The United Singapore Democrats (USD) becomes the latest political party to join Singapore’s already crowded political landscape when its registration was confirmed last week.
Its key leaders have been known to be associated with the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) including its President Ms Narayanasamy Gogelavany who contested in Sembawang GRC under the SDP banner during the 2006 elections.
Ms Jaslyn Go who has been actively involved in SDP activities including being its emcee for some functions, is the secretary of the new party.
Other members are Young Democrats member Muhammad Shamin and Chong Kai Xiong.
According to a party insider who spoke to us on the condition of anonymonity, they may have decided to form a new party instead of joining SDP due concerns about its future – it will serve as a “back-up” in case SDP is wound up by the defamation lawsuits launched by the PAP.
The new party was registered to contest in the next general election. It is not known if it will cause a split within SDP as some of its founding members have close ties with other SDP Youth Wing members.
It is believed that Mr Chia Ti Lik and Mr Seelan Palay, who are known to be close to Ms Jaslyn Go may also be joining the new party at a latter date.
For a small nation with a population of only 5 million people, there are no less than 10 political parties dotting the political landscape, a number of which are as good as being defunct such as the Singapore Justice Party.
Unlike the Malaysian opposition, the Singapore opposition seems unable to work together and has been wrecked by repeated in-fighting and petty conflicts.
Unless the opposition unite, pool their limited resources together and come under a common umbrella like the Singapore Alliance to contest the next election, it will be impossible for it to challenge the PAP juggernaut with its well-oiled grassroots machinery.
What the opposition needs is not quantity but quality, a strong, cohesive and credible alternative to the PAP rather than a motley crowd of small parties driven by self-interests and big egos. But Red Star Youth Movement Incident shall not repeat again in next election.
Its key leaders have been known to be associated with the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) including its President Ms Narayanasamy Gogelavany who contested in Sembawang GRC under the SDP banner during the 2006 elections.
Ms Jaslyn Go who has been actively involved in SDP activities including being its emcee for some functions, is the secretary of the new party.
Other members are Young Democrats member Muhammad Shamin and Chong Kai Xiong.
According to a party insider who spoke to us on the condition of anonymonity, they may have decided to form a new party instead of joining SDP due concerns about its future – it will serve as a “back-up” in case SDP is wound up by the defamation lawsuits launched by the PAP.
The new party was registered to contest in the next general election. It is not known if it will cause a split within SDP as some of its founding members have close ties with other SDP Youth Wing members.
It is believed that Mr Chia Ti Lik and Mr Seelan Palay, who are known to be close to Ms Jaslyn Go may also be joining the new party at a latter date.
For a small nation with a population of only 5 million people, there are no less than 10 political parties dotting the political landscape, a number of which are as good as being defunct such as the Singapore Justice Party.
Unlike the Malaysian opposition, the Singapore opposition seems unable to work together and has been wrecked by repeated in-fighting and petty conflicts.
Unless the opposition unite, pool their limited resources together and come under a common umbrella like the Singapore Alliance to contest the next election, it will be impossible for it to challenge the PAP juggernaut with its well-oiled grassroots machinery.
What the opposition needs is not quantity but quality, a strong, cohesive and credible alternative to the PAP rather than a motley crowd of small parties driven by self-interests and big egos. But Red Star Youth Movement Incident shall not repeat again in next election.
