By-election should be held ‘as soon as possible’

SINGAPORE — The Workers’ Party (WP), which carried out an ultimately unsuccessful campaign for the Punggol East seat in the polls in May last year, said yesterday that the resignation of Mr Michael Palmer was “unfortunate”, but nevertheless called for a by-election in the ward as soon as possible.

Speaking with reporters at his Meet-the-People session last night, WP chief Low Thia Khiang expressed his surprise at the news of Mr Palmer’s resignation over an extramarital affair with a People’s Association employee: “It’s always unpleasant to know, to learn of such things (happening) whether it’s in the Opposition or the PAP. We hope to have a good public service.”

Mr Low also said that Mr Palmer had been a “well-balanced” Speaker whom he “quite liked” personally.

“He has managed parliamentary affairs very well and very efficiently. He’s well balanced giving both front and backbenchers sufficient time to debate,” said Mr Low.

“He also has given members of the Opposition sufficient time to engage the front bench.”

The party issued a statement earlier in the day urging Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to call a by-election in Punggol East “as soon as possible” so that residents there are “properly represented”. In May this year, the Hougang SMC saw a by-election after the seat fell vacant after the WP sacked its MP there, Mr Yaw Shin Leong.

The sacking came after Mr Yaw persistently kept mum on allegations of marital infidelity.

Yesterday, Mr Low declined to draw parallels between the two incidents, although he said he hoped that those who have been critical of his party then would “display fairness and integrity in their comments and their sincerity in what they have said during the episode of Yaw Shin Leong”, a reference to a protracted debate on a by-election and whether the party had misled voters then.

Asked whether he felt the People’s Action Party (PAP) had handled the latest episode fairly, Mr Low declined comment. He added though, that “no (selection) process is foolproof”.

Turning to the possibility of a by-election, Mr Low said it was premature to speculate on who the party would field or whether it was prepared to meet other Opposition parties for discussions. He added: “We don’t know whether the PM will call a by-election or not.”

Asked if he felt WP’s performance in Parliament warranted the party winning another seat, Mr Low said: “I think the public will have to make a judgement. I don’t think I should be blowing my own trumpet, right?”

Other Opposition parties, meanwhile, also issued a call for a by-election to be held in Punggol East.

While Singapore People’s Party Chairman Lina Chiam threw her support behind the WP, saying they have “priority” to contest in a by-election because it had contested the seat in last year’s General Election, Reform Party Secretary-General Kenneth Jeyaretnam said his party’s “preliminary view” was that he should contest, thereby setting the stage for a possible three-cornered fight.

In the General Election last year, WP candidate Lee Li Lian lost with 41 per cent of the vote, while the Singapore Democratic Alliance’s Desmond Lim Bak Chuan forfeited his election deposit after garnering just 4.45 per cent of the vote.