PAP's Women's Wing to strive for louder voice on women's issues: Grace Fu
SINGAPORE: Senior Minister of State for National Development and Education Grace Fu said the Women's Wing of the People's Action Party (PAP) will strive to give a greater voice for women on issues concerning them.
Ms Fu, who's also the Vice-Chairman of the Women's Wing, said this is how she hopes the Wing would evolve after the General Election.
Ms Fu was speaking to reporters before her thank you and victory parade Saturday morning.
Ms
Fu noted the election has shown there was a greater fragmentation on
the ground, in which various interest groups wanted their voices to be
heard.
These include groups representing women's issues.
She
cited issues involving less privileged women, such as divorcees and
single mothers, saying the PAP needs to find better solutions for them.
"I
think in the past we tend to take a more neutral stand. We always felt
that we represent more than just the women MP, because we have among our
constituents also men, also the young, the elderly and so on. I think
we need to have a voice on women's issues within the party to be louder.
That I think would probably set the tone going forward," said Ms Fu.
During
last week's General Election, Ms Fu defeated her opponent, 62-year-old
Ms Teo Soh Lung from the Singapore Democratic Party, garnering 66.9 per
cent of valid votes for Yuhua.
However, her counterpart Mrs Lim
Hwee Hua, who was Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and the only
woman in Cabinet, lost her seat in Parliament when her Aljunied GRC team
was defeated by the Workers' Party.
Ms Fu believes this would not be a setback for women in politics, as she didn't see this as a gender issue.
But she admitted that it woud have a big impact for the party's Women's Wing which is helmed by Mrs Lim.
Ms Fu said Mrs Lim had done alot, especially in trying to get the Wing to re-focus on its new mission.
The 47-year-old also responded to suggestions that she could be the next woman Minister.
"I
think there are many outstanding women now, who have been elected. I
think there're options for the PM (prime minister) and I'm sure he will
make good use of the options that he has...Whether I'm appointed a
minister or not, I will continue to serve and that's from the heart,"
said Ms Fu.
Ms Fu believes appointing a woman minister should not be a symbolic gesture and stressed that everyone has to earn her spot.
- CNA/cc