Since a few years ago, I have been bringing my boys to the Marina Square / Esplanade area to watch the aerial display and fireworks a few weekends before the actual National Day.

This year, we went to the Esplanade and took a good position along the water, with a clear view of the bay facing the spanking new Marina Financial Center and Marina Bay Sands. Good position and angle to catch the series of displays: parachutes, Chinook fly-past, Apache appearance, and even the 21-shot ceremonial artillery fire, and of course the finale of spectacular fireworks (which costs $??).

In between the displays and performance, some one came up to me, and asked me permission to answer a questionnaire. It was a simple one question: “What are your aspirations for Singapore?”

Interesting question, to which I think deserves my most honest answer: “A more balanced Parliament.”

Anything else?

“Happier people.”

Yes, what more can I ask for, if our country has a more balanced Parliament in which issues are debated and finally agreed upon, based on views from different sides, not conclusions that are decided even before the motion is being tabled.

And of course, the pursuit of Happiness is such a difficult thing, that if one day we can confidently say that Singaporeans are a happier lot, I think we would have made it as a nation.

Difficult targets to meet, but not impossible. What is needed is the collective will of the people, to make Singapore a better place for all.

With that thought in mind, I wish everyone a Happy National Day.

Many people wished me happy birthday yesterday, and many asked me if I hope that having Polling Day and my birthday falling on the same day, that I will be ‘lucky’ to get elected as MP for Sengkang West. To that, I always reply that my ‘luck’ comes from the votes, and whatever happens at the end of the night, I have at least one reason to be happy about.

Birthday this year is an almost non-event to me. Wife bought a cake hoping to celebrate it with me and family on 6 May. However, an urgent matter cropped up that evening, and I had to quickly get my friends living in Sengkang West to help me, just at the making of a phone call. We resolved the matter way past midnight, and by that time the children have already gone to bed.

The next morning, before all the activities of Polling Day started, I thought of taking the cake as breakfast, and got my domestic helper to cut the cake to give to me. When wife woke up, she asked me if I have taken the cake, and who cut it. It was until that point in time that I realised that I did not even cut my own birthday cake!

Nevertheless, the day was filled with people sending me messages/telling me ‘Happy Birthday’, and I was genuinely happy for that, the care and concern of my friends.

Of course we now know the results of the votes in Sengkang West. I did not manage to win the seat from Dr Lam Pin Min, but I have done my best in the limited time I had. Many tell me the percentage I got at 41.92% is a good result, but I also know that there is always room for improvement…. until some day I get beyond the 50% mark.

I have many people to thank: my wife and children, the whole extended family, my Election Agent Nathaniel Koh who is the most wonderful EA one can have, the Party members that provided the “basis” of the campaign like the rally sites and the maintenance of the Party web-presence, the volunteers that came along with me to knock on the thousands of doors, the 9 assentors that made the nomination possible, the many many volunteers that helped to distribute my profile to 120 blocks in Sengkang West within the first few days, my friends staying in Sengkang West that responded to an urgent matter and came out in the middle of the night to help, polling agents that helped to ensure the voting process was proper, counting agents that helped to look at every vote counted, and fight to make every vote count, and the many many more supporters who either give me a warm smile when I meet them, or come up to me to say encouraging words. To all these people, I thank you.

I stay in Sengkang, and I will still stay in Sengkang. Hope that I can make more friends in the days to come, and in 5 years’ time, if Sengkang West SMC still exists, I want to be able to return and stand in Sengkang West. I am happy for the many friends that I have made over the course of the campaign, and I want to continue to make more friends here.

The next reason to be happy is that Shin Leong not only won Hougang, but increased the margin that Mr Low had in 2006. Shin Leong led the AMK team in 2006, and I think in a way, this contest in AMK sparked my entry into politics. Working with him over the last 5 five years in WP, I have seen the kind of hard work and sacrifices he has made. He deserves this victory in Hougang, and I cheered and hugged him first thing I saw him at Hougang Stadium last night. This is one more reason for my to be happy.

And of course, the most important reason to be happy, is that Workers’ Party finally broke through a GRC! Even as I typed in, I can still feel the emotions in me that I felt last night. Five years ago, when I decided to join the Workers’ Party, I just have in mind to contribute in whatever way I can to help correct the imbalance in Parliament. Standing in front of the stage, looking up at the team making their speech, tears welled in my eyes, as I see the collective efforts of the Party over the last five years bear fruit. This is the outcome I wanted to see five years ago, although it is just the first step to change the situation in Parliament. This is the most important reason for me to be happy about.

Memories of 7 May 2011 will be etched in my memory, and I will never forget this day.

During the course of my campaigning, people ask me many questions, and a few of them surfaced many times. I spoke about these questions at the rally in Punggol East (Rivervale in fact, blame the gerrymandering on the twisted naming of the area) on 3 May 2011, but maybe the essence was lost amidst the many distractions at the rally. The 3 questions are: Who is Koh Choong Yong? What will he do for Sengkang West if elected? Why vote for him and WP?

Who is Koh Choong Yong?

The first question first. I am just another guy, living in my HDB flat in Anchorvale for the past 10 years. 37 years old today, but I will turn 38 come Polling Day. A year ago I was jokingly telling my friends that Polling Day should fall on my birthday, and coincidentally enough, it really does. I am married to a lovely wife, and have 2 boys, Luck Heng and Kang Heng. Kang Heng is 3 and Luck Heng is 7. Luck Heng goes to a nearby primary school – Anchor Green Primary School.

Friends around me know me as an honest and upright person. Of course, you don’t have to take my word for this. What you can do, is to ask people around you. If you are around the same age group as me, there is a chance that someone you know will know me, since Singapore is really so small. A neighbour just commented to me last night, that he wanted to know more about me before supporting me, and just happens that his wife is friends with an ex-colleague of mine. They asked my ex-colleague, and was given a glowing testimonial of me, and that boosted their confidence in me. Some of my friends have done me a favour and posted their testimonial of me on my Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/kohchoongyong

What are my plans for Sengkang West?

Whenever I get this question, I will have to tell people that WP does not make empty promises. Even on a personal level, when dealing with friends, I do not over promise anything. I strive to do my best in whatever I do, and that is the promise I can give.

So people say that this is not tangible enough, but I believe that giving my best is the best promise, because I am confident of keeping that promise. In many stages of my life, I have went into a new organization/company/situation with an empty slate, and through hardwork and determination, proved my ability to people who work with me. There is one phrase I told my boss in my course of my work:“If at first you cannot solve the problem, keeping knocking at it and knocking at it, until one day it chips and breaks.”

As I said in my rally speech, I will take a different approach to solving the transport issues in Sengkang West. I will not simply sit in meetings after meetings after meetings, which has proven to be not so effective. I will instead want to go to the transport company for the minimum ridership they need, and then go back to residents, getting the numbers. If the actual number is sufficient for the transport company, there is no reason for them to reject our request.

Still, this is no guarantee that the transport company will not change the goal post after we get the numbers, but at least the approach is different. To me, it is the willingness to look at alternative approaches that is the difference.

Building a Town Council (physically and organizationally) from scratch is the other thing I will need to do, if I get elected. I may not have personal experience in Town Council management, but I have the 20-year experience of Hougang Town Council to rely on for advice. Another trait of me is also that, I pick up and learn things pretty quickly. My company that I registered in 2004 is named ARCWorks because of the words Absorb, Rethink, Create. I can quickly learn things, think about it, and rethink about it, and produce or create new ideas and approaches to things.

Of course, tacking the transport issue, building up a town council, are just the start of things to come. However, I also do not want to impose my ideas on residents. I will want to take the approach of asking what the residents want, reflect on the feasibility and go ahead if feasible. This may take a little longer, but I think it will better reflect what the residents want.

Why vote for Koh Choong Yong? Why vote for the Workers’ Party?

I am not anyone special, but that is exactly the reason that you should vote for me. I am just another ordinary guy living in Anchorvale, which happens to be in Sengkang West, the guy-next-door. Whatever issues that residents in Sengkang West face, I face them too. Your pain, is my pain.

I live in my five-room flat with my family, say hi to neighbours every morning when I walk my son to school, bring my son on evening bike rides around the area, and pack meals from the coffeeshops – 303, 308 and Koufu once in a while.

Basically, you can call me a “user” of the neighbourhood, in a loose definition of the word. An in my line of work (programming), the most important aspect is to look at things from the point of the “user”. Most of the time, the “user” perspective is overlooked, but it is the most important perspective.

That’s why I think I can safely say that I am more familiar with the area, and will be able to see the problems that residents face, simply because I also use the facilities in Sengkang West.

Some people have said that they have not seen me around, I am not active, and wonder if I cherish their support.

However, it is just a perception. I have knocked on close to 6000 doors since the boundary reports were released. I insisted on talking to every resident that we meet personally, not by proxy. I have been to all the coffeeshops in Sengkang West – 303, 308, Fernvale Koufu multiple times, and many times I will sit down at the table with residents to talk and listen to them. Time consuming but I find it totally worth it. There were even 2 nights that I spoke to residents at Koufu until 1am and 2am respectively.

I don’t bring an entourage with me, because I find that it might be intimidating, and with a small group, I can interact with residents in a more comfortable and personal way, just like making friends. I can sit down with residents at the coffeeshop, bump into residents at a 7-11 when buying drinks, even strike a conversation in my LRT trips around Sengkang West.

This approach is counter-intuitive for someone who is on the campaign trail, but I think it shows the different kind of approach I want to take if I get elected. I want to listen to the residents, I want their views, because I think their views matter.

Doesn’t matter if I end up talking to less residents, because I am confident that those that I spoke to, will be able to feel my attitude and my heart in what I do.

A little anecdote that I can share with you. I was talking to an uncle in 303 coffeeshop, and he told me this:

One day, he was sitting at Fernvale Koufu, and someone extended a handshake to him. As a natural reaction, the uncle shook hands, and the person basically left almost immediately. Looking at the person walking away, the uncle took a little time to figure out what exactly happened. Seconds later, he finally realised – “Oh! Dr Lam!”.

Of course it did not leave the uncle with a very good impression. And how did I know this story? I knew the story, because I sat down at a table when the uncle was having breakfast, took a while to chit-chat, and he shared the story after telling me his views on some other things.

That is the difference in attitude I have.

So why vote the Workers’ Party?

The answer is very simple. The PAP government will only wake up if there is a strong opposition. Have you ever heard the PAP government apologise in the history of Singapore? It happened this week, because the pressure from the possibility of losing Aljunied GRC and other seats probably made the PM rethink about the mistakes they have made previously.

If you want a government that sits up and listens to the people, a more attentive government, the only to do it is to have elected MPs from the opposition to check them in Parliament. Workers’ Party has worked hard to provide a credible choice, giving voters a rational, responsible and respectable party. I chose WP back when I did not have any party affiliations, based on my personal comparison between the PAP and WP. Today, if I were still just a voter in Sengkang West, I will still make the same choice.

Here we are. 5th May 2011. The final day of campaigning.

Was totally drained last night after a full day of walking around Sengkang West, talking to people and listening to them. Hopped onto bed at the ‘early’ hour of midnight, but woke up early at 5.30am. No choice, have to wake up this early otherwise I will not be able to finish reading the news in the papers.

Tonight is the final night. 5 years ago, I missed it, because for some reason or other, I did not attend the last rally at Serangoon Stadium. I was not a party member yet at that time, not even a volunteer. At that time, I was just a voter who has made up my mind, after spending the time to read up, attend rallies and think about my vote.

I missed the opportunity to recite the Singapore Pledge together with many fellow Singaporeans. I don’t know how it felt to be part of the stadium that night. This time, I am going to be standing on the stage. Will there be another pledge recital? I don’t know, but I know that I will feel emotional, because that was that, the wrapping up of a chapter in a journey. How the voters will vote on 7 May 2011, no one can predict. All I can hope for is for the voters to think clearly, and not be swayed by the fear, uncertainty and doubt casted by the PAP over the last few days, not even the last minute apology, that was evidently ‘squeezed’ out as a result of strong presence of opposition this time round.

All I know is, we have done our best. I am proud of being part of a party that can put up a strong and credible challenge to the PAP. I am proud of the hard work the party members and volunteers have put in, quietly behind the scene to make all the campaigning tasks and logistics possible. I am proud of being one of the 23 to stand up, and offer ourselves as a choice. Not matter what the results are on Polling Day, I am proud of being one part of this history in Singapore.

One more day for submission to the photo competition organised by the Workers’ Party Youth Wing. For entry details, see http://mysingapore.wpyouth.sg

]]> http://www.choongyong.com/2010/08/14/this-is-my-singapore/feed/ 0 http://www.choongyong.com/2010/06/04/first-survey-outreach-for-vote18-campaign/ http://www.choongyong.com/2010/06/04/first-survey-outreach-for-vote18-campaign/#comments Fri, 04 Jun 2010 04:25:20 +0000 choongyong.koh http://www.choongyong.com/?p=178 Continue reading →]]>

The group taking a photo outside Plaza Singapura before moving on to Orchard Road.

Last Friday (28 May 2010), a few of us from The Workers’ Party conducted a public Survey Outreach, to poll the public on their views on the Voting Age.  This was done in line with the launch of the Vote18 Campaign (http://vote18.wp.sg) organized by the Workers’ Party Youth Wing (WPYW).

An online survey was created at http://vote18.wp.sg/survey, but we also felt that we needed to reach out to people who might not come across our online efforts to publicise the survey.  As such, during the planning phase for the campaign, we decided on conducting public survey outreaches.

We planned to take the results from both the online and offline survey efforts, and perform a review on the next stage of the campaign. Amongst the possible next stages are a number of petition outreach, where we planned to bring petition forms to the public to ask them to sign if they support the idea of lowering the Voting Age to 18.

Of course, before we even started on the first activity, there were numerous internal meetings to discuss various issues, and one of the issues we identified was that we wanted to perform the public outreaches in a proper manner. Our objective was to collect public views on the topic, and we should be doing that with as little problem or disruption as possible for anyone.

With that in mind, I wrote an email to the Police Licensing Division to ask if our planned activities require us to apply for a police permit.  Shortly after, I receive an email reply plus a friendly phone call from Central Police Station, asking for more details on our intended activities.  I gave them the details, and I was advised to apply for a police permit.  I proceeded to apply for the police permit, and waited for the response.

Interestingly, the online form only allowed me to enter 2 dates and 1 location for events I intended to apply for, so I entered the dates for the first and last planned activities, and the location of “along Orchard Road”, one of the many locations planned.

Soon after, I received a called from another police inspector, now from the Tanglin Police Station.  I believe it is probably because I entered the location and the application was routed there.  I was again asked for the details, so I explained that we planned to carry out two kinds of activities – survey and petition, the background for why we are doing that, which dates we were going to conduct the activities, where, etc.  After getting the information from me, I was told that the application was in progress and I could also get back to the same police inspector if I had further questions.

I received confirmation from the police inspector on 21 May 2010 that the application for petition signing activities was rejected, and we were advised to carry these out at the Speakers’ Corner.  However, we could conduct the survey as long as we do no publicise a cause or campaign, mark or commemorate any event, or demonstrate support for opposition to the views or actions of any person, group of persons or any government.

We were also told that we could not wear our party uniform or display our Party logo or the WPYW logo in any way.

Personally, I do not agree with the part of the law that imposed such restrictions, but I understand that it is part of the law in force now and so I do not think that the police was wrong or trying to be difficult in imposing the restrictions.  I was just happy that we could indeed conduct the survey to gather public view of people on the street, which we could not have been able to get easily otherwise.

In the case of the survey, it was just a fact-finding exercise, so it was allowed.

In the few days before 28 May 2010, we had some further clarifications, so there was a number of to-and-fro email and phone correspondences between the police inspector and me on the finer points of the can-dos and cannot-dos.

On the actual day itself, I ensured that every person conducting the survey had a short briefing from me on the points to note before starting, so as to ensure that everyone knows what they can and cannot do.  Of course, everyone was pleased to know that we went through the due diligence to ensure the police allowed that activities, and we could all concentrate on the main objective of doing the survey.

With the help of the fellow members, the survey was conducted smoothly. We were outside Plaza Singapura for half the afternoon, took a short drink break, and proceeded to Orchard Road for the second half of the afternoon.

This is the first time the WPYW performs a public survey outreach, and also my first experience in applying for a police permit.  I must say that the police inspector I corresponded with is cooperative and helpful in making me understand the restrictions, so that I can focus on conducting the activity properly, without worry that I might be crossing the wrong line.

One thing for sure, the WPYW will continue to go through the same process for future activities that we understand might require police permit, so that we can continue our work in a constructive manner.

Remember to watch out for announcements of future activities at http://vote18.wp.sg and http://wpyouth.sg! And of course, we can also be found on twitter (http://www.twitter.com/wpyw) and on facebook (http://www.facebook.com/wpyouth)!