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Desmond Lim objects SDA’s merger with the Reform Party
August 5, 2010
Desmond Lim
Desmond Lim is the former Assistant Secretary General of the Singapore People’s Party (SPP) and the Secretary General of the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA). He was recently re-elected into the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the SPP, but his SPP office appointment is yet to be confirmed until the next CEC meeting.
There have been several media reports on the SPP’s Ordinary Party Conference (OPC) that took place on 25 Jul 2010. I would like to address some of the key issues that have arisen so that we can have some form of clarity and hopefully closure. The party can then collectively move on to meet the important challenges ahead of us.
Differences & Regret
I agree with media reports the unpleasantness that arose from the SPP OPC was attributed to the RP-SDA merger proposal. It was primarily due to differences in perspective on the future direction for SDA. It was unfortunate that these differences allowed themselves to manifest at the SPP OPC in the form of groups trying to garner as much local support as possible to buttress their respective viewpoints and position.
All organisations have disagreement among its members. SPP is not excluded. Disagreements are in fact healthy because it represents a diversity of views.
The issue is how we manage these differences and personally, I concede that proceedings of the recent OPC could have been better tempered with discretion and goodwill. I apologise that I had a part in contributing to the acrimonious atmosphere.
I joined the SPP about a month before the 1997 General Elections. Since then, I have been working diligently with Mr Chiam as a party colleague and personal friend in the SPP. Even though we have differences in views, let me affirm that my respect for Mr Chiam has not wavered.
I will henceforth endeavour to play my part in future to enhance cohesion and teamwork within the party. As such, I would also want to clearly affirm that I have no intentions of leaving the SPP. I have dedicated 14 years to the party and through thick and thin, have grown a great affection for it.
My personal aspiration vis-a-vis Potong Pasir
Let me also give some clarity on my personal political aspirations.
I have been consistently clear that I intend to contest in the Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC. This will not change for the coming GE. As for Potong Pasir, I will leave it to CEC to collectively make a decision on who will take Mr Chiam’s place in the coming GE, should he decides to contest elsewhere.
Since the Potong Pasir constituency is central to the party, I will personally provide my support to whichever member the CEC decides upon to contest it.
The Potong Pasir residents’, the party’s and Oppostion’s interests are above all else. If the party so decides that Mrs Chiam will represent SPP in Potong Pasir, I will also give my wholehearted support to her too.
Merger with RP
However, let me now go back to one other important and unresolved issue. I continue to hold firmly to the view that the conditions attached to the “merger” with the Reform Party (RP) would have been detrimental to the political future of SDA. The lop-sided conditions do not form an equitable, healthy and fair basis for a relationship between the two political entities. However, I am in principle not against the idea of an alliance with RP.
I agree with Mr and Mrs Chiam that there would be benefits for SDA to co-operate closely with RP not just for the coming election, but even on a longer term basis. It can come in the form of RP formally joining the Alliance, or both can work towards a “looser” form of collaboration. It would then allow us to tap on the strengths of both sides and work towards a common goal of offering an effective and credible alternative voice in Parliament.
Towards that, I suggest that both sides immediately form a joint working committee comprising members from both RP and SDA to discuss and propose some viable options. The recommendations will be then presented to the respective SEC/CECs for their approval. Otherwise we can have some further iterations until we come to a mutual consensus.
Both sides must be willing to compromise. The target is to achieve a win-win arrangement for all parties. From the SDA, I will make sure that all the component parties are well represented in these deliberations so that their interests are also safeguarded. By doing so, we are adhering to the underpinning principles of the Alliance, and should RP join us eventually, it should respect this as well.
If we are able bring forth the entry of RP into the SDA through a proper process of discussions, consultations and the exercise of some level of flexibility and accommodation, then this model can be used to further expand the SDA and form an adequate basis for a United Opposition.
Desmond Lim objects SDA’s merger with the Reform Party
August 5, 2010
Desmond Lim
Desmond Lim is the former Assistant Secretary General of the Singapore People’s Party (SPP) and the Secretary General of the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA). He was recently re-elected into the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the SPP, but his SPP office appointment is yet to be confirmed until the next CEC meeting.
There have been several media reports on the SPP’s Ordinary Party Conference (OPC) that took place on 25 Jul 2010. I would like to address some of the key issues that have arisen so that we can have some form of clarity and hopefully closure. The party can then collectively move on to meet the important challenges ahead of us.
Differences & Regret
I agree with media reports the unpleasantness that arose from the SPP OPC was attributed to the RP-SDA merger proposal. It was primarily due to differences in perspective on the future direction for SDA. It was unfortunate that these differences allowed themselves to manifest at the SPP OPC in the form of groups trying to garner as much local support as possible to buttress their respective viewpoints and position.
All organisations have disagreement among its members. SPP is not excluded. Disagreements are in fact healthy because it represents a diversity of views.
The issue is how we manage these differences and personally, I concede that proceedings of the recent OPC could have been better tempered with discretion and goodwill. I apologise that I had a part in contributing to the acrimonious atmosphere.
I joined the SPP about a month before the 1997 General Elections. Since then, I have been working diligently with Mr Chiam as a party colleague and personal friend in the SPP. Even though we have differences in views, let me affirm that my respect for Mr Chiam has not wavered.
I will henceforth endeavour to play my part in future to enhance cohesion and teamwork within the party. As such, I would also want to clearly affirm that I have no intentions of leaving the SPP. I have dedicated 14 years to the party and through thick and thin, have grown a great affection for it.
My personal aspiration vis-a-vis Potong Pasir
Let me also give some clarity on my personal political aspirations.
I have been consistently clear that I intend to contest in the Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC. This will not change for the coming GE. As for Potong Pasir, I will leave it to CEC to collectively make a decision on who will take Mr Chiam’s place in the coming GE, should he decides to contest elsewhere.
Since the Potong Pasir constituency is central to the party, I will personally provide my support to whichever member the CEC decides upon to contest it.
The Potong Pasir residents’, the party’s and Oppostion’s interests are above all else. If the party so decides that Mrs Chiam will represent SPP in Potong Pasir, I will also give my wholehearted support to her too.
Merger with RP
However, let me now go back to one other important and unresolved issue. I continue to hold firmly to the view that the conditions attached to the “merger” with the Reform Party (RP) would have been detrimental to the political future of SDA. The lop-sided conditions do not form an equitable, healthy and fair basis for a relationship between the two political entities. However, I am in principle not against the idea of an alliance with RP.
I agree with Mr and Mrs Chiam that there would be benefits for SDA to co-operate closely with RP not just for the coming election, but even on a longer term basis. It can come in the form of RP formally joining the Alliance, or both can work towards a “looser” form of collaboration. It would then allow us to tap on the strengths of both sides and work towards a common goal of offering an effective and credible alternative voice in Parliament.
Towards that, I suggest that both sides immediately form a joint working committee comprising members from both RP and SDA to discuss and propose some viable options. The recommendations will be then presented to the respective SEC/CECs for their approval. Otherwise we can have some further iterations until we come to a mutual consensus.
Both sides must be willing to compromise. The target is to achieve a win-win arrangement for all parties. From the SDA, I will make sure that all the component parties are well represented in these deliberations so that their interests are also safeguarded. By doing so, we are adhering to the underpinning principles of the Alliance, and should RP join us eventually, it should respect this as well.
If we are able bring forth the entry of RP into the SDA through a proper process of discussions, consultations and the exercise of some level of flexibility and accommodation, then this model can be used to further expand the SDA and form an adequate basis for a United Opposition.
