Vote for Hougang II Vote for WP Vote for Ah Lian

Dr Koh Poh Koon wants to change the PAP from within. Is he behaving like a Mockingbird within the PAP? Mockingbirds are best known for the habit of some species mimicking the songs of other birds and the sounds of insects and amphibians, often loudly and in rapid succession. #1

Instead of voting for a Mockingbird, Punggol East voters must concentrate their votes on the best wining alternative candidate – WP Lee Li Lian. This will bring the opposition politics in Singapore to a new height. This will bring hope to other opposition parties in future general election. The withdrawal of SDP has indicated the importance of a straight fight with the PAP.  

Hougang II – is this possible?

Before talking about Hougang II, let revisit Hougang I in 1988 and 1991.

Hougang I

Elections	PAP	WP
1988 GE	Tang Guan Seng (59%)	Lim Chiu Liang (41%)
1991 GE BE strategy	Tang Guan Seng (47.2%)	Low Thia Khiang (52.8%)

1988 Margin 3,641 (18%) in favour of the PAP

1991 Margin 1,134 (5.6%) in favour of WP

In the 1988 Hougang election, the PAP had 59% of the votes and enjoyed a comfortable margin of 18%.  However, in 1991, the table turned against the PAP and it had a negative margin of 5.6%.  Of course, the PAP lost Hougang.

Comparing to Punggol East, in 2011 GE, the PAP received 54.5% of the votes. The margin was 13.5%, lower than Hougang I’s 18%.  However, both WP candidates in 1988 and 2011 scored 41% respectively – a coincidence.  This means it is possible to turn the table against the PAP in 2013 and WP Lee Li Lian can win the election with a smaller margin (due to four-corner fight).  

So, we see the Hougang II in the making. The beginning of next lap in a new normal era and a change that is good for Singapore’s future.

 

After his victory was announced at 12.53 am, he said: “This is the beginning of the next lap. “This is a change which I think is important to the development of society.” -       Low Thia Khiang’s victory speech in 1991    http://wpsn.wordpress.com/page/46/

Hougang II in Punggol East

Elections	PAP	WP
2011 GE	Michael Palmer (54.5%)	Lee Li Lian (41%)
2013 BE	Koh Poh Koon	Lee Li Lian

2011 Margin 4,217 (13.5%)

(Source: singapore-election.com)

Another coincidence is both WP candidates win the election in their second attempt: Low Thia Khiang first stood in 1988 in Tiong Bahru GRC and Lee Li Lian stands again in Punggol East, two years later in 2013.  

Low was 32 when he first stood in Tiong Bahru GRC and Lee at the same age in Punggol East for her first attempt. At this young age, they are energetic.  This is why Li Lain said she wanted to cover all the HDB flats in Punngol East.   

Because of this, the MSM has to show the energetic side of her opponent, PAP Koh Poh Koon:

<His busy campaign schedule means that Dr Koh is not keeping up with his rigorous fitness regimen. He used to run 10km on Sundays and do 30 chin-ups daily before he showered, on the bar he mounted in his toilet.> #2

Mockingbird wants to change from within

No matter what changes he wants to make, Koh still wants to keep his mockingbird nature, echoing the same messages ‘often loudly and in rapid succession’: 

<To him, however, the PAP government is a good one that has already set in motion policy changes since the watershed 2011 polls.
 "If the Government is already in the midst of change and it is moving in a direction that I think is the right direction, then it's better to be involved in the process of change from within," he said one Saturday night after a long day of campaigning.> #2

He only wants to be involved in the process of change NOT outside but INSIDE the PAP. Is “in the process of change” a change? Then, I am in the process to be a millionaire, am I a millionaire?

What is he echoing about?

* Paternity leave the right step: PAP's Koh

People's Action Party candidate for Punggol East, Dr Koh Poh Koon, said paid paternity leave is a step in the right direction, referring to one of the slew of measures announced by the government to encourage Singaporeans to start families.

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/-paternity-leave-the-right-step--pap-s-koh-081207492.html

* When the government announced 2 new MRT lines, he welcomed it.

* You may add more ....... 

#1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mockingbird

#2

http://www.straitstimes.com/the-big-story/punggol-east-election/story/aiming-be-part-change-within-20130122