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The date of a by-election for Punggol East has not been decided. The PM may even decide not to call for one. Yet, supporters of other opposition parties, fearing my participation in a possible by-election have begun to pour cold water on me. Some said I am not capable enough. Others suggest that I should spend more time at home, with my family. Then there are those who insinuated that I over-estimated my own ability, called me a clown and a spoiler. (Who is actually the spoiler, the truth will out one day and right the injustice that I was subjected to.)
During the campaign period of the last election, I received threats and my campaign material were vandalised. And that was only just the beginning. In the future, it is likely that I may face even more terrible assaults. Nevertheless, I will patiently tolerate these ignorant and puerile behaviour.
Those who know me know that over the past 14 years. I have devoted all the time, energy and money to working for the Potong Pasir Town Council and the People’s Party. After my office hours, on public holidays and weekends, I would be working for them. I was even on call to help solve problems that happened during the wee hours of the night. All these I did without any incentives and rewards.
With my professional knowledge in estate and project management, I rendered my services to former member of parliament Mr Chiam See Tong and helped him manage the affairs of the town council and the party without expectation of any return. Those who know me also know that I played my supporting role quietly and never attempted to push Mr Chiam aside.
If I was as useless as what the supporters of other political parties claimed, Mr Chiam, while he was still hale and hearty, would not have allowed me to handle the day to day affairs of the town council and the party, and look after the welfare of the constituency. Mr Chiam even personally wrote a testimonial letter recognizing my abilities and contributions to the town council and constituency of Potong Pasir. That same pletter was printed in the campaign flyer and circulated to the voters of Pasir Ris – Punggol GRC during the 2006 general election to show that I had Mr Chiam’s full support. (My later departure from the SPP was due to political intrigues from certain quarters but I will not detail that here.)
Beside that, if I am without abilities and capabilities, it would not have been possible for me to remain employed with the same company for over 15 years, let alone being held in high regard by the company. (What with my involvement with opposition politics, if I had not performed up to and beyond the company’s expectation, I would have been told to pack up and leave long ago.)
I believe that any sensible person, when he looks at what I encountered within the party and what I accomplished in my professional career, he would agree that I had supported and involved myself with the wrong party leader. In so doing, I had wasted my youth, energy and wealth and ruined my political future.
These supporters of other political parties reckoned that what they were told were true. They did not bother to spend time to investigate and come to their own conclusion. They therefore believed that their party is the only that can provide a counter-balance to the ruling party and win benefit for the people. They therefore argue that others have to yield to their party in an election. Such a mindset is really no different from that of a one-party dictatorship.
Honestly, I too would like to pass my days in peace and leisure. I have a stable career, a roof over my head and a car. I need not worry about my next meal, my clothing, money and other necessities of life. I have already what others are still busily pursuing and will be pursuing for most of their lives. I have no need nor wish for great wealth, a bungalow, a luxury car and gourmet meals daily.
My wish and what I would strive for would be to return political power back to the people, to have a level playing field in politics, so that there is real governance by the people of themselves and for themselves. I also wish to be a reminder to politicians that the interests of the people should come first, that policies at the fundamental level should benefit the people and that their motivation should always be a concern for the people. It should not be the case where everything is done to serve the interest of a party. It should not be the case where livelihood issues of the people are perversely transformed into opportunities to generate money and causing the people to spend their entire life busily working just to ensure that they have adequate meals and housing, and worrying about their children’s education and future.
I would like other opposition supporters to know that if I had fear of the strong and intimidating tactics, I would not have bothered to participate in elections. To those who believe in democracy and who wish to defend democracy, please let the people decide who to represent them and strive for their welfare in parliament. Do not resort to undemocratic means to pressure any potential candidate from contesting and do not resort to underhand means to cause the potential candidate supporters to withdraw their support.
The day the above arrive is the day I quit politics.
Singapore our home.
.
Desmond Lim
Singapore Democratic Alliance
http://www.facebook.com/limbakchuandesmond
During the campaign period of the last election, I received threats and my campaign material were vandalised. And that was only just the beginning. In the future, it is likely that I may face even more terrible assaults. Nevertheless, I will patiently tolerate these ignorant and puerile behaviour.
Those who know me know that over the past 14 years. I have devoted all the time, energy and money to working for the Potong Pasir Town Council and the People’s Party. After my office hours, on public holidays and weekends, I would be working for them. I was even on call to help solve problems that happened during the wee hours of the night. All these I did without any incentives and rewards.
With my professional knowledge in estate and project management, I rendered my services to former member of parliament Mr Chiam See Tong and helped him manage the affairs of the town council and the party without expectation of any return. Those who know me also know that I played my supporting role quietly and never attempted to push Mr Chiam aside.
If I was as useless as what the supporters of other political parties claimed, Mr Chiam, while he was still hale and hearty, would not have allowed me to handle the day to day affairs of the town council and the party, and look after the welfare of the constituency. Mr Chiam even personally wrote a testimonial letter recognizing my abilities and contributions to the town council and constituency of Potong Pasir. That same pletter was printed in the campaign flyer and circulated to the voters of Pasir Ris – Punggol GRC during the 2006 general election to show that I had Mr Chiam’s full support. (My later departure from the SPP was due to political intrigues from certain quarters but I will not detail that here.)
Beside that, if I am without abilities and capabilities, it would not have been possible for me to remain employed with the same company for over 15 years, let alone being held in high regard by the company. (What with my involvement with opposition politics, if I had not performed up to and beyond the company’s expectation, I would have been told to pack up and leave long ago.)
I believe that any sensible person, when he looks at what I encountered within the party and what I accomplished in my professional career, he would agree that I had supported and involved myself with the wrong party leader. In so doing, I had wasted my youth, energy and wealth and ruined my political future.
These supporters of other political parties reckoned that what they were told were true. They did not bother to spend time to investigate and come to their own conclusion. They therefore believed that their party is the only that can provide a counter-balance to the ruling party and win benefit for the people. They therefore argue that others have to yield to their party in an election. Such a mindset is really no different from that of a one-party dictatorship.
Honestly, I too would like to pass my days in peace and leisure. I have a stable career, a roof over my head and a car. I need not worry about my next meal, my clothing, money and other necessities of life. I have already what others are still busily pursuing and will be pursuing for most of their lives. I have no need nor wish for great wealth, a bungalow, a luxury car and gourmet meals daily.
My wish and what I would strive for would be to return political power back to the people, to have a level playing field in politics, so that there is real governance by the people of themselves and for themselves. I also wish to be a reminder to politicians that the interests of the people should come first, that policies at the fundamental level should benefit the people and that their motivation should always be a concern for the people. It should not be the case where everything is done to serve the interest of a party. It should not be the case where livelihood issues of the people are perversely transformed into opportunities to generate money and causing the people to spend their entire life busily working just to ensure that they have adequate meals and housing, and worrying about their children’s education and future.
I would like other opposition supporters to know that if I had fear of the strong and intimidating tactics, I would not have bothered to participate in elections. To those who believe in democracy and who wish to defend democracy, please let the people decide who to represent them and strive for their welfare in parliament. Do not resort to undemocratic means to pressure any potential candidate from contesting and do not resort to underhand means to cause the potential candidate supporters to withdraw their support.
The day the above arrive is the day I quit politics.
Singapore our home.
.
Desmond Lim
Singapore Democratic Alliance
http://www.facebook.com/limbakchuandesmond
