SDP urges Singaporeans to do their part for the opposition
Written by Our Correspondent
The Singapore Democratic Party has made an appeal on its website to Singaporeans to do their part for the opposition.
It said that “without the active involvement of Singaporeans, political change will always be something we talk about, not experience.”
SDP has long advocated for a change in the Singapore’s political system to level the playing field for all parties.
Unfortunately, the two other opposition parties with representatives in parliament are coy about its idea and prefer to within the boundaries.
SDP’s Secretary-General Dr Chee Soon Juan had given a series of interviews on radio talk shows in the United States where he called on U.S. investors to exercise their corporate responsibility when doing business in Singapore.
Few Singaporeans are aware of his efforts to fight for their rights as his message was not reported by the Singapore media.
He is also not allowed to speak to them in public without a permit which is never granted in any case by the authorities.
SDP said a key reason for the opposition’s dismal performance at the polls in the past is because “those who know and care have not come forward to help.”
It claimed it is confident of overcoming the odds by “fighting hard and fighting smart” and asked for funds to “help print flyers, to rent equipment, to purchase supplies and so on.”
Dr Chee is one of the most misunderstood and maligned opposition leader in Singapore.
Though his dogged fighting spirit has won grudging respect from some quarters, his political future remains grim and uncertain.
In the first place, he is banned from participating in future elections as a bankrupt. The SDP may also face the threat of being de-registered following its failure to pay the Lees in an earlier defamation lawsuit regarding an article on the NKF fiasco published in its newsletter during the 2006 elections.
In a separate note, SDP Chairman Gandhi Ambalam had written to the deputy director of HDB to call on him to stop the sale of wet markets to Sheng Shiong supermarket chain on the ground that “stallholders will lose their livelihoods and independence, and become employees of the new landlord.”
Mr Gandhi wrote that he would be keen to meet with officials from HDB to hear first hand the status of the proposed takeover and to present the concerns of those affected by such a takeover.
It is highly unlikely that HDB will agree to a meeting with SDP or even give Mr Gandhi a reply.
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BryanT on Thu, 26th Nov 2009 9:59 am
A few months back, CSJ appeared in an youtube video titled “Why the SDP is expanding”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue04QuyOAS0
In the video, and as implied by the title, we were given to believe that SDP’s membership is growing satisfactorily. It even subsequently boasted that it was able to gain the support of youths, specifically (and laughably) in the form of a 15-year old.
But in the new SDP article, CSJ seems to be making a contradictory statement. The article is couched as a call to Singaporeans to discard their what’s-in-it-for-me attitude.
Read deeper and one will realise that the underlying intent of the article is to give an open nudge (or kick) to its own supporters. He stated that SDP can’t do it alone. “We all the help we can get from you, our supporters.” More shockingly, he also blamed the apprehension of opposition supporters for the the PAP triumphs.
He also reminded his supporters that “without [them] getting actively involved in the campaigns, elections will remain an academic exercise.”
It seems that even the SDP supporters are afflicted with the apathy and indifference that CSJ often protests about in the rest of the nation.
And, at last, the pasts (and loud) proclamations about the quantity and quality of SDP supporters should just be treated as propaganda.
Robox on Thu, 26th Nov 2009 10:37 am
Uh, oh. Here we go again.
Just the invitation for the two celled brained PAP plus Combined Forces (PAP/WP/SPP and occasionally the RP) IB – or CF IB – as well as the two-fanged snake BryanT to flaunt their shameful display of lack of self respect.
All the PAP- and CF- IB need to do is to rehash their very old and very tired Standard Issue Statements (SIS). And always with Lee Kuan Yew (May His Pacemaker Malfunction!) as the progenitor of said stupidity uppermost in their minds.
No proof of any claims they make is ever necessary – the very fact that Lee Kuan Yew (May His Pacemaker Malfunction!) uttered those Standard Issue Statements is the ONLY proof they need.
Similarly, no substantiation and no rationalizations are ever necessary.
All they need to do with their two cell-powered brains is to reguritate.
New Era on Thu, 26th Nov 2009 10:49 am
BryanT on Thu, 26th Nov 2009 9:59 am
You are mentally sick. I suggest you admit yourself into IMH and stay there for the rest of your life.
Singaporeans are tired of your nonsense.
tetty on Thu, 26th Nov 2009 10:57 am
ahh, the resident troll from the sdp website has even infested the sdp articles here
Robox on Thu, 26th Nov 2009 10:58 am
1. Ooooh, SDP under Chiam See Tong had a grand total of three seats in the early nineties. (Please ignore the fact that this was the time that the gangster PAP was busy trying to kill the JBJ chicken to frighten the monkeys – no brains necessary to analyse politics in Singapore. And why not?) So what happened to the SDP since Chee Soon Juan took over?
2. Ooooh, Chee Soon Juan ousted the man who cannot even form a real party after a quarter century in Parliament, Chiam See Tong? (What’s so great about Mousey Tong? His well known authoritarianism? His inability to grow his own party whatever it is called?)
3. Ooooh,…
You get the picture.
You see, they cannot come up with even ONE original criticism of Dr Chee and the SDP. And that’s because they are not even paying any attention to the substance – the only thing that matters in politics – of the SDP’s policy direction.
They can only look to statements previously made by Lee Kuan Yew (May His Pacemaker Malfunction!) to write his words on the blank slates that are their minds!
Commision Man on Thu, 26th Nov 2009 11:10 am
I’m very scare to join this SDP.After that I get into the booby trap to pay damages and behing he collect commision.
Democracy rising on Thu, 26th Nov 2009 11:14 am
BryanT on Thu, 26th Nov 2009 9:59 am
I saw your obscure mourning of the same thoughts in another thread.
Is YOUR little “sparrow” short of creativity?
Be patient. When Springs come, flocks of eagles will fight over your nest and have your “sparrow” for dinner.
You are forewarned!
btan on Thu, 26th Nov 2009 11:42 am
@BryanT on Thu, 26th Nov 2009 9:59 am
Now I know why you are so hated in the SDP forum even though sometimes I thought you spoke sense.
It seemed you have not fully understood the message and chose to twist it to your own agenda.
What CSJ said is nothing more than what myself and many other opposition supporters have mentioned here and other places in the pass.
We, the voters and supporters, especially those who complained against PAP and are frustrated with PAP, must do something to grow the opposition cause. As mentioned in his article, supporters can do the following :
1.) Join an opposition party or volunteer in its activities
2.) Donate money or resource to an opposition party
3.) Help or give advice to an opposition party
And not just wait for election to cast your vote. Because if we all just do that, we may not even have an opposition to vote for when they have no resource to contest in our ward.
Actions (2) and (3) above does not need us to sacrifice ourselves if we fear participating in opposition activities.
Also, note that CSJ also did not say support only SDP. He said “the opposition”. That means you have the choice to support whatever opposition party you deem worthy of your support. Of course he would be happy if support is given to SDP. However, any opposition leader that is realistic will know that the best support they can get are votes from the constituency that they contest in.
In any case, to all who are supporters of opposition, to all who call yourself fence sitters and to all who used to vote for PAP and now is jaded, think about this. Why do you think some of you never even get to vote at all?
A.) Was it because the opposition purposely don’t want to let you vote by not participating in your ward?
B.) Was it because of PAP’s electoral system that piled a mountain of obstacles on the opposition that their resources are severely curtailed such that they can only each contest a handful of contituencies and such some has to be abandoned?
Unless you are blind or still asleep, you have to know the answer is (B). As such, contributing resources by means of money, manpower or expertise is the only way to get opposition to contest in more constituencies.
People who lived in GCT or LKY’s ward may say they will never get to vote due to the heavyweights. Well, if the opposition can afford the $81,000 deposit and 6 young and energetic candidates per GRC, they can send “suicide squads” a la WP to contest in those wards thus allowing YOU who stay in those wards to vote. But where are they going to get $81,000 and 6 candidates PER GRC?
From you all. From we all.
If you are afraid to stand in election, then donate money. If you have no money, then help out with the “hand-and-legs” work. If you cannot do all of these, at least use your mouth to convince your offline friends and acquaintance to do the above.
This, I believe, is the true message of SDP.
tes on Thu, 26th Nov 2009 12:35 pm
I saw the SDP expanding video and that shows why the party is expanding, I dont understand how that is any contradiction to this article by Dr Chee. this article is aimed at Singaporeans who are reading such websites but not yet coming forward to assist the opposition directly. the video about why the SDP is expanding actually supports his call.
SYL on Thu, 26th Nov 2009 12:49 pm
When he cannot get the right support and respect for his treacherous act and erratic behaviors, he now put the blame on Singaporeans. How idiotic can he get?
I support the opposition, and had voted for the Workers Party in my constituency, but I will never ever vote nor support a traitor like him or his party, who are equally erratic and irrelevant like him.
The fact that he now put the blame on Singaporeans further indicate his consistent flawed character, and his personal vendetta towards PAP seems to have a higher priority than the well being of Singaporeans!
Ark on Thu, 26th Nov 2009 12:56 pm
Here’s the deal, work something out with the other parties to ensure NO MORE walkovers. That is the commitment I would expect from the opposition before I decide they really mean business.
tes on Thu, 26th Nov 2009 1:08 pm
How can get the maximum support of Singaporeans when the mainstream media combined with the PAP and the judicary have a vendetta to destroy every ounce of his reputation?
I voted for SDP and I’m proud of it. In fact Dr Chee is doing a favour for all the opposition parties by writing this article.
Robox on Thu, 26th Nov 2009 1:08 pm
To SYL on Thu, 26th Nov 2009 12:49 pm:
First, I know that you are a just a sockpuppet because of the sameness of the words that you have used in the other thread. Just how STOOPID are you Workers Party supporters to think that we cannot ever determine that?
Re: “I support the opposition, and had voted for the Workers Party in my constituency, but I will never ever vote nor support a traitor like him or his party…”
Yes, please support the WP and the SPP because this is what you will get from them.
Doing what?
By being able to expand their number of seats in Parliament from one full MP only to a grand total of one-and-a-half? And this ’success’ even after their leader, pork-ribs soup hawker Low Thia Kiang being proclaimed – along with Mousey Tong – to be an ‘honourable gentleman’ in the PAP mode?
And ’successful’ at what else?
By the pork ribs soup hawker Low Thia Kiang joining 13 others of his true colleagues in the PAP and slamming Viswa Sadasivan’s maiden speech as NMP, a speech that had much support from the opposition parties’ support base?
By the law-trained good-for-nothing hawker stall assistant Sylvia Lim claiming that Singapore’s laws are fair and just, and thus she can just sit on her fat ass in Parliament not criticizing any of our unconstitutional laws?
Now let’s talk about Chiam See Tong.
This the same ‘honourable gentleman’ Chiam See Tong who has been in Parliament for a quarter of a century – umpteeen years, you say – making him the longest serving opposition party MP but remains a one-man party to this very day? (It was only within the last few months that I was again reminded of the name of his party after having forgotten it for years.)
And what are his ideas for party growth – and mind you, his shirking of this aspect of his responsibility as an opposition politician has yet to be discussed anywhere?
An alliance with parties that we don’t normally hear about even in the online media, like SJP and PKMS?
Having first – it was rumoured – his wife, then his daughter take over Potong Pasir because his benefactor Lee Kuan Yew (May His Pacemaker Malfunction!) has assured him that Potong Pasir will not be affected by any redrawing of boundaries?
If all of the above is ’success’, then I DON’T want any of this dubious success; I am happy to settle for Dr Chee’s ‘failures’ because despite not having a single seat in Parliament, there is a whole slew of the SDP’s policy initiatives that have right now become topics of national discussion.
Dr Chee’s failures have a far greater impact on Singapore in one year than the combined ’successes’ of all the ‘opposition’ MPs for all the years that they have been in Parliament.
ErniesUrn on Thu, 26th Nov 2009 2:03 pm
Wow I’m so proud BryanT,
Without him ..SDP wouldn’t be so famous. I guess being a resident troll does serve it’s purpose to elevate awareness of SDP. It’s hard work for a psuedo troll.
Yes, we should all read deeper into SDP.
BraynT, I’ve come to give you more support..
(Mandarin Version)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMLmeB36SAM
(SDP’s call to care for disabled and deaf communities)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrwPH9ePDz0
united alternative power on Thu, 26th Nov 2009 2:08 pm
Come the next election i will vote for any alternate parties that’s against PAP. I urge alternate parties to plan, coordinate, join forces and avoid a 3 front battles and avoid walk over. Singapore needs political balancing before the current system causes more suffering and disintegration.
orgy on Thu, 26th Nov 2009 2:42 pm
does anyone want to join my party? we are going to have a revolution to overthrow the stress out. it will be held at a discotehque. we will party like it’s 1999.
fair and square on Thu, 26th Nov 2009 2:47 pm
the PAPies are seemingly strong becos they are somehow
united within their ranks..they are a BIG PARTY and have a lot
more clowns.
why cna’t the “oppositionS” think of UNITING AS ONE SUSTANTIVE
FORCE OF “OPPOSITION”?
yes,there are differences in manifestos but may i ask what are you guys fighting for..manifestos or for more democracy for Singapore and the future of Singaporeans?!!!
manifestos can and should be relooked and rewritten to suit
the conditions of unification..afterall they are mere some ideals which could be achievable or unattainable depending
on voters and circumstances.
i say,let the opposiotionS become AN OPPOSITION,then and onlt then,could you guys be a real force to be reckoned with.
then,singaporeans from all walks of life would start to wake up
and realise your vision/s and MISSION!…YOU ALL ARE TRYING TO
REACH THE SAME ONE GOAL,why go in different directions?it doesn’t make good sense,in all sense of the word!
LTK,CST ,KENNETH J,CSJ,et al,need to come to together for this one great act to bear any substancial fruits;like they say,ADD VALUE,in the corporate world.
integrity and honesty must neccessarily work in and with UNITY
to bring about UTILITY…no point going separately,it has not worked well and probably won’t in the future.
simple truth still stands:UNITY IS STRENGTH! And,that is yours and ours only HOPE!!!
cognitive dissonance on Thu, 26th Nov 2009 3:12 pm
SYL on Thu, 26th Nov 2009 12:49 pm
Is this Sun Tzi’s Strategy 6 – Feign an attack in the east and attack in the west???.
Cpt on Thu, 26th Nov 2009 3:48 pm
Many people are too afraid to even talk to opposition politician in public. I dont think they willing to help csj.
deoxin on Thu, 26th Nov 2009 4:02 pm
sheeeesh … u guys r not very civilised hor.
This is PAP’s fault!! not enuf educating opposition people to be more civilised.
admin on Thu, 26th Nov 2009 4:48 pm
Hi Robox,
Please do not include any inflammatory and racist terms in your comments. We have no time to read and moderate every single one of your comments.
rela on Thu, 26th Nov 2009 5:25 pm
notice how the BryanT guy makes sure he is the first to reply to any articles about SDP and especially CSJ on the web..
Brendan on Thu, 26th Nov 2009 10:41 pm
SYL on Thu, 26th Nov 2009 12:49 pm
“I support the opposition, and had voted for the Workers Party in my constituency, but I will never ever vote nor support a traitor like him or his party, who are equally erratic and irrelevant like him.”
It just isn’t enough to support the WP. Why don’t you field as a candidate? Unless of course you are from the PAP IB??
amy on Thu, 26th Nov 2009 11:13 pm
At this point in time what we need is more opposition voices to have check and balance.
Some people think that if they vote opposition, pap will lose and Singapore will fall. Dont kid yourself, just look at past elections, is it possible for pap to lose. And with such an unlevel field and so much obstacles opposition face, it is a miracle if they can win just one GRC.
Vote any opposition just to get more representation of the people’s voice, to have check and balance.
John Potus on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 1:15 am
Brendan on Thu, 26th Nov 2009 10:41 pm
Brendan, I agree with you.
Everytime Dr Chee’s name is mentioned the internet brigade will come out in force and seek to divide the opposition supporters. The have done it previously and will do so again in future. Fortunately, except for one, no others were fooled by the comments.
With 84 seats to contest, with or without the gerrymandering, there is plenty of room for all opposition parties.
Peace.
lee hsien tau on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 9:07 am
I support what Robox said in this thread, especially about Chiam See Tong.
Chiam See Tong cannot even be trusted.
http://chiam-see-tong.blogspot.com/