The following is an open letter from the secretary general of the Singapore Democratic Party, Dr Chee Soon Juan.
The report in the Straits Times and Lianhe Zaobao (29 Mar 10) quoted Ms Lina Loh (Mr Chiam See Tong’s wife) as saying that I was the one who ousted Mr Chiam from the SDP. The report also quoted her as making other remarks about me that were untrue.
In my interview with Lianhe Zaobao published on 28 Feb 10, I had said that several CEC members had repeatedly tried to persuade Mr Chiam not to resign as secretary-general of the party because we still saw him as the leader.
I added that even in the eyes of party leaders like Mr Ling How Doong, Mr Chiam’s position was never challenged but we just wished he could be more democratic.
This cannot be seen, by any stretch of the imagination, to be statements attacking Mr Chiam. I was relating what really took place, namely, that Mr Chiam’s colleagues persuaded him to return because we still wanted to see him continue on as leader.
But in response to my statements Mrs Lina Chiam has launched a very personal attack against me, accusing me of ousting Mr Chiam.
I have exercised utmost restraint in highlighting some of the issues that led up to Mr Chiam’s resignation as secretary-general and subsequent expulsion from the party.
For example, when the Today journalist Mr Loh Chee Kong emailed me in February 2009 asking for my response to Mr Chiam’s comments that the SDP was engaging in “conspiratorial and destructive politics” and that he was “forced out” of the party, I replied to Mr Loh:
“I have no desire to let myself and my party be dragged by you into a mud-slinging match with another opposition party.”
At the same time I wrote to Mr Chiam pointing out that his remarks “inaccurate and uncalled for.”
I then added that “We bear no ill-will towards you (Mr Chiam) and we wish only the best for you, your family and the Singapore Peoples’ Party. We seek cooperation, not confrontation, with our fellow opposition parties.”
Today went ahead and published the report anyway. Even then, in my reply to the article I refrained from criticising Mr Chiam and continued to wish him well. I only wanted to set the record straight that I did not oust him.
At the Reform Party dinner in 2009, I approached Mr Chiam to wish him well.
I attended his 25th anniversary dinner as an MP because I bore him no grudge and I was hoping the same from him.
The Singapore Democrats had even organised two public forums in 2008 and 2009 where we invited all the opposition party leaders, including Mr Chiam, to see how we could cooperate. We also invited him to our 30th anniversary dinner.
I did all this in the hope of burying the hatchet with Mr Chiam.
Unfortunately today’s outburst published in the Straits Times, Lianhe Zaobao and My Paper where Mrs Lina Chiam made a host of personal attacks against me were untrue. It has poisoned the well again.
This must stop. I have been demonised by the PAP and its media for long enough. I have been accused of ousting Mr Chiam which is a blatant lie. Records will show this.
I have refrained from answering my critics on this matter because I was hoping that the past would remain where it belongs, and that we can look ahead and focus on our fight for a democratic Singapore.
Depending on the developments over the next day or so, it may be necessary to set the record straight over the episode of Mr Chiam’s departure from the SDP.
I say “may be” because even at this late stage I am hoping that something can still be done to avert any open clash with Mrs Chiam. Suffice it to say that the ball is in her court.
I want to put a stop to the lies propagated by the PAP and the media that I had entered the SDP and ungratefully usurped Mr Chiam’s position as leader. Nothing could be further from the truth.
There are many details that hitherto Singaporeans do not know because they have been obscured or covered by the SPH in the past.
Sometimes it takes more courage to walk away from a fight. But there comes a time when one has to turn around and face one’s accusers and say “No more.”
I only wish for opposition supporters to know and understand that the SDP must defend itself. While we have refrained from open criticism of others in the opposition, that gesture must be reciprocated.
There is no doubt that the PAP’s media is fanning this matter for all its worth. But the SDP cannot always be the only one to see this. At some point we cannot avoid speaking up. That point is very near.
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At the end of the day, history is the best judge.
I know that Chiam ST founded the party. I know he left because Chee.
I know that Chee will go to any extent to make people notice his shenanigans.
So I draw my conclusion. Chiam lost his party, Chee is a self-deluded moron. Period.
I disagree with Mockingbird because at the end of the day, truth is the best judge. Because history is written by the winners.
I know that Chiam founded the party. I know he was voted out by the CEC, and there were problems between him and the CEC even before Chee arrived.
Doesn’t it seem now that Chiam is the one going to extents to get people notice his shenanigans and nagging and whining?
So I draw my conclusion. Chiam was voted out of his own party, Chee is a telling his side of the story which the mainstream media never bothers to carry for some reason. Period.
This only goes to show that the opposition is not a united force but made up of different personalities with their own agendas. Will there ever be a “Pakatan Singapura”?
CSJ, get a life ! We shall see the demise of SDP under your hands. Why should we support you when you seem to be more interested in self-glorification.
Nicholas Lazarus
The opposition parties within Pakatan in Malaysia are more detrimentally diverse than those in Singapore and yet they could unite. But then they have the Anwar Ibrahim leadership and status, who do the opposition have here that can do this task? Chiam? Chee?
Its not just Anwar who keeps them together. There are dozens of civil society activists who help solve and keep them united.
In Singapore, civil society seems to prefer to stay as far away from political parties as possible.
Goh Chok Tong (Straits Times. 12 Jan 1998):
http://www.singapore-window.org/80112st1.htm
Mr Chiam, he added, was no threat but had, in fact, been “good” for the PAP as “without him, it would have been more difficult to destroy (Singapore Democratic Party chief) Chee Soon Juan”…
This is how it works: $14,000 x 12 months x 25 years = ?
The biased mainstream multi-media of the PAP government only objective is to promote the propaganda of what PAP.
For the PAP ministers, getting elected means a guaranteed income of $15 to 40 million over the 5 year period (including up to 12 months bonus), depending whether you are PM, President, SM or just a minister.
The opposition leaders should keep cool and concentrate on getting the votes to get into parliament to ask the right questions.
The PAP government has completetly lost the trust of honest and hard-working Singaporeans.
Dear Oppositions,
election is just round the corner. Who knows lhl may dissolve the parliament after next month parliament sitting after passing the election “cooling” day bill.
Stay calm and don’t fall into the traps set by the pap via the msm. The ground has never been sweeter for the oppositions until now. So focus your gun barrel outward not inward, please.
What happened in SDP that led to the departure of Chiam was nothing but a democratic process in any political party that believes in collective leadership. The founder of Workers’ Party, Singapore’s first chief minister David Marshall also left the party over some disagreement with his party colleagues.
J B Jeyaretnam also had the same fate in WP after leading it for thirty years. But this JBJ vs LTK saga that happened only nine years ago is not talked about because JBJ was the bad guy in the eyes of the PAP. So, the PAP-controlled media remains mum.
Chiam, who’s not in good health wants to make his wife his successor in Potong Pasir. Obviously, she does not have anything of substance for the electorate and the easy way out is to flog the hobby horse that is Chee. The others in Chiam’s SPP are distancing themselves from talking about the Chiam vs Chee issue that happened more than 18 years ago.
Since Chee is considered a serious threat to the PAP, its controlled media goes to town with anything and everything to badmouth Chee.
i agree to the extent that there is no point rehashng this.
Chiam left and Chee took over. That is the reality now. If there is a need to cry foul or argue, it would have been then not now.
Move on, i say.
Funny thing how come this issue was brought up until now? Politics is a very dirty game, you just cannot believe what’s happening at surface level. Someone, somewhere could have now been deploy to confuse the ground level just to make things look bad on the opp parties. Be careful, people can just changed overnight when piles of $$$ are placed infront of them, remember politics are always a dirty game.
I think both of them should forgive and forget, concentrate their firepower on PAP instead.
Knowing the CEC is the one voted him out, and Chee is not.
Why did Chiam happily aid the lie that the PAP says about Chee all these years?
Who should I give my vote to? SDP or SPP??
I vote SDP…….period!!
If the majority of SDP’s CEC voted Chiam out, why did Chiam repeated accusing Chee of “outering” him, with the help of PAP’s media, over these past 17 years?
Dead horse…the MSM and our own brethren must be tired of all this flogging after so many years.
Let’s focus on the big picture. As they say in the PAP gahmen, take a ‘helicopter view’ and look at the big picture. I want more opposition in Parliament to help our incumbent (dare I say complacent?) and sometimes ‘walkover’ed politicians on their toes and actually act like they’re using their brains and voices for us and not just to exclaim in Parliament, “Gimme a P, gimme an A, gimme ano-ther P!”
///its controlled media goes to town with anything and everything to badmouth Chee.///
too much is at stakes. chee cannot be made to look good.
he is the antithesis on what they have all along stood for.
it is fun to see them dancing around chee as he is the only one daring enough to prod at their armor. and push the boundaries that no one dares because of learned fearfulness.
one may say, it is always smart to play safe and let someone open the path and face the real heat – while at the same time feel both that degree of disturbed & unearned pride and shame of being able to come out always unscathed because of the efforts of others.
since the MSM likes to dig up stuff that happened a long time ago, maybe they can find out if CST and CSJ copied their homework when they were in primary school and run it on the front page.
damn nonsense.
“While we have refrained from open criticism of others in the opposition, that gesture must be reciprocated. ”
So, who are we to insist the delusional “opposition unity” at CSJ’s expense?
Just let him say his piece, after so many years of repeated public flogging by Chiam and the PAP’s media.
Since ST is more interested in gossip, check this out http://www.yoursdp.org/index.php/news/singapore/3545-minimum-wage-and-productivity-take-centre-stage-at-forum
It is the SPP’s Mrs. Chiam who brought this issue up not the PAP.
Please don’t blame PAP when the opposition squabble.
Chee_Bye Bye_,
What did you mean self-glorification? If it for his self-glorification as you said,what will he gain as an individual person?
I myself belief that foreign good faith aid were given to him but it’s from those so-called foreigner’s once upon a time was Singaporean’s like you and me whom frustrated with the Pappy’s iron claws governing similar to Myanmar junta.
Oldest dirty trick in the book—divide and conquer.
Come on, it happened 17 YEARS AGO.
There are millions of other pressing issues.
I will vote for Chiam simply to frustrate the PAP. But in doing so I have no illusion about his inability to lead a party to any meaningful goals. The people of Potong Pasir has given his all the time in the world and he has delivered so little its pathetic. In fact I thought the last election he did something that was completely selfish by staying to fight against Sitoh. When the PAP dangled the 80 million dollar carrot to Potong Pasir, Chiam should have bargained it to 90 million and offered to step aside if they did so. It could have been the long overdued reward to his supporters in Potong Pasir. They could always vote him back in after 5 years upon fulfullment of the PAP promise.
Chiam is a failure. After so many years the best he can offer to the voters is his wife !???
What the heck was he doing ????
Let me put it this way. EVERYTHING Chee had fought for had TIGHTENED. Because of him, there are even more political restrictions than before.
I just hope this will knock sense into Chee supporters’ heads. The hardest, most heroic, most righteous actions mean nothing, when people miss tackling the root of the problem. The people.
CSJ should keep his mouth shut tight. Why is he always itching to get into the limelight? Why accept any interviews at all?
Long life Democracy, let’s become like Taiwan!!!
Let me put it this way. EVERYTHING was as TIGHT or TIGHTER then now even before Chee started fighting for them.
Was there a Speakers Corner that allowed for demonstrations before Chee started campaigning freedom of speech and assembly?
Dear All
Its about politics, perception and a personal legacy and one should view this whole sad sorry historical legacy in this light. The truth will as always lie somewhere in between with other characters staying silent.
Chiam through his wife feels that the Dr Chee’s version of history to be incorrect. For them the SDP narrative of Chiam being undemocratic, not willing to listen, not willing to go back does not sit well with what they feel transpired. That of Dr Chee the usurper, the ingrate assembling the CEC to grab power from a party that Chiam set up and groomed. Who for crying out lord does not belief that Chiam is speaking through his wife as a proxy because it is his wife who will replace him in PP as and when he decide’s to leave for one last glorious battle in TP GRC.
The blame for this fracas can be shared equally by both sides in this spectacle. Chiam for not letting go, Dr Chee for trying his best to come out of that saga whiter than PAP white.
This political albatross remains hanging around both parties because of how it reads to the chinese ed majority and somewhat the english ed with a tad of chinese thinking. Chiam looking weak and incapable, Dr Chee looking like a schemer backstabbing his mentor whether willingly or unwillingly , whether he was pushed into it or not.
Both parties should agree on a narrative that satisfies all concerned.
Lockd
I would like to add , that if Dr Chee was in parliament right now had two seats etc etc , we would not even be having this issue. The analogy is simple. Company set up by founder, founder leaves disgruntled sets up a rival company after anointed disciple institutes a takeover. If the company had flourished grown , no back stabbing dispute etc would have been necessary, the success would have spoken for itself. However the conspicuous lack of success makes a dispute over the reasons for the take over necessary, i e blame the founder
Locke
Chiam and Chee saga happened so long ago, why should it be raised when election seems to be around the corner? The 2 oppositions should just bury the hatchet and forget their own grievances. Chiam was sore because without Chee, he would perhaps not be ousted. Chee was too eager to outshine everyone at any expense, the end result: he lost his credibilitiy. partly due to PAP propaganda, partly because we don’t like to see disciple oust his master. The picture is Chiam, an honest, humble man, was replaced by an eagerly glory -seeking younster, he might not be the one responsible for his ouster but the fact he was too keen to sit on the seat.
What has Chiam done for Singaporeans. Think about it folks. He has been used by the PAP to fool people into thinking that there is democracy Singapore.
It is obvious that Chee IS a threat to the PAP. Calling for transparency, rights etc. That is why they have been coming down so hard on him.
People, know who the real Opposition is/are. Those sitting in parliament are NOT!
Lina Chiam has no business getting into this fracas. This is between Chiam and Chee. Why did she have to kaypoh? Is this her way of getting into the PAP’s good books so that they’ll have mercy on her when she stands for the next elections?
Lee Kuan Yew has been right all along about Chiam See Tong, his glaring mediocrity. He thus posed no danger whatsoever and would be good as an opposition to bolster LKY’s claim of a free and fair election. Having opposition members substantiates this claim.
That he has done nothing much for Potong Pasir is not surprising. He is not supposed to do anything but to stay in Parliament at LKY’s pleasure. Even if he could, he wouldn’t do much anyway; he is simply mediocre!
People who slam Chee are the same people who slamp JBJ.
They may justify whatever they want but their stupidity is rather impressive.
They are in a desert and insisting to drink Coca Cola.
Tap water cannot, Evian cannot, even Pepsi fail…
Maybe it’s better just to let them die of thirst.
Dear Mrs. Chiam and Dr. Chee,
Please do not walk into this trap that they have set up. They are getting very desperate. When I read that the MSM were interviewing you, I smelled a rat.
I hope to counter this, Dr.Chee and Mr. Chiam together with Lina may want to come out to the public showing support for each other.
And to fellow netizens here, please do not let their cheap ploy sway us.
when SDP with chiam had manage to win 3 seat in GE, Chee take over SDP and win nothing for SDP.
what is the point of leading an opposite party that can not win any seat in parliment.
Chee motive as head of SDP is questionable.
please work on the ground and organised your party grass root to win support from there voter.
dont act like Mr haban Singh whose lead UPF and manage to contest many seats with funding that god know.
with slowing increase the present of opposition in parliment, hopefully more young men are willing to join the opposite party.
Continue to be daft. But don’t complain when PAP raises GST to 10% and beyond. PERIOD.
I’ll just quote the words of Goh Chok Tong,
“Mr Chiam had been good for the PAP as without him, it would have been more difficult to destroy Chee Soon Juan”.
http://www.singapore-window.org/80112st1.htm
YOu know what would score political points, CHee and Chiam.
YOu should show to singaporeans that there is really no bad blood between the 2. Come together for a press conference, show to public that relations are still cordial even though there might be differences, act as honorable gentlemen, shake hands, smile, joke …
these will silence once and for all whatever PAP may want to accuse you of and also show that we are not like PAP assholes who antoganistic to anyone who is not like them..
Try it, you will surely score alot of political points for the opposition..
Chiam and Chee
You know what you all should do that will score political points with the Singaporeans ?
You should show them that you all are still in cordial relations. Call a press conference, show that you all are graceful and honourable gentlemen, shake hands, smile and even share some jokes – just to show that even though there may be differences, you all are still polite and courteous in behaviour. This is will shut everyone up including PAPPY who may wnat to use this to show the opposition is not united.
I urge you to do so. You will show to singaoreans that opposition do not behave like PAP and will definitely score points for your cause.
//I just hope this will knock sense into Chee supporters’ heads. The hardest, most heroic, most righteous actions mean nothing, when people miss tackling the root of the problem. The people.//
Yeah, the people. And that is where the real problem is. It will always mean nothing if you keep on blaming the wrong person whereas the knuckle-headed one manages to get away with it each time.
Just like they say, if you can’t win them, you join them and make yourself feel vindicated for joining the winning party.
What difference does it make whether it is chee or the people who should be the ones doing the softening job on the knuckle-headed one. How does it make chee and his supporters more culpable than what the people could have been doing to obtain the same objective if only they had the courage & fearlessness.
Its either Chee is lying or Mrs Chiam is lying. Can’t have it both ways.
Its not about elections. Chee and sis can’t stand. Neither is Mrs Chiam.
Is Mrs Chiam trying to make the opposition look bad? lol. Only a fool would think that.
Dismissing it as 18-20 yr issue is a red-herring. Why is it still an issue after all these years….
The reason, imho, is accountability. Even if Chee is right and say it was a collective SDP decision that didn’t involve him, wasn’t he the leader of the SDP? lol.
Even if Chee is right and say the decision was a democratic one to remove Chiam, did the voters of Potong Pasir matter or was the SDP machinery more important than Singaporean voters? Obviously it was. And that’s why claims of how the SDP represents Singaporeans today run hollow.
Call it pro-PAP lol. Another red-herring. But the truth is if the SDP still can’t face its past, still insisting that the process is white as gold (or perhaps soot), then this will continue to be an issue.
To dismiss Mrs Chiam’s words as blase as only the SDP can do is indeed the SDP’s version of respect. Its sad that she had to issue this reminder after 18-20 years. And to call it a poison well misses the entire point. As usual, one party still doesn’t get it.
Fact: Chiam See Tong resigned himself because the SDP CEC refused to act according to his wishes and did not support him & these were the people he himself selected.
Fact: Chiam when to Singapore Press Club to wash the dirty linen to the MSM and was sacked by the CEC. In contrast, when JBJ left Workers Party & Low Thia Kiang took over, did JBJ try to bring down WP? Why didn’t the MSM vilify Low for taking over WP as assist Sec-Gen? Chee was the assist Sec-Gen & when Chiam resigned, didn’t he have to take the post?
/The reason, imho, is accountability. Even if Chee is right and say it was a collective SDP decision that didn’t involve him, wasn’t he the leader of the SDP? lol./
You said it yourself. Any similarity at national level. Any difference in the democratic process involved ?
In the case of the former, who actually came out suffering badly ? The nation ? The people ? Or the protagonists with their own personality differences, viewpoints and eventual “clashes” ? Or perhaps none came out worst off at all but trying to tell his / her side of the stories ?
Chee wrote serious books about his vision and insights. It is a pity that so many of those who criticise him never even bothered to read them. Many are prefering to judge him according to the way the media depicts him to be. Yes, they had managed to capture him when he was shouting at Goh Chok Tong. Would’nt you do the same if he destroyed your life ? He choosed to stay. So many others had left after being destroyed by the PAP.
In contrast, what VISION had the great Mr Chiam shared with us ?
NOTHING ! an absolute big fat ZERO.
It’s hardly surprising he was replaced as the head of the SDP. At least Mr Lau Thia Kiang managed to bring new blood to the Workers Party.
Mr Chiam brought his WIFE ! and here we are complaining about the Lee Dynasty.
What a laugh !
It’s election time and also the time to ‘fix’ the opposition. It’s beneficial for PAP to stir up sh!t and let the opposition fight among themselves, then put in their usual spin in the mass media to drum up their support. What to do? So lousy track record for the past term that they have to resort to dirty tactics.
Hi guys, I read the postings, some support chee, some for chiam. I think we should support both of them as they are the opposition to papies. No point to throw mud at them, instead aim at papies.
Mr. Chee, dont worry about all the unkind words. Stay calm,follow your heart.
GOD is with you…..