Father supports Yee's move to join opposition despite apprehension

SINGAPORE — When Mr Yee Jenn Jong joined the Workers’ Party (WP) shortly before the 2011 General Election (GE), his father was apprehensive and concerned about the possible repercussions. “He was worried that if I am in the Opposition, what will happen to me?” said Mr Yee, 50.

Mr Yee noted that part of his father’s apprehension stemmed from the fact that the 82-year-old — who was a Chinese teacher — had witnessed turbulent times when the Government was fighting the Communists.

Today, his father still has a slight reluctance but has left him to do what he wishes, said Mr Yee, joking that he is already 50 years old now.

Despite their disagreement over his decision to join the WP, Mr Yee said that during the 2011 GE hustings, his father took him around the neighbourhood to personally tell their neighbours to vote for him. “Though (my dad) was apprehensive … the touching thing is he still very supportive,” Mr Yee said.

That support has not wavered. Whenever matters concerning the WP hit the headlines, he would receive a phone call from his father. “When things get a bit ‘hot’, he calls me up and say ‘are you okay’? I’ve to assure him ‘don’t worry I am okay, dad’,” Mr Yee said.

Similarly, his wife has also overcome her initial apprehension and now follows him on his outreach activities. Their three children — aged between 16 and 21 — have also gotten involved: They are roped in as assistants when Mr Yee performs magic tricks during community events.

Recounting his experiences with his family members, Mr Yee said he hopes that more younger people will join the Opposition as the political space here gradually opens up.

He said: “This election to me is as much about the next generation of how Singapore Opposition should be … It is also about the SG100 of the Opposition.”

To that end, Mr Yee said he was heartened by the fact that for the coming General Election, the WP has managed to attract a crop of highly-qualified young candidates who are getting their hands dirty instead of just “complaining about the Government in coffee shops”.

On his parliamentary performance, Mr Yee stressed it is for the public to judge how he did and he did not want to take credit for any policy shifts.

Nevertheless, he was glad that some policy changes in early childhood education — including the expansion of the anchor operation scheme — were along the lines of suggestions that he had made in Parliament. He added that he was among the first MPs to seek amendments to laws to penalise culprits outside of Singapore who contribute to the haze problem. The Transboundary Haze Pollution Act was passed in Parliament last year.

Mr Yee said one of the things he has had to learn to deal with, as an Opposition figure, was “personal attacks” from members of the public.

“When I previously raised issues among friends and go to coffee shops to debate, I don’t get personal attacks. Now, there will be attacks from people who do not like you or the stand you are making … I will then try to improve on my speeches and ultimately, I hope people who disagree with me may see the merits to things I am proposing.”