JBJ challenges Govt to call by-election in late MP's ward

JBJ challenges Govt to call by-election in late MP's ward

By Sue-ann Chia

<A HREF="http://ads.asia1.com.sg/event.ng/Type=click&FlightID=14712&AdID=17915&TargetID=1533&Segments=1,41,81,238,999,1570,1780,1784,1891,2061,2099,2141,2355,2410,2433,2438,2472&Targets=1533,2847&Values=30,50,60,82,90,100,110,130,150,186,196,221,225,266,957,990,1480,1487,2253,2865,2908,2920,4074,4103,4118,4120,4334,4337,4342,5599,5633,5640,5663&RawValues=&Redirect=http:%2f%2fwww.straitstimes.com" target="_top"><IMG SRC="http://adimage.asiaone.com.sg/dot.gif" WIDTH=300 HEIGHT=250 BORDER=0></A> VETERAN opposition politician J.B. Jeyaretnam yesterday challenged the People's Action Party Government to defend the Singapore system by calling a by-election to fill the seat made vacant by the late MP Ong Chit Chung. Dr Ong, who died last Monday at age 59, was an MP for Bukit Batok, part of the six-seater Jurong GRC. Referring to recent criticisms of Singapore's style of governance, and government rebuttals of those criticisms which highlighted what Singapore's admirers said, Mr Jeyaretnam said: 'It is not enough to sing praises. You should show yourself ready to defend the system and its merits against attacks on the system.' And the best way to do so, he argued, is to submit to the ultimate judges - the electorate. The 82-year-old, who had just formed the Reform Party, made his argument in an open letter addressed to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. 'Do not, I urge you, shelter behind the provisions of the law that seemingly do not require you to call for a by-election,' he said. 'All these laws were designed and passed by those who...stand to benefit under the scheme. The laws have only one object - to keep the minority that you represent in power.' Mr Lim Boon Heng, the leading minister in Jurong GRC as well as chairman of the People's Action Party, told The Straits Times last week that there were no plans for a by-election as this is not required by law. The remaining five MPs in the GRC will share the responsibilities for Dr Ong's ward, he said. In his letter yesterday, Mr Jeyaretnam queried Mr Lim's reading of the law, saying he is not sure the law does not require a by-election to be held. He said there was no need to call a by-election for the whole GRC, but just for the ward without an MP now. 'If you do not call for a by-election, you will be seen as someone who is afraid to defend your beliefs and only interested in keeping yourself in power regardless of what the voters feel,' he said.