Issuance of Writ of Election
The Prime Minister has issued the Writ of Election announcing 17 August 2011 as Nomination Day. If more than one candidate stands nominated for election at the close of nominations on Nomination Day, the Returning Officer will declare 27 August 2011 (Saturday) to be Polling Day. Polling Day will be a public holiday.
Eligibility as Voters
You are eligible to vote if on 1 January 2011, which is the cut-off date for the revision of the registers of electors,
You are a citizen of Singapore i.e. holder of a pink Identity Card;
You are at least 21 years old; and
You are ordinarily resident or deemed to be ordinarily resident in Singapore; and
Your name is found on any of the current registers of electors
(You may check your voter eligibility online via this website from 4 August 2011).
Non-Voter
A non-voter is an eligible elector whose name was expunged from the registers of electors for failing to vote in an election. The restoration of non-voters’ names to the registers of electors has been suspended with the issuance of the Writ of Election. Applications received by the Elections Department on or after 3 August 2011 will be processed only after the Presidential Election 2011.
Overseas Voting
Overseas voting will be carried out at 9 Overseas Polling Stations located at the Singapore High Commissions, Embassies and Consulates in Canberra, Beijing, Hong Kong, London, San Francisco, Shanghai, Tokyo, Washington and New York. These locations are chosen because of the significant number of Singaporeans living in China, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Europe and America.
Registration as an Overseas Elector
Registration for overseas voting has been suspended with the issuance of the Writ of Election.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Presidential Election 2011 Candidate: Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam
Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam
陈庆炎博士
Education and early career
Tony Tan was educated at St Patrick's School and St Joseph's Institution. As a Singapore Government State Scholar, he earned First Class Honours Degree in Physics from the University of Singapore, topping his class.[4] As an Asia Foundation scholar, he went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where he completed a Master of Science (Operations Research). He later earned a PhD in Applied Mathematics at the University of Adelaide, before going on to lecture in Mathematics at the National University of Singapore.
In 1969, Tan left the University to begin a career in banking with Overseas-Chinese Banking Corporation (OCBC), where he rose to become General Manager, before leaving the bank to pursue his political career in 1979. From 1980 to 1981, Tan was the first Vice Chancellor of the new National University of Singapore (NUS).
In 2005, Tan was presented by NUS the Eminent Alumni Award in recognition of his role as a visionary architect of Singapore’s university sector. In 2010, he was presented the inaugural Distinguished Australian Alumnus Award by the Australian Alumni Singapore (AAS) at its 55th anniversary dinner as recognition to his distinguished career, significant contribution to society and the Australian alumni community.
陈庆炎博士
Education and early career
Tony Tan was educated at St Patrick's School and St Joseph's Institution. As a Singapore Government State Scholar, he earned First Class Honours Degree in Physics from the University of Singapore, topping his class.[4] As an Asia Foundation scholar, he went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where he completed a Master of Science (Operations Research). He later earned a PhD in Applied Mathematics at the University of Adelaide, before going on to lecture in Mathematics at the National University of Singapore.
In 1969, Tan left the University to begin a career in banking with Overseas-Chinese Banking Corporation (OCBC), where he rose to become General Manager, before leaving the bank to pursue his political career in 1979. From 1980 to 1981, Tan was the first Vice Chancellor of the new National University of Singapore (NUS).
In 2005, Tan was presented by NUS the Eminent Alumni Award in recognition of his role as a visionary architect of Singapore’s university sector. In 2010, he was presented the inaugural Distinguished Australian Alumnus Award by the Australian Alumni Singapore (AAS) at its 55th anniversary dinner as recognition to his distinguished career, significant contribution to society and the Australian alumni community.
A member of the People's Action Party, Tan became a Member of Parliament (MP) in 1979. He was made a Senior Minister of State in the Ministry of Education in 1979, before joining the Cabinet in 1980. He served in the Cabinet as Minister for Education (1980–81 & 1985–91), Minister for Trade & Industry (1981–86), Minister for Finance (1983–85), and Minister for Health (1985–86).
In December 1991, Tan stepped down from the Cabinet to return to the private sector and rejoined Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation (OCBC) as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer from 1992–95, while retaining his seat in Parliament as a representative for the Sembawang Group Representation Constituency.
Tan subsequently left OCBC and rejoined the Cabinet in August 1995 as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence. In August 2003, he relinquished the Defence Minister's portfolio and became the Co-ordinating Minister for Security and Defence, while retaining the post of Deputy Prime Minister.
Unusually for a PAP Minister, Tan clashed with his colleagues and then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew over issues such as the Graduate Mothers Scheme, under which the children of mothers without university degrees received lower priority when registering for primary school. Tan, then Minister for Education, advocated abandoning the policy, which was ultimately scrapped. He also took the lead in espousing a cut in CPF in the 1980s, which Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew had said would not be allowed except “in an economic crisis”.
He later persuaded Minister for National Development Mah Bow Tan to abandon plans to demolish an old mosque in his constituency of Sembawang. Dubbed the “Last Kampung Mosque in Singapore”, it was later designated a heritage site.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Presidential election 2011 candidate: Tan Kin Lian
Tan Kin Lian
陈钦亮
Business career
[edit]Chairman and CEO of NTUC Income
Tan Kin Lian became the general manager of NTUC Income Insurance Co-Operative in 1977, at the age of 29, subsequently re-designated as chief executive officer and remained in this position until April 2007. During his leadership the company has grown from having $40 million in assets in 1977 to more than $17 billion in assets and over one million policyholders in 2007.
[edit]Other Corporate Appointments
Tan Kin Lian’s 2007 CV mentions more than 60 directorships and other corporate appointments [7]. Of these, the most notable is the chairmanship of International Co-operative & Mutual Insurance Federation (1992-1997), an international organisation which at that time represented 123 insurance groups in 65 countries, employing 260,000 people (www.icmif.org). The total assets of the members of this international federation totalled USD 1.5 trillion (1997 figure).
Political Career
Tan Kin Lian was a People's Action Party member for 30 years but left the party in 2008 due to inactivity and disagreement with the party's value system. He was previously the party's branch secretary at Marine Parade for 3 years and was chosen in 1977 by Goh Chok Tong, a new MP at that time, to test a pilot scheme for setting up block committees, now known as residents' committees. For the first 10 years, Tan was active in Marine Parade constituency but became inactive for the next 20 years after he moved to Upper Thomson and later to Yio Chu Kang areas.
According to Tan Kin Lian himself, he was asked to stand for elections to parliament twice, in 1979 and 1985 (exact dates uncertain). He declined both times, earlier - due to his work commitments and later - because he disagreed with the direction of the party policy (on national service, graduate mothers scheme, etc).
Election promise:
On 3 June 2011, a friend collected the certificate of eligibility forms on behalf of Tan for the Singaporean presidential election, 2011. On 7 June 2011, Tan Kin Lian confirmed that he would be running for the presidency. Following this, he promised to donate a significant part of the $4 million presidential salary to a specially formed charity and circulated several statements outlining his position on the role of the president, including a controversial statement on safeguarding the reserves. The statements drew a mild rebuke from present and previous senior members of Singapore government, who attempted to publicly clarify that the Elected President has only "custodial powers" and not "executive powers". In reply, Tan Kin Lian issued another statement, where he agreed with the limitations but nevertheless stressed that “the president does not need to be armed with strong executive powers to make an impact. A well qualified and properly elected President will make his impact through the power to persuade, to influence, to counsel, to convey feedback and if necessary, to articulate informed positions on specific issues.”
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Singapore Presidential Elections- The Facts
Singapore Presidential Elections- The Facts
The President
The citizens of Singapore in accordance with the legislations indicated below elect the President. The President shall be the Head of State and hold office for a term of 6 years. The first Presidential Election was held on 28 August 1993. The current term of the President shall expire on 1 September 2011 and the Presidential Election has to be conducted not more than 3 months before the date of expiration of the current term of the President.
Legislations governing the conduct of the Presidential Election comprise:
The Constitution of the Republic of Singapore
(The Government, Part V (Chapter 1) - The President);
The Presidential Elections Act (Chapter 240A);
The Political Donations Act (Chapter 236); and
related Subsidiary Legislations.
The Right to Vote
The registers of electors produced in accordance with the Parliamentary Elections Act which are in operation at the time of any election shall be conclusive evidence of a person’s right to vote at that election.
Conduct of Election
The Presidential Election has to be conducted as follows:
within 6 months after the office of the President becomes vacant prior to the expiration of the term of office of the incumbent; or
not more than 3 months before the date of expiration of the term of office of the incumbent.
Writ of Election
The Prime Minister will issue a writ under the public seal, addressed to the Returning Officer specifying:
the date of nomination
Not less than 5 days nor more than one month after the date of the writ; and
the place of nomination.
Notice of Election
After the Prime Minister has issued the writ, the Returning Officer will issue a notice, at least 4 clear days before the Nomination Day, stipulating:
the date, time and place for the nomination of candidates;
the nomination paper to be signed by:
the candidate;
the proposer;
the seconder; and
at least four assentors
The proposer’s, seconder’s and assentors' names must appear in any of the registers of electors in operation;
the payment of deposit (a sum equal to 3 times the amount of deposit payable by a candidate under the Parliamentary Elections Act [section 28(1)]);
Statutory declaration by the candidate of his qualifications and that on nomination day he is not a member of any political party;
Political Donation Certificate issued by the Registrar of Political Donations; and
Certificate of Eligibility issued by the Presidential Elections Committee.
Presidential Elections Committee
The function of the Presidential Elections Committee is to ensure that candidates for the office of President have the qualifications referred to in Article 19 of the Constitution. The Chairman of the Public Service Commission chairs the Committee, which comprises 2 other members - one is the Chairman of the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority and the other is a member of the Presidential Council for Minority Rights nominated by the Chairman of the Council.
Any person who desires to be elected to the Office of President shall apply to the Presidential Elections Committee for a Certificate from 1 June 2011 to not later than 3 days after the date of the writ of election. The Certificate shall be issued to the applicant not later than the day before Nomination Day.
Nomination Day
Candidates are required to present their nomination papers and certificates to the Returning Officer, in duplicate and in person, at the nomination centre between 11 am and 12 noon, accompanied by their proposer, seconder and at least 4 assentors.
At the close of the nomination, if only one candidate stands nominated, the Returning Officer will declare the nominated candidate elected to the office of President.
Where more than one candidate stands nominated, the Returning Officer will adjourn the election to a date where a poll will be taken, i.e. Polling Day. The Returning Officer will allot to each candidate an approved symbol.
Notice of Contested Election
The notice of contested election, issued by the Returning Officer, will specify:
the date of the poll (not earlier than the 10th day, and not later than the 56th day after publication of the notice);
the names of candidates, their symbols, proposers and seconders; and
the locations of the polling stations.
Campaigning
Candidates can start campaigning after the notice of contested election is issued, up to the start of the day before Polling Day (which is the Cooling-Off Day). Candidates may also be given air-time by the television stations.
The campaigning activities are restricted to:
conducting house-to-house visits;
distributing pamphlets;
putting up posters and banners;
campaigning on perambulating vehicles;
advertising on the Internet (within the confines of the rules regarding election advertising); and
holding election rallies and meetings.
No candidate is allowed to advertise over television, in newspapers, magazines or periodicals, or in a public place, unless he is authorised to do so in accordance with the directions of the Returning Officer.
The maximum amount a candidate can spend on election expenses is $600,000 or an amount equal to 30 cents per elector on the registers of electors, whichever is the greater.
Cooling-off Day
The eve of Polling Day is designated as Cooling-off Day, a day when election campaigning is prohibited. This 24-hour campaign silence period is to give voters some time to reflect rationally on issues raised during the election before going to the polls.
There are some exceptions to the prohibition of campaign activities on Cooling-off Day:
Reports in the newspapers, on radio and television relating to election matters;
Approved posters and banners that were already up, and lawful Internet advertising that was already published before the eve of Polling Day;
Books previously scheduled for publication;
The transmission of personal political views by individuals to other individuals, on a non-commercial basis, using the Internet, telephone or other electronic means; and
Such activities or circumstances as may be prescribed by the Minister.
The above exception list also applies to Polling Day.
Polling Day
Persons, whose names are found in the registers of electors in operation will receive a poll card which will be mailed to their latest NRIC address well before Polling Day.
On Polling Day, they can go to their assigned polling stations to cast their votes any time between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm.
After the close of the polls, the ballot boxes containing the votes cast will be sealed and transported to the respective counting centres.
Singapore citizens abroad who have been registered as overseas electors can cast their votes at the overseas polling stations allotted to them.
Polling overseas may take place before voting starts in Singapore but has to close before polling ends in Singapore. After an overseas poll is closed, the ballot boxes will be brought back to Singapore for counting and they must reach the Returning Officer not later than 10 days after Polling Day.
Counting of Votes
After the count, the Assistant Returning Officer will transmit the results of counting to the Returning Officer at the principal counting place. The Returning Officer will compile the results received from all counting centres in Singapore. If the overseas votes have no impact on the outcome of the election, the Returning Officer will declare the candidate to whom the greatest number of votes is given to be elected. If the overseas votes have impact on the outcome, the Returning Officer will announce the number of votes cast in Singapore in favour of each candidate and will defer the declaration of the candidate elected until the day the overseas votes are counted. After counting the overseas votes, the final results will be published in the government gazette.
Election Expenses Returns
The election agents of all candidates who contested in a Presidential Election must submit a declaration and a return of election expenses to the Returning Officer within 31 days of the day on which the result of the election is published in the Gazette.
The President
The citizens of Singapore in accordance with the legislations indicated below elect the President. The President shall be the Head of State and hold office for a term of 6 years. The first Presidential Election was held on 28 August 1993. The current term of the President shall expire on 1 September 2011 and the Presidential Election has to be conducted not more than 3 months before the date of expiration of the current term of the President.
Legislations governing the conduct of the Presidential Election comprise:
The Constitution of the Republic of Singapore
(The Government, Part V (Chapter 1) - The President);
The Presidential Elections Act (Chapter 240A);
The Political Donations Act (Chapter 236); and
related Subsidiary Legislations.
The Right to Vote
The registers of electors produced in accordance with the Parliamentary Elections Act which are in operation at the time of any election shall be conclusive evidence of a person’s right to vote at that election.
Conduct of Election
The Presidential Election has to be conducted as follows:
within 6 months after the office of the President becomes vacant prior to the expiration of the term of office of the incumbent; or
not more than 3 months before the date of expiration of the term of office of the incumbent.
Writ of Election
The Prime Minister will issue a writ under the public seal, addressed to the Returning Officer specifying:
the date of nomination
Not less than 5 days nor more than one month after the date of the writ; and
the place of nomination.
Notice of Election
After the Prime Minister has issued the writ, the Returning Officer will issue a notice, at least 4 clear days before the Nomination Day, stipulating:
the date, time and place for the nomination of candidates;
the nomination paper to be signed by:
the candidate;
the proposer;
the seconder; and
at least four assentors
The proposer’s, seconder’s and assentors' names must appear in any of the registers of electors in operation;
the payment of deposit (a sum equal to 3 times the amount of deposit payable by a candidate under the Parliamentary Elections Act [section 28(1)]);
Statutory declaration by the candidate of his qualifications and that on nomination day he is not a member of any political party;
Political Donation Certificate issued by the Registrar of Political Donations; and
Certificate of Eligibility issued by the Presidential Elections Committee.
Presidential Elections Committee
The function of the Presidential Elections Committee is to ensure that candidates for the office of President have the qualifications referred to in Article 19 of the Constitution. The Chairman of the Public Service Commission chairs the Committee, which comprises 2 other members - one is the Chairman of the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority and the other is a member of the Presidential Council for Minority Rights nominated by the Chairman of the Council.
Any person who desires to be elected to the Office of President shall apply to the Presidential Elections Committee for a Certificate from 1 June 2011 to not later than 3 days after the date of the writ of election. The Certificate shall be issued to the applicant not later than the day before Nomination Day.
Nomination Day
Candidates are required to present their nomination papers and certificates to the Returning Officer, in duplicate and in person, at the nomination centre between 11 am and 12 noon, accompanied by their proposer, seconder and at least 4 assentors.
At the close of the nomination, if only one candidate stands nominated, the Returning Officer will declare the nominated candidate elected to the office of President.
Where more than one candidate stands nominated, the Returning Officer will adjourn the election to a date where a poll will be taken, i.e. Polling Day. The Returning Officer will allot to each candidate an approved symbol.
Notice of Contested Election
The notice of contested election, issued by the Returning Officer, will specify:
the date of the poll (not earlier than the 10th day, and not later than the 56th day after publication of the notice);
the names of candidates, their symbols, proposers and seconders; and
the locations of the polling stations.
Campaigning
Candidates can start campaigning after the notice of contested election is issued, up to the start of the day before Polling Day (which is the Cooling-Off Day). Candidates may also be given air-time by the television stations.
The campaigning activities are restricted to:
conducting house-to-house visits;
distributing pamphlets;
putting up posters and banners;
campaigning on perambulating vehicles;
advertising on the Internet (within the confines of the rules regarding election advertising); and
holding election rallies and meetings.
No candidate is allowed to advertise over television, in newspapers, magazines or periodicals, or in a public place, unless he is authorised to do so in accordance with the directions of the Returning Officer.
The maximum amount a candidate can spend on election expenses is $600,000 or an amount equal to 30 cents per elector on the registers of electors, whichever is the greater.
Cooling-off Day
The eve of Polling Day is designated as Cooling-off Day, a day when election campaigning is prohibited. This 24-hour campaign silence period is to give voters some time to reflect rationally on issues raised during the election before going to the polls.
There are some exceptions to the prohibition of campaign activities on Cooling-off Day:
Reports in the newspapers, on radio and television relating to election matters;
Approved posters and banners that were already up, and lawful Internet advertising that was already published before the eve of Polling Day;
Books previously scheduled for publication;
The transmission of personal political views by individuals to other individuals, on a non-commercial basis, using the Internet, telephone or other electronic means; and
Such activities or circumstances as may be prescribed by the Minister.
The above exception list also applies to Polling Day.
Polling Day
Persons, whose names are found in the registers of electors in operation will receive a poll card which will be mailed to their latest NRIC address well before Polling Day.
On Polling Day, they can go to their assigned polling stations to cast their votes any time between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm.
After the close of the polls, the ballot boxes containing the votes cast will be sealed and transported to the respective counting centres.
Singapore citizens abroad who have been registered as overseas electors can cast their votes at the overseas polling stations allotted to them.
Polling overseas may take place before voting starts in Singapore but has to close before polling ends in Singapore. After an overseas poll is closed, the ballot boxes will be brought back to Singapore for counting and they must reach the Returning Officer not later than 10 days after Polling Day.
Counting of Votes
After the count, the Assistant Returning Officer will transmit the results of counting to the Returning Officer at the principal counting place. The Returning Officer will compile the results received from all counting centres in Singapore. If the overseas votes have no impact on the outcome of the election, the Returning Officer will declare the candidate to whom the greatest number of votes is given to be elected. If the overseas votes have impact on the outcome, the Returning Officer will announce the number of votes cast in Singapore in favour of each candidate and will defer the declaration of the candidate elected until the day the overseas votes are counted. After counting the overseas votes, the final results will be published in the government gazette.
Election Expenses Returns
The election agents of all candidates who contested in a Presidential Election must submit a declaration and a return of election expenses to the Returning Officer within 31 days of the day on which the result of the election is published in the Gazette.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
NSP's Nicole Seah gets 'rockstar' treatment
THE youngest candidate in the coming polls received the rockstar treatment on her first walkabout after being unveiled as a candidate last week.
Heads turned and crowds formed when the National Solidarity Party (NSP)'s Nicole Seah, 24, visited two wards in Marine Parade GRC with her four teammates on Sunday. Over 15 members of the public who found out about the walkabout from Ms Seah's Facebook page turned up dressed in orange to show their support.
Ms Seah has captured the attention of many online, with comparisons being made between her and the People's Action Party (PAP)'s own youngest candidate, 27-year-old Tin Pei Ling. Ms Tin, who has been criticised for appearing immature in interviews, is likely to stand in Marine Parade GRC led by Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.
On Saturday, SM Goh spoke about implementing a buddy system where the more experienced MPs would partner the new candidates at their meet-the-people sessions. Incumbents Fatimah Lateef and Seah Kian Peng would 'buddy' new faces Ms Tin and former army general Tan Chuan-Jin respectively.
NSP president Sebastian Teo said this was an attempt by the PAP to divert attention from Ms Tin. 'I think they are just trying to avoid a one-to-one straight competition, that's why they are putting two in one pair... They are trying to divert focus from their young candidate,' said Mr Teo.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
PAP's youngest candidate faces online criticism
PAP's youngest candidate faces online criticism
SINGAPORE - Ms Tin Pei Ling's first foray into the public eye as People's Action Party's youngest candidate has seen her at the receiving end of netizens' criticisms. Shortly after her introduction to the media, bloggers and websites have picked her apart, with the most harsh comments reserved for her young age, and allegations that she was fielded because of her husband's position as principal private secretary to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Ms Tin, 27, is a senior associate at Ernst & Young Advisory. She has been serving in the grassroots for seven years and is expected to contest in the MacPherson ward in the Marine Parade group representation constituency (GRC) in the coming General Election.
Pictures from her Facebook account have also emerged, and show her posing with a Kate Spade shopping bag or on holiday with her husband.
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