我没投过票 ... (I have not voted before)

I was out with WP activists on our routine Sunday house visits yesterday. Ever since the release of the new electoral boundaries, I must say that we are creating quite a buzz wherever we go.

Even the toilet was not spared :)

Frieda and I visited the toilet during lunch break before moving off. When we were about to leave the toilet, the toilet attendant, estimated to be in her 60s pointed to the logo of the light blue T-shirt and asked, '你们是做什么的?'

‘我们来自工人党，是新加坡的一个政治团体', was my reply to her then I went on to explain that we were having our lunch break here after house visits in the morning.

She looked at us blankly and said, '我不知道什么来的'.

I thought I knew why she said that but to reaffirm, I asked her this, '请问你有投过票吗?'

‘我没投过票，不懂什么', was her immediate response.

My heart sank, I was right. She doesn't even know what voting is let alone know the other political parties. Or she probably did but it was so long ago that she had forgotten.

Voting is compulsory.

After the boundaries are drawn, what's next?

So what's next after the electoral boundaries are drawn?

It is COUNTDOWN to POLLING DAY!

Sequence of events that will happen:

1) Dissolution of Parliament
A dissolution puts an end to a particular Parliament, is the dispersal of a legislature at the call of en election. MPs also cease to hold office once it is dissolved.

2) Nomination Day
Candidates are required to present their nomination papers and certificates to the Returning Officer, in duplicate and in person, at the nomination centre between 11 am and 12 noon, accompanied by their proposers, seconders and at least 4 assentors.

Nomination Day must come between five days and a month after the President has issued writ. The minimum period between Nomination and Polling Day, typically nine days, has been extended to 10 days to make up for the Cooling-Off Day.

3) Campaigning starts!
Candidates can start campaigning after the notice of contested election is issued, up to the start of the day before Polling Day (which is the Cooling-Off Day). Candidates may also be given air-time by the television stations.

4) Cooling off Day
The eve of Polling Day is designated as Cooling-off Day, a day when election campaigning is prohibited.

5) Polling Day
Polling Day must be held not earlier than the 10th day and not later than the 56th day immediately following the Notice of Contested Elections is published after Nomination Day.

Voters, whose names are found in the current register of electors of a contested constituency, will receive a poll card which will be mailed to their latest NRIC address well before Polling Day.

On Polling Day, voters can go to their assigned polling stations to cast their votes any time between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm. After the close of the polls, the ballot boxes containing the votes cast will be sealed and transported to the respective counting centres.

Hope the above helps especially for first time voters :)

How to check which constituency are you voting in for GE 2011?

Fellow Singaporeans, the electoral boundaries are out and its time to find out which constituency you are voting in! Another good reason to check is to ensure that your address is reflected correctly hence voting in the right constituency :)

These are steps on how to check.

Step 1:
Go to www.elections.gov.sg

Step 2:
Click on this icon on the left hand side

Step 3:
Log in with either your Singpass or Date of issue of NRIC

Step 4:
Result out :)

Hougang Ave 2, 赞!

14th Feb 2011, I spent this Valentines' Day meaningfully despite not having my husband with me.

I was asked to attend a CNY dinner together with other WP members. Thinking that this one is not going to be different from the rest of the temple dinner that I've attended, I was expecting to hear loud music blasting from a distance.

I was wrong.

Upon reaching the venue, lion dance performance and a 财神爷 greeted us :) I don't see the usual round table arrangement. Instead I spotted several long tables formed by a few square ones. Seated around those tables were old folks.

There were 2 stretch of buffet lined up, ready for consumption.

A small stage with a red banner that reads, '后港二道大牌702乐龄互助会慈善晚会' was erected in the center of this set-up. This dinner was specially organised by Block 702 Hougang Ave 2 Senior Citizens Corner. It is an annual event whereby they will invite MP of Hougang, Mr Low Thia Khiang, to grace it.

The objective of this dinner is to distribute ang pows to the elderly folks from various Home.
Source of money? Residents of Hougang Ave 2. Some of them who had already moved out from the area continue to contribute year after year.

I was impressed, very impressed when I learnt about it. There were approximately 40-50 old folks who came from 4 different old folks' home. Free shuttle bus services fetch them from their Homes to Hougang.

Apart from ang pow distribution, the residents prepared performances too. Singing and dancing were all part of it. The performers were none other than the residents! I remembered this belly dance segment that was brought to the audience by 3 gorgeous auntie. They did an awesome job and they were age 57, 60 and 62! While others were performing on stage, the rest would start to dance along with the music off stage. All these were efforts put together by the residents. It was such a joy to see these residents enjoying themselves. They had created for themselves another homely place apart from home itself.

This picture below shows the donors name and their contributions.



I have to say that its even more fabulous to see the old folks clapping their hands and mumbling along with familiar songs such as '爱拼才会赢', '万水千山总是情', '帝女花', etc. They were enjoying themselves, no doubts about it.

Towards the end of the dinner, Mr Low and Ms Sylvia Lim went around the tables to distribute the angpows. Its just an angpow to the majority of us, to them, its enough to make their day.

When it was finally time to call it a day, I started to see a number of residents moving towards the old folks. I was wondering, for what??? These residents were there to ensure that everyone of them don't trip, fall, got on the wrong bus or was left behind. Its time for these old folks to head Home and I meant Old folks Home.

A few of us moved along to render our assistance. There is no way one can witnessed what had just happened and still sit rooted to your seat. The urge to lend a helping hand to these old folks swelled!

When we managed to get everyone safely onto their buses, its time to say goodbye. As the bus passed by us, old folks on the buses waved at us. They were grinning from ear to ear :)

Tears swell up....Mixed feelings was what I've experienced at that moment. A sense of pride that I was able to extend that little help, appreciation towards the organizer and the residents who made this possible and empathy for the old folks.

I told one of the organizer this before I left, 'Please invite me back again next year, this is the best CNY dinner I've ever had.'

It was at this time, my stomach sent a message to my brain that it needs to release some stuff from it... Ahhhhh! I quickly went in search for a toilet!

兔年快乐！

祝大家，新年新气象。
愿大家在2011年，天天开怀，时时快乐，分分精彩，秒秒幸福！
每天都快乐就对了啦 ;)