Chen a 'success story' of PAP immigration policy

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PAP

Apr 29, 2011

Chen a 'success story' of PAP immigration policy

By Rachel Chang

Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam (left) said the Workers' Party's 'star catch', corporate lawyer Chen Show Mao (above), is a 'success story' of the PAP's immigration policy. -- ST PHOTOS: ALPHONSUS CHERN, STEPHANIE YEOW

THE Workers' Party's 'star catch', corporate lawyer Chen Show Mao, 50, is a 'success story' of the PAP's immigration policy, said Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam on Friday.

So is researcher Ms Angela Oon, 32, a WP candidate in Nee Soon GRC, where Mr Shanmugam's PAP team is the incumbent.

Taiwan-born Mr Chen and Malaysia-born Ms Oon are 'examples of the success of our immigration policy - and they are beneficiaries of the policy,' Mr Shanmugam told reporters at the Chong Pang PAP branch after a walkabout.

'So, it is surprising that Mr Chen is making such an issue out of immigration.'

At a WP rally on Thursday, Mr Chen had asked the massive crowd 'how many tens of thousands of foreigners a year is enough?'

Moderating the influx of foreigners until the country's infrastructure can 'catch up' is a key point in the WP manifesto.

Mr Shanmugam wanted to know how Mr Chen and Ms Oon would change the immigration policies which allowed them to become Singaporeans, in 1986 and 2010 respectively.

'Mr Chen wouldn't be able to ask these questions and stand for elections if the immigration policy wasn't there - the very policy he is now criticising,' he said.

'I'm not saying they shouldn't be in politics,' he said. 'I'm saying that there are in fact successful examples of the (immigration) policy. Singaporeans can see that the policy has its benefits. You have people like (Mr Chen and Ms Oon) coming out.'

Read the full story in Saturday's edition of The Straits Times.