Mr Ng Teck Siong, former chairman of the Reform Party, has confirmed with The Online Citizen that he is in the midst of setting up a new political party. Mr Ng told TOC that he submitted an application to the Registrar of Society (ROS) ‘almost one month ago” and is awaiting its approval.
Mr Ng says he has the 10 members which are required for registering the party.
Asked if he is planning or hoping for the approval to be given by ROS before the next elections, Mr Ng said he hopes so as he intends to contest the elections. Which constituency is he eyeing? “At the moment I would not like to reveal the constituency,” he says.
Mr Ng left the Reform Party (RP) in April 2009 “in the interest of party renewal and to allow fresh blood to take over the helms of leadership,” he said then. However, it is believed that he left the party because of disagreements with the current secretary-general, Mr Kenneth Jeyaretnam. Mr Ng had helped set up the RP in 2008 with the late Mr JB Jeyaretnam,
As for Mr Ng’s Socialist Party, Mr Ng says it will hold a press conference once his application has been accepted by the ROS.
This would be the second political party to be registered this year – the first one being the United Singapore Democrats.
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TOC’s report on the United Singapore Democrats can be found here
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Oh so silly. This is the time when all political parties are supposed to stand united for the bigger cause of the country instead of diluting the already difficult situation in the overall support for the opposition. All these talks of voting out the current ruling party are sadly reduced to empty talk. 纸上谈兵!
不能牺牲大我,怎样成就大我?
Why do we need another opposition political party? What we need more is a strong opposition political party that may act as an alternative to current political party in power. More of such act will only weaken the opposition. It’s a matter of resources too!
I’m a Singapore citizen and I am perturbed by such unthinking acts.
what a nice present to the government! hahah just keep showing the people what a joke you guys are. losers.
Anyone willing to stand out to represent a cause should be encouraged.
The cause that is different from PAP’s MONEY MINDED BLOODSUCKING SELF-SERVING DEAF DUMB ARROGANCE should be encouraged.
GO. VOTE PAP OUT.
Good diversification move.
Firstly, it is harder for the MIW to fix any single opposition party or conversely turn it into an approved party.
Secondly, it was never a zero-sum game. Some people may not step forward to join any of the existing parties.
Thirdly, some existing parties may be shut down and some voted into oblivion.
It is a multi-prong approach involving human rights groups, NGOs, active online citizenry, blogs and news portals.
Compare the photos used by Straits Times.
And the photo of teck siong used by TOC.
Which one is biased against opposition? So blatantly obvious.
hope that the new party called socialist front (why they picked this name? to revive Barisan socialis?) don’t get into 3-cornered fight.
hope that Ng teck siong set his quarrels with KJ aside and don’t compete with KJ.
Dear ‘Former Reform Party CHAIRMAN’,
First I congratulate you and thank you for your willingness to stand up for election!
I begin to think why you are going to form another party to contest. You have all the liberty to do so, of course. To stand for election, your objective is to serve the people that you wish to represent, for that meaningful cause. This is surely your motivating factor to spur you on. I do hope the cause is for the people, not only for your personal reason.
No single organisation is perfect. Almost everything operates in a vicious cycle. Just because a new and younger member from RP has ideas that you do not like, or acted in a way that does not suit your taste, make him a bad leader. There is no perfection in anything, the RP is no exception.
Another member of your party can do the exact thing that you are doing now. Another party is formed, another idealistic person fist in air, pledging his best and all to pursue betterment for Singaporeans. Same story can repeat over again. Constituents disadvantaged, interest compromised and riling party laughing.
Unless there is not a single good reason for you to stay in RP, you are at liberty to resign, just as you did. This by itself is freedom of choice at work.
Have you considered the repercussion you create by registering another opposition party?
Are the interests of the people you desired to serve impaired by your decision to do so?
Are the vision and mission of the other opposition parties, especially the one or two more established ones, not worth your study and considerations?
If you have considered them, is it due to the reason that you worry you are not able to take on more important roles and position in that party, resulting in your scathed ego?
I am no RP person, if it is what you are thinking now. I am just a frustrated Singaporeans, born pre-independence era, threading water very very hard to stay afloat. Many were proud with most of the old guards in the earlier truly-elected governments. The situation has turned sour and against the interest of us, poor Singaporeans. Examples of elitism and injustice are abound, no lack of it. The inability of our ministers to connect to the ground is glaringly eminent.
We want change and we need good people like you, willing to stand up for the people. And I sincerely hope it is for the people that you stand for election.
I am not going to ask you not to set up another party. I just hope you have considered enough to derive at your decision.
I wish you all the best and hope your action will have little impact in diluting the support for the opposition.
How come TOC article never mentioned Chia Ti Lik?
Surely that is newsworthy!
How come only mentioned Ng Teck Siong, who is merely the interim chairman?
I noticed something else very strange here.
Most commentators here view Ng teck Siong new party as a threat to opposition, in fact, as a smear against Reform Party.
They want NTS to keep out of the picture, so that the pristine image of Reform Party can be maintain.
WHy leh?
Does RP have anything to hide? is RP really that vulnerable?
Are opposition supporter here so insecure that they feel NTS can have the potential to damage RP in the minds of voters?
Or are the commentors here really opposition supporter in the first place?
everyone is free to do as he/she likes. NTS has his own political view I am sure. What better way to express than to set up a new party to serve as his vehicle?
Come on, this is too obvious.
You folk don’t want new contender on the scene because you want RP and Kenneth Jeya to be the only faces on the block.
Come on, don’t be so transparent as glass!
Any political party taking on the PAP must be worth their salt otherwise it is simply an unfruitful exercise.
What does Ng Teck Siong’s new political party going to offer to the people of Singapore? Is this a party that only know how to call for more democracy and clueless on everything else?
Can Mr. Ng new party attract good people to bring more dynamism and diversity to the politics in Singapore?
Hope Mr. Ng can explain how his new political party is going to reshape the political landscape in Singapore and bring it to the next level.
Good he just add another 10 more candidates to the next election. We may achieve the maximum target of 84 candidates .
IMO, he is a PAP mole. I smell that from a mile away.
Out to spoil the opposition’s efforts. It would be prudent for all
others in the camp, to isolate and ostracise him and his party, if formed. Watch out, he will become a disruptive influence.
There are too many political parties in Singapore…
Winning is not about saving face,lah.
the oppositionpeolshould understand hat singaporeans arpisd ih he PAP cos they are not humble wee bit.
OPPOSITION mustmbrac true humiltiy and wisdom to win the people’s hearts.
this is the time to stand untied not be lone rangers.
we need a good TEAM nota Rambo.
Oppositions are in SG are so disconcerted. Why? Because of people like Ng Teck Siong.
Kick-out People Alien Party.Unofficial rating showed that their popularity at all time low.Don’t care whether can perform or not by the oppostion’s.
But my concern that Looney Loong will rig and fix the the result if it not in their favour at large.Look and see fellow citizen’s.
How I wish Mr Ng and the rest in the proposed new party had joined one of the more established parties instead of starting another one.
They could have contributed in strengthening the opposition in this time of need.
It costs money to organise a party and stand for elections. Perhaps they have lots of it. I wish they have more sense than just dollars.
Starting a new party is the most overt sign of strengthening the opposition.
It is as clear as daylight. It is as simple as ABC. It is honest as that.
Hip Hip Hurrah!
Good for Ng Teck Siong to start a political party, but better for the PAP as the opposition parties are getting more fragmented.
Unless the opposition can get their act together, they will look like a bunch of clowns with bloated egos.
In the name of unity, WP should shut down and join NSP; SPP should shut down and join RP.
Yes? Saving the opposition? Walking the Talk?
now then singaporeans start forming opposition parties?
ITS already GAME OVER!
They critical mass have landed and in the midst.
check & mate.
you are responsible.
At a time when we really should be looking at opposition unity and the format of a coalition, we have such development. My guess is that not all parties or party members are there as genuine opposition. Some are planted to cause dissaray and be informants to the rulinf party.
What else would this guy be contributing to the opposition’s cause apart from chaos?
What popularity, track record and credibility has he? People like him are really ‘subsidiaries’ of the ruling party, moles out to harm the opposition’s cause with their dirty tricks and poison.
I repeat, he should be ostracized by the rest.
‘Unity amongst the opposition’ is grossly overrated. What is required is a party that is truly democratic as opposed to the neo-fascist parties populating the oppositional sector. Without mutual challenge and competition in the effort to define what it means to be a true democratic party, Singapore is just going to end up with a refined version of the party in power.
The government promotes the idea of a one-party state. What are you so-called oppositional people promoting? A one-party opposition. That indicates that you are little different from the party in power mate.
A wise confucian philosopher once said that what the government is, the people will become. Ask yourselves to what degree this is not illustrated by those against the formation of this party.
Mr Ng is a ‘career-politician’ type, in the eyes of new generation and educated mid aged group, a candidate who has no new ideas and lack of vision is merely a distraction in the Election.
I hope Mr. Ng realizes that after he left WP, and reform party, there is no much assests he really can offer to the alternative voices, why not help others.
i bet that GKS, TCH, Ong Pang Boon and many 1st generation PAP leaders had significant disagreement with MM, but they have done what they could, they quit graciously.
Can’t Ng Teck Siong think like-wise ?
I find it weird this guy is trying to win votes also away from existing opposition parties. Is it wise for opposition?
This guy, sigh, was he happy when he left RP?
So, what is he up to?
Compete with RP?
Last time he got all the time to prove himself. Now, whats he up to?
cheers,
Molly.
So what if he is a PAP mole?? So what if CSJ is one too? So what if KJ is a mole? And CST a mole too.
All I care about is to vote out the cronies who cannot be trusted. And when that is done, the games up for them.
It is the poster boy that the detractors are obliquely criticising because he will probably attract quite many old kakis to the new party.
LTS looks very decent.
you all mistake him liao.
He is ULTRUISTICALLY for the progress of Opposition and opposition supporters.
You see, he looks so decent maciam like public servant. He is the one to vote for to become a public servant for us all.
3 cheers for LTS! hip hop hurray!
;)
Ridiculous…he should have joined chiam instead…
Too many parties…. should have at most 3….. 2 would be ideal
2 big opposition parties would do some good…
Agree. Too many. WP should join SJP.
多几个这样的人，PAP笑到嘴都合不拢。不知道你们脑子想什么。唉，可悲！
So long as there is no three corners fight i think it is good to have more opposition parties contest those walkover constituency. Did we not ask opposition parties to contest all parliament seats? So why complain about more parties. Chiam See Tong started out as a loner. Now he is a household name in our political ring.