154th leaves Roy’s name out of NMP nomination list

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An honorable member of the Coffee Shop Has Just Posted the Following:

ST leaves Roy’s name out of NMP nomination list

May 21st, 2014 | Author: Editorial




The Straits Times (ST) reported today (21 May) that there
are at least 12 candidates vying for up to 9 NMP posts (‘At least 12 candidates
for NMP posts’):


The search for Nominated Members of Parliament (NMPs) drew to a close
yesterday, with at least a dozen people known to have thrown their hats in the
ring.

The list includes academics, a property agent and a pre-school education
trainer – reflecting a wide range of interest groups keen to have their voices
heard in the House.
ST listed the following candidates for NMP:

1. Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Thomas Chua, on
   behalf of business and industry groups
2. NTU Assistant Professor Liew Kai Khiun, 40, backed by animal welfare groups
   and the Nature Society
3. Buddhist Fellowship’s ex-president Angie Chew
4. Property agency Century21′s chief executive Ku Swee Yong
5. Pre-school Teachers Network Singapore founder Philip Koh
6. Logistics and Supply Chain Management Society president Raymon Krishnan
7. Theatre group director Kok Heng Leun, for the arts sector
8. Union leader K. Karthikeyan, for the labour movement
9. Former national sailor Ben Tan, for the sports community
10. Society for the Physically Disabled president Chia Yong Yong
11. Founder and editor of online publication Eco-Business and former ST
    journalist, Ms Jessica Cheam
12. Singapore Kindness Movement (SKM) general secretary William Wan

Only 2 of the 7 current NMPs will seek a second term: Mr R. Dhinakaran and
Prof Eugene Tan.

ST interviewed SKM’s Dr Wan who said that Parliament would offer a platform
for him to push for kindness and graciousness to be embedded in all aspects of
society. “It’s a big mandate. These values permeate every sector of our life…
Kindness and graciousness should not be just a campaign,” he said. Dr Wan also
wants to champion active ageing and ex-convicts.

However, conspicuously absent in the list is the name of blogger Roy Ngerng
who has been in the news lately after PM Lee threatened to sue him for libel.
For unknown reasons, ST chose not to mention that Roy’s name has been submitted
for consideration as well.

Roy Ngerng for NMP post


Blogger Roy Ngerng


Roy has been blogging on sociopolitical matters for 2 years [Link].

“Since 2012, I have dedicated and committed my time towards analyzing the
sociopolitical and economic issues in Singapore. I have written on issues which
Singaporeans are concerned about and have advocated for specific solutions for
the government to adopt,” he said.

“In particular, I have advocated on wage and labour issues, income inequality
and poverty, CPF, healthcare and educational issues.”

Roy discovered that Singaporeans are paid the lowest wages among the
high-income countries even as the highest-income earners in Singapore earn the
highest salaries and the cost of living in Singapore is one of the highest in
the world.

“As such, I have also been advocating to narrow the wage disparity in
Singapore,” he said.

Through interaction with older Singaporeans, the young Roy has also
discovered that retirement and CPF are among Singaporeans’ key concerns. He
revealed that Singaporeans are paying the most out of their wages into CPF in
the world. However, because of CPF’s low interest rates, we also have the least
adequate retirement funds in the world.

“It is a concern that even as Singaporeans have the lowest retirement funds
in the world, the sovereign wealth funds which uses our CPF for investments have
become one of the largest in the world. As such, I have been advocating for
higher interest rates on Singaporeans’ CPF to grow our retirement funds.”

On healthcare, together with prominent blogger Leong Sze Hian, Roy has shown
that government subsidies for health are the lowest among the developed
countries and on a par with developing countries. On top of that, Singaporeans
have to pay the most out of their own pocket for healthcare in the world.

“This has resulted in situations where it has been reported that Singaporeans
have chosen to die instead of seek medical care and Singaporeans who are laden
with hefty medical bills of more than $10,000,” he explained. “Subsidies for
health need to be increased significantly to protect the health and well-being
of Singaporeans.”

Roy will continue to press these issues in Parliament, if he eventually
becomes an NMP. He will continue to advocate decent wages so that Singaporeans
can live with dignity. He will also continue to speak up for increased subsidies
for equitable access to education and healthcare.

“It is the right and responsibility of the government to ensure that they
(Singaporeans) are able to retire well respectably and that we are able to
create a truly fair and equal society in Singapore, so that as a citizenry, we
will be able to move Singapore into the next era,” he added.

Regardless whether Roy is chosen as NMP, he will soldier on in the interest
of Singaporeans.

Roy said, “I will continue to play any roles I can to further and advance the
rights of Singaporeans and I look forward to advocating for the rights of
Singaporeans.”

The NMP scheme, introduced in 1990, allows for up to 9 people to be chosen to
provide alternative voices in Parliament. The Special Select Committee of
Parliament will choose among the nominees and make their recommendations to the
President.

Meanwhile, in the legal battle between PM Lee and Roy (‘PM
Lee sends letter of demand to blogger Roy Ngerng‘), Roy has taken down an
allegedly libellous article from his blog.

In addition to retraction and an apology, PM Lee also wants Roy to pay
damages and legal costs.

TRE understands that Roy is discussing with his lawyer M Ravi the next course
of action, after which Ravi will contact PM Lee’s lawyer, Davinder Singh.


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