Workers' Party names Yee Jenn Jong, Gerald Giam for NCMP seats - 13May2011

SINGAPORE: The Workers' Party has named its two candidates for the Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) seats.

They are Mr Yee Jenn Jong, who narrowly lost in the Joo Chiat single-member seat to the People's Action Party's Charles Chong by just 382 votes, and Mr Gerald Giam, a member from its team for East Coast Group Representation Constituency which garnered 45.17 per cent of the votes.

Mr Yee said: "Many residents have asked me to continue to champion certain national issues for them in the parliament. So I hope to be able to use the NCMP position to raise some of these issues. My area of expertise will be in entrepreneurship, small and medium enterprise and education.

"Of course there are issues that Joo Chiat residents have raised to me that are of national interest, and I may raise it up or I may raise it through my fellow colleagues."

The appointment of Mr Giam caused Eric Tan, who is the leader of the Workers' Party East Coast GRC team, to resign.

Mr Tan told the TODAY newspaper that he felt betrayed.

In an email reply, Mr Giam said he had the privilege of serving with Mr Tan for the past two years, calling him a "friend and mentor".

He added he was sad Mr Tan decided to leave the party under such circumstances.

In a statement on Friday, Party Chairman Sylvia Lim said after much deliberation, the Central Executive Committee has decided to accept the two NCMP seats available to it.

This brings the total number of seats in Parliament for the Workers' Party to eight, inclusive of its wins at Hougang SMC and Aljunied GRC.

On Thursday, the Singapore People's Party's Lina Chiam announced that she would also be accepting the NCMP post.

Mrs Chiam lost narrowly to the People's Action Party's Sitoh Yi Pin in Potong Pasir.

The NCMP seat is offered to the best performing losers from the opposition side in the recent General Election.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• 154thmedia
• GE2011
• Singapore
• General
• Election
• 2011
• result
• Hougang
• NCMP
• Aljunied
• East
• Coast
• GRC

[DiarySG]

What about Eric Tan, the team leader??? He worked for so hard to expand WP for the last 7 years! Hello? He was the one who helped recruit Chen Show Mao and train Geald Giam since 2009! :-(

[burtmurdoch]

Congrats WP. :D