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Came across this article in Chinese newspaper Lian He Zao Bao on 26 Jan 2014 and had it translated by a friend, as it tells a lot about what the opposition parties choose to do, have been doing, their direction, plans and mindset. Quite telling even if it is from the MSM.
http://www.zaobao.com.sg/print/news/singapore/story20140126-303647
==========
The first session of parliament is coming to an end and the government will soon begin the second half of its term. The opposition is consolidating people and resources to prepare for the next GE, which must be held no later than 2016. LHZB takes stock of the status of each opposition party and their main activities.
Singapore People's Party
The 2011 GE was a blow to SPP. It lost Potong Pasir, its base of 27 years and the only seats and also lost a large number of members.
After two-and-half years of reorganisation, the party is back to stability. Lina Loh who was re-elected last evening as chairman, said SPP is ready to step up preparations for the next GE.
In the past , SPP was more of former Potong Pasir Chiam See Tong's platform and was not a familiar party brand name. With Chiam getting on in years, the leadership has begun to strengthen the party and introduced a newsletter after the last GE, of which 2 issues have been released.
SPP has a policy group that is responsible for policy brainstorming and helping Loh draft parliament speeches and press releases. The team members include young professionals.
Lina Loh said at the next GE, SPP will contest at least Potong Pasir, Hong Kah and Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC. These are constituencies last contested unsuccessfully by SPP.
After Chiam was no longer MP, the Potong Pasir Blk 108 void deck that he conducted MPS for decades was demolished and converted into a senior citizens rehabilitation centre.
After losing its only ward, SPP converted to "portable MPS" and went for house to house visits. From this year, the party will start more frequent grassroots work, including visits to voters four evenings per week or visits to Potong Pasir coffeeshops at Blk 136, 146 and 147.
SPP also changed its symbol after the GE. The star and four interlocking rings have been replaced by a red star and the abbreviation SPP. German car maker Audi sent SPP a lawyer's letter stating that the four rings was too similar to its own logo. SPP plans to organise more activities to raise public profile of its members and recruit new members.
Democratic Progressive Party
In the 2011 GE, DPP chief Benjamin Pwee, chairman Mohd Hamim and deputy secretary-general Wilfred Leung were SPP candidates and contested with Chiam in Bishan-Toa Payoh, which they won 43% of the votes.
In early 2012, they collectively resigned as they did not agree with SPP's leadership approach. Last March, they joined DPP, which only contested 2 elections in the past 20 years.
Pwee revealed at the 40th anniversary of DPP that it intends to join SDA. When interviewed, SDA chief Desmond Lim said SDA's door is always open but all parties have to accept the conditions of joining.
DPP's recent recruits include former RP chairman Frankie Low and NSP member Firdaus. Pwee said the party will finalise its candidate lineup in the middle of this year and the party CEC currently has four Malay members. Pwee added that DPP will launch a Malay policy report to gain support of Malay voters. In addition, it is approaching several bloggers to increase DPP's online presence.
DPP intends to contest Tanjong Pagar GRC, Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC and Potong Pasir, primarily constituencies contested by SPP. Since last January, DPP conducted monthly visits to these three constituencies and plans to increase the frequency of visits. Pwee said he will contact SPP chairman Lina Loh hoping that both parties can cooperate as he does not wish to see a 3-corner fight in SPP's old base.
Reform Party
In the last GE, RP fielded 11 candidates in 2 GRCs, of which some had since resigned.
RP chairman Andy Zhu did not reveal the exact number of new members but told LHZB that several were recruited in the past few months, most who were Chinese with no previous political experience, between the ages of 30 to 40 years old and consisted of mainly IT professionals.
RP will contest West Coast GRC and Tanjong Pagar GRC in the next GE. Zhu said that RP conducted monthly visits to these constituencies with four to eight members each time.
RP obtained 33% of the votes in West Coast in the last GE and Tanjong Pagar has some connection with RP leader Kenneth Jeyaretnam, whose late father, former WP chief JBJ, was elected as MP for Anson, which is now part of Tanjong Pagar.
RP also contested Ang Mo Kio GRC with 31%, but Zhu made no mention of Ang Mo Kio GRC. Last January, Jeyaretnam lost in Punggol East by-election with 1.2% of the votes. Zhu said RP is unsure if they will contest Punggol East at the next GE.
Singapore Democratic Alliance
SDA chief Desmond Lim said he is still interested in contesting elections, but after experiencing multi-corner fights, he declined to reveal his targets. In the 2011 GE and last year's by-election, he contested Punggol East unsuccessfully. In the Punggol East by-election last year, he won only 168 votes in a 4-corner fight and achieved the lowest share of votes (0.6%) since independence, losing his deposit.
SDA is made up of SJP led by Lim and and PKMS led by Abu Mohd, with each party occupying half of the SDA supreme council.
Lim revealed SJP attracted some of clan leaders and arts community members as party workers and is preparing to hold an exhibition with dolls of local political figures, hoping to raise awareness of young people in local politics.
SDA has no visits to specific constituencies and connects mainly by social media.
Workers' Party
Presently, WP has 7 MPs and 2 NCMPS, making it the largest opposition party. The main aim is to continue to develop, grow and recruit potential talents. During last year's Punggol East by-election, WP made use of its rallies to train newcomers Terence Tan (lawyer, 42), Redzwan (engineer, 29), Dennis Tan (lawyer, 43) and Daniel Goh (associate professor, 40) to speak on the stage.
Among them, Dennis Tan and Daniel Goh were co-opted into the WP CEC last September. Goh helps out at Punggol East Li Lilian's MPS and Tan assists Aljunied GRC MP Faisal.
To strengthen and develop the organization, WP is raising funds to purchase a shophouse unit for its new headquarters and for rental purposes.
After the 2011 GE, WP is not only learning to manage the first GRC, people are now evaluating WP not based solely on Low Thia Khiang's performance and quality but all 9 MPs of WP.
In the past two years, WP has been conducting MPS in their wards of Aljunied GRC, Hougang and Punggol East and also regularly organizes house visits, gatherings, food distribution, health talks, trips, movie screenings as well as mid-autumn, Deepavali, new year and other festive events.
From last year, WP expanded its activities gradually to other constituencies and not only visited previously contested constituencies of East Coast, Moulmein-Kallang, Nee Soon, Joo Chiat and Sengkang West, but interestingly also Tampines and Pasir Ris-Punggol GRCs.
Party chairman Sylvia Lim revealed that Tampines GRC had always been within WP's area of interest. In the last GE, it considered NSP's decision to contest there and decided to give way.
When LHZB tried to confirm WP's intention to contest these two constituencies, WP chief Low was still tight-lipped and said that being asked now does not mean he has an answer. When the time comes, everyone will know. WP are only doing normal groundwork now.
On WP's focus in the eastern and north-eastern areas, Low does not deny it. He said that WP is interested in these constituencies.
WP uses the party newsletter to reach out to voters. The "Hammer" is published three to four times a year and the first two months after publication of an issue is WP's busiest period. Low, Lim, Png Eng Huat, Chen Show Mao and other heavyweight MPs will show up together at the event. It is understood that WP has begun door-to-door visits in some targetted constituencies.
National Solidarity Party
After former secretary-general Hazel Poa resigned last September over health reasons, 50-year old lawyer Jeannette Chong succeeded her post without a contest.
It is understood that both former key leaders Hazel Poa and her fellow scholar husband Tony Tan rarely participate in party activities.
Jeannette said in an interview with LHZB that local politics has yet to evolve into a two-party system, but the most appropriate model should be a multi-party system.
She said that to have only 2 voices in parliament is not complete; it should not be only a PAP point of view and opposition WP point of view. When people say "opposition", the word seems to be a name of a party, but ideally, there should be at least two or three opposition parties in parliament.
She believes that the Government will formulate more comprehensive and sound policies only if it listens to diverse views.
NSP was founded in 1987. Former secretary-general Steve Chia contested unsuccessfully under SDA in 2001 in Chua Chu Kang, but as he was the highest scoring defeated opposition candidate, he became NCMP. Apart from that, the party had no other achievement. In the 2011 GE, NSP sent 24 candidates, one more than WP.
Jeannette Chong, Hazel Poa, Tony Tan and second assistant-secretary general Nicole Seah who became the breakout star of the last GE, were originally RP members, but resigned en masse on the eve of GE 2011 to join NSP and boosted NSP's candidate lineup. Compared to the veterans of the party, they are younger, higher educated and are largely English-speaking professionals and are more liberal to discuss the subjects of death penalty and freedom of expression.
Two groups of members with seemingly different backgrounds have now integrated. A NSP senior member who had considered vying for the secretary-general post eventually gave up the idea, allowing her to take up the post uncontested.
Jeannette said that the veterans are not difficult to get along with. They are mature, possess good judgment and lend stability to the party.
From start to gradually accelerate the pace of last year, preparing for the next general election this year, more densely intend to move to the various constituencies.
From last February, Jeannette started a legal clinic to offer free legal advice; Nicole Seah gathered a group of youths for a tuition project in Marine Parade GRC, a constituency she contested in 2011.
Singapore Democratic Party
In October last year, SDP elected a new CEC at its biennial conference, which replaced the chairman, vice chairman and assistant secretary-general. The resignation of former treasurer Vincent Wijeysingha invoked a debate.
SDP chief Chee Soon Juan said that the party has a good foundation and Vincent's resignation was not a setback. He also described the new CEC as a progressive team that is able to handle the next GE.
Since the last GE, SDP has launched five alternative policy papers and coming up will be papers on ministerial salaries, healthcare, housing, population, Malay community's welfare, the economy and educational.
Chee said that Singaporeans think there is a problem with existing government policies but are not sure if they have any other alternatives? And what are the alternatives? In our reports, we state our stand and answer all the questions to tell Singaporeans that they have a choice.
SDP intends to contest more seats in the next GE.
Considering that the boundaries may be redrawn, the party has expanded its scope of activities to Jurong GRC and West Coast GRC. Last year, SDP expressed its intention to contest Tanjong Pagar GRC, a constituency that has not been contested for years.
Chee Soon Juan pointed out that the party continued its groundwork in the central west area after the 2011 GE and in recent years attracted qualified new members, possibly increasing the number of candidates to field in the next GE. In the last year, SDP visited constituencies once every two months and also visited door-to-door and organised gatherings for residents.
Although he declined to disclose the number of party members, he said the number has increased exponentially after the 2011 GE. He pointed out that election preparations are entering the second stage and they will be accelerating their pace.
In the 2011 GE, SDP fielded 11 candidates in two GRCs and two single-seat constituencies, including Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, Sembawang GRC, Bukit Panjang and Yuhua single wards. It performed the best in Holland-Bukit Timah where it obatined 39.9% of the votes.
http://www.zaobao.com.sg/print/news/singapore/story20140126-303647
==========
The first session of parliament is coming to an end and the government will soon begin the second half of its term. The opposition is consolidating people and resources to prepare for the next GE, which must be held no later than 2016. LHZB takes stock of the status of each opposition party and their main activities.
Singapore People's Party
The 2011 GE was a blow to SPP. It lost Potong Pasir, its base of 27 years and the only seats and also lost a large number of members.
After two-and-half years of reorganisation, the party is back to stability. Lina Loh who was re-elected last evening as chairman, said SPP is ready to step up preparations for the next GE.
In the past , SPP was more of former Potong Pasir Chiam See Tong's platform and was not a familiar party brand name. With Chiam getting on in years, the leadership has begun to strengthen the party and introduced a newsletter after the last GE, of which 2 issues have been released.
SPP has a policy group that is responsible for policy brainstorming and helping Loh draft parliament speeches and press releases. The team members include young professionals.
Lina Loh said at the next GE, SPP will contest at least Potong Pasir, Hong Kah and Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC. These are constituencies last contested unsuccessfully by SPP.
After Chiam was no longer MP, the Potong Pasir Blk 108 void deck that he conducted MPS for decades was demolished and converted into a senior citizens rehabilitation centre.
After losing its only ward, SPP converted to "portable MPS" and went for house to house visits. From this year, the party will start more frequent grassroots work, including visits to voters four evenings per week or visits to Potong Pasir coffeeshops at Blk 136, 146 and 147.
SPP also changed its symbol after the GE. The star and four interlocking rings have been replaced by a red star and the abbreviation SPP. German car maker Audi sent SPP a lawyer's letter stating that the four rings was too similar to its own logo. SPP plans to organise more activities to raise public profile of its members and recruit new members.
Democratic Progressive Party
In the 2011 GE, DPP chief Benjamin Pwee, chairman Mohd Hamim and deputy secretary-general Wilfred Leung were SPP candidates and contested with Chiam in Bishan-Toa Payoh, which they won 43% of the votes.
In early 2012, they collectively resigned as they did not agree with SPP's leadership approach. Last March, they joined DPP, which only contested 2 elections in the past 20 years.
Pwee revealed at the 40th anniversary of DPP that it intends to join SDA. When interviewed, SDA chief Desmond Lim said SDA's door is always open but all parties have to accept the conditions of joining.
DPP's recent recruits include former RP chairman Frankie Low and NSP member Firdaus. Pwee said the party will finalise its candidate lineup in the middle of this year and the party CEC currently has four Malay members. Pwee added that DPP will launch a Malay policy report to gain support of Malay voters. In addition, it is approaching several bloggers to increase DPP's online presence.
DPP intends to contest Tanjong Pagar GRC, Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC and Potong Pasir, primarily constituencies contested by SPP. Since last January, DPP conducted monthly visits to these three constituencies and plans to increase the frequency of visits. Pwee said he will contact SPP chairman Lina Loh hoping that both parties can cooperate as he does not wish to see a 3-corner fight in SPP's old base.
Reform Party
In the last GE, RP fielded 11 candidates in 2 GRCs, of which some had since resigned.
RP chairman Andy Zhu did not reveal the exact number of new members but told LHZB that several were recruited in the past few months, most who were Chinese with no previous political experience, between the ages of 30 to 40 years old and consisted of mainly IT professionals.
RP will contest West Coast GRC and Tanjong Pagar GRC in the next GE. Zhu said that RP conducted monthly visits to these constituencies with four to eight members each time.
RP obtained 33% of the votes in West Coast in the last GE and Tanjong Pagar has some connection with RP leader Kenneth Jeyaretnam, whose late father, former WP chief JBJ, was elected as MP for Anson, which is now part of Tanjong Pagar.
RP also contested Ang Mo Kio GRC with 31%, but Zhu made no mention of Ang Mo Kio GRC. Last January, Jeyaretnam lost in Punggol East by-election with 1.2% of the votes. Zhu said RP is unsure if they will contest Punggol East at the next GE.
Singapore Democratic Alliance
SDA chief Desmond Lim said he is still interested in contesting elections, but after experiencing multi-corner fights, he declined to reveal his targets. In the 2011 GE and last year's by-election, he contested Punggol East unsuccessfully. In the Punggol East by-election last year, he won only 168 votes in a 4-corner fight and achieved the lowest share of votes (0.6%) since independence, losing his deposit.
SDA is made up of SJP led by Lim and and PKMS led by Abu Mohd, with each party occupying half of the SDA supreme council.
Lim revealed SJP attracted some of clan leaders and arts community members as party workers and is preparing to hold an exhibition with dolls of local political figures, hoping to raise awareness of young people in local politics.
SDA has no visits to specific constituencies and connects mainly by social media.
Workers' Party
Presently, WP has 7 MPs and 2 NCMPS, making it the largest opposition party. The main aim is to continue to develop, grow and recruit potential talents. During last year's Punggol East by-election, WP made use of its rallies to train newcomers Terence Tan (lawyer, 42), Redzwan (engineer, 29), Dennis Tan (lawyer, 43) and Daniel Goh (associate professor, 40) to speak on the stage.
Among them, Dennis Tan and Daniel Goh were co-opted into the WP CEC last September. Goh helps out at Punggol East Li Lilian's MPS and Tan assists Aljunied GRC MP Faisal.
To strengthen and develop the organization, WP is raising funds to purchase a shophouse unit for its new headquarters and for rental purposes.
After the 2011 GE, WP is not only learning to manage the first GRC, people are now evaluating WP not based solely on Low Thia Khiang's performance and quality but all 9 MPs of WP.
In the past two years, WP has been conducting MPS in their wards of Aljunied GRC, Hougang and Punggol East and also regularly organizes house visits, gatherings, food distribution, health talks, trips, movie screenings as well as mid-autumn, Deepavali, new year and other festive events.
From last year, WP expanded its activities gradually to other constituencies and not only visited previously contested constituencies of East Coast, Moulmein-Kallang, Nee Soon, Joo Chiat and Sengkang West, but interestingly also Tampines and Pasir Ris-Punggol GRCs.
Party chairman Sylvia Lim revealed that Tampines GRC had always been within WP's area of interest. In the last GE, it considered NSP's decision to contest there and decided to give way.
When LHZB tried to confirm WP's intention to contest these two constituencies, WP chief Low was still tight-lipped and said that being asked now does not mean he has an answer. When the time comes, everyone will know. WP are only doing normal groundwork now.
On WP's focus in the eastern and north-eastern areas, Low does not deny it. He said that WP is interested in these constituencies.
WP uses the party newsletter to reach out to voters. The "Hammer" is published three to four times a year and the first two months after publication of an issue is WP's busiest period. Low, Lim, Png Eng Huat, Chen Show Mao and other heavyweight MPs will show up together at the event. It is understood that WP has begun door-to-door visits in some targetted constituencies.
National Solidarity Party
After former secretary-general Hazel Poa resigned last September over health reasons, 50-year old lawyer Jeannette Chong succeeded her post without a contest.
It is understood that both former key leaders Hazel Poa and her fellow scholar husband Tony Tan rarely participate in party activities.
Jeannette said in an interview with LHZB that local politics has yet to evolve into a two-party system, but the most appropriate model should be a multi-party system.
She said that to have only 2 voices in parliament is not complete; it should not be only a PAP point of view and opposition WP point of view. When people say "opposition", the word seems to be a name of a party, but ideally, there should be at least two or three opposition parties in parliament.
She believes that the Government will formulate more comprehensive and sound policies only if it listens to diverse views.
NSP was founded in 1987. Former secretary-general Steve Chia contested unsuccessfully under SDA in 2001 in Chua Chu Kang, but as he was the highest scoring defeated opposition candidate, he became NCMP. Apart from that, the party had no other achievement. In the 2011 GE, NSP sent 24 candidates, one more than WP.
Jeannette Chong, Hazel Poa, Tony Tan and second assistant-secretary general Nicole Seah who became the breakout star of the last GE, were originally RP members, but resigned en masse on the eve of GE 2011 to join NSP and boosted NSP's candidate lineup. Compared to the veterans of the party, they are younger, higher educated and are largely English-speaking professionals and are more liberal to discuss the subjects of death penalty and freedom of expression.
Two groups of members with seemingly different backgrounds have now integrated. A NSP senior member who had considered vying for the secretary-general post eventually gave up the idea, allowing her to take up the post uncontested.
Jeannette said that the veterans are not difficult to get along with. They are mature, possess good judgment and lend stability to the party.
From start to gradually accelerate the pace of last year, preparing for the next general election this year, more densely intend to move to the various constituencies.
From last February, Jeannette started a legal clinic to offer free legal advice; Nicole Seah gathered a group of youths for a tuition project in Marine Parade GRC, a constituency she contested in 2011.
Singapore Democratic Party
In October last year, SDP elected a new CEC at its biennial conference, which replaced the chairman, vice chairman and assistant secretary-general. The resignation of former treasurer Vincent Wijeysingha invoked a debate.
SDP chief Chee Soon Juan said that the party has a good foundation and Vincent's resignation was not a setback. He also described the new CEC as a progressive team that is able to handle the next GE.
Since the last GE, SDP has launched five alternative policy papers and coming up will be papers on ministerial salaries, healthcare, housing, population, Malay community's welfare, the economy and educational.
Chee said that Singaporeans think there is a problem with existing government policies but are not sure if they have any other alternatives? And what are the alternatives? In our reports, we state our stand and answer all the questions to tell Singaporeans that they have a choice.
SDP intends to contest more seats in the next GE.
Considering that the boundaries may be redrawn, the party has expanded its scope of activities to Jurong GRC and West Coast GRC. Last year, SDP expressed its intention to contest Tanjong Pagar GRC, a constituency that has not been contested for years.
Chee Soon Juan pointed out that the party continued its groundwork in the central west area after the 2011 GE and in recent years attracted qualified new members, possibly increasing the number of candidates to field in the next GE. In the last year, SDP visited constituencies once every two months and also visited door-to-door and organised gatherings for residents.
Although he declined to disclose the number of party members, he said the number has increased exponentially after the 2011 GE. He pointed out that election preparations are entering the second stage and they will be accelerating their pace.
In the 2011 GE, SDP fielded 11 candidates in two GRCs and two single-seat constituencies, including Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, Sembawang GRC, Bukit Panjang and Yuhua single wards. It performed the best in Holland-Bukit Timah where it obatined 39.9% of the votes.
