Wrong to let young candidate sneak in

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Apr 5, 2011
GEN Y IN GE 2011
Wrong to let young candidate sneak in
WHILE I fully support the self-renewal concept of the People's Action Party (PAP), I was taken aback by some of the candidates it is fielding for the upcoming general election.

Although those like ex-army chief Chan Chun Sing and former Monetary Authority of Singapore managing director Heng Swee Keat have proven themselves in their respective professions and are clearly excellent candidates who can hold their own, the same cannot be said for some of the others.
The PAP leadership may think that the criticism levelled against its youngest new candidate, Ms Tin Pei Ling, 27, is unfair. Indeed, some of the remarks were uncalled for. But we need to dig deeper to understand why many Singaporeans are criticising her candidacy.
Ms Tin could not rebut criticism on her own and had to be defended repeatedly by Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and several other heavyweight ministers and MPs.
If she is as good as the party leadership says she is, she should perhaps be fielded in a single-member constituency.
If she can hold her own against an unknown opposition candidate in a straight fight, she will gain the respect of all Singaporeans.
If young Singaporeans do indeed desire such a young and inexperienced candidate as Ms Tin to represent them in Parliament, she should be able to defeat an older and equally inexperienced opposition candidate.
For Ms Tin to sneak into Parliament on the shoulders of Mr Goh or any other heavyweight minister would make a mockery of the parliamentary system the PAP has constructed.
Tan Siong Kuan
http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_652965.html

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Related:
- 'GRCs make it easier to find top talent: SM': "Without some assurance of a good chance of winning at least their first election, many able and successful young Singaporeans may not risk their careers to join politics" ; with hosting site footnote: "In Singapore, a Group Representation Constituency is a super-sized constituency where 5 or 6 candidates from the same party have to stand for election as a team. Voters vote for the party, not for individuals, thus weak candidates can still win a seat in Parliament by riding the coattails of stronger candidates."- [ST 26June2006]