"I have a statement to read. I refer to my claim for the submission of my application for a minority certificate at Elections Department on 26 April 2006. I wish to confirm I did not submit the said application on 24 April 2006 due to distractions caused by the busy schedule leading up to Nomination Day. Please accept my sincere apologies if my actions on 26 April 2006 caused any distress or confusion to the staff or the Elections Department. I thank you,"

As stated in this statement, James Gomez of the Workers'Party admitted that he had made a mistake and apologised for it. The interesting thing is, why is the PAP harping on this issue(James Gomez failure to submit for the application for the minority certificate)?

DPM Wong Kan Seng, Defense Minister Teo Chee Hean and subseqently Foreign Minister George Yeo wants more answers from James Gomez on the minorities certificate saga and claims that the apology by James Gomez did not sufficiently address the issue.

The People's Action Party (PAP) has even thrown a poser to the Workers' Party. Will it withdraw Mr James Gomez as a candidate and make a public apology? This must be done in order to uphold accountability and honesty. He went on to question the WP on whether does it still intends to uphold the high standards that it has set for itself and for politics in Singapore.

In the author's opinion, the PAP is making a big issue out of such a minor issue. Basically, what's the intention of the PAP and the media in playing such a minor issue? Doesn't the PAP have more urgent and crucial issues to address ranging from increasing cost of living, rising medical costs, foreign policies etc?

The answer to this is a simple one. The PAP is unable to find any fault with the WP's candidates running for Aljunied GRC. In terms of credibility, walking the ground, qualifications, sincerity, passion, the PAP could not find any fault with this current slate of candidates that is fighting for every vote in Aljuned GRC. Thus, it was inevitable that the PAP had to play up the James Gomez issue.

I hereby urge the PAP and the media to end this insignificat saga and move on. James Goez had apologised. Let's focus on more important issues which is going to have much more impact on Singaporeans for the next 5 years.

If the James Gomez issue is an issue of accountability, how about PM Lee's slapping fiasco in front of the MPs, Lim Hng Khiang and Dr Khaw Boon Wan's handling of the NKF issue and even Tharman Shanmugaratnam's breaching of the official secrets act? When would it be an appropriate time to properly address these issues to all Singaporeans?

This episode only serve to hightlight the fact that Singapore needs a external system of checks and balances. The Government is made up of humans and humans have weaknesses, and that's the reason why Singaporeans cannot afford to issue the Government a "blank cheque" in the coming polls. "Let the WP have a chance to check the Government, to tell the People's Action Party (PAP) that they had better do the job properly or come election time, the people will hold them accountable," said Low Thia Khiang.

To put it in the words of PM Lee Hsien Loong, "Best thing is just to come clean and tell Singaporeans what happened", James Gomez had already done that. What about the PAP?