Friday, April 28, 2006
Thank god it's friday!
Have you been following the elections 2006? Well, here's a short summary on the hottest topic in Singapore so far. The island's long-governing People's Action Party(PAP) has been returned unopposed in 37 out of 84 seats in Parliament. This is 6 seats shy of a majority.
There is definately no doubt that the PAP will form the government - The question is their share of votes. This is the first time since 1988 the opposition is contesting more than half the seats.
There were loud cheers as the various candidates arrived at the Nomination Centres on Thursday to present their papers. Nomination Day is when candidates declare their intention to contest the 84 seats in parliament.
But when nominations closed at noon, there were walkovers declared in Seven Group Representation Constituencies for the governing PAP which is contesting all seats.
The PAP was uncontested in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, Jurong GRC, Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, Marine Parade GRC, Tanjong Pagar GRC, West Coast GRC and Hong Kah GRC and have been confirmed walkovers.
Among those returned unopposed were the PAP teams led by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng.
There will be contests in seven other GRCs - Aljunied GRC, Ang Mo Kio GRC, Jalan Besar GRC, Sembawang GRC, East Coast GRC, Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC and Tampines GRC.
As in previous years, the opposition is contesting all 9 Single Member Constituencies.
The SMCs are Bukit Panjang, Chua Chu Kang, Joo Chiat, MacPherson, Nee Soon Central, Nee Soon East, Potong Pasir, Yio Chu Kang and Hougang.
Single seats have been the favored battleground for the opposition, which is defending two seats - Potong Pasir and Hougang. And the hottest areas at talking point are Joo Chiat Constituency, Jalan Besar and Hong Kah GRC.
Anyway, the week has been topsy-turvy, but all in all, a good week that has gone by really fast and now it's already Thursday. I had thought about going for training, but never mind, decided against it, it was raining when I got out of the house and I didn't particularly feel very active today.
On Monday I received another 2 letters, one inviting me to go to a seminar (interesting, I thought only scientists with a "Dr" to their name received such letters). But I wasn't interested, the other letter from NP was more interesting, but I didn't really feel overly elated. I will really be much happier if I knew I had achieved something else. Something more prestigious.
The letter didn't state whether I won those 2 awards, and I'd be really disappointed if I didn't win it on that day. Still at least I got something. Isn't that all that I wanted in year 2? Or have my expectations just jumped triple-fold?
Sherlyn Poh won a few more other prestigious accolades such as the ST Electronics Gold Medal & Prize (For most outstanding performance), the Dynamedix Prize (For "Biomaterials & Implants"), the BES Technology Prize ( February 10, 2006 Tyco Healthcare Prize (For 'Clinical Engineering') and the United BMEC Prize (For 'Industrial Attachment Programme')
She won a total of 6 prizes in addition of the above! If I won those then I'll really be happy. My 3 years in NP didn't go wasted.
Everyone seemed to be having examinations this week, and so I was pretty much left to my own work at my own pace at work. And of course, you know what my pace is like and very soon all the work was done.
I left a little earlier, to go back to school for the magazine meeting, yeah, plenty of work done today, but not nearing the completion of the magazine. Some have completed the most, the rest still in article design and editing phase. Ok, at least there has been work done, my part now is to finish the editor's acknowledgements and the coverpage, start the entire mag template, which can be done by this weekend and wait for them to send in their completed articles. Yes, at least I am seeing something now.
Guess what? We ended much later than usual at 9.30pm because they had so many things to show me and I had many instructions to give. Little did I know that there was a pleasant surprise in store for me =) I never expected it at all. Love ya guys =)
9:02 PM
