Chiam's SPP and NSP closer to tie-up in Bishan-Toa Payoh
By Jeremy Au Yong
FOR the second time in as many weeks, National Solidarity Party (NSP) leaders were spotted at Mr Chiam See Tong's walkabout - a sign that the two sides are close to joining forces.
Yesterday, NSP's election campaign manager Tan Chee Kien joined Mr Chiam, 76, and about a dozen Singapore People's Party (SPP) members for the three-hour walkabout in Toa Payoh Central.
Just a week earlier, it was NSP's organising secretary Ivan Yeo who turned up for the walkabout.
Both sides though, remained tight-lipped about ongoing talks.
All Mr Tan would say was that he was there to back Mr Chiam up. 'I've known Mr Chiam for a long time and I'm here to support him,' he said.
Mr Chiam, 76, similarly kept his response vague: 'We always believe in the unity of the opposition. If they want to contribute, if they want to chip in, we won't close the door on them.'
The precise nature of any tie-up is not clear but a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between the two parties in 2000 allows for sharing of resources and exchanging of candidates.
The MOU was a precursor to the parties coming together under the Singapore Democratic Alliance in 2001. Even though both the NSP and SPP have since left the alliance, the MOU is still valid.
One possible outcome is the NSP lending some of its candidates to the SPP for Mr Chiam's Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC team.
Another NSP member, Mr Dexter Wong, 35, an IT professional was also spotted at yesterday's walkabout. So far, Mr Wong has not been named in any NSP team.
He said yesterday that he would go wherever the party leaders told him to.
The alliance aside, Mr Chiam also responded yesterday to a Straits Times forum letter calling on him to stay put in Potong Pasir lest the PAP take it over.
He said that it was a necessary risk given the need to grow the opposition.
But even if the opposition were to lose Potong Pasir, he said: 'You can always win it back.'
Mrs Lina Chiam, 62, who is taking over Potong Pasir from her husband, saw the move as a win-win situation. She said that a loss in the single seat would serve as motivation for the opposition.
'It's a risk, it's true, but I think even if we lose, it might prepare other people to come forward even more. There will be a new flood of people who will work even harder and the urge for more opposition members will be even stronger. If we win, it will be even better,' she said.
The route of their walkabout yesterday had them passing by a large tent announcing the PAP's five-year-plan for the constituency. However, the two sides did not cross paths.
At the end of his walkabout, Mr Chiam took some time to look through the exhibits put up explaining the plan.
He said: 'First of all, we study the plan. If it's good for the residents, we will support it. If they cannot complete the plan, we shall complete it for them.'
As for whether he might be able to fund such a plan, he said: 'Well, the money is allocated to the constituency, it's not allocated to the party. I think it's good to take this opportunity to clarify the position as regards financing allocated to the constituency.'
By Jeremy Au Yong
FOR the second time in as many weeks, National Solidarity Party (NSP) leaders were spotted at Mr Chiam See Tong's walkabout - a sign that the two sides are close to joining forces.
Yesterday, NSP's election campaign manager Tan Chee Kien joined Mr Chiam, 76, and about a dozen Singapore People's Party (SPP) members for the three-hour walkabout in Toa Payoh Central.
Just a week earlier, it was NSP's organising secretary Ivan Yeo who turned up for the walkabout.
Both sides though, remained tight-lipped about ongoing talks.
All Mr Tan would say was that he was there to back Mr Chiam up. 'I've known Mr Chiam for a long time and I'm here to support him,' he said.
Mr Chiam, 76, similarly kept his response vague: 'We always believe in the unity of the opposition. If they want to contribute, if they want to chip in, we won't close the door on them.'
The precise nature of any tie-up is not clear but a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between the two parties in 2000 allows for sharing of resources and exchanging of candidates.
The MOU was a precursor to the parties coming together under the Singapore Democratic Alliance in 2001. Even though both the NSP and SPP have since left the alliance, the MOU is still valid.
One possible outcome is the NSP lending some of its candidates to the SPP for Mr Chiam's Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC team.
Another NSP member, Mr Dexter Wong, 35, an IT professional was also spotted at yesterday's walkabout. So far, Mr Wong has not been named in any NSP team.
He said yesterday that he would go wherever the party leaders told him to.
The alliance aside, Mr Chiam also responded yesterday to a Straits Times forum letter calling on him to stay put in Potong Pasir lest the PAP take it over.
He said that it was a necessary risk given the need to grow the opposition.
But even if the opposition were to lose Potong Pasir, he said: 'You can always win it back.'
Mrs Lina Chiam, 62, who is taking over Potong Pasir from her husband, saw the move as a win-win situation. She said that a loss in the single seat would serve as motivation for the opposition.
'It's a risk, it's true, but I think even if we lose, it might prepare other people to come forward even more. There will be a new flood of people who will work even harder and the urge for more opposition members will be even stronger. If we win, it will be even better,' she said.
The route of their walkabout yesterday had them passing by a large tent announcing the PAP's five-year-plan for the constituency. However, the two sides did not cross paths.
At the end of his walkabout, Mr Chiam took some time to look through the exhibits put up explaining the plan.
He said: 'First of all, we study the plan. If it's good for the residents, we will support it. If they cannot complete the plan, we shall complete it for them.'
As for whether he might be able to fund such a plan, he said: 'Well, the money is allocated to the constituency, it's not allocated to the party. I think it's good to take this opportunity to clarify the position as regards financing allocated to the constituency.'
