Li Shengwu has “no intention of returning to Singapore”, will defend himself via legal representative
This will never end.
By Guan Zhen Tan | 6 hours
Before Singaporeans could even finish preparing their lunches, the Li Shengwu saga continues to deliver new information to their news feed.
In an interview with Reuters, Li the nephew of PM Lee Hsien Loong, who is facing legal proceedings after he made comments suggesting that Singapore’s courts were not independent, revealed that he would not be returning to Singapore but would seek to defend himself through legal representation.
“I have no intention of going back to Singapore. I have a happy life and a fulfilling job in the U.S.”
In an email response to Yahoo News Singapore’s queries, Li has described the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) move to begin contempt of court proceedings against him as “politically motivated prosecution”.
“The AGC’s letter directly mentions Singapore’s recent political crisis as justification for their action. I thought Singapore was better than this.”
“I will not buy a quiet life at the price of my integrity.
Li is a junior fellow at Harvard University and expects to commence an assistant professor position in the later part of 2018.
The 32-year old has since not made further comments but has shared another article from the New York Times about the developing saga:
AGC’s response
In response to Li’s latest post, A spokesman from the AGC told The Straits Times that it received the document after the extended deadline of 5pm on Aug 4.
The AGC notes that the document does not purport to comply with our letter of demand that Mr Li purge his contempt and apologise, but will nonetheless place the document before the Court.
It added that as the matter is now before the court, it will not be commenting further.
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Halimah Yacob announces bid to be Singapore’s next President
Mdm Halimah Yacob announcing she will contest the upcoming Presidential Election on Sunday (Aug 6).
06 Aug 2017 08:17PM (Updated: 07 Aug 2017 12:47AM)
SINGAPORE: Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob confirmed on Sunday (Aug 6) that she intends to contest the upcoming Presidential Election, which has been reserved for Malay candidates.
Speaking at a National Day dinner at the Marsiling Mega Sports Park, the Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC Member of Parliament (MP) said: “I recognise that the position of the elected President has the tremendous capacity to do good for all Singaporeans and for Singapore.
“Hence, I wish to inform you that I will be contesting in the coming Presidential Election.”
Mdm Halimah also said she will resign on Monday from her roles as Speaker of Parliament and MP.
She said she will ask Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in her resignation letter to consider sending an adviser to support the work of the other Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC MPs Lawrence Wong, Alex Yam and Ong Teng Koon.
Mdm Halimah also said that she has asked the Prime Minister to look into making “quick replacements” for the appointments she is holding.
Speaking to media on the sidelines of the dinner, Mdm Halimah said it took her some time to make a decision as the role of the President was a “very heavy, onerous responsibility” that “had to be carefully considered”.
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Mdm Halimah, Singapore’s first woman Speaker, could make history again
By Valerie Koh
Published: 8:15 PM, August 6, 2017
Updated: 5:25 AM, August 7, 2017
SINGAPORE — Mdm Halimah Yacob, 62, has a long record of public service, having first entered politics as a Member of Parliament for Jurong GRC in 2001.
A decade later, she was made Minister of State (MOS) in the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports in 2011. She held that portfolio for about a year, before moving on to the Ministry of Social and Family Development in 2012.
After former Speaker of Parliament Michael Palmer stepped down abruptly in December 2012 due to an extramarital affair, Mdm Halimah became the first female Speaker in January 2013 — a post that she has held since.
During the General Election in 2015, Mdm Halimah moved out of Jurong GRC to contest in the newly-formed Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC.
Prior to entering politics, Mdm Halimah studied law at the National University of Singapore (NUS) on a Muis scholarship, graduating with an honours degree in 1978. She received a Master of Laws from NUS in 2001.
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Big shoes to fill for Halimah’s successor: Analysts
Some suggest by-election need not be called as it would be disruptive, financially costly
By Louisa Tang
Published: 4:00 AM, August 7, 2017
SINGAPORE — Madam Halimah Yacob will leave big shoes to fill as she steps down as Speaker of Parliament, and political analysts expect an experienced replacement in the form of one of her current deputies, amid a leadership transition in Government.
The analysts also reiterated that a by-election need not be called in Marsiling-Yew Tee Group Representation Constituency, even though Mdm Halimah was the minority Member of Parliament on the slate.
Mdm Halimah, who first entered Parliament in 2001, announced yesterday that she will contest next month’s Presidential Election (PE). She will resign as Speaker and MP today, as is required in order to run in the PE. She will also have to leave the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP).
National University of Singapore political scientist Bilveer Singh said the remaining three MPs would be able to take care of Mdm Halimah’s Marsiling ward.
“It will also be disruptive and financially costly to hold a by-election, especially in a ward where the ruling party is very strong,” he added.
Mdm Halimah was part of the PAP’s four-member GRC team that won Marsiling-Yew Tee in the 2015 General Election with 68.7 per cent
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Halimah is first woman to run for president
She will step down as Speaker and MP today to contest next month’s election
Tham Yuen-C, The Straits Times
Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob will step down from her post to contest next month’s presidential election, becoming the first woman to run for the highest office.
Announcing her decision to Marsiling residents and grassroots leaders at a National Day dinner last night, three weeks after she said she was considering running, she noted that she has been in public service for 40 years.
“Taking part in the presidential election would allow me to continue with my service to the people of Singapore,” she added, to cheers and applause.
The upcoming election is reserved for Malay candidates, following changes to the law last year to ensure that the presidency reflects Singapore’s multiracial society.
Madam Halimah, 62, will step down as Speaker, a post she has held since 2013, and as an MP for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC today. She will also resign from the People’s Action Party, where she is a member of the central executive committee.
This leaves the four-seat Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC short of one MP and without a minority MP. There is no requirement under the law to call a by-election if an MP resigns, even if that member is a minority.
Madam Halimah said she will ask Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to “ensure that there are proper replacements” for her various posts when she hands him her resignation letter today.
“Taking part in the presidential election would allow me to continue with my service to the people of Singapore.”
— Madam Halimah Yacob
She also said she will ask him to assign another grassroots adviser to her constituency .
“My main concern has always been service to the residents of Marsiling, and I want to make really sure that that is not disrupted in any way,” she said.
“That is the reason why I have taken a bit of time to make a decision on this matter.”
The GRC’s three other MPs - National Development Minister Lawrence Wong, Mr Alex Yam and Mr Ong Teng Koon - who were also at the dinner, pledged to “build on the good work” she has done.
“It was a tough decision to make,” she told reporters with her husband, businessman Mohammed Abdullah Alhabshee, 62, behind her.
“Though I will miss my residents, my constituency work and my role as Speaker in running for the office of the elected president, my passion to serve all Singaporeans remains unabated. It is a heavy responsibility, but I hope that with the support of Singaporeans, we can do more good together.”
Madam Halimah also said she hopes to continue living in her five-room Housing Board flat even if she is elected president. She said she is comfortable in her flat in Yishun, where she has lived for more than 30 years.
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Mdm Halimah Yacob finally announces her intention to stand as candidate for Presidential Election 2017
Posted on 2017-08-07 by The Online Citizen
Member of Parliament from the People’s Action Party, Mdm Halimah Yacob has just announced that she will contest in the upcoming Presidential Election as a candidate and will resign from her roles as Speaker of Parliament and Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC MP on Monday.
Speaking at a National Day dinner at the Marsiling Mega Sports Park, Mdm Halimah said, “I recognise that the position of the elected President has the tremendous capacity to do good for all Singaporeans and for Singapore…Hence, I wish to inform you that I will be contesting in the coming Presidential Election.”
Despite a constant reluctant in confirming her intention to stand for the Presidency Election, Mdm Halimah has been active attending dinners and functions organised by the labour unions and appearing at various events.
This announcement comes after months of prediction that Mdm Halimah is set to become People’s Action Party’s preferred candidate and after Minister at Prime Minister’s Office Chan Chun Sing addressed her in Parliament as “Mdm President”.
The upcoming election will be a Reserved Election for Malay candidates following the recent amendments to the Elected Presidency earlier this year.
While many protest the fact that Mdm Halimah is an Indian Muslim, she has defended herself by stating that she has been certified as a Malay candidate four-times by the Community Committee under the Election Department.
As Mdm Halimah is contesting as a public sector candidate in the capacity of a Speaker of Parliament, she does not have to fulfil the stringent criteria of having to be in charge of a company with $500 million shareholders equity, a criteria that would likely to disqualify a lot of would-be candidates from the private sector.
Apart from stepping down as the Speaker and MP, Mdm Halimah will also have to resign from her political party to stand as an independent candidate.
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Li Shengwu rebuts AGC’s claim that they received his letter after 5pm deadline, says he has evidence to back it up
Twist.
By Thet Nyi Nyi | 14 hours
The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) recently filed an application in the High Court for leave to commence committal proceedings against Li Shengwu for contempt of court.
This was sparked by Li’s private Facebook post published on July 15.
The post has since been edited for clarity, but is still private, and set to “friends only” on his personal Facebook profile.
Li took issue with the AGC publishing their correspondence with him without also providing a letter he had sent them.
Li decided to publish the letter he sent on his Facebook page:
In it, he basically took issue with what he considered a false reading by the AGC of his Facebook post, as well as the issue of the privacy of his Facebook post.
The AGC responded in a Straits Times article to clarify why they did not mention that letter in their statement. It was covered in this line:
It wasn’t handed in by the deadline.
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http://mothership.sg/2017/08/li-shen...to-back-it-up/
I wonder how is it possible if facebook settings are set to be private and only can be read by friends is it possible for others to access ? Can Facebook Singapore please explain .
PM Lee accepts Halimah Yacob’s resignation from the PAP
07 Aug 2017 04:08PM (Updated: 07 Aug 2017 04:45PM)
SINGAPORE: Prime Minister and Secretary-General of the People’s Action Party Lee Hsien Loong on Monday (Aug 7) accepted the resignation of Halimah Yacob from the PAP.
“Thank you for your letter resigning as a member of the PAP, and informing me of your decision to step down as Speaker and Member of Parliament (MP) in order to stand as a candidate for the Elected Presidency,” he said in his letter to her.
“I accept your resignation … Rest assured that I will soon appoint replacements to the various responsibilities that you have relinquished, and in particular a Grassroots Advisor to succeed you in Marsiling, so that the residents will continue to be well taken care of.”
A separate statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said Mr Lee will nominate a new Speaker when Parliament next meets.
“In the meantime, Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Charles Chong, will serve as acting Speaker,” it said.
A DIFFERENT CONSTITUTIONAL ROLE
Mr Lee thanked Mdm Halimah for her many contributions as a labour leader, an MP, as the Speaker, and as a Minister of State.
“In all these roles, your focus was on the rank and file and the underprivileged. Whether it was the rights of ordinary workers to fair employment and decent wages, opportunities for single mothers and children of poor families, or healthcare for the disabled and elderly, you were a consistent and fearless voice in the unions, the Parliament and the Government, pushing us all to build a more equitable society,” Mr Lee said.
He expressed support for her bid, saying “I have no doubt that you will be able to play this different Constitutional role well. I am confident that if elected you will do your best, as you have always done, and will bring dignity and personal warmth, experience in government and concern for the people, to the highest office in the land.”
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Halimah Yacob will bring dignity and warmth to presidency if elected: PM Lee Hsien Loong
Published 37 min ago
Updated 21 min ago
Tham Yuen-C
Assistant Political Editor
•Deputy Speaker of Parliament Charles Chong will be Acting Speaker
•PM Lee will nominate a new Speaker when Parliament next meets
SINGAPORE - Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has accepted the resignation of Madam Halimah Yacob from her political posts to pave the way for her nomination for the elected presidency.
He said in a letter to her that he would appoint replacements for the various posts soon, and will send a new grassroots advisor to Marsiling ward , where Madam Halimah was MP.
PM Lee told Madam Halimah Yacob in a letter dated Monday (Aug 7) that he had no doubt she would play the Constitutional role well.
“I am confident that if elected you will do your best, as you have always done, and will bring dignity and personal warmth, experience of government and concern for the people, to the highest office in the land,” he said.
The letter, in response to Madam Halimah’s request to step down from her political posts to run for the presidency, was released on Monday (Aug 7)
In it, PM Lee thanked Madam Halimah for her contributions as labour leader, as an MP, as the Speaker of Parliament and as a Minister of State.
Madam Halimah Yaacob with her husband Mohammed Abdullah Alhabshee at the Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC National Day Dinner on Sunday (Aug 6) where she announced her intention to run as President.
Related Story
Halimah Yacob steps down as Speaker and MP, resigns from PAP to run for President
He said in all the roles, her focus had been on the rank and file and the underprivileged.
" Whether it was the rights of ordinary workers to fair employment and decent wages, opportunities for single mothers and children of poor families, or healthcare for the disabled and elderly, you were a consistent and fearless voice in the unions, the Parliament and the Government, pushing us all to build a more equitable society," he said.
He added that Madam Halimah had discussed with him her intention to contest next month’s presidential election, and he had encouraged her to consider it seriously.
“Having worked with you for many years, I knew your passion to serve and your commitment to Singapore. Now that you have decided, I wish you all the best,” he said.
Madam Halimah, 62, tendered her resignation as MP of Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC and People’s Action Party member to PM Lee on Monday morning.
She also informed Clerk of Parliament Ng Sheau Jiuan that she would step down as Speaker of Parliament.
Her resignation from her posts takes effect immediately.
The Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement that Deputy Speaker of Parliament Charles Chong will be Acting Speaker until PM Lee nominates a new Speaker of Parliament when Parliament next meets.
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SDP considers legal action to spur govt to call for a by-election as Halimah Yacob vacates MP seat
August 7, 2017
Mdm Halimah Yacob has resigned from her positions as Speaker of Parliament and Member of Parliament for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC today, following an official announcement yesterday that she intends to contest the upcoming Presidential election that has been reserved for candidates from the Malay community.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Mr Chan Chun Sing, confirmed earlier this year that no by-election will be called if a minority candidate in a GRC resigned to contest the Presidential Election.
Mdm Halimah was fielded and elected as the minority candidate for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC.
The SDP has taken issue with the Government’s decision to not call for a by-election. Calling the decision “an abuse of the system” and one that “makes a mockery of the general elections,” the party released a statement on its website, asserting that it is exploring legal remedies to compel the Government to call for a by-election.
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