Dr Vincent Wijeysingha -- 新加坡德高望众教育家 Eugene Wijesingha (former principal of Temasek Junior College and Raffles Institution) 的儿子。。
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Dr Vincent Wijeysingha joined the Singapore Democratic Party last July and is slated to contest in Holland-Bukit …
As a social worker, Dr Vincent Wijeysingha would assess and propose solutions to problems facing a person or family.
However, over the course of his analysis, he felt that the root of these problems stemmed from the current systems in place.
That left him with two choices: Continue in social work and support the ruling political party, or join politics to change the system.
The new face at the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) chose the latter.
"olitics and social work stem from the same value base; that human beings are important and (have) the right to live a fulfilling and dignified life," stated the 40-year-old social policy doctorate holder.
Dr Wijeysingha, who is also the executive director of civil society group Transient Workers Count Too, returned to Singapore last July and joined the SDP.
Speaking to Yahoo! Singapore in a 45-minute interview, he explained that he was attracted to the party's commitment to people, families and the community.
"It is a coherent party, constructive about programmes and compassionate to the less fortunate," he said.
The changes he and the SDP will champion for include abolishing Goods and Service Tax for basic goods and removing the profit motive for public services such as housing, education and healthcare.
The party released its 10-point SDP Promise to voters on Saturday, setting out what a SDP MP would seek to achieve if elected into Parliament.
Dr Vincent Wijeysingha at the launch of the SDP Promise on Saturday. (Yahoo! Photo/Liyana Low)
Reaching out to the different strata of society
While the ruling People's Action Party frequently argues that the needy in Singapore are well taken care of, Dr Wijeysingha terms this a "false argument".
He cites bureaucracy being one of the difficulties that lower-income families face in accessing funds.
He also dealt at length on the cost of living difficulties the middle-income and high-income group face, for instance, when an elderly falls sick and needs long-term care.
Dr Wijeysingha is expected to contest in Holland-Bukit Timah group representation constituency, a place which he has close ties to. He recounted spending almost all his weekends in Serene Centre in 1987, as his then girlfriend lived in Sixth Avenue. He also served national service in Mowbray Camp at Ulu Pandan Road.
More recently, he lived in a HDB flat at Holland Village for a few months when he returned to Singapore last July.
"I grew up in a similar socio-economic area, Seletar Hills," he shared. "So there's some sort of affinity with the needs of that community."
Living in a HDB flat also gave him an understanding of residents' needs.
"I'm not trying to pretend I'm a working class hero, I'm not. But you get to learn about the problems of living in a HDB flat."
To those worried that his 16 years away from Singapore means he is out of touch with local concerns, Dr Wijeysingha joked about the benefits of belonging to a South Asian family.
"There's always a wedding, a funeral or something. One year I came back four times, two weddings, two funerals. So you never lose touch of what's going on," he quipped.
While in the UK, he worked in child protection and later started a social work consultancy.
He would return to Singapore at least once a year and spent about a year here, in total, when he was conducting research for his PhD.
"So I don't think I've ever emotionally or intellectually left the country," he said.
Family gradually coming around
When speaking to Dr Wijeysingha, it is hard to forget his father, Eugene Wijeysingha, is the well-liked former principal of Raffles Institution, and in Dr Wijeysingha's own words, an "Establishment man".
So how did his family take the news that he would be joining opposition politics?
"It's not surprising in my family that people do social work, teaching, but when I got involved in formal politics, they were apprehensive," he said.
"When I told them it was SDP, even more apprehensive," he said, with a laugh.
But after explaining his views and including them in party activities, they are "gradually coming around," he said.
On a scale of one (least supportive) to 10 (most supportive), he believes they are now at a six.
Recalling the most important advice he has received, told to him by a close friend, Dr Wijeysingha said, "Don't ever forget why you are doing what you are doing."
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忠叔每次说大马人有钱，这次真的印证了。。
２４名 PAP 新候选人当中，
２位出生大马的，２位都是自费在外国读大学。。(100%)
２２位出生小新的，１１位在本地大学读 (NUS/NTU) ，９位拿奖学金到外国（５位在 Cambridge，３位在 London School of Economics），只有２位自费在外国读大学。。(less than 10%)
大马人真有钱！！
Apr 13, 2011 - Straits Times SPP's new face: I was inspired by Chiam
By Jeremy Au Yong & Tessa Wong Mr Jimmy Lee sees himself representing a generation which appreciates what the People's Action Party (PAP) has done - but believes there is value in having alternative voices when decisions are made. -- ST PHOTO: ASHLEIGH SIM
MR JIMMY Lee sees himself representing a generation which appreciates what the People's Action Party (PAP) has done - but believes there is value in having alternative voices when decisions are made.
Now a new recruit to the Singapore People's Party (SPP) of veteran politician Chiam See Tong, he said his generation also thinks that what worked well in the past 'will not work best in the future'.
Said the 35-year-old graduate of Cornell University in the United States, where he studied computer science on a Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) scholarship: 'In the past, we believed in finding that great leader, and we followed that great leader. Or we invested all our resources in a very small team, and followed that team.
发表于 13-4-2011 08:15 PM
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olitics and social work stem from the same value base; that human beings are important and (have) the right to live a fulfilling and dignified life," stated the 40-year-old social policy doctorate holder. 
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