PAP says statements, apologies by WP raise more questions
By S. Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 30 April 2006 2230 hrs

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	Related News • The curious case of Gomez and the missing certificate • Apology by WP's James Gomez does not properly address issue: George Yeo • WP's Low slams PAP for comments over Gomez's minority certificate issue • WP's Gomez admits he did not submit form to Elections Dept • PAP turns tables on WP over accountability, transparency • PM Lee tells WP's Gomez to come clean about filing papers • Elections Dept releases CCTV pictures on encounter with James Gomez

SINGAPORE : The People's Action Party (PAP) has thrown a poser to the Workers' Party. Will it withdraw Mr James Gomez as a candidate and make a public apology?

This follows the statements and apologies by Workers Party's Low Thia Khiang and James Gomez over the incident involving Mr Gomez's minority certificate application.

Speaking at a rally on Sunday, PAP's First Assistant Secretary-General Wong Kan Seng asked if after this unfortunate incident, the WP still intends to uphold the high standards that it has set for itself and for politics in Singapore.

He assumes that in a case involving honesty or credibility, Mr Low would immediately withdraw the candidate and publicly apologise.

Mr Wong says: "That is why the PAP challenged them to tell Singaporeans the truth. It was only because the PAP pressed them that the Workers' Party has now said something.

"Instead of giving a full explanation yesterday night, Mr Gomez - whom Mr Low has backed - read a statement of apology. That apology was read from a script that was in precise legal language.

"I assume Mr Gomez and Mr Low must have thought this matter serious enough to consult a lawyer. They were careful not to depart from the words which were carefully crafted so as to give nothing away. Why did Mr Gomez need a lawyer to draft a statement for him if he had nothing to hide?"

Mr Wong noted Mr Low had explained that it was a mistake made while being busy, while Mr Gomez attributed it to too much distraction caused by the busy schedule leading up to Nomination Day.

Mr Wong says: "Is Mr Gomez saying that he intended to file the form on 24 April but mistakenly omitted to do so because there was too much distraction? And if this is his explanation for not submitting the form on 24 April, we still are none the wiser about Mr Gomez's behaviour two days later which he apologised for without offering an explanation.

"Was he still distracted on 26 April when he found the time to go to the ELD to ask for his minority certificate and there not only demanded that the ELD staff check again but also warned the ELD officer of consequences?

"When the ELD called him back to clarify what actually happened, was Mr Gomez still distracted and still intending to obtain the certificate and therefore still had not realised that he had not filed it?"

Mr Wong feels these are obvious and important questions which Mr Low must surely have asked Mr Gomez before he could pronounce himself satisfied that Mr Gomez had made an innocent mistake.

Mr Wong says: "To decide whether this was an innocent mistake, Singaporeans must know the answers to these questions. In the interests of transparency and accountability that Mr Low upholds, he must share with Singaporeans the answers that he received from Mr Gomez.

"In this instance he said that he had looked into the matter and was satisfied that this is not an honesty issue and that it is something administrative and we want to move on from here.

"If it was something administrative as both Mr Gomez and Mr Low declare, there is no need for an apology. But Mr Gomez has apologised. Surely the voters are entitled to know what wrong he has committed for him to offer an apology and for Mr Low to move on from here.

"But before we move on, Mr Gomez, Mr Low and Ms Sylvia Lim must give the reasons why Mr Gomez tried to pin the blame on the Elections Department for his not having a minority certificate. Now is the time to come clean." - CNA/de

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