The Reform Party (RP), headed by secretary general Mr Kenneth Jeyaretnam, is seeking an “in-principle approval” from its members for an alliance with the Singapore Democratic Alliance, which is helmed by Mr Chiam See Tong.
The party disclosed this in a media release on 6 May about its annual members meeting which is to be held on 8 May.
The members’ meeting will be followed by a press conference where the RP will also introduce its first batch of candidates for the next general elections which must be held by early 2012.
“At the meeting we will present progress reports and we will seek members’ approval on our strategy and our first batch of candidates for election,” the party said.
Explaining the steps the party needs to take in forging an alliance with the SDA, the RP says it first has to put the proposal to its CEC for approval and then seek in-principle approval from its members.
“For this reason we have tabled discussion of the proposed SDA alliance for our annual meeting on Saturday,” the party says.
Mr Chiam, who is also Member of Parliament for Potong Pasir, is understood to be seeking “approval this Friday 7th May from the SDA’s Supreme Executive Council for an alliance.”
“Once this is obtained, we will then ask our members to give in-principle approval to start negotiations with the SDA. The actual negotiations of the details of the alliance will be conducted by our respective CECs behind closed doors. There can be no certainty that final agreement will be reached on terms that are acceptable to both parties. Further announcements will be made when appropriate,” the RP says.
Once its members have given approval, the RP will invite Mr Chiam to address the members.
Last month, the RP and the SDA held a joint-walkabout in Bishan. It was led by both Mr Jeyaretnam and Mr Chiam.
Andrew Loh
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Good. Hope other opposition parties can join up too and hope Mr Chiam can let bygones be bygones and invite all opposition to join.
NSP and WP should join to face the coming election with SDA
A COMBINED FORCE
Excellent news!!!
It’s been more than half century of PAP rule. Time for CHANGE (cheaper, better, faster) has come!
Looking forward to the first Coalition Opposition Govt of Sg.
Cheers…
Good News for the people of Singapore. The Workers party should be approached for an alliance too. Unity is Strength.
There are enough high posts to share. MM, SMs, PM, DPMs, Ministers without portfolios, Ministers, Ministers of State, etc/etc. They are all in for grabs. It’s now or never.
If SDP also joins the alliance, it will be one hell of a terrible terrible terrible tight slap on PAP’s face
I heard the news on Radio and my heart was filled with renewed hope.
Is this the tipping point ?
Finally, a good news! Come to West Coast, I want to change my mps!
This is extremely positive news. Let’s hope this is just the first move to unite the opposition. Let’s hope other opposition parties including WP and Dr Chee Soon Juan’s SDP will also join the SDA. Only with a united front can the opposition be a significant force to take on the mighty PAP. We have seen how Anwar’s united front in Malaysia has created shocking defeats for the ruling UMNO. This can surely be repeated in Singapore as there is an even greater crying need for a two-party system in Singapore politics.
Great stuff.
I will vote for RP or SDA.
This is the first positive move done by an OLD WARHORSE and a YOUNG TURK.As it is, SDA is an ALLIANCE of parties long in history but short in results.Let us hope that this will turn into a formidable alliance with the WorkersParty joining to take on a few GRC within their grasp.
May I ask Mr KJ to released to the public about his 11 point condition to Mr Chiam for RP to join SDA.
Mr Desmond have gone around telling the rest of the Alliance party about KJ’s condition.
1 of the condition is that there will be a name change to SDA name and that Mr Chiam will have to join KJ’s GRC team and not KJ join Chiam’s GRC team.
I urged Mr Desmond to also released KJ’s 11 point conditions letter to SDA.
Be transparent.Thank you.
OMG, after dissing chiam in the recent press release, he now seek alliance?? hypocritical bullshit
No need to be transparent for PAP to mount pre-election attack. We do not want msm to add spices on such unity and undo the image of alternative parties.
Unity is best discussed and done behind closed door among all alternative parties and later launch a surprise move on PAP before they start tweaking the electorate system by knowing too much and too soon.
It is about time and RP is making a very wise move to spruce up the prestique image of opposition parties. It is long overdue but it is never too late. The ground is in full support now.
@Insider
You are not the only insider lah.
Quite a few of us were told that KJ gave Chiam a long list of demands, including adding “Reform” in front of the existing name of “Democratic Alliance”.
Ah Chiam was so very desperate and said, yes yes yes.
Many SDA’s CECs were pissed off by KJ’s haughty attitudes as if RP was getting itself ready to take over the SDA.
@No Name
Yeah another info..
yes it would be called Singapore Reform Democratic alliance.
Another point is that, any component party that is unable to win any seat in the upcoming election, they would be forced out of the alliance.
PKMS and SPP CEC have known about this and will be having their own meeting with Desmond without Mr Chiam.
The date of the meeting is during RP annual conference.
Thank you.
@Insider,
The best part is that Chiam can hold on to his veto power in the SDA, but RP can veto Chiam’s veto power!
The RP can choose whoever it wants to include in its own GRC teams where the SDA will have no say in it, and the RP can also have its own GRC teams in addition to its candidates in the SDA team.
Go figure out what kind of list KJ gave to Chiam is.
@ No Name
I guess we both have seen the list..hahakz
Let the rest judge this.. :)
Disclaimer: SDA is an alliance that allowed all political parties to leverage on the resources and have mass movement through mass communications. We have no individual membership; hence any comment made by any of the ordinary members from the component parties in their FB, or Blogs does not represent the official p…osition of SDA’s Supreme Council or Mr. Lim Bak Chuan Desmond.
Here is another piece of juicy news before I knock off.
Because Chiam’s daughter is not interested in taking over Potong Pasir, meanwhile Mrs Chiam hopes to be the seat-warmer there until Camilla changes her mind.
Very positive move indeed! They can pool resources and talents. Give them deaf frogs a good one! Change is coming! Bravo!
If i am PAP, i probably would be shaking at my feet after reading this news. No matter how powerful pap can be, they cannot win forever. Prepare for more changes to the constituency…
If KJ wants to take-over SDA and clean house, I say: IT’S ABOUT TIME!!
SDA has been a sham, a shell, under the current leadership. People like Sin Kek Tong, Desmond Lim and the rest (whom we don’t even know their names because they have been MISSING IN ACTION) should all be asked to pack up and leave.
In the last elections, Desmond Lim said: “Since my campaign is so similar to PAP’s manifesto, a good architect also needs a good quantity surveyor.”
LOL!!!
Chiam is old and probably won’t be chief for long. Who is going to run SDA? Desmond? Sin Kek Tong? Who else is there?
Good that KJ is going into SDA. Kick some butts there – and TELL THE PKMS TO GROW UP!!
Well done, KJ and RP!!
Can you guys be more realistic about this coming election.Let us hope for more opposition MPs rather than a opp.government in parliament.Not in my lifetime am i going to see an opp.government.Unless you want to entice LKY to invoke a military presence in all government department,please do not create a FREAK election.Take one step at a time.
Previous posts mentioned the issue of involvement/non-involvement (specifically wife/daughter) of Chiam’s family in Potong Pasir seat, although nothing is cemented yet, or may it not even ever happen. I am all for the promotion of opposition, indeed the urgent need for a more potent opposition presence here. And also recognising the fact that the number of citizens willing to step up to the plate is still not yet enough, hence every available resource should be used. However, the question of any opposition group orienting towards a “family run business or concern” should always be treated with a little more caution, lest the accusation be raised in future that they are not all different from those already in power now with extensive family involvement.
@Mayfair
It’s hard to walk away from an ATM which gives you the tax-free $14K every month (plus the life-long pension after 2 terms in Parliament), especially when you have the pin number.
Can’t blame Chaim or his wife for wanting to keep it within the family.
@ Insider and Noname,
Pls guys, any terms of agreement, as usual are negotiated, and takes both hands to clap. RP can demand, and SDA can reject, and conversely is true.
Clearly, a far sighted leader will recognise the future and where it is heading, and not be petty over who’s in control, unlike the old fart, LKY.
SURE WILL this time !!
It’s a good beginning for SDA and the Reform Party. There is no need for a merger of parties and there is no need to subsume each other. When contesting for a GRC, treat this arrangement as a marriage. Call yourself SDA Reform Party, a subsidiary party of both SDA and the Reform Party. Set up separate accounting.
Get into parliament first. Then get your ammunition and gun for it. Seek out assistance from netizens of online citizen, temasek review and helpers and assistance from researchers. Don’t worry over pay. Think of the $3 million dollar salary later.
Put up a portal and get contribution of facts and figures and alternative views regularly. Attack all views from the ruling party vigorously. Get Singaporeans to unite and carry out walkabout regularly involving even citizens from outside the constituency. Grow the pie. Be magnanimous!
Good luck. We will support you
PAP, the present ruling party functioned like a MNC whereas, to counter it, all small and feeble opposition parties can perform like the formation of many SMEs to form gigantic alliances to contest in the next G-erection yet have their individual decision body with a common cause.
The PAP is likening to the USA and all opposition parties are likening to the European Union.
Becareful the wolf will pick on individual sheep. KJ first pick to elbow RP Chairman & Ex-Chairman,Now he is aiming at Chiam, later will be the another opposition Party.He is a destroyer warnig to all opposition Party to be careful. He has already post his article in Todays Paper on April 10. He is insinuating those Party cardre can over thrown their leader.
At least KJ is an authentic indian chief :)
Wow Shitty Times preparing for erection…today another spread on MIWs..after NEH,LSS,MBT
I’m so glad to have opposition parties making alliances. If Singaporeans can be presented with a ONE UNITED OPPOSTION party in Parliament – Wow! Do not miss this unique opportunity to finally resolve the many problems that we Singaporeans face.
A good alliance. Reform Party’s KJ is wise to form an alliances with SDA’s Chiam.
Politically MP Chaim is seen as respectable and rational in his handling of his constituency and how he is the first MP that brought down the many heavyweight losers of PAP in Potong Pasir.
And uniquely S’pore, losers like Mah Bow Tan can be National Development minister and Heng Chee How can be Mayor. Maybe if LHL contest in Potong Pasir and lose to Chiam. LKY will still make him PM. Father and son you know…lol. That is PAP’s S’pore politics…clean and fair huh!
If ever that PAPayas were completely voted out, it is a “strong mandate” that we are sick and tired of them. It is their own doing. The people have spoken!
We should STOP calling other parties as opposition parties since they’re in no way at opposing ends with the current ruling party. RP, SDP, SDA or WP, they’re at best, offering citizens like us alternative ideologies, political approaches and policies that could well make our lives better, or otherwise; as well as a “check-and-balance” mechanism in the current one-sided parliamentary system. (don’t we all wish they make up enough numbers to tip the balance???)
Look at how Brits and Americans report their elections… no one’s calling the Conservatives or Liberals as Oppositions?! Nor was Obama an Opposition Leader during his 10-month long Presidential race.
Um, actually they are in opposing ends.
Opposition is indeed a term used in the UK electoral system with the head of the opposing party is officially called the opposition leader and accorded official protocol.
The US system uses minority and majority leaders. One can’t use that in the SG context as one MP from each party isn’t exactly a minority and one each from 2 parties makes both = leaders. More confusing.
I would highlight that Chiam was accorded the official opposition leader by the PAP government as well until the Chee saga back in year 1993.
Cases of an opposition leader being overthrown by their own party is not rare in other countries.
This link explains why the opposition is called the opposition.
http://www.parliament.uk/site-information/glossary/opposition-the/
That would also explain what are front-benchers and back-benchers.
Thanks for the link.
The Opposition literally sits opposite the government. It is not what some Ah Bengs think.
The term “alternative party” is the most Ah Beng term coined. Not “opposing for the sake of opposing” or not “voting opposition for opposition’s sake” are equally Ah Beng.
I still challenge whichever opposition to LOWER the MP’s pay.
even if RP-SDA alliance wins something, and they don’t seem to go that way. I don’t see a diff between them and the PAP. all from the same rotting pot.
It is about time to do house cleaning in SDA. SDA would be nothing without Chiam and now, Chiam needs RP to provide him the platform to fight a last good fight before he retires.
Desmond Lim of course will resist change because he thinks that he has been waiting and waiting for 14 years to take over Chiam’s legacy. But as someone has said here, it is not about waiting, it is about ability.
never trust a white ape with a india name
Chiam ruins the opp unity yet again…
He & his wife… sigh…
(this alliance news is out dated btw)
$14,000 is a lot of $$$? Nothing compared to the political stress and discrimination from the job. And nothing compared to the millions our ministers’ and their MPS are getting for saying YES.
KJ can always be his fund manager and ignore politics, he could be making more money than joining SDA. The amount of risk and political scrutiny on him outweighs what shallow people say here.
If people want to be rich, just join PAP and suck up big time, you would be given a leash and a dog tag and you just bark YES YES YES. That would be much easier.
why step forward and sacrifice yourselves opposition members?
see, the people have consciously made the decision not to have more than 2 + 1 opposition in parliament where over 80 MPs exist.
these intelligent singaporeans must have the foresight to Forecast that the current ruling party is enough forever.
Well, if they do not think so, why they ensured that only 2 are elected in 50 years? do they expect that when they need a strong opposition one day, they will just appear out of nowhere?
It takes a lot of time for them to grow. Not giving them chance since 50 years ago has a serious impact.
But maybe i am not as smart as majority citizens who are so 1st world and international thinking.
To tham –Abrahim Lincoln has never trust Banker or Fund Manager.If I will to earn extra baht, I can go by the back door-just to pretent to be opposition.There is a cloak & dagger fund in the PaP camp.
I agree with Preston Loon that we should be relistic about opposition taking over the government after this coming GE. But the chances of winning more parliament seats is greater than before. In my opinion, SDA with their GE experiences and the RP better quality candidates can give the PAP a run for their money. Leave out SDP or PKMS. If you study the previous GE result you should know many voters who want to vote for opposition party decide to stick to PAP or spoilt their votes. PKMS candidate lost their deposit in a constituency where there are plenty of malay voters. In the past it was 70% malay voters vote for opposition 30% to PAP but nowadays its 60% to PAP and 40% to opposition. Leave WP alone. They are doing ok at the present moment. No matter how good the opposition candidates can be, they will find it tough to win if PAP continue to use unfair tactics to win every GE and the voters who is aware of it chose to keep an eye close. Politically it is no good to let any ruling party run the country as though the people have given them a blank cheque. The PAP always want the people to remember the past, don’t worry about the present and think about the future. They have plenty of vision but when time comes nothing happen. What happen to GCK vision 2010? Any good thing for the true blue citizens? Like Dr.Goh Keng Swee said, people with vision are dreamers.