Andrew Loh with contribution by Choo Zheng Xi
Four party cadres, including two candidates from GE 2006, resigned in the past one week but renewal process is on track, says Organizing Secretary
“Salim has the idealism and passion to pursue what he feels strongly about,” said Mr Yaw Shin Leong, the Workers’ Party Organising Secretary and Mr Salim’s team leader in Ang Mo Kio GRC in the last elections. “I wish him well.”
27 year old Mr Abdul Salim Harun’s resignation from the Workers’ Party is not totally unexpected. Rumours had been going around about his wish to leave the party since last year. His presence at the Singapore Democratic Party’s Hong Lim Park protest, during the IMF/World Bank meeting in September 2006, was believed to have raised some eyebrows within the party.
While his resignation may not affect the party significantly, observers have noted that it might put a spanner in the works for the party’s rejuvenation process, especially since his is not the only resignation since GE 2006. Mr Chia Ti Lik and Mr Goh Meng Seng, both in their 30s and who had been members of the party’s previous Central Executive Committee (CEC), have also since resigned.
When the party elected its new CEC after the elections in 2006, it was touted as a rejuvenation. Party secretary general, Mr Low Thia Khiang, was reported to be “very pleased” with the new and younger CEC. 9 out of the 15 members were below the age of 40 then. “The process of renewal is on track,” Mr Low said to the Straits Times.
Will Mr Salim’s leaving signal further resignations from the party, especially of younger members who might be unhappy with the party’s non-vocal stand? Mr Chia had cited his “frustration” with the party as a reason for his resignation. Mr Goh explained that he left the WP because of “misinformation” put out by the Today newspaper which reported that he had allegedly made a threat against an Internet forummer. He resigned because the report had done damage to “WP’s public image”, he said. (Link) However, it is believed that he too was unhappy with the party. Three more party cadres have also resigned in the past one week, including Mr Salim’s running mate in Ang Mo Kio GRC, Ms Lee Wai Leng.
Part of the process?
The leadership may, however, see such resignations as “norming processes”, as party chairman Ms Sylvia Lim had said when Mr Chia resigned in November 2006. (Link)
Mr Yaw also does not see Mr Salim’s resignation as any kind of setback for the rejuvenation process. “The renewal process was set in motion since 2001,” he said. “[These] resignations won’t set back the process,” he added.
Agreeing with Mr Yaw is Mr Tan Kian Hwee, also a member of the Ang Mo Kio team in 2006. “Resignations have occurred in every party including the PAP – even in the period from 2006 until the present,” he said. “An organisation would be seriously problematic if the ‘loss’ outstrips the ‘gain’, which I do not see [in] the WP’s case.”
Mr Salim himself seems to agree. He told The Online Citizen (TOC) that his resignation “will not affect the party in one way or another.”
Half of the party’s current CEC is below the age of 40, with three new faces in Mr Koh Choong Yong, Ms Lilian Lee and 47-year old Mr Png Eng Huat. Mr Salim was not a member of the current CEC.
The bad news for the party, however, may be the negative publicity these resignations may give – especially when the next general elections is rumoured to be around the corner. After all, resignations of younger members, who are naturally the next generation of leaders for the party, perhaps indicate a restlessness within the organization. The leadership will have to pay more attention to the aspirations of these members if more resignations are to be prevented.
Mr Tan is of the view that the WP, like any other organization, has to consistently reflect on where it can improve. He said, however, that “this would be more in its approach and policy.” He also feels that it is both its leaders and members together that have to remain relevant to the public.
“Personally, I don’t agree that a party’s leadership needs to meet its members’ expectations in areas where it does not meet the people’s expectations,” he added.
Outreach expanding online
Mr Yaw is confident that the party’s plans are in place. “There are people joining the party, and our groundwork continues as we are going about house-to-house visits” he explained. He added that he was heartened that new members have chosen to enter the party even during the “lull periods” between elections.
Mr Yaw also cited the WP’s outreach efforts online, which include Twitter and Facebook. He also noted that “the WP has the largest amount of leadership figures who blog amongst the alternative parties”. He pointed to a new WP online initiative called Hammersspeed which aggregates all articles relating to the WP. [Correction, 31 March 09: The WP has clarified that these online sites are not official party websites.]
The Workers Party was the best-performing opposition party in the last elections. It scored 43.9 per cent in Aljunied GRC and is generally seen as the opposition party with the best hope of breaking the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) monopoly on GRCs.
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My take is that our opposition are so mild, too mild to even dare to confront the PAP face to face. Their existance means really nothing to most of us singaporean, beside being made joke of again and again. Who is LTK and slyvia Lim? One speak hokkien and one speak English, but inside the essence is the same – dun dare to fight, kiasu, kiasi.
Our politician are so unique in this world. Can only survive in SG. If we outsource our politics, surely these people will lose their job.
Victor I do agree that WP has been too quiet since 2006.
Todays ST 2 April 2009) reported that the PAP inducts Two minsters, PAP’s George Yeo paying tributes.You have PAP news everyday in the ST till the run up of the upcoming elections.I don’t blame them as it is a numbers game.
Elections preparation start right after the outcome of the last.I am encouraged that they are using new platforms like Blogs, Facebook and Twitter to a better effect than the PAP.But internet penetration to these platforms generate views of only a hundred or so.Look at this topic for example.Only 2000 views.If there is going to be any change or awareness, it should generate a healthy 200000 views at least.That’s only 6 odd % of the general population.
The WP should boost its membership across the spectrum.These 4 resignations are telling.I only recognize 2 candidates from the WP vehile, LTK and SL and the public can probably recall 2 at the most.
I find it hard to recollect all the members who contested in the Ang Mo Kio GRC seat in 2006. I do understand that they are doing house visits and walkabouts on a regular basis but could there be other forms of medium they can use to reach to Singapore as a whole and not a segment in the East country?
The WP should hold more forums at least at a quarterly or monthly basis at its HQ for the public as introductory sessions to pool in more members.The other parties do not have the luxury to do that.
A forum on HOTA or Films Act should have been conducted these past few months.It gives an opportunity for the public who are affected by the passing of these bills to turn up and discuss with the WP’s two Parliamentarians.
I personally have tried to engage MPs at MPS but to no avail.The Grassroots leaders rarely give you access.You are screened early.It is perplexing that the pertinent issues are not discussable at MPS sessions.This is a good opportunity for the WP to address these grievances of SIngaporeans who have genuine issues that affect a majority.
I am not a proponent of the GRC system and Ethnic Minority representation.I believe that MPs should be voted in on thier own merit.This tool dispels the Meritocracy principle espoused profoundly on many occasions by the PAP.
But I believe that WP in my own personal observation is alienating the Minority vote.It has no capable or credible Minority candidates I can think of.WP was probably the first truly multicultural party after the PAP.It sent a Minority candidate to the polls and finally broke the duck in 1981.\
The WP has to find its multiculturalism from within.Unfortunately it has lagged in this aspect most recently.I am not really sure how the Minority vote but I won’t be surprised that the fence sitters may cast the PAP instead.
When Mr Abdul Salim Harun came abroad to the WP ticket in the last elections, I was happy as a Singaporean.Because this is healthy for multiculturalism.I was hoping for more Haruns or other Ethnic Minorities to join the WP.
If you look at the Executive Council, there is only one, Mr Rahizan Bin Yacoob.Kudos to Mr Rahizan but we need more, much much more.has the WP actually tried walking around Little India and Geylang Seria?Engaged PKMS or the Association of Muslim Professionals or re-engage Mr Jufri Mahmood on an advisory capacity?
I have respect for the PAP in the sense that it is the only multicultural party in Singapore.The Ethnic Minorities are small, probably less than 20% of the electorate these days due to migration and immigration.The Malays are only 13% of the population when it used to be 20% odd, the Indians around 7-8% and the others probably 1% or less.These are your important swing votes, just look at the recent US Presidential Elections.
I am truly sorry that Mr Abdul Salim Harun had to leave.The work is cut out for WP.The longer it maintains that it wants to be the ‘check and balance’ party the further we are from true democracy.The only multi cultural party I see today is SDP.And that is why I believe the SDP is the party for the future post LKY-LHL-LHY-HC-Li Hongyi-4th Generation-5th Generation period.
The WP has to step up on its efforts and act fast.The PAP has thrown the first gauntlet with the appointment of Mrs Lim Hwee Hua as the first woman minister.Aljunied GRC will be re-drawn and re-mastered that even a Miss Sylvia Lim led team will not win.Even a LTK/SL combo will not suffice.The WP needs more than that.The WP has only two notable candidates, it needs another 8-13 at least of the same ilk.Even the ‘undemocratically elected’ NMPs are becoming more relevant.
SDP a multicultural party?? I think their biggest problem is self gratification in a world of illusion which explains why they are where they are now.
Everytime there is a poll in TOC pitting SDP against WP the first will be trailing behind. If they think magnifying their presence with more nicknames and more comments lambasting WP will change anything, good luck. You got to win real people over. More importantly their bigger battle is with PAP, WP is just ‘small fish’.
S’poreans only have themselves to blame for today’s state of affairs. They allow the PAP to abuse their power and turn a blind eye, hoping to make a little gain for their own. Most sinkees are still peasants. They may be PhDs and doctors, but they think like peasants. Peasants can never form a democratic society. The PAP knows this and continues to use cheap handouts to win votes every election. They actively chase the smart people away so no one else is left to oppose them. Those who are smart, and support the PAP, will be richly rewarded. Others will all be slaves.
Funny that I am replying to each and every moniker or nickname and I am not getting an elicit response.
poster 54 and 55 JD) My mistake,I meant that the SDP is the only ‘other’ multicultural party other than the PAP.Why do I say this?
Simple.I am old but I can relate to the young.I was in Orchard over the weekend and decided to do a random poll’.I have been doing polls for years.For my professional work and also for my own personal curiosity about how people behave. Thankfully I had two kakis to help.We thoroughly enjoyed this exercise as it was more interaction and educating of the youth.
If you are looking for an online poll which can be indicative go to Mr Tan Kim Lian’s website.He asks the pertinant questions.
Surprisingly the Youth (between 18-30) responded well without prejudice.Not all are as apathetic as you think. I just posed to them that the General Elections are around the corner.I did not have a control question set but this interaction over two days was an eye opener.
A lot of them recognise the work of the SDP.They can identify Dr Chee in a whim.Only the older youth ( who are probably working) know who LTK and SL are.SL is more popular.I targeted the minority youth more which is a bit more difficult as they are few and far between.But on my observation, the Malay Youth (below 25) are Dr Chee fans.
Dr Chee has an identity with the youth probably because he is an idealist.The Youth are dreamers at this Stage.But I was a bit bias that I interacted more with Service Staff.
And this more shocking.A lot of Singaporean youngsters are working when they should be schooling.I probed and its a sorry state.Most of thier parents have lost thier jobs or have seen a wage decrease of sorts.Loads of Tertiary students are working to put themselves through school.And these kids eagerly want an alternative voice.
The alternative voice is Dr Chee for now.I for one believe that a balance is possible.A Party that is in the middle ground of the WP and the SDP.I do not mention the other parties as the Youth never brought these parties up.
A new Party is needed or the Reform Party has to fill this void.Or a coalition like our Northern Neighbours.
I enjoy talking to the youth.They are much wiser than I was at thier age.My only worry is that they will migrate because of the reality that will hit them in the near future. With the changing demographic of more Chinese youths who are used to a one party state, the opposition or alternative parties only have the coming election to build some sort of inroads.That is why I agree with MM that 25 years is all it takes.
Is it possible to get Singapore migrants like Francis Seow and Tang Liang Hong to address Singaporeans on why they migrated for educational purposes.Like put a video on youtube or write blogs.I am sure the people who voted for them before or wanted to vote for them want to know the truth.
Migration is a choice but there can be other solutions.Maybe more Singapores who have migrated should come forth publicly to educate the sanctity of voting.
And poster 56) angry one could the peasant thinking have anything to do with our genes?The PAP is a eugenics and genetics spouting party.This is probably the chief reason I can never identify with it.The meritocracy they preach is all baloney.I have met too many good people from extremely humble backgrounds who contribute more to society than these PAP members, cadre, leaders, etc.Ordinary Singaporean Superheroes.
I am off in a couple of hours.See you people next week.Thanks TOC for giving me this space.I will continue engaging Singaporeans here and on my short trip.And will report as promised.
I can’t link ‘multiculturalism’ with having a few Malay youths to support and some small survey sampling. Anyway anyone can claim to have done a street survey. The last time someone told me he did a street survey that SDP had the best support among youths, the process he described sounded flawed.
The best street survey is the elections, and the order of score is as follows: PAP, WP, SDA, SDP. That is not going to change in the next elections, but if SDP bucks up it can change in 3 elections.
Today, a worker party member said more than 15 people had resigned from Hougang Town Council.
#59 dev,think u must have heard wrongly. I got a reliable source from the CEC said 50..not 15.
#59 & #60
What is happening at Hougang Town Council? Can TOC report more on this?
Who to blame but Singaporeans themselves. If they aren’t adventurous enough to give WP or SDP a chance to hold a 51% majority or a 49% minority, “a few good men” will just go away and mind their own businesses. Why risk the law suits to make themselves poorer while the rest who are Kia Sees (always found complaining but do not vote for them) keep getting a chance to watch a free-to-air drama by the wayside? I always felt these heroes are the courageous lot – A Few Good Men.