WP's Indian Candidate's Resignation

[scroobal]

Firstly this Indian chap by his very own admission has indicated that prior to and after GE except for a short while after GE could not commit time and effort to the Party. Yet he does not realise why they could not make him a cadre. He was not signing up for a gym membership. His timing of thevresignation shows that he is either manipulative or being manipulated. The Malay member who resigned was certainly not devious.

Secondly I would think that being a candidate and receiving 40 plus % was a greater achievement then being an cadre espcially when he has other more important commitment than party work. A Chinese candidate would not have that luxury. Certainly a chap who is not very bright or prefers to have titles.

Thirdly as a minority he knows that this is pretty much affirmative action category. The PAP deliberately did this. Surely he and his family and close friends would know that on his own and with his background, qualification and charisma, he would be lucky to get a second look from a tissue vendor let alone garner 2% of votes. I have seen him during the elections hustings and I may be bias but I would still say that my doorstop has got more personality than him.

Fourthly I would suggest that this form of action especially the timing puts the entire Indian community in bad light and reinforces the stereotype that touches on trust and reliability. The Indian culture tends to be fatalistic. If they go down, they will bring everyone down. This unfortunately smacks of it.

Now for the WP. This espisode should deliver a deafing message if they haven't figured it out yet. The PAP learnt it long time ago. Beggars can't be chosers. The PAP have made Malays, Indians and Eurasians cadres to reflect the racial composition of society. Nothing to do with meritocracy. To some extent its political correctness to bring in the votes and being practical. Its creates a reservoir to make the quota.

Lets face it, being a cadre is not exactly an achievement one puts down in a CV. The trick is have more reliable cadres and less of the less reliable and you can still function.

 

[scroobal]

"Press Statement by Sajeev Kamalasanan on Resignation from The Workers’ Party May 13, 2012

With immediate effect, I regret to announce my resignation as a member of The Workers’ Party (WP). The reason for my resignation is my dissatisfaction with the WP’s cadreship selection system.

I joined WP as an ordinary member in 2006 following the 2006 General Elections, believing that the party was a credible and alternative voice for Singaporeans. Due to work and other commitments, I was, however, inactive and did not contribute to the party in any significant way until a phone call from the party’s Chairman, Ms Sylvia Lim, about six weeks before the 2011 General Elections. The party was looking to field an Indian candidate in Nee Soon GRC and Ms Sylvia requested me to step forward. It was an unexpected but important request and after due consideration, I turned her down as I felt that I was not the right person for it. However, Ms Sylvia persisted, saying that the party was in urgent need for an Indian candidate for this GRC (the two other Indian candidates Mr Pritam Singh and Mr Somasundaram were fielded for Aljunied and Moulmein-Kallang GRCs). I finally relented as I agreed with her vision of doing something worthwhile for our country and democracy. With my wife’s support, I immediately put all my family and work commitments aside and got right into the campaign and electioneering foray. The WP Nee Soon GRC team went on to clinch a respectable 41.6% of the votes and I was happy to have played a part in giving Nee Soon residents the opportunity to exercise their right to vote in the general elections.

After the general elections, I was selected to be a member for the Aljunied Constituency Committee (AJCC) - Serangoon Division, under Ms Sylvia Lim. Every week, I helped out at her (Meet-the-People sessions) MPS and was also roped into the division’s grassroots events. The highlight of my contribution was when I was given the responsibility of a Chairperson for the Aljunied GRC’s first Deepavali event celebration in 2011. At the party level, I was also active at the weekend Hammer sales. Around CNY 2012, I had to stop my volunteer work at her MPS sessions as I started attending a part time course which coincided with the day and timing of the MPS sessions.

While I never did expect any formal recognition for my contributions towards the party, I was disappointed to see most of the 2011 ex-candidates and ordinary members around me being nominated and given party cadreship quite easily following the general elections. I had also heard from existing cadre members that Ms Sylvia had privately made reference to a group of “problematic” ex-candidates that are not given cadreship and I started wondering if I was one of them. I finally questioned Ms Sylvia about why she never considered nominating me for party cadreship and was not satisfied with her explanations:

1) That it has been the party’s experience that Indians tend to leave after getting party cadreship; and

2) That (she had wanted to nominate me but) I had abruptly stopped contributing at her MPS sessions.

I feel that it is unfair to consider all Indians as uncommitted to the party and if this has been WP’s experience, the right thing for WP is to reflect on what it might be doing to contribute to this and perhaps arrest this problem if it considers and aspires itself to be the alternative voice of all Singaporeans.

With this mindset, I see no possibility of me being able to play any meaningful and constructive part in the party, save for being a showpiece for the minority candidate ticket come elections time. I feel let down and betrayed by the WP leadership, in whom I had put my trust and faith in, and for whom I made substantial sacrifice by stepping forward to serve. I therefore have no choice but to part ways with WP.

Thank you.
Sajeev Kamalasanan"

 

[Perspective]

My views:

On Sajeev K - a cadre membership is not like a job interview where you either get the job or you don't, or a promotion to your boss's place that you do not get as long as he doesn't retire. It's like growing from 5 to 6 years old or 7 to 8 years old - something that would naturally come even within the PAP. Hence, the issue is the timing, and unless you have evidence that you are not going to get it even if you were to work to your bones committing to WP everyday for the next 50 years until your grave, it is unwise to make such conclusions. The racism remark is silly because the composition of WP's current CEC is going to blow your cover easily.

On WP - the party should not field a candidate that it is not prepared to move to cadre member. Unlike what most people think, I think cadre membership is not a rank-and-file promotion but a progression of a relationship - it's a sign that says "we trust you now". But that's exactly why it should be fielding people it can trust. In the end Sajeev proved he could not be trusted which is a good loss, but if you had seen this untrustworthiness in him, why even field him as a candidate in the first place. If you (WP) are prepared to take the risk or needed minorities rather than choose to field one GRC less, then you end up being impacted by a former candidate badmouthing you in public, and you are simply sowing what you reap. You might even be seen as "using and dumping" people.

 

[Goh Meng Seng]

Dear Scroobal,

I am surprised that you can be so unfair and biased!

Although I don't know Sajeev at all, only FB friend, I don't think he deserves such damning remarks from you. I didn't hear you say anything bad about WP or its candidates for the past 1 year! Definitely not on Sajeev but your attacks only come when he decided to quit WP altogether and give the proper account on why he quits.

Now, can you for once, put up all those WP candidates whom you think are the bad ones right now? Or do you think all other WP candidates are superb and fantastic? If you do not state openly which WP candidates are the rotten eggs now, I would presume that you think all of them are superb selection of candidates. If anyone of them quit next time round, I don't expect you to attack them as you did to Sajeev.

To be fair to Sajeev, anyone with a sense of social justice and respect to every races, regardless of race, who listen to what nonsense Sylvia Lim has sprouted about Indian members tend to leave after getting their cadre membership, would have thrown their resignation letter at her immediately.

There are other Chinese and Malay cadre members who left WP as well, would that mean that WP should not give the Chinese and Malay cadre membership as well? That is really a poor excuse, amidst a racist one.

Goh Meng Seng

 

[Perspective]

Now for the WP. This espisode should deliver a deafing message if they haven't figured it out yet. The PAP learnt it long time ago. Beggars can't be chosers. The PAP have made Malays, Indians and Eurasians cadres to reflect the racial composition of society. Nothing to do with meritocracy. To some extent its political correctness to bring in the votes and being practical. Its creates a reservoir to make the quota.

Have to agree. If you don't want to go for minority balance for balance's sake but for the sake of quality instead, to be frank, having had a small glimpse of inner workings, the selection wasn't so perfect and fool-proof either. There was still favouritism and unevenness no matter how small an extent you could reduce it to, so why not trade such a "quality" for balance.

 

[myfoot123]

Everyone in the opposition camps wanted to battle out in election for a cause to find a seat in parliament. This indian chap wanted a petty cadre? If he can continue to work hard, think long term and try to fight again in the next election to become an MP, what is so great about this cadre thingy? Arrghhh, petty petty and petty. What a pity he set himself openly on fire in this manner and have the skin to blame WP for burning him?

I suspect someone has instigated him to do so, the timing and everything. Unfortunately, this Ah neh weak mind just fell into it. What a self-humiliation and I wonder how SPH will play it up again.

 

[scroobal]

I am disappointed with his timing. It can mean one thing and his comment about the timing rings hollow. He sending his letter into the public domain with all those details serves only one purpose. This guy is not holding a leadership position, he is not in charge of any event, he is a insignificant and yet he chose to go public at this time. Honestly if he died tomorrow from heart attack, it would not register on any radar. So why the sensational letter, why public and why now.

He is obviously playing the race card. He and his friends should remember that such tactics tend to be double edged swords.

So GMS, please don't give the impression that this is an ordinary resignation letter.

Dear Scroobal,

I am surprised that you can be so unfair and biased!

Although I don't know Sajeev at all, only FB friend, I don't think he deserves such damning remarks from you. I didn't hear you say anything bad about WP or its candidates for the past 1 year! Definitely not on Sajeev but your attacks only come when he decided to quit WP altogether and give the proper account on why he quits.

Now, can you for once, put up all those WP candidates whom you think are the bad ones right now? Or do you think all other WP candidates are superb and fantastic? If you do not state openly which WP candidates are the rotten eggs now, I would presume that you think all of them are superb selection of candidates. If anyone of them quit next time round, I don't expect you to attack them as you did to Sajeev.

To be fair to Sajeev, anyone with a sense of social justice and respect to every races, regardless of race, who listen to what nonsense Sylvia Lim has sprouted about Indian members tend to leave after getting their cadre membership, would have thrown their resignation letter at her immediately.

There are other Chinese and Malay cadre members who left WP as well, would that mean that WP should not give the Chinese and Malay cadre membership as well? That is really a poor excuse, amidst a racist one.

Goh Meng Seng

 

[scroobal]

Completely agree with you. I too suspect that he was manipulated or set-up. I am sure money has been involved. After I saw this letter, i made a few calls. The general opinion was that this letter was not written by him.

Everyone in the opposition camps wanted to battle out in election for a cause to find a seat in parliament. This indian chap wanted a petty cadre? If he can continue to work hard, think long term and try to fight again in the next election to become an MP, what is so great about this cadre thingy? Arrghhh, petty petty and petty. What a pity he set himself openly on fire in this manner and have the skin to blame WP for burning him?

I suspect someone has instigated him to do so, the timing and everything. Unfortunately, this Ah neh weak mind just fell into it. What a self-humiliation and I wonder how SPH will play it up again.

 

[scroobal]

Politics is one place where you can never hope for meritocracy or fairness. Its like having a regular prayer session in a brothel. The trick is to keep an eye on the big picture.

Have to agree. If you don't want to go for minority balance for balance's sake but for the sake of quality instead, to be frank, having had a small glimpse of inner workings, the selection wasn't so perfect and fool-proof either. There was still favouritism and unevenness no matter how small an extent you could reduce it to, so why not trade such a "quality" for balance.

 

[Goh Meng Seng]

Beside the timing, do you agree that Sylvia has made the biggest blunder to make such brainless racist remarks?

I do not think he is that "insignificant" because he was after all, a candidate standing on WP's ticket which made that promise of First World Parliament. If he is just an ordinary member, that's fine.

I remember that back in GE2006, all candidates (who were not cadre yet) were made cadre members immediately after the elections. This is built on the rationale that if the party is willing to put them up as candidates, it should have the trust in these members to become cadre members. NSP practiced the same principle for last GE2011; all its candidates who were previously not cadre, were made cadre members immediately after GE.

As for the timing, I don't know him well to answer why he chose to resign now. Maybe he has just spoken to Sylvia and felt humiliated by her racist remarks, thus decided to resign. Fazli has resigned earlier on and he has hinted on the same problem of cadre membership. Fazli also resigned on the very night after he has spoken to Sylvia. Apparently it was a rush decision which may be the direct result of of the conversation he had with Sylvia that night.

According to what I know from the inside, they are not the only "minority" members within WP who feel the same way: they have been discriminated by the party leadership. I was just told "more to come", presumably hinting that more Malay or Indian members will be resigning from WP in the coming weeks or months.

I don't think the timing is deliberately planned to be so. WP OPC will be conducted very soon, in the coming months. It has to be held before end of July, according to its constitution. Naturally members will start to ask about their status on whether they will be appointed as cadre.

Goh Meng Seng

I am disappointed with his timing. It can mean one thing and his comment about the timing rings hollow. He sending his letter into the public domain with all those details serves only one purpose. This guy is not holding a leadership position, he is not in charge of any event, he is a insignificant and yet he chose to go public at this time. Honestly if he died tomorrow from heart attack, it would not register on any radar. So why the sensational letter, why public and why now.

He is obviously playing the race card. He and his friends should remember that such tactics tend to be double edged swords.

So GMS, please don't give the impression that this is an ordinary resignation letter.

 

[Goh Meng Seng]

To be frank, after I read this letter, I felt that it is a poorly written "Press Release" but I do think it is written by him. If it is written by someone else as a plot or scheming, they should have written a better Press Release for him.


Goh Meng Seng

Completely agree with you. I too suspect that he was manipulated or set-up. I am sure money has been involved. After I saw this letter, i made a few calls. The general opinion was that this letter was not written by him.

 

[myfoot123]

Politics is one place where you can never hope for meritocracy or fairness. Its like having a regular prayer session in a brothel. The trick is to keep an eye on the big picture.

No party is perfect including PAP, that is why LHL paid his party members obscene salary to shut up and unite! Unfortunately WP do not have such resources and LTK expect everyone to serve with their heart. If you don't have the passion to serve, every damned thing can become stresstful including whinning about not getting what you wanted from cadre to NCMP post. Politics is really not for the unresilent members. Lets hope more people with CSM calibre can enter politics. I really appreciate that CSM has sacrificed his high flying jobs to join politics, others are crying not having time to commit and still want recognition. Really two different world they came from.

 

[scroobal]

Aiyah, the author quickly discounted any reason that WP could offer by admitting straightaway not enough hours was put into the party. Yet he wrote the letters making a claim of racism. Its means that he wants the WP to talk about the claim of racism. Its a skillfuly crafted letter with enough venom and purposely left devoid of polish and style to give the impression that it was by an ordinary chap member who has taken advantage of.

Malaysia is famous for this. Opposition members are often turned by money. Poison letters appear before their elections regularly.

I expect WP to be the traget of such dirty tricks for the forseeable future.

To be frank, after I read this letter, I felt that it is a poorly written "Press Release" but I do think it is written by him. If it is written by someone else as a plot or scheming, they should have written a better Press Release for him.


Goh Meng Seng

 

[Azure]

His actions speak louder than his words. One who is indiscrete and petty cannot make the cut.

 

[skponggol]

....


http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_797653.html

“Workers' Party (WP) chief Low Thia Khiang on Thursday emphasised that his party takes a lot of care in screening and selecting its candidates. Besides having stringent criteria, the party also makes it a point to scrutinise its candidate over a period of time.”


Even is all the criticisms against Sajeev are true, it only emphasise ow Thia Khiang's utter failure in carefully vetting his candidate, yet again.


.....

 

[GoldenDragon]

Completely agree with you. I too suspect that he was manipulated or set-up. I am sure money has been involved. After I saw this letter, i made a few calls. The general opinion was that this letter was not written by him.

This is only the first incident. Expect at least 2 more to appear over the next few days. Strange things always happen during GEs/BEs. The 'invisible hand' is actively orchestrating from behind.

 

[GoldenDragon]

Politics is one place where you can never hope for meritocracy or fairness. Its like having a regular prayer session in a brothel. The trick is to keep an eye on the big picture.

Read somewhere in this forum where one bro mentioned honesty as being an important trait in politics. No wonder he ended up as a loser all the time.

Yes, sir. Keep an eye on the big picture.

 

[wpwhistleblower]

Wah lau eh Scoobal. I very repsect you. YOu lying and got say many, many bad ting about mnay, many poeple. Got say bad ting Mr Lee Kuan Ywe Sir. Go say bad Mr Chen Sho Mao Sir. Got say very bad Mr Tan Kin Lain Sir. God Say abd Mr Goh Meng Sneg Sir. Got say bad many many many poeple. Now yu cahmpion say veyr bad tign about all Indian poeple. You sure die jialat jialat when yur name coming out. I tell you got othre blog I got raed no who you name. You sure siao liow wehn yrou name come out. Mt avdise to yuo is no be so sialan becos you tink so no poeple no you.

Firstly this Indian chap by his very own admission has indicated that prior to and after GE except for a short while after GE could not commit time and effort to the Party. Yet he does not realise why they could not make him a cadre. He was not signing up for a gym membership. His timing of thevresignation shows that he is either manipulative or being manipulated. The Malay member who resigned was certainly not devious.

Secondly I would think that being a candidate and receiving 40 plus % was a greater achievement then being an cadre espcially when he has other more important commitment than party work. A Chinese candidate would not have that luxury. Certainly a chap who is not very bright or prefers to have titles.

Thirdly as a minority he knows that this is pretty much affirmative action category. The PAP deliberately did this. Surely he and his family and close friends would know that on his own and with his background, qualification and charisma, he would be lucky to get a second look from a tissue vendor let alone garner 2% of votes. I have seen him during the elections hustings and I may be bias but I would still say that my doorstop has got more personality than him.

Fourthly I would suggest that this form of action especially the timing puts the entire Indian community in bad light and reinforces the stereotype that touches on trust and reliability. The Indian culture tends to be fatalistic. If they go down, they will bring everyone down. This unfortunately smacks of it.

Now for the WP. This espisode should deliver a deafing message if they haven't figured it out yet. The PAP learnt it long time ago. Beggars can't be chosers. The PAP have made Malays, Indians and Eurasians cadres to reflect the racial composition of society. Nothing to do with meritocracy. To some extent its political correctness to bring in the votes and being practical. Its creates a reservoir to make the quota.

Lets face it, being a cadre is not exactly an achievement one puts down in a CV. The trick is have more reliable cadres and less of the less reliable and you can still function.

 

[Thick Face Black Heart]

To be frank, after I read this letter, I felt that it is a poorly written "Press Release" but I do think it is written by him. If it is written by someone else as a plot or scheming, they should have written a better Press Release for him.


Goh Meng Seng

GMS stop being blind. You know that in an operation, the authorities in charge will deliberately write in a faulty style to make it appear like a genuine letter. The content and timing is all wrong and too coincidental. He himself admitted he was never a committed party member, and regardless of the reason that fact is that he DOR'ed from Sylvia's MPS. He didn't put out. And now he is turning around to accuse WP of racism?

Come'on this reeks of deliberate malice right from the start.

 

[scroobal]

You should have a read of comments posted in the various popular forums. Nearly everyone has panned him for his timing and that it is organised by others also comes across.

To be frank, after I read this letter, I felt that it is a poorly written "Press Release" but I do think it is written by him. If it is written by someone else as a plot or scheming, they should have written a better Press Release for him.


Goh Meng Seng