By Ng E-Jay

The registration of a new political party, the United Singapore Democrats (USD), has caused much buzz in cyberspace.

The party members, however, are keeping mum for now. They will disclose further details about the new party at a press conference that will be held at a later date.

It is understood that the time taken for the Registrar of Societies to approve the new party was only three months, and that the application came with 10 names.

It is also understood that the party will soon hold an extraordinary general meeting with the view of electing new office bearers, and also apply for a permit to publish a newsletter. The party has yet to design a logo.

According to the Straits Times, the President of the USD is Ms Narayanasamy Gogelavany (Monica Kumar), who stood as an SDP candidate in Sembawang GRC during the 2006 general elections. [1]

The Party Secretary is Ms Jaslyn Go Hui Leng, an activist who frequently represents the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) at international conferences. She represented the SDP at the Council of Asian Liberal Democrats’ (CALD) Women’s Caucus that was held at the Philippine island of Batanes in May 2009, and attended CALD’s general assembly held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, earlier last month. She also represented the SDP at Liberal International’s (LI) annual congress that was held at Cairo, Egypt in November 2009, during which SDP was formally accepted as an LI observer.

Ms Sophia Tan is the treasurer. Other pro tem committee members of the party include Mr Chong Kai Xiong, Mr Muhd Shamin, Mr Palay Kulandaivelu and Ms Rachel Zeng Rui Qing.

Mr Muhd Shamin is an up and coming political activist who is currently on a three-month internship with the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium. He represented the SDP Youth Wing at the invitation of Malaysia’s Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) to observe the Permatang Pasir by-election held in August 2009 which resulted in a handsome win for the Parti Islam se-Malaysia (PAS).

The mainstream media has speculated that the party could serve as a vehicle for existing SDP members or supporters should the latter be wound up due to the legal damages from a defamation suit brought against it in 2006 by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew.

The USD has chosen not to comment on this.

When quizzed about unsubstantiated remarks made about the party on certain websites which include talk about a possible split within the SDP, the party rubbished those comments as being so far off the mark as to be unworthy of attention.

_____________________________

References

[1] Straits Times, New political party formed, 01 April 2010

_________________________________________________

Do you have a flair for writing? Volunteer with us. Email us your full name and contact details to theonlinecitizen@gmail.com