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May 13, 2011
GRC AFTER GE 2011: USEFUL OR NOT?
It works fine
THE aim of the Group Representation Constituency (GRC) system in ensuring that there is an adequate number of minorities elected into Parliament works.
If the entire electoral format features single member constituencies (SMCs), there is a high probability that Chinese Singaporean candidates will win, despite the fact that 16,969 voters in Punggol East SMC returned PAP's Eurasian candidate Michael Palmer to the House.

Mr Palmer's victory is heartening, but it can hardly guarantee that minorities will get through in adequate numbers except with a GRC format.
Apart from Mr Palmer, the PAP slated 22 minority candidates in 15 GRC teams.
Among them, only Senior Minister of State Zainul Abidin Rasheed lost.
But thanks to the GRC format, there will be 24 minority MPs in the new Parliament instead of 23, because the Workers' Party, which won in Aljunied GRC, fielded two minority candidates: Mr Pritam Singh and Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap.
Will minority candidates be better off with more single-ward contests?
WP leader Low Thia Khiang has little reason to complain about GRCs because he accepted and contested in one, regardless of whether he was challenged by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew or not.
It is not easy to win in a GRC but as the Aljunied GRC result illustrated, it may be more difficult to defend it, as a very determined WP team led by Mr Low demonstrated.
Kong Siong Kwong
http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_667993.html
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