Mar 23, 2010
COME General Election time, a significant minority will not get to vote. This is because of Singapore's unique group representation constituency (GRC) system, which puts enormous strain on the opposition to match the People's Action Party, owing to lack of resources and credible candidates.
Having gone through GRC elections for the past 20-odd years, many Singaporeans have been sidelined in walkover wards.
Although we boast a high voter turnout in every election, the underlying picture tells only half the story. It is not very surprising if a citizen does not get to vote in his lifetime in democratic Singapore. This basic human right to choose one's leaders is denied to some because of the GRC system.
I suggest no more walkovers. If only one party stands in a GRC, the poll should still be carried out. The lone party must win enough votes to secure the parliamentary seat.
The winning barrier should be set at 50 per cent plus one vote. If this lone contestant fails to secure the cut-off percentage, a second round of voting must be called. This by-election should be able to attract participation from the opposition.
Tan Hong Ngan
[Let's say there's no contest in your ward come election. And Mr Tan's suggestion is implemented so the lone candidate still needs to be polled. So there you are in the polling station. How do you cast your vote? If you're a responsible person, you'd think about the candidate and decide if he or she has done a good job, or will do a good job and you vote for or not for him/her. Or you decide you want more excitement and you want a choice so you vote against the candidate in order to force a by-election? I think we can safely assume that there will be a by-election under Mr Tan's rules.
The opposition has an opportunity to field candidates in the General Election. If they choose not to, then they have failed the electorate in that ward. Why give them a second chance? Why subject the responsible party that ensures representation for all wards to a double jeopardy?
If this rule is allowed, then the top opposition candidates will just choose the wards they want to contest. If they fail, they can try again in another by-election. And another. And another.
Democracy is just a process of choosing a govt. If the parties do not offer a choice, then we should proceed with the business of governing, not be obsessed about forcing a secondary and even tertiary choice. ]
COME General Election time, a significant minority will not get to vote. This is because of Singapore's unique group representation constituency (GRC) system, which puts enormous strain on the opposition to match the People's Action Party, owing to lack of resources and credible candidates.
Having gone through GRC elections for the past 20-odd years, many Singaporeans have been sidelined in walkover wards.
Although we boast a high voter turnout in every election, the underlying picture tells only half the story. It is not very surprising if a citizen does not get to vote in his lifetime in democratic Singapore. This basic human right to choose one's leaders is denied to some because of the GRC system.
I suggest no more walkovers. If only one party stands in a GRC, the poll should still be carried out. The lone party must win enough votes to secure the parliamentary seat.
The winning barrier should be set at 50 per cent plus one vote. If this lone contestant fails to secure the cut-off percentage, a second round of voting must be called. This by-election should be able to attract participation from the opposition.
Tan Hong Ngan
[Let's say there's no contest in your ward come election. And Mr Tan's suggestion is implemented so the lone candidate still needs to be polled. So there you are in the polling station. How do you cast your vote? If you're a responsible person, you'd think about the candidate and decide if he or she has done a good job, or will do a good job and you vote for or not for him/her. Or you decide you want more excitement and you want a choice so you vote against the candidate in order to force a by-election? I think we can safely assume that there will be a by-election under Mr Tan's rules.
The opposition has an opportunity to field candidates in the General Election. If they choose not to, then they have failed the electorate in that ward. Why give them a second chance? Why subject the responsible party that ensures representation for all wards to a double jeopardy?
If this rule is allowed, then the top opposition candidates will just choose the wards they want to contest. If they fail, they can try again in another by-election. And another. And another.
Democracy is just a process of choosing a govt. If the parties do not offer a choice, then we should proceed with the business of governing, not be obsessed about forcing a secondary and even tertiary choice. ]
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