polls.
“We need elected Workers’ Party MPs to be voted into Parliament so that they can serve the public… Elected opposition MPs strengthen our democracy and our political processes,” said Mr Singh.
“Don’t rely on someone else to vote for the Workers’ Party,” he added.
The WP manifesto, bearing the same slogan, laid out the party’s vision for Singapore along four themes: social and education policies that help Singaporeans achieve their dreams, dignified jobs for workers, building “a home we want” by tackling cost of living issues and creating robust political, governance and defence institutions.
The party devoted eight pages of the 48-page manifesto to responses to the Covid-19 crisis.
SINGAPORE: The upcoming General Election could represent a “changing of the guard” for the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP), say observers, with newer office holders stepping up to lead various Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs).
Since Parliament was dissolved and the Writ of Election issued, many long-standing Members of Parliament (MPs) have announced they will not stand for election.
Perhaps the most prominent among them was Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, Singapore’s second prime minister and an MP for Marine Parade for more than 40 years.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who is the secretary-general of the PAP, said on Saturday (Jun 27) that 20 PAP MPs will retire this year.
As the election approaches, several younger ministers have been tipped to step out of the shadows of their more senior colleagues.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Ng Chee Meng – who joined politics in 2015 after stepping down as the Chief of Defence Force – was an MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC under Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean.
Mr Ng is expected to head the PAP team in the newly formed Sengkang GRC, comprising Senior Minister of State Lam Pin Min, Senior Parliamentary Secretary Amrin Amin and newcomer Raymond Lye.
Jalan Besar GRC – which has no anchor minister after then-Communications and Information Minister Yaacob Ibrahim resigned from the Cabinet in 2018 – is expected to be headed by Manpower Minister Josephine Teo, previously an MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC under Minister for Defence Ng Eng Hen.
NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng and Manpower Minister Josephine Teo visiting a shop in Chinatown in May 2020. (Photo: Gaya Chandramohan)
“It has been a PAP tradition to put ministers to helm GRCs – they don’t take the GRCs for granted,” said political observer Mustafa Izzudin.
“So in other words, they will always want to put in the best team, regardless of who they are competing against,” added the senior international affairs analyst with management consultancy Solaris Strategies Singapore.
Noting this points to movements within GRC line-ups, especially for those with more than one full minister, Dr Mustafa said there was likely “some truth” to speculated moves such as those for Sengkang and Jalan Besar GRCs.
If Mrs Teo does helm Jalan Besar, she would be the first female minister to head a team in a GRC, he noted.
Associate Professor Eugene Tan from Singapore Management University’s (SMU) School of Law suggested that National Development Minister Desmond Lee – who has been an MP for Jurong GRC under Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam since joining politics in 2011 – could move to West Coast GRC to strengthen the PAP’s team there.
Former PAP backbencher Tan Cheng Bock’s Progress Singapore Party is expected to contest in West Coast GRC, which in 2006 absorbed the Ayer Rajah SMC where he was MP for 26 years.
Assoc Prof Tan noted that another possibility is that Mr Lee is moved to East Coast GRC, which does not have an anchor minister after former Manpower Minister Lim Swee Say stepped down in 2018.
Minister for Social and Family Development Desmond Lee helps volunteers pack food for the needy on Feb 20, 2020. (Photo: Hanidah Amin)
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah, an MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC since 2001, could also be moved to either Marine Parade or East Coast to beef up the PAP’s team against the Worker’s Party, which has said it intends to compete in both GRCs.
Observers also did not rule out the possibility of a minister of state or senior minister of state helming a GRC.
“I won’t discount that, said Assoc Prof Tan, adding that Dr Maliki Osman – who is Senior Minister of State for Defence and Foreign Affairs as well as Mayor for South East District – could “easily helm East Coast GRC”.
“He is strong on the ground,” he said of Dr Maliki, adding that Senior Minister of State for Defence Heng Chee How, with 19 years as an MP, could also head a GRC.
Senior Minister of State for Defence Heng Chee How visits Changi Air Base on Mar 14, 2019. (Photo: Vanessa Lim)
There are several senior ministers of state who have been given “high-profile responsibilities”, said Assoc Prof Tan Ern Ser from the National University of Singapore’s department of sociology.
He gave three examples – Janil Puthucheary, who is Senior Minister of State in the Transport and Communications and Information ministries, Lam Pin Min, who holds the Senior Minister of State portfolio for the Transport and Health ministries, as well as Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry and National Development Koh Poh Koon.
Senior Minister of State for Transport Lam Pin Min speaks to food delivery riders on Nov 12, 2019, about the recent rules banning e-scooters from footpaths. (Photo: Try Sutrisno Foo)
Dr Janil – formerly an MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC and who is also PAP’s party whip – could also replace former minister Lim Swee Say in East Coast GRC should he decide to step down, said Assoc Prof Tan Ern Se.
“I believe Dr Janil is due to be promoted to full minister in the new Cabinet,” he added.
Dr Mustafa however said having an incumbent senior minister of state helm a GRC was a “back-up plan”.
“You’ll see more of those ministers (but) if anything, it’s not helming a GRC, probably an SMC. I can’t see the PAP having a senior minister of state helming a GRC unless, of course, they can’t afford to move the ministers to their particular constituency,” he said.
This election is about transitions and the changing of guards, said sociologist Assoc Prof Tan.
“As we move to a 4G government, there is the need for the 4G ministers to helm GRCs,” said SMU’s Assoc Prof Tan.
“So the possible movements we have noted are part of a deliberate policy to replace the 3G helm with a 4G one. There has to be the ‘changing of the guard’ at the constituency level as part of the overall leadership renewal and succession.”
Following People’s Action Party (PAP) newcomer Ivan Lim’s sudden withdrawal from GE2020 last night (June 27) — mere hours after he had pledged to “stay the course” — some opposition leaders have also spoken up to urge the public to lay off of him.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock this past week, Lim should be no stranger to you.
On June 24, the 42-year-old general manager at Keppel Offshore and Marine was unveiled as PAP’s shining new candidate for Jurong GRC.
SINGAPORE: Vulnerable seniors who are currently not digitally connected and at higher risk from COVID-19 will receive the first batch of TraceTogether tokens from Sunday (Jun 28).
This is to help extend protection to as many people as possible, including those who may not own or prefer not to use a mobile phone, said Smart Nation and Digital Government Group (SNDGG) in a news release.
The first version will have an estimated battery life of six to nine months and does not require any charging. It is also designed to be convenient, light and easy to use.
“It can fit easily into a bag or be hung from a lanyard,” said SNDGG.
Each TraceTogether token will have a unique QR code and is personalised for the recipient’s use only.
The token works by exchanging Bluetooth signals with other TraceTogether tokens or with mobile phones nearby running the TraceTogether app.
The data collected will be encrypted and kept in the token for no more than 25 days, said SNDGG.
The token has no GPS, which means it does not capture geolocation data. It also has no internet or cellular connectivity, so the encrypted data cannot be remotely extracted from the device.
Infographic on key features of the TraceTogether token (Illustration: Smart Nation and Digital Government Group)
“Preserving and upholding privacy remains our key priority as we continue to improve these digital solutions to meet our needs and circumstances,” said SNDGG.
The user will be alerted by a Ministry of Health (MOH) contact tracing officer if he is detected to be in close contact with someone who was infected with the coronavirus.
If the user is a confirmed COVID-19 patient, officers will also contact him for data download.
All public sector data protection rules apply to information held by MOH and only a small number of authorised personnel will have access to the data for contact tracing purposes, said SNDGG.
Volunteers and staff distributing the tokens during the first distribution exercise will provide simple instructions on how to care for the device, as well as what to do when the token is faulty or misplaced.
Users are also reminded to carry their tokens with them whenever they leave their homes.
Care instructions on the TraceTogether token will be provided to the users. (Illustration: Smart Nation and Digital Government Group)
“By increasing the overall pool of participants, every user of the app or Token would benefit by being informed as early as possible, if or when they have been exposed to COVID-19,” said SNDGG.
“It is only with sufficient usage and the relevant data that these digital tools can work effectively.”
