7 May 06
In democratic elections, the losing party will congratulate the victors and extend them its best wishes. In an election as undemocratic as the one that we have just witnessed as well as those in years past, the SDP does not concede anything to the PAP, least of all the so-called mandate that the PAP claims it has. The reasons are:
One, rules were changed and introduced before and mid-way through the elections. For example, SDP’s podcast was banned, Dr Chee Soon Juan was not allowed to get on stage with his colleagues and candidates, and the police announced halfway through elections that Dr Chee was not even allowed to talk to voters off stage.
Two, the PAP media waged a relentless campaign especially against the SDP – censoring SDP’s message and reporting falsehoods about the Party. It even went to the extent of editing the party’s television broadcasts.
Three, the lawsuit by Mr Lee Kuan Yew and Mr Lee Hsien Loong silenced the SDP and prevented us from engaging and questioning Mr Khaw Boon Wan on the NKF issue.
All this is over and above the fear that voters face and the vote-buying measures of the Government through the Progress Package. With such undemocratic electioneering, is it any wonder that the PAP has won the contests in Sembawang GRC and Bukit Panjang?
In fact, the Singapore Democrats performed creditably by scoring approximate 24 percent of the votes given the extreme circumstances under which we had to labour.
The PAP should be ashamed of itself for running such a campaign and manipulating the election system. Its victory tonight in Sembawang and Bukit Panjang rings hollow.
The result has made the SDP even more determined to work to reform the election process to make it genuinely free and fair. It is only when the election system is truly democratic that opposition parties stand a fighting chance of winning elections in the future.
The real work will need to be done in between elections and the SDP will begin that immediately.
Chee Siok Chin
Candidate, Sembawang GRC
Singapore Democratic Party
democracy? peace? progress? justice? and equality? universal brotherhood and equality of man? everlasting purity and virtue?
ReplyDeleteNUKE THE WORLD!!! ALL PROBLEMS WILL CEASE TO EXIST!!! MWAHAHAHA!!!
ReplyDeleteDear SDP,
ReplyDeleteThanks for putting up a fight. Thanks for showing you care.
Thanks for sticking around this hopeless place.
God/Allah/Shiva/Buddha/Guanying... bless you.
Dear SDP,
ReplyDeleteDespite the onslaught you and your team members recieved tonight, the names and lawsuits and various other things that you have to bear....... You have my vote today!
Thank you for a good tough fight!
Dear SDP,
ReplyDeleteLearn from the WP please. If you do not give the media a chance to say bad things about you especially in getting yourselves into law suits, they will not have a chance to smear you.
The WP learnt from their past mistakes on reacting when accused (e.g: Tang Liang Hong's case) and did not repeat the same when the pappies called Gomez liar. Did LTK and Gomez react by calling back the ministers liar.. No...If they do so, they would be counter sued. They just stand to their belief and grounds. For this, they deserve our vote....
For SDP, do you? Are you logical in opposing. Give us a true good alternative, not just oppose for the sake of opposing. We voters are smarter than you think.
From a hardcore supporter for the opposition who is just very disappointed with how you are steering the party Chiam took so much pain to built up to it's height in 1991. What have Dr Chee done correctly after taking over the party... The vote count speaks for itself.
If WP or SDA were to contest there, PAP might not win by that much of a percentage...
ReplyDeleteDo learn from past mistakes and consider your actions the next time round in 2011.(Provided the party can make it through...)
Do not let Lau Lee have the chance to sue you!
The rhetorics speaks for itself. SDP is concerned only about the survival of itself as a party and not for the people. You're using the citizens of Singapore as putty in your politiking and game-play. Here's the truth - even before the election you've lost. A friend who was in one of your contested GRCs remarked - 'aiyah, no competition. Only if its WP'.
ReplyDeleteDo some soul searching and give us (really) something to mull over at the next election.
Pity Mr Chiam's hard work... sigh...
ReplyDeleteThose of you who think that SDP brings down the image of opposition politics in s'pore, are short-sighted and don't know any better. You guys should go take a double dosage of red pills, really.
ReplyDeleteMs Chee (and Dr Chee),
ReplyDeleteIf this is really your post, I salute the two of you from the bottom of my heart. And I appreciate your commitment to the political maturity of Singapore. I hear what you're saying about democracy, the need for transparency, accountability, etc. And I totally agree with you on the substance. Unfortunately, I am in the minority. The electorate has shown that it is at this stage more concerned with bread and butter issues, so your message has not really connected with most of them. I suppose the media hits you (and Dr Chee) particularly hard because to the PAP your brand of politics comes too close for comfort in terms of hitting hard personally. I suppose also your access to the foreign media annoys the PAP to no end either. Nevertheless, these are matters of style rather than substance, so you must figure whether or if you want to reach out differently in future. I'm also not sure whether Dr Chee's reputation has been permanently damaged by the media, so his continued presence in the limelight can help further his cause. Another problem has been the inability of the SDP to recruit credible candidates to make up its GRC. Perhaps, the SDP can get back to basics again and focus on fielding single candidates again. And Ling How Dong definitely has to go.
please step down 'Dr' Chee... n Ms Chee SC... the whole Opposition Supporter group will be more than grateful to both of YOU! Both of u bring down the image, integrity n dignity of the opposition parties. maybe it's time for SDP to merged back to Mr chiam SDA better lah.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure if you're qualified to speculate Mr. Chee's Phd degree, but you're anonymous and no one cares. As for the comment regarding how the SDP is bringing down the image of the other opposition parties, well, I fail to see that. No one can doubt that it was thanks to the SDP and their relentless efforts to raise issues such as NKF and their courage to talk up to PAP that have provided an actual platform for the opposition parties. If anything, all the opposition parties should be grateful to the SDP, and everyone of us who know more about the PAP should be supportive of their continued intentions. People (foreigner or otherwise) are attached to truthfulness and passion, thus, it should be no surprise that the members at the United Nations continually rises the Dr. Chee and his fight at the general assembly.
The rhetorics speaks for itself. SDP is concerned only about the survival of itself as a party and not for the people. You're using the citizens of Singapore as putty in your politiking and game-play. Here's the truth - even before the election you've lost.
The rhetoric? From the SDP? Have you been reading CNA? I am sorry to burst your bubble, but it's the PAP that's full of rhetorics these days. The Chee family is one of the most sincere and the most dedicated Singaporean family, one can ever come across! I am jsut wondering how many of YOU Singaporeans would take it as a personal mission to change Singapore's democratic credibility by throwing away your lives, career, and family? I couldn't, but I am appreciative of what these individuals have done. They've shed light into issues that I didn't know existed! HERE's the TRUTH: they've not LOST! They'll continue to fight. The question is simply this: will you support them?
it should be no surprise that the members at the United Nations continually rises the Dr. Chee and his fight at the general assembly.
ReplyDeletesee if United Nations help 'DR' Chee fight the law suits against him n the Chee Family...
I'll pray for u 'Dr' Chee for ur effort in promoting 'Democracy'... hope u wun get slaughtered by the LEEs...
it is the media that bring down the opposition. they are the dogs of pap, always protray the bad side of opposition and didn't bring out the dark side of pap. shame on you mediacorps.
ReplyDeleteI feel immensely outraged, like a sense of having been raped!
ReplyDeleteIn which civilised country does a parlimentary election process bow down to a civil suit? The govt should declare the election at the SDP/PAP GRC invalid since the civil suit has damaged the electorial process there.
http://www.biz-day.com/read/politics/07_may_06/hc7ke-t/opposition_candidate_detained.htm
ReplyDeletegomez is detained
SDP is history.Gone under chee. Singaporeans don't buy into their way.
ReplyDeleteWP, Mr Low is far more rational and smarter. He is already building his party with youthful ppl. But still has a long way to go. Good start. Keep it up it is good for singapore.
Chiam needs to find 2nd liner mgt to take over from him.
WP may be opposition, but they are Singaporeans. really speaking for Singaporeans.
ReplyDeleteDr Chee and sis claimed to be speaking for the good of Singapore but actually speaks against Singapore internationally.
I am glad that WP, Low and Chiam don't do such things.
This election, the opposition would have done better if not for SDP. Bt Panjang and Sem GRC would hv more opp votes.
SDP - wake up , don't blame the law suits. SDP knew what is coming their way and deliberately went head-on; thus dragging the whole party and the rest of the CEC. Party was much better run when Chiam was leading it. Get Chiam to redeem the SDP - Let Chiam start afresh with a new slate of leaders (minus the Chees, ling, wong HT ...)
""I am jsut wondering how many of YOU Singaporeans would take it as a personal mission to change Singapore's democratic credibility by throwing away your lives, career, and family? I couldn't, but I am appreciative of what these individuals have done. They've shed light into issues that I didn't know existed!"""
ReplyDeleteMaybe you were blind to the truth but the rest of us are not. Good opposition is one that strives to enhance the lives of the people not just by words but by actions. The SDP is doing so by actions, once people looked to them for the voice of reasoned opposition but now we look to them as just the rantings of a man mad bitter by a system. Winston Churchill while he was in opposition once said "While i am in England i will speak out against the Govenrment on any issue but when i am abroad i am its biggest supporter" While i am sure this is too much to expect from some people, the truth of the matter is that the majority of singaporeans have voted in a PAP government and by saying that we do not have the truth or know the truth that implies that the majority of us have been hoodwinked. I disagree with this. I think that the majority of the people find the issues that the PAP speaks to more important that these so called freedoms the Chees champion. The fact that one can sue during an election shows what kind of freedom we have. you are free to say whatever you want but please ensure you can prove it. The opposition was free to sue lky for calling gomez a liar but declined because they knew that they couldnt deny it. The chees are free to counter sue and if they do not wish to use the resources of the state to fight it is their loss. Fighting for singapore? i thing they are fighting for themselves.
Edward