Under The Angsana Tree: The Upcoming Bt Batok By-Election

Update 20 Apr 2016: Bukit Batok by-election to be held on May 7

Polling day for the Bukit Batok Single Member Constituency (SMC) by-election will be on May 7.

President Tony Tan Keng Yam issued the writ of election on Wednesday (April 20).

Nomination day for the election will be held on Wednesday, April 27, and the nomination centre will be at Keming Primary School. There will then be nine days of campaigning before the mandatory cooling-off day on May 6.

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PAP to field top lawyer in Bukit Batok by-election

Mr Murali, a former senior police officer, heads the commercial litigation department at Rajah & Tann. He says that if elected, he would stay on at S'pore's largest law firm. PHOTO: JAMIE KOH/ THE STRAITS TIMES

HAVING spent more than 16 years as an activist in Bt Batok, Murali Pillai hopes the residents there will give him their vote at the upcoming by-election in the single-member constituency.

The 48-yr-old father of four, a top lawyer at Rajah & Tann, was formally introduced on Monday as the People's Action Party (PAP) candidate to contest the poll.

It is not known when the by-election will be held; Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has only said it would be called "in due course", but political watchers reckon it is likely to take place as early as May, after the 2-week Budget and Committee of Supply debate in Parliament is over in mid-April.

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Singapore's ruling PAP fields Indian in crucial bypoll

An Indian lawyer was today fielded by Singapore's ruling People's Action Party to take on one of the most outspoken opposition politician in a crucial bypoll.

K Muralidharan Pillai, 48, was introduced by Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam as the PAP's candidate for Bukit Batok constituency at a press conference here.

Pillai has served as secretary of the PAP's branch in the constituency from 2007 to 2011. He held roles such as the chairman of the ward's Inter-Racial and Religious Confidence Circle and vice-chairman of its community foundation.

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K. Muralidharan Pillai

Murali heads Rajah & Tann’s Commercial Litigation Practice. He has a broad-based financial, commercial litigation, employment law and arbitration practice dealing with a wide spectrum of matters. He also advises financial institutions on contentious regulatory matters. He is repeatedly pitted against senior counsel.

He was cited in The Legal 500 Asia Pacific (2015 Ed) as "a titan in the courtroom". He was also cited in Asialaw Profiles (2016 Ed) as "sharp, concise, extremely competent, and gives well-considered and thorough advice. He strikes up brilliant rapport with clients," says a client, while another client commends his "competency, fantastic turnaround time, and commercial approach".

Prior to pursuing a career in law, Murali served as an Assistant Superintendent of Police in the Singapore Police Force primarily conducting investigations into white-collar crimes.

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What you need to know about lawyer Murali Pillai, PAP's candidate for the Bukit Batok by-election

Lawyer Murali Pillai was announced on Monday (Mar 21) afternoon as the People's Action Party (PAP) candidate for the upcoming Bt Batok by-election.

Mr Pillai, 48, looks set to enter into a straight fight against Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) chief Chee Soon Juan, who stated his intention to contest before a walkabout in the single-member constituency on Sunday (Mar 20).

Here's what you need to know about the long-time party activist, who joined the PAP in 2001.

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Candidate has 16-year record of service in ward

Having served in various capacities in Bt Batok for 16 years, Mr Murali Pillai is no stranger to the ward. In fact, he was the one who “held everyone together” -- as People’s Action Party (PAP) second assistant secretary general Tharman Shanmugaratnam put it -- after former Member of Parliament (MP) Ong Chit Chung died in 2008.

As he was unveiled as the PAP’s candidate to defend the Single Member Constituency in the upcoming by-election yesterday, the 48-year-old lawyer who heads the commercial litigation department at Rajah & Tann pledged to “serve with all my heart ..... alongside activists whom I have had the pleasure of working with for so many years”.

At a press conference, Mr Murali, who joined the PAP in 2000, spoke about his “record of service in the area”, which was what had made him agree to stand in the by-election triggered by MP David Ong’s resignation.

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Expect tough contest, rough fight in Bukit Batok by-election, say experts

A keen contest. A fight filled with plenty of fireworks. A by-election that will see the opposition attempt to wrest a ward which the ruling party had won with a comfortable margin.

That is how political experts predict the impending 2-way fight in the Bt Batok by-election will pan out.

Yesterday, the People's Action Party (PAP) introduced Mr K. Muralidharan Pillai, 48, as the candidate for the single-member constituency (SMC).

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Quite a few unknown factors at play in Bukit Batok

Another by-election so soon after a general election. It is a situation the People's Action Party does not relish - it lost 2 such contests within two years of the 2011 General Election.

The by-elections in Hougang in 2012 and Punggol East in 2013 were triggered by the incumbent MPs - 1 from the Workers' Party and 1 from the PAP - vacating their seats after extramarital affairs.

The by-elections, both won by the WP, also came after a heated general election in 2011 that saw the PAP's share of the popular vote dip to its lowest since independence.

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PAP, SDP gearing up for Bt Batok contest

The Bt Batok by-election has not been called, but the two candidates who have said they will stand there are gearing up for a tough fight.

Over the weekend, People's Action Party candidate Murali Pillai and S'pore Democratic Party chief Chee Soon Juan, along with their teams, were out in full force, distributing fliers and greeting residents. The SDP also unveiled its campaign message on Saturday.

Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said on the sidelines of a community event on Saturday that the People's Action Party was not taking anything for granted.

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Bukit Batok by-election shaping up to be a contest of contrasts

The Bukit Batok by-election is shaping up to be a contest of contrasts between a long-time People’s Action Party (PAP) activist and a veteran Opposition firebrand.

The PAP on Monday (Mar 21) introduced lawyer Murali Pillai, 48, as its candidate. The father of 4 is a low-key grassroots activist who served in Bukit Batok for 16 years before contesting in last year’s general election as part of the PAP’s five-member Aljunied GRC team.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Mr Murali said: “I pledge to serve with all my heart ..… If elected, my special focus will be on the needs of the elderly and the needy.”

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A chance for SDP?

Early yesterday morning, a small contingent from the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) turned up for a walkabout in Bukit Batok.

It comes as no surprise that the opposition party has so quickly staked its claim for the constituency that is headed for a by-election after the shock resignation of People's Action Party MP David Ong over an alleged affair.

Not only is Bt Batok the party's old stomping ground, but the upcoming by-election could also be its best chance to emerge from 2 decades in the political wilderness. It was once the top dog in Singapore's opposition scene, wining three seats in the 1991 General Election. But infighting saw the party lose its seats in one term, and it has not had a presence in Parliament since 1997.

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Are the odds in the Bukit Batok by-election stacked for or against Chee Soon Juan?

The opposition Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) is sending secretary-general Chee Soon Juan to stand in the upcoming by-election (BE) in Bukit Batok SMC.

Things working for him:

His candidacy and campaign continues the redemption arc that Chee was building in the last General Election (GE)
The by-election effect, which often helps buoy the opposition candidate
His change of tack to take a local tone instead of a national one, by leading with town council management

And here are the things working against him:

He may be running against PAP’s Murali Pillai, who has some pretty good grassroots credentials
David Ong enjoyed a huge vote share in GE2015
Chee needs to explain his seeming absence from grassroots efforts and outreach since the last election

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WP CHEN SHOW MAO URGE S'POREANS TO VOTE DR CHEE & KEEP MURALI IN PAYA LEBAR

A BOY'S PRAYER

Good luck to Dr Chee. Good luck to Mr Murali.

More important than either of them -- Best of luck to Singapore.

Since both are lovely men by most accounts, why don't we send one of them to Parliament and keep the other in Paya Lebar where we live

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Blow-By-Blow: Can Chief Chee Swing It Against “Son of Bukit Batok” Murali

No more electoral boundary changes, no more pre-election goodies, no more opposition bloc bickering. It’s a clear cut winner takes all situation in Bukit Batok between SDP chief Chee Soon Juan and “Son of Bukit Batok” and Aljunied “Suicide Squad” member K Murali Pillai.

The task at hand now for Dr Chee – to swing some 25 percent of the votes, or about 6370 voters, over to the red corner. This, while retaining its supporters in Bukit Batok from GE2015. Can he do this against a relatively unknown PAP figure?

Let’s take a look:

The Family Man vs the Womanising Man

Tharman

Bukit Batok Voters

Ground Work

The Western Bloc

Lee Kuan Yew

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Chee Soon Juan faces not only Murali Pillai but also Lee Kuan Yew, Gillian Kohs and mainstream media in battle for Bukit Batok

The People’s Action Party (PAP) has unveiled Mr Murali Pilliai as its candidate for the upcoming by-election in Bukit Batok single member constituency, and a straight fight is looming between him and Singapore Democratic Party (SDP)’s secretary-general Chee Soon Juan.

But is Dr Chee Soon Juan only fighting the PAP candidate, or something much bigger than Mr Pillai?

On the same morning that Dr Chee Soon Juan was announced as a candidate, a resident of Bukit Batok said in his Facebook that a large banner of the late Mr lee Kuan Yew went up in front of the former MP David Ong’s office in the constituency

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Bukit Batok BE: An electoral race that will shed light on race

IT WAS, as Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam acknowledged, not a very well-kept secret. Lawyer Murali Pillai, 48, is the man from the People’s Action Party (PAP) who will be taking on Singapore Democratic Party’s (SDP) Dr Chee Soon Juan in Bukit Batok.

Mr Tharman and Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth heaped praises on Mr Murali, a member of the five-member suicide squad who went up against the Workers’ Party (WP) in Aljunied GRC in the 2015 General Election (GE2015). Mr Tharman reminded the media of how Mr Murali did extremely well in his ward in Paya Lebar against WP’s Chen Show Mao. He swung the votes there, said Mr Tharman, a point which was also made in the PAP press statement. (Which only goes to show that electoral results can be broken down, rather than made public as a gigantic GRC number.)

Now, he is moving from Aljunied to Bukit Batok where he used to be PAP branch secretary under the late Member of Parliament (MP) Ong Chit Chung. Expect the number 16 to be uttered often – that’s how far back his roots in Bukit Batok go after he was first invited by Dr Ong to handle a legal case. He went on to set up legal clinics in the ward, got involved in grassroots groups and went over to Paya Lebar in 2012. He has maintained his relationships with Bukit Batok activists since, he said, making the point that community work isn’t like a job where changing companies meant severing ties.

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Bukit Batok by-election is not about Indian vs Chinese: Chee Soon Juan

Singapore Democratic Party chief Chee Soon Juan dismissed talk of race playing a factor in the Bukit Batok by-election, claiming that the issue is merely a ploy for the government to perpetuate its rule.

Speaking for the first time since lawyer K. Muralidharan Pillai was unveiled as the People’s Action Party candidate for the by-election, Chee noted on Tuesday (22 March) that the Workers’ Party’s JB Jeyaratnam had triumphed in the Anson by-election in 1981. “You mean the majority of people in Anson in 1981 were Indians?” he told reporters during a walkabout in Bukit Batok.

“It’s an excuse that the PAP had to come up with in order to justify GRCs, so that they can put in all these first-time candidates, field them together with the heavyweights, and then bring up the numbers in Parliament.”

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A Murali Win in Bukit Batok Would Pose a Big “Minority” Headache for the PAP and its GRC Scheme

It was the Lee Kuan Yew-led PAP government that proposed the GRC scheme back in 1982, and established it as an electoral system in 1988.

It was chosen out of 2 other alternatives to allow greater representation of minority races in parliament.

The rationale at the time was simple – a majority Chinese population wouldn’t identify with a minority candidate and vote him into power, so we need to tag these candidates to a group that includes Chinese individuals as well.

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SDP: Effective TC management top priority

My priority as MP of Bukit Batok (BB), should I be fortunate enough to be elected, will be to ensure the efficient and productive management of the BB Town Council. The SDP’s goal is to surpass current levels of performance of PAP-run town councils. We will set new standards for transparency and accountability in estate governance.

The SDP also looks forward to pioneering a new model of town council management where residents are involved in the planning and running of their community.

Our first objective is to ensure a seamless takeover of the town council management. To do this, we will establish a Transition Team within three working days following the election to handle the transfer.

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5 observations of how the PAP will tackle the "Chee by-election" in Bukit Batok

On Monday (March 21), the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) bounced back just a week after suffering their second affair-addled setback in four years to introduce their candidate for the Bukit Batok SMC by-election, lawyer and ex-Aljunied GRC candidate Murali Pillai.

Buffered by heavyweights like Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Minister for Community, Culture and Youth (MCCY) Grace Fu, Murali, who had only on Sunday evening just returned from a holiday, oscillated slightly between calm and slightly unsure of himself — not quite the “titan in the courtroom” his company bio describes him to be. Maybe it is the jet-lag.

We attended his unveiling in the early evening, and here are our takeaways from it:

Murali was placed at the centre, but as usual, DPM Tharman took centre stage
DPM Tharman tried to stay away from outrightly criticising the SDP chief, who on Sunday announced his candidacy. But he couldn’t resist subtle digs at two points
Minister Grace Fu spoke only Mandarin at the press conference, signalling she might become Murali’s Chinese point-(wo)man in this election
Murali’s candidacy poses its residents two options to choose from — a seasoned “political” politician or a seasoned “grassroots” politician
There is new milestone this BE — but no one has noticed it yet

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For the greater good, Dr Chee should lose the Bukit Batok by-election

The PAP has named Murali Pillai as its candidate for the Bukit Batok by-election. It was no surprise. He has strong ties to Bukit Batok, having served in different grassroots organisations there. In other words, Murali has many things going for him and Dr Chee will be entering this contest as a dark horse.

The only ostensible advantage that Dr Chee has is that he’s Chinese and Murali is not. According to the PAP, the reason we have a most unique elections system where many voters vote in Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs) is because Singaporeans would vote along racial lines.

Lee Kuan Yew himself was convinced that because Singaporeans would vote along racial lines, we would end up lacking minority representation in Parliament.

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10 REASONS WHY DR CHEE SOON JUAN WILL WIN BUKIT BATOK BY-ELECTION

Ten reasons why Dr Chee Soon Juan may win the Bukit Batok by-election:

A changed man

A straight-talking politician in Parliament

Frustrated with 2rd PAP MP extra-marital nonsense

By-election effect

Renowned international speaker

Twenty over years in politics

Second most prominent party in Singapore opposition

Emergence of a second opposition party in Parliament

Forgiven and forgotten

Never-say-die character

related: 10 reasons why Chee Soon Juan will not be elected in the Bukit Batok by-election

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Bukit Batok By-Election - Even WP-backed The Independent Does Not Think Chee Soon Juan Will Win

I am a resident of Bukit Batok. You published an article yesterday which listed 10 reasons why the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP)’s secretary-general, Dr Chee Soon Juan, may be elected in coming Bukit Batok by-election.

But I want to list 10 reasons here why I think Chee Soon Juan will not be elected in the next election.

The Tharman Factor

The Low Thia Khiang Reason

The Chiam See Tong Betrayal

The Rebel Image

Former SDP Members who Continue to Accuse Dr Chee as being Unethical

Using Foreign Media to run down Singapore

The Goh Chok Tong Harassment

No Experience Running a Town Council

Flip-Flopping

Western-style Liberal Democracy

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Dr Chee’s best chance at being an MP

It’s confirmed. Dr Chee Soon Juan will represent SDP to contest in Bukit Batok’s by-election. Given that there isn’t the spectre of a freak result that sees PAP lose power, this could well be Dr Chee’s best chance at being an MP. So this could very well be Dr Chee’s by-election #cheebyelection.

And Dr Chee knows this is as good a chance of him being an MP as he’s ever going to get. He doesn’t want to blow this. So he’s already hard at work, walking around Bukit Batok, talking to residents and all that.

It’s not just walking around in Bukit Batok shaking hands and talking to residents. It seems that Dr Chee has given much thought to what he intends to do as an MP. He assures Bukit Batok residents that he will be “an effective voice in Parliament.” He added, “I will bring their hopes and aspirations as well as their hardship and concerns with me into the House. I will endeavour to raise the quality of Parliamentary debate and elevate the level of politics and governance in Singapore, and, by so doing, take our nation to a future full of hope and confidence.” In short, Dr Chee “will be a competent, constructive and compassionate MP, one that BB voters will be proud of.”

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Five reasons why Bukit Batok residents should give Dr. Chee Soon Juan a chance to be their MP

No matter what you used to think of him, this is a man who stayed true to his political convictions for 25 years. Both Chee and his wife are PhD holders, and yet they live in a crammed 3-room HDB flat with three kids, leading a simple life. Chee could have abandoned Singapore long ago for a better life for himself and his family, yet he soldiered on.

While the odds are clearly stacked against Chee with Bukit Batok being a People’s Action Party (PAP)’s stronghold and with the popular Finance Minister, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, leading the campaigning for the PAP camp, there are reasons for Bukit Batok residents to give Chee a chance.

Here’s why: