Workers’ Party (WP) has its wish fulfilled. Its member Dennis Goh is now Non-Constituency Member of Parliament in place of Lee Lilian. But not before a slick political maneuvering by Minister Chan Chun Sing to amend the motion filed by WP to vacate the seat offered to Me Lee, and to offer it to Mr Goh instead.
Mr Chan who was in his element, had earlier countered newly minted NCMP Leon Perera who had suggested that the scheme for unelected MPs endangered the future of Singapore by asking him, “If you say NCMP scheme endangers future of Singapore, why do you want to be a party to this?”
In proposing an amendment to the Motion filed by WP, Mr Chan said:
“Madam, I propose to amend the Motion as such with the following additions for sub-para c. But regrets that Ms Lee Lilian having stood as a Workers’ Party candidate and received the highest vote share among all losing opposition candidates, has now decided to give up her NCMP seat to another candidate from her Party with a lower vote share, contrary to the expressed will of the voters. And that the Workers’ Party supports this political maneuver to take full advantage of the NCMP seat, even as its secretary-general criticises NCMPS as just duckweeds on the water of the pond. ”
WATCH: Chan Chun Sing suggests amendment to motion to fill 3rd #NCMP seat #Parliament https://t.co/gFabDOH5NF https://t.co/wdfC4B5mn3
— Channel NewsAsia (@ChannelNewsAsia) January 29, 2016
WP’s secretary-general, Mr Low Thia Khiang, objected to the amended motion and said, “don’t be a hypocrite as say NCMP is the same as elected MPs.”
Don't be a hypocrite and say NCMP is the same as elected MPs: Low Thia Khiang #Parliament https://t.co/QoPbuWFG9p https://t.co/liS3Qewzpv
— Channel NewsAsia (@ChannelNewsAsia) January 29, 2016
WP MPs abstain from voting on this amended motion, but with the People’s Action Party having a super majority in the House, the amended motion was passed without much hassle.