January 29, 07:20 PM 
514 Chai Chee Lane 03-16, Singapore 469029 When Singapore's leading opposition Workers' Party put East Coast GRC candidate Daniel Goh forward to fill the Non-Consituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) seat vacated by ousted Punggol East MP Lee Li Lian, we wondered how the PAP would respond in a manner that could prevent themselves from looking bad to the public.
Here's what they went for — and we'll admit, we didn't quite see this coming: amending WP chief Low Thia Khiang's filed motion to do so in a way that makes him look, well... like a fool, to be blunt about it.
So here's Low initially speaking about the motion:
And here's PAP fourth-generation potential PM-in-waiting Chan Chun Sing countering with his proposal of an amended motion:
WATCH: Chan Chun Sing suggests amendment to motion to fill 3rd #NCMP seat #Parliament https://t.co/gFabDOH5NF https://t.co/wdfC4B5mn3
— Channel NewsAsia (@ChannelNewsAsia) January 29, 2016
In case you can't see that, here's what Minister Chan proposed to add:
"Madam, I propose to amend the motion as such with the following additions for sub-para C: 'But regrets that Miss Lee Li Lian, having stood as a Workers' Party candidate and received the biggest vote share among all losing opposition candidates has now decided to give up her NCMP seat to another candidate from her party with a lower vote share contrary to the expressed view of the voters, and that the WP supports this political manoeuvre to take full advantage of the NCMP seat even as its secretary-general criticises NCMPs as just duckweed on the water of the pond.'"
Needless to say, Low promptly rejected it:
Low Thia Khiang: @wpsg rejects the amended NCMP motion calling this a "political manoeuvre" https://t.co/D26qvN17zn pic.twitter.com/F4DHdHwqa2 — Channel NewsAsia (@ChannelNewsAsia) January 29, 2016
The sad thing is, though, this amended motion did still go to a vote, and was passed:
JUST IN: Motion to replace vacated NCMP seat has been passed #Parliament https://t.co/gFabDOYGFd pic.twitter.com/1RMSYWzlHj
— Channel NewsAsia (@ChannelNewsAsia) January 29, 2016
The WP MPs present all abstained, it seems:
LATEST: @wpsg MPs abstain from voting on motion to fill NCMP seat vacated by Lee Li Lian #Parliament https://t.co/gFabDOYGFd — Channel NewsAsia (@ChannelNewsAsia) January 29, 2016
Guess we'll have to wait and see what Low and the party have to say about this new development — will Daniel Goh still take the seat?
Does he have to, now that the (amended) motion has been passed? Or will Goh reject the seat like Lee Li Lian? Will it be groundhog day in parliament?
We'll keep you posted.
Related article:
Led by Chan Chun Sing, PAP outmanoeuvred WP before letting WP fill up its NCMP seat
Top photo: video screenshot; IPS.
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