The Singapore Democrats will field a team to contest in Sembawang GRC in the upcoming General Elections.
The announcement that Mr Khaw Boon Wan will lead the PAP team in Sembawang is the reason why the SDP has decided to contest there.
The SDP has been very concerned over the NKF scandal and has repeatedly spoken up on the Government’s negligence over the matter. For example, despite alarm bells ringing loudly over the mismanagement and abuse of public donations by Mr T T Durai and associates, Mr Khaw Boon Wan said that he “took his hat off” to NKF and asked donors to continue donating to the charity.
This was despite volunteers and members of the public calling attention to the growing problem. There was even a parliamentary debate during which some MPs had raised questions about the way NKF was managed.
Mr Khaw and Second Minister for Finance, Mr Lim Hng Kiang, staunchly defended NKF under Mr T T Durai despite the fact that Mr Durai was lavishing himself with salaries and perks to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars, driving luxury cars, and installing gold taps. NKF officials even flew to Las Vegas at the charity’s expense.
Even now, the Government is dragging its feet over investigations and has yet to prosecute anyone over the scandal. Being the Minister for Health and directly in charge of NKF, Mr Khaw has much to answer for.
The SDP will also focus on other related problems such as the high cost of health care in Singapore and how the PAP Government profits from health care.
The other issues that the SDP will focus on are transparency and accountability, including the management of the people’s CPF money and the prices of HDB flats. The PAP continues to refuse to reveal to Singaporeans the real reason why it is withholding the hard-earned CPF savings of the people through the Minimum Sum Scheme and how the money is being used in Government-run businesses. Also the PAP steadfastly refuses to reveal the real cost of building HDB flats and how much profit the HDB makes from each flat that it sells.
The Singapore Democrats has been visiting Sembawang GRC and selling its newspapers there for several years. We know the residents and the area well. In the coming weeks the SDP will focus its energy and resources in the northern ward and drive home our message.
The candidates for the GRC will be announced at the appropriate time.
Chee Soon Juan
Secretary-General
30 March 2006