Andrew Loh/
credit: Mervin Lee
A group of supporters and volunteers of the Workers’ Party (WP) is calling on the party to reinstate Mr Eric Tan back into the party.
The group, which includes volunteers who helped with the party’s East Coast GRC team in the May general elections, has circulated a petition which it will send to the party’s Central Executive Council (CEC) eventually.
Mr Eric Tan, 55, was the leader of the WP East Coast GRC team which was made up of Mr Gerald Giam, Ms Glenda Han, Mr Png Eng Huat and Mr Mohamed Fazli bin Talip. The team scored 45.17 per cent in the polls, losing to the People’s Action Party team led by Mr Lim Swee Say.
The team was offered a Non-constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) seat as it was among the top-scoring losing teams in the elections. The WP decided that Mr Giam, and not Mr Tan, would take up the seat. Mr Tan then resigned from the party, unhappy that he was not chosen to fill the NCMP vacancy.
Mr Tan, a former banker and who had been the party’s Treasurer, called the party’s decision a “betrayal”.
When speaking to TODAY, he said, “I am disappointed that Low (Thia Khiang) and part of the CEC have decided to go against the people’s wishes, citing party renewal as their reason. I too, also believe in the renewal of the party but in an orderly manner, with succession plans. But not like this, dropped like a bomb.”
In their petition to the CEC, the volunteers say Mr Tan’s resignation “has left most of [them] saddened.”
“For us to read of such discord within WP has affected our morale and bewilderment at the divisiveness after a glorious victory.”
“It is our passionate and sincere petition that the CEC will expand all efforts in bringing Mr Tan back into the party in the interest of party solidarity.” The group says it knows and trusts the party will listen to its “collective voice.”
Mr Tan was part of the East Coast team in the 2006 general elections as well. He was also the chairman of the Workers’ Party’s Eastern Area Committee and had represented the party in Channel Newsasia’s Talking Point programme in March on the new electoral boundaries.
For the 2011 elections, he was the only surviving member of the team and had played a major part in building both East Coast teams for the 2006 and 2011 elections. Mr Giam, who is believed to have been recruited by Mr Tan, described Mr Tan as a “friend and mentor”. He said, “He [Eric] is a caring and capable leader, and possesses a wealth of knowledge, particularly in the area of economics and finance.” Mr Giam also stated that “the NCMP positions were decided collectively by the party’s central executive council”.
“All four tyres of the WP vehicle must have the correct pressure in order to travel smoothly and safely,” the volunteers’ petition says. “The CEC, the cadres, the members and the volunteers all play a role in this. Please hear us and bring Mr Eric Tan back into the WP family so that we, the supporters, can begin our tasks of winning the next election comfortable in the knowledge that WP is a party that listens to the people.”
It is now left to the party’s CEC to decide if it will take up the appeal by the volunteers.
The WP’s candidate for Joo Chiat SMC, Mr Yee Jenn Jong, is the other NCMP from the WP while Mrs Lina Chiam from the Singapore People’s Party fills the third position.
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Willow 26 May 2011
I do not want to support nsp and you are the same people who say Ms Tin don’t know how to present herself?
Willow 26 May 2011
I thought this page is about Eric and WP. So please stick to the topic
……….why do you 1st to support eric
when he left..i don’t see you signin a petition or hold his boxer from leavin..
uncouth mouth? you are still the SAME frickin CUNT…
when you raped nicole seah..can you tell berlinda ang..just because i didn’t ejakulate..it no longer classified as rape…
LET ME TELL you what you really ARE…
you just don’t accept any OPPOSITIONs…
you will used all their skeletons to paint a gruesome picture…
butt you can never paint the pap party as white as a mac computer…
@Robert Teh
Totally agree. Don’t fall into the trap.
Wp against PAP is like David and the Goliath.
I feel empathy for them as Singaporean are asking / expecting so much from them who do not take million dollars pay.
Let’s not tarnish our treasure (wp), we will end up be slaves to the master forever
willow
This is because you know we can’t see your faces so you think you can get away with it
…………
why you wanna see me face? you 1st 2 give me a punch perhaps?
do YOU hav that capability?
i fart yeocho wtong/dhanabalan face2face
you dared or not?
and in front of shortlegged ministers
i suaned him for havin 2 wheelchairs bein brought to tigerairways.com terminal
when he himself designed/approved the budget terminal..why..2 tired 2 walk perhaps?
@ RedemptiOn
I am flattered that ns supporters find me so interesting they can’t help mentioning my name so frequently.
But this page is about Eric and WP, please do not detract from the main topic. Ns supporters, you need to learn to stay focused.
@ iPUSHleekingyouwheelchair squared (yes both of you), please refer to my message to RedemptiOn.
@ willow..
just happened to read this article & ur posts.. no wonder u automatically replied to my other post regarding trolls even tho i did not refer to u..
Willow 26 May 2011
@ iPUSHleekingyouwheelchair squared (yes both of you), please refer to my message to RedemptiOn.
……….
yes? CUNTHEAD…
when you eat..beside vegetarian dish..what else you requied? a horsehead from kranji turb club?
a CROOK is alway a CROOK not just stealin in aljunied make YOU not guilty if you robbed techgheephuat void decks aunties…
That’s politics folks. For the greater good of the party in the long term, CEC must make the choice that will give WP more mileage even if it means upsetting a few people in the process.
I think it is pointless for Eric Tan to rejoin WP as the relationship is strained. Better for Eric to move on to a new chapter.
@ Mel
I mistook you as targeting me because I was receiving ammo then. Sorry about the mistake.
@ iPUSHleekingyouwheelchair
Please keep to the topic of this page. The more you post such remarks, the more the public sees how uncouth ns supporters can be.
From Joshua to James to Meng Seng and now to Eric. There must be more unknowns from the ranks and files. They don’t call it politics for nothing. People are sacrificed regardless of their past contribution or work without gratitude or thanks. It doesn’t matter whether that’s righteous or fair. The only goal is to win power. That’s why certain parties don’t get along with other parties and certain people.
Willow 26 May 2011
The more you post such remarks, the more the public sees how uncouth ns supporters can be.
….
and this while in nicole seah thread..you bullied HER as though you WERE the pap top dogs…
yah yah somemore..
now i kicked you,swore@ you…
ow do you feel?
uncomfortable right?
did you think all this insults you hurl on nicole seah gonna backfired?
a frickin CUNThead you still are…
@ iPUSHleekingyouwheelchair
“and this while in nicole seah thread..you bullied HER as though you WERE the pap top dogs…
yah yah somemore..
now i kicked you,swore@ you…
ow do you feel?
uncomfortable right?
did you think all this insults you hurl on nicole seah gonna backfired?
a frickin CUNThead you still are…”
This is the internet and I talked about the topic on that webpage. On this webpage, it’s about Eric and WP. Please keep to the topic of this page. The more you post such remarks, the more the public sees how uncouth ns supporters can be.
Willow 24 May 2011
Got a kick outta pissing you fellas off. See you around ;P
………..
see? don’t says i lied or do…
so who got the last laugh/kick?
1st to poll the audiences ere?
who you gonna called?
ole guy or ha ha ha?
@ iPUSHleekingyouwheelchair
see? don’t says i lied or do…
so who got the last laugh/kick?
1st to poll the audiences ere?
who you gonna called?
ole guy or ha ha ha?
Is this all you can do? I’m not surprised because I’ve seen how you ns fans treated other critics of her online. So let me repeat what I just said, children: Please keep to the topic of this page. The more you post such remarks, the more the public sees how uncouth ns supporters can be.
Willow 26 May 2011
@ iPUSHleekingyouwheelchair
Is this all you can do? I’m not surprised because I’ve seen how you ns fans treated other critics of her online. So let me repeat what I just said, children
………..
Got a kick outta pissing you off…
children?
who the crybaby ere?
me?
you are gettin me bored/yawned..
if you hav nothin to kick
try LICK
your own balls will do…
because i know you hav NEITHER…
see you aroun…
see i also can give/hurl the same insults on YOU…words4words…
@ PUSHleekingyouwheelchair
Got a kick outta pissing you off…
children?
who the crybaby ere?
me?
you are gettin me bored/yawned..
if you hav nothin to kick
try LICK
your own balls will do…
because i know you hav NEITHER…
see you aroun…
see i also can give/hurl the same insults on YOU…words4words…
Don’t have to dedicate poem to me. I have no time to read. Again, dear boy:
Please keep to the topic of this page. The more you post such remarks, the more the public sees how uncouth ns supporters can be.
Willow
Don’t have to dedicate poem to me. I have no time to read. Again, dear boy:
………..
dedicate poem to you
with poem sound liked CUNThead?
no time to read?..yet you replied?
when i says you got no balls…
you really no balls physically…
just a petty jealous BITCH against nicole seah….
so are you a BUTCH? ole lesbo…
@ iPUSHleekingyouwheelchair
Please refer to message to previous commentator.
Willow 27 May 2011
@ iPUSHleekingyouwheelchair
Please refer to message to previous commentator.
……………
yes lesbo? what the CUNT are you mubblin ere? when you says you got NO time 2 read?
Quand le prophète Mohamed réciter si vous ne peut pas monter le téléphérique de montagne essayez Mont Faber ride par world trade Centre
anglais ver 1.1b
When the prophet Mohamed recite if you cannot climb the mountain
Try mount Faber cable car ride by world trade Centre
@ iPUSHleekingyouwheelchair
Please refer to message to previous previous commentator.
Hi all! Thank you for all your interest and concern. Just to set the record straight, I am one of the organiser for this petition. It was started by a group of volunteers who have helped and supported the WP East Coast team in the recent election, without the knowledge of Mr Eric Tan. Mr Eric Tan has since came to know about this petition through TOC and has called to inform us that he has no plan to join back the Party. As such, we will be dropping this petition and we wishes everyone including Mr Eric Tan all the best. Thank you.
Thats more like it James. Even LTK cannot over-ruled the CEC’s decision. Take my advice. If people cannot place party interest first before self, they should not be in politics.
Even if Eric wants to go back to WP, I will have my reservation for him now. Just because of the so called “betrayal”, he just hastily left like that. He has not spare a thought for the East Coast GRC or the larger Singaporeans who want more opposition MPs & towards the 1st World Parliment. I don’t know whether he is seeking for dignity or glory to want to sit for NCMP. I rest my case…
过河拆桥，
现在河已过，桥已拆
要再过河时，
新桥自然会再建
养兵千日用在一朝
用完的纸杯，就丢掉啦。。呵呵
@Jaws
So one day when a Young and more qualified FT comes to your company and replaces you after you worked for 10 over years … please remember to place national and company needs above yours. Otherwise you shouldnt be working…
Eric tan shld run for the Presidency!
Poor Eric Tan:( he is simply too old. WP is for the young.:)