Andrew Loh
The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) may do better than what the Workers’ Party (WP) have done come the next General Election.
The WP’s victory in Aljunied GRC is based on several factors, of course. These include its consistent grassroots work, trustworthy brand names of Low Thia Khiang, Sylvia Lim and the party itself, and a slate of credible candidates.
The SDP’s team in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC has almost all of these attributes but in smaller measure. The brand name of the SDP has changed somewhat. The demonization campaign by the People’s Action party (PAP) government and the state-controlled media of SDP secretary general Dr Chee Soon Juan will take time for the party to overcome. The good news is that it is not an impossible task, as this election has shown. Dr Chee’s video where he spoke in Hokkien, for example, has been warmly received by those who have seen it, and by some who were previously skeptical of him.
The SDP’s use of the Internet and social media tools has helped raised its profile and more importantly present a side of the party which attracted approval and support. The scorecard of its Holland-Bukit Timah team is nothing to snigger at. 40 per cent is an achievement, given the short campaign period. 36 per cent in Sembawang GRC too is a good result.
As the SDP itself has acknowledged, it needs to work the ground more consistently and reach out to the heartlanders in the next five years. In this, it should learn from the WP. Nothing beats that personal touch – shaking a voter’s hand, looking people in the eye, and lending an ear to residents’ grievances.
One big advantage the SDP has over the other political parties is its ability to harness the potential of New Media and social media. Its embrace and use of Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and its ability to produce quality videos, have allowed it to reach potential voters and disseminate its message. The other parties have either fumbled, such as the PAP, or do not feel that New Media is as important as real grassroots work, such as the WP.
Going forward, however, and as this election has shown, cyberspace is the new grassroots. There is no doubt about this. Knocking on doors in the heartlands is still important but so is engagement online. Social media and the introduction of mobile Internet connections have shown that human communications is forever changed. What is online no longer stays online, and the SDP seems to understand this better than the other parties. Indeed, because of its relentless use of such tools, the SDP has gone some way in addressing what it deems its misrepresented public image.
While the PAP and the WP may be steps ahead of the SDP as far as brand names and outreach are concerned, the SDP will be able to catch up and close the gap substantially by the next election if it is able to supplement its online expertise with consistent face to face engagement in the heartlands.
The party has been able to attract intelligent members, such as Mr Tan Jee Say and Ms Michelle Lee, and inspirational candidates such as Dr Vincent Wijeysingha and Mr Ang Yong Guan; it also has the ability to put together some rather compelling policy proposals as well.
Politics is a long-term endeavour and success comes in incremental steps, especially for opposition politics in Singapore. So, while some may feel disappointed that the SDP did not win any seats this time round, and it has not done so since 1991, there is no need to despair.
In fact, the SDP has taken a huge leap in being seen as a credible party, compared to past campaigns where it was assailed with accusations and lawsuits by the ruling party. In the 2011 campaign, the party was disciplined, stuck to its game plan, and, more importantly, surprised many with its rational and focused approach. Its courage in speaking up firmly against some government policies has also struck a chord with some.
Many of the younger generation have come to know the SDP for the first time and like what they see. They are not hampered by the perceptions their parents may have of the SDP. It is this generation which the SDP has its biggest support, one would suspect. By the next election, this number would grow with the addition of a new group of young first-time voters which is more attuned to what is online.
The SDP now needs to work on the older generation which is less likely to prefer online engagement. So, the party will need to go the old fashioned way and hit the coffeeshops and markets regularly.
If the SDP continues its work – both in cyberspace and on the ground – the next five years, the party could reap substantial rewards, perhaps even surpassing what the WP has achieved in 2011.
So, SDP supporters and members should not despair. Indeed, 2011 could be just the curtain raiser – a new chapter for the SDP could have just begun, and it is looking encouraging.
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Agree that many potentially good mp would have won if they joined wp to allow wp contest more another grc.
Opposition have proven they missed their big chance.
Was wp incapable of luring top talents like TJS and the MO ex-colonel?
Or there is reason why they din join?9
When I submitted my IC for verification to the election staff at the polling station, I noticed the staff deliberately put in the effort to solemly say out my name AND the SERIAL NUMBER on my polling card (e.g. “Wong Kan Seng, serial number 1234″).
I can understand if he had to verify my name, but what’s the point in saying out the SERIAL NUMBER?
When I visit a doctor, he’ll verbally verify my name but if at the same time he were to verbally mention my register number on his record, it’d be very strange.
A verbal verification of my name is sufficient. To mention the serial number is REDUNDANT. This is because my name and the serial number were both printed on the same polling card anyway. And the serial number has no significant reference to me, it’s not my NRIC number or birth cert number.
Was this some psychological trick to instil fear and intimidate voters to vote the ruling party???
Could it be a deliberate effort to implant a sublimal message into the voter’s mind that the SERIAL NUMBER will give him away???
If so, I feel sad for my country as democracy is dead!
The polling staff called voter name and serial number is just to let the polling agents from both of PAP and opposition party to take down voter serial number for record and tracking purposes incase voter vote more than 2 time.
@ orchid
contrary to PAPular belief, there is plenty of talent out there who can come forward and serve singapore as politicians. TSJ and CSM are only the tip of the iceberg. come GE2016, the opposition will have swellied its ranks with even more highly qualified and passionate election candidates. majulah singapura!
below are purely my speculations:
if u take a look at wp’s strategy, they are aiming the eastern part of singapore. they have their own strategy.
example if they were to take over control of singapore immediately, and if pap wants to sabo them, singapore would die badly!
so they want to slowly take over GRC by GRC to make sure that PAP cant sink the ship!!! and make sure there aint holes in the ships on the pretext of the co-driver analogy!!!
SDP wants to reconstruction immediately, thats the different in idealogy!!!
but if SDP were to win big and form their parliment, if PAP were to sabotage from behind, i wonder if they can counter it!!!
As for NSP, they seems aimless, trying to shoot everywhere diversing their firepower!!!
As for SPP, they lack resources badly, if only Chiam is at better health, they would have ousted wks!!!
Its an uphill task to defeat the final boss(PAP), as they can change the rules of the game anytime be it they win or lose!
I think SDP can consider a geographic focus.
WP has been dorminant in the East and North East. The brand name can even bring their new candidates to near victory. SPP is strong around Potong Pasir (Central South), due to moral and charisma influence of Mr. Chiam. Going to these regions might face considerable challenge from this 2 opposition groups.
The Western Front and Northern Front are PAP’s strong hold. SDP can focus their ground works in this region. These areas consist of relatively affluent Middle Class which are the target group of SDP.
NSP, SDA and Reform Party looks rather unsettled geographically. They may come into the picture too.
Another interesting area are people who work in CBD area. I notice that lunch rally by SDP is better attended than PAP’s lunch rally. People in CBD are generally younger and receptive to different opinions regarding politics and economy. They are not so similiar to the PAP hardcore supporters of Good Old Days.
Thought SDP came through quite well considering all the negativity that surrounded CSJ and SDP at the last election. However moving forward, the ground work needs to start now if SDP hopes to win any GRCs in the next election
Sylvia Lim did not get to Aljunied in one term. She started in 2001 and lost in the last elections before winning this round. She has worked the ground since losing Aljunied the last time. There was an incident where in the midst of an interview during her door-to-door campaign visits, a resident, after passing her turn around and say hello to her. What was impressive was she called Sylvia Lim by her chinese name “Swee Lian” this speaks to the fact that she knows the people on the ground.
Just Saying – SDP want to make that big difference, the ground work has to start now and pick the correct place to fight. Singaporeans already know them through this 2011 campaigning so build on this.
unlike WP,SDP fought in a traditionally ‘rich singaporeans’ ward.
it is that much tougher trying to convince the haves to stand up for poor marginalised ordinary singaporeans than to convince the ‘marginalised’ themselves.
well done,SDP TEAM OF HOLLAND BKT TIMAH,you did a wonderful job!
Singaporeans could have benefitted from your alternative economic policies and regeneration plan.
sad it was not meant to be.
thank you all for standing up for me,for us and the least among us.
thank you and GOD bless you and yolur families.
SDP was out of touch with Singaporeans on the issues they want to puruse in this elections. Its highly westernized liberal values and pro-homosexuality agenda did not go well with the silent majority. We are still an Asian society, so stop pushing western values down Singaporean’s throat!
Their economy policies are also highly flawed as well, as while PAP is “Pay And Pay”, it was “spent and spent” as proposed by SDP.
I think SDP will be in trouble for the next GE, because places in which they contested in are the western part of Singapore, if people noticed the result of this GE you can tell that man in white get higher percentage probably due to pro-stability new citizen.
These places will be the nesting ground of new citizens of singapore for the next 5 years, not that they will be voting for the man in white definately, but they are pro-stability, so voting for opposition is most probably what they will not do, unless the man in white does mess up some kind of policy that affect the new citizens else opposition in the west of Singapore will have a harder time trying to win over their votes.
Which is why new media helps but working on the ground meeting up with the new citizens and understand their concerns and issues will be vital in the coming election in 5 years time especially for opposition in the western part of singapore since new citizen’s votes will probably determine whether opposition will win the western front of singapore or not.
To Rocker
Freedom of Speech and Human Rights are the foundation of a democratic society, it is universal, nothing to do Asian societies.
TO ROCKER
TELL US how does SDP’s economic proposals merely’ spent and spent’?
since when or do you mean ‘spend and spend’?
yes ‘pay and pay’ are the ones who ‘spent and SPENT’ our taxpayers’ money by squandering on the ostentatious like YOG AND SOME FAILING GIANT BANKS and awarding themselves BIG FAT SALARIES.
DO YOU understand basic econmics and do you realise that what SDP is propsing in their re-generation economics policies will go to help many ‘marginlaised’ singaporeans who have also contributed to NATION BUILDING before?
do you understand the postive multiplier effects of good and sound economic policies.
and do you classify those who help the poor are poor themselves?
if not,why the bias against people who are merely speaking up for teh gay singaporeans who are marginlised in our society? even religions like BUDDHISM and christianity TEACH US NOT TO PREJUDICE them but accept them as fellow human-beings.
do speking up for man-eating species of extinct animals mean that some human beings are man-eaters?
think ,my fren,before you start shooting at good ppl.DON’T ROCK the boat here when what SDP is merely trying to do is to help steadify it.
Rokcer,
you seem not to be able to tell what is good from what is bad.
sad for you.
you have got to understadn what SDP is proposing goes to help those who are unfairly marginalised by our current govt polcies and practices.
but,obviously,you don’t.
SDP self defeated itself in this GE 2011… needs major self-reflection.. most web presence but only set up FB for candidates 3 days before polling day… what a joke…
Rocker
so stop pushing western values down Singaporean’s throat!
………..
do you or your familly used iphone?
who invented the iphone?
now regardin imac…
why is the education ministries is tryin to change to imac platform? just because it made in china perhaps?
last but not least…
leekingyou is an advisor to citibank..
is that bank come within a city?
which city may 1 seek?
Actually, the majority of the votes from Holland-Bukit Timah for SDP came from the middle and upper class.
After the 1991 election for the SDP where they had won 4 seats, it imploded with in-fighting and the eventual departure of the man, Mr Chiam, who founded it. Instead of a new dawn, SDP plus the rest of the oppostion threw away the opportunity to move forward by discrediting themselves in the eyes of the electorate. And the results in the subsequent elections with all the SDP seats with the exception of PP lost. And for many years after that, the opposition were in the wilderness until 2011.
SDP has become more organised and slicker in their approach but their appeal, especially amongst the heartlanders, is suspect. One commentator said too “angmoh”. They have to broaden their appeal to include speaking to the heartlanders like what WP did for the wards they contested.
In my opinion, however, if WP can maintain their focus and discipline, they will be a real threat to the PAP in 2016. The WP had more than 40% votes won in practically every WP and SMC they contested. The voters recognise the brand and my belief is that they see the party as the only credible alternative voice in Parliament.
The WP won the 10% votes of the GE2006 that were originally from the PAP in Aljunied GRC. Would the scenario be repeated in the 2016 GE in areas such as East Coast, Moulmein-Kallang and Nee Soon GRCs where the WP won 45.17%, 41.144% and 41.61% respectively or at the SMCs at Joo Chiat (48.99%), Punggol East (41.02%) and Sengkang West (41.92%), Should there be more “Chen Show Maos” and “Pritam Singhs” coming forth and more WP “A” teams coming forth, if I was the ruling party, I would be ever looking over my shoulder knowing for sure that the Hammer is going to come and come stronger in 2016.
The ruling party has 5 years to regroup whilst the WP has the same time to advance. I am not saying that the other political parties are standing still but it would seem that WP, based on the current results, is at the moment the main opposition party of choice.
It would be interesting to see when the ruling party first and second generation leaders leave the scene and how the 3rd and 4th generation leaders can bridge perceived or real disconnect with the electorate.
I cannot but agree more!SDP has transformed over the last 5years from a radical,impossible to win party to a credible and powerful opposition!Like all humans,it has made mistakes too and these mistakes to a certain extent are not avoidable..Nevertheless,it’s a focused opposition as compared to other parties and is not too ambitious as it attacks only 2 GRCs +1 SMC.I will still support them and will still stand by them!Too bad Dr Chee wasn’t allowed to speak else I have strong faith that he will be able to shoot down his opponents like Vivian B or further east,MBT maybe?not to mention MM Lee if we did not “miss” the 35sec dateline which made Tg Pagar walkover!Go SDP Go!
Indeed SDP has transformed. They are the most improved party and have a long way to go. JBJ tried multiple times before breaking into Parliament, don’t every give up SDP. We will never forget the work you have done, past and present.
There should only be 3 opp parties exist in GE 2016. (a) WP (2) SDA (3) NSP / SPP combined. (RP and SDA – pls close shop and plsssssss..no embarrassed independent candidate – we do not need you – jokers.)
I wonder why you consider Vincent Wijeysingha a strong candidate and not a liability to the SDP team. Commons sense and intuition tells one that at least 50% of the voters from the over-50 generations are still uncomfortable with voting for a gay, given their “conservative upbringing” biasedness. Assuming that the over-50 voters form at least 20% of the electorate, that would translate to at least a 10% vote swing against the SDP purely due to the discrimination against gays by this older and more “conservative” segment of the electorate. That means SDP could easily have won the Holland GRC if they had simply swapped Vincent with Dr.Gomez as a matter of prudence.
The problems u mentioned in your article such as the lack of face-to face engagement is not unique to Holland GRC. The opposition teams in Marine Parade and Moulmein GRCs, etc. were also put up at the last minute and yet they did better than SDP Holland despite their unknown candidates having comparatively poor credentials.
Consider these other factors which were overwhelmingly in favour of SDP Holland: (1) in terms of background and quality, the SDP Holland team is arguably the strongest amongst ALL the opposition GRC teams bar none (possibly stronger than LTK’s team and way stronger than the opposition teams in East Coast, Moulmein, Tampines n Marine Parade GRCs; (2) the background, quality and importance of the PAP team in Holland are nowhere comparable to those of George Yeo’s team, meaning that PAP Holland is comparatively weak (3) nobody has anything bad to say about George Yeo while Vivian Balakrishnan is smeared with 3 very big black marks – YOG , the “foodcourt” comment and the allegations of a suppressed video. (4) PAP heavyweights went all out to support George Yeo while Vivian was left to fend for himself; (5) while Low focused mainly on 1 issue only (need for a First World Parliament), the SDP had comprehensive programs for almost everything under the sun (eg. shadow budget, shadow health program, Tan’s economic paper) (6) all other big issues like municipal issues and national resentment towards the PAP apply equally to both GRCs and therefore could not have been a big differential factor for the opposition in either constituency.
Yet, the final result for Holland GRC has befuddled most political observers (including the SDP’s own assessment) who are all expecting a very close fight, if not a win for the SDP. In the end, SDP Holland polled way much lower than WP Aljunied and also worse than the low-quality teams such as the WP’s and NSP’s in East Coast, Moulmein, Marine Parade and Tampines GRCs (all of which were helmed by heavy-weight PAP ministers unlike Holland GRC). Inexplicable? Not if u factor in the biasedness of voters from the over-50 generations against gays.
Looking back, it is no wonder that the PAP did not regard Holland GRC as a hotspot despite the above-mentioned factors which strongly favoured SDP . The PAP must have guessed correctly that the moment Vincent’s sexuality was revealed to the public (great move from Vivian), the SDP Holland’s campaign was doomed to fail as they could not possibly overcome the huge hurdle posed by the big chunk of voters from the over-50 generations.
I feel sorry for the SDP and Dr.Chee. Banging their heads against the wall when the time is not yet ripe for a gay MP. As evidenced by the 6% swing in votes nationwide against the PAP, the ground was incredibly sweet for the opposition this GE due to the long list of cock-ups by the PAP in the last 5 years. I cannot recall a sweeter ground for the opposition in the last 30 years or so. WP grabbed the opportunity of a lifetime. SDP did not.
The sad thing is that the ground may never again be so sweet for the opposition for another 30 years or more, especially if the PAP learns from this GE and reforms itself as promised.
What the WP had that the SDP in H-B did not have.
a) 20 years of town council experience
b) a MP that is universally accepted by a majority of Singaporeans including in elections.
c) an NCMP that had a track record in parliament.
Both had good candidates with good degrees (chen was both a scholar + top degrees) but chen took a backseat to a), b) & c)
WP also utilised its strength better and defended its weaknesses. They used the NS as a defence. Clearly Chen serving NS deflected any concerns over him staying in overseas for XX years. His qualifications equal to any SDP, PAP candidate which made qualifications a non-factor rather than a plus factor as some might think.
They had 2 minority clean candidates in Pritam Singh & Faisal Manap which meant that the major minorities were represented.
WP showed that they were at least potentially capable of running a GRC town council (as Low had long experience running a smaller SMC town council under intense scrutiny). If they run Aljunied TC well, they will be even more electable next election.
Those are the critical factors that swayed Aljunied. Only some of which the SDP will be able to achieve.
Most of the so-called SDP comprehensive programmes were not even scrutinised by the general public. I think the PAP carefully pitched their tone vs SDP to avoid elevating the SDP. Otherwise the gay agenda would have been a priority and clearly PAP had reserved their ammo for WP (which SM Goh had made in his point albeit pathetically).
Hi lim,
(1) Fact is SDP-Holland not only polled a massive 15% behind WP-Aljunied, they also polled less than the low-quality teams of Tampines, Marine Parade and Moulmein GRCs.
(2) Do u not agree that a big proportion of the over-50 voters today still hold on to their “conservative values” and are resistant to voting for a gay? If u do the maths, this group of voters form 10-40% of the electorate – 10% was enuff to bring SDP-Holland into power.
is the problem. He must go.
He is not known to be a credible, rational human being as evidenced by his hunger strike, illegal assemblies and protests.
If SDP is to gain a good reputation, having strong members such as Dr Ang, TJS and Vincent is not enough.
One Dr Chee is enough to make people wary of voting SDP.
Even if Dr. Chee leaves SDP, even if the SDP covers the ground intensively, even if Tan SeeJay churns out a better set of alternative economic policies, the fact remains that the SDP has to deal with the hurdle posed by the big chunk of older generations of voters who are unable to overcome their biasedness against gays.
Good luck SDP!!!Please feel free to come to Orchard Rd for SDP rally by night if SDP has fight in Tanjong Pagar GRC in 2016,as well as Holland V. and Speaker’s Corner….
As such,SDP may fight up in Bukit Panjang and Yuhua,make possible comeback in Jurong GRC as it is much strategic to Yuhua(Jurong East),make comebacks in both Sembawang and Holland-Bukit Timah GRCs and eventually Dr Chee proclaims an absolute target for the SDP in 2016:Tanjong Pagar GRC!!!But AFAIK,Reform Party wishes to target on Tanjong Pagar too as well,so confront with them okay…??