Unity: WP stands to gain from SDP

By: Den Gogh

When SDP first announced its intention to contest in this by-election, almost everyone accused Dr. Chee Soon Juan and the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) of causing opposition disunity because that will create a multi-cornred fight. Never mind the fact that during the last by-election SDP was the first party which very graciously announced that it would not contest because WP was the incumbent party.

This by-election, WP is not the incumbent party. PAP is. WP stands to lose nothing. It only stands to gain. So that opportunity to gain should be an opportunity for all parties. However, the moment that SDP announced its intention to contest, we have all of a sudden, very short memories. Accusations of causing opposition disunity were hurled at Dr Chee Soon Juan, SDP, and members of the party. Why do all other alternative parties have to give way to WP? WP is just one of the other alternative parties.

However, Dr Chee, SDP, and members of the SDP also wish to not see a multi-corned contest. The way forward we felt was to have a discussion with WP, put our cards on the table, and negotiate. Now, how are we ever going to even begin any negotiations with a party that wouldn't even entertain the idea of a meeting? Most of us were saying forget the idea of negotiations or even respecting a party that will not accord us the same. No. Dr Chee said this was not the way. Even if at the end of the day, the negotiations come to nought, we must still meet, attempt a discussion, to negotiate, to strategize. What and where has all those goodwill and good intentions gotten us? People who refuse to understand are going to misunderstand you, no matter what. Haters are gonna hate.

People cannot wrap the idea around their brains that there are other people who do not buy into WP's way of doing things, their beliefs and philosophies, and that we will support the party that champion causes that are important to us.

And from my perspective, a win for WP this time will not be a win for alternative parties, Singapore, and Singaporeans.

Firstly, it looks like it is going to field a candidate that has already a foot in the parliament, who already sits in parliament. So the status quo remains. Nothing changes. SDP is trying to avoid a multi-cornered fight too. However, it wants to change the way things are in parliament currently. So, WP can run the town council, establish whatever base it wants to establish in Punggol. However, allow another alternative voice, another alternative party to be in parliament.

WP does not want a 3-cornered fight. It does not want to negotiate either. But it cannot be that when the coin is tossed, Head - WP wins, Tail - WP wins too and all the other alternative parties take the backseat while WP expands itself at the expense of the other parties.

Secondly, this might be a little more acceptable if WP had proven itself to be more of an opposition to the present government. As things have turned out since May 2011, WP has imaged itself as the PAP B team, leaving many of our concerns still unvoiced in parliament. With such a scenario in placed, I wonder how would a situation with more of WP in parliament serve the interests of the Singapore people?