On GRCs and losing Ministers

On GRCs and losing Ministers
Letter from Daniel Koh Kah Soon
Updated 07:30 PM May 04, 2011
If the Group Representation Constituency (GRC) had been intentionally designed primarily to protect not just untested candidates but also to keep experienced minister in power, the system is flawed. Everyone knows that the GRC introduced by the government has an inherent risk. If the ruling party wins a GRC, it gets between four and seats seats in Parliament. But if it loses one GRC, it loses those number of seats which, in the current election, would include at least one serving minister.

The dilemma cited by DPM Wong Kan Seng, as quoted in the report "If PAP loses GRCs, it will weaken Government" (May 4) unfortunately is one created by the ruling party. The onus is not on the voters to keep every minister in power, even if a minister is a likeable and competent person.
The GRC system does not allow voters to pick who among the group candidates should be kept and who to vote out. It is designed for the contesting parties to win all or lose everyone in each GRC. It will be sad to lose a good minister. But the designer of the GRC system should know that this is always a possible outcome.
http://www.todayonline.com/SingaporeVotes/EDC110504-0001331/On-GRCs-and-losing-Ministers
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