What's Up Hougang?

I have little idea what's gone on in Hougang. This by-election has seen a rally each I think and some harsh words have been exchanged.

I'm just annoyed that no one else came forward to make the elections a multi-cornered fight. Hougang is a single member constituency. Practically anyone could have come forward to add their name to the hat and liven things up a bit. It's $16,000 to join the by-election shindig so that may have been a hindrance. Wasn't there a rumour Tan Jee Say was going to put his hand up for nomination? Well, it's over, no point fussing over blank nomination papers.

Last I glanced in the papers, the WP candidate was not put into gahmen as an NMP previously and DPM Teo thinks that means he isn't quite worthy or something like that. He's also stated that the WP has got what they, and weirdly enough, perhaps by extension, Singaporeans too, have wanted with 5 elected opposition members in gahmen, that that was sufficient. Someone needs an arrogance timeout. Ah Choo has promised to keep Hougang as an SMC if he wins. Yeah right. He's also asked if WP will work the ground if PAP wins. The WP has more or less stuck to the logic of having more opposition members in gahmen to balance things out although Temasek Times reported they were quite convoluted in their speeches.

Is that all that's happened so far?

The other bit that bugs me is part of the precursor to all this. Yes Loverboy MP had an affair and was kicked out of the WP. (But did he have to be?). Our PM was then required to call a repeat election but get this, he could technically do it any time he wanted. "Unfettered discretion" I think they called it or is stated in the constitution. Isn't that a perversion of democracy, having people not represented by an elected representative in parliament for an undefined period? Seems odd to me that the power to decide when the by-election can occur rests with one person. Imagine if he got kwai-lan and keep on making excuses for delaying it. Hougang could have been 'punished for their disloyalty' with abject ignorance till the next GE. That possibility of that possibility just doesn't seem right.

I think I'll go listen to a rally or two this week.