SDP members defend party chief against ‘mudslinging’

SINGAPORE — After several People’s Action Party (PAP) heavyweights lobbed criticisms against their party chief over the weekend, several Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) members used the second rally in its Bukit Batok by-election campaign to defend Dr Chee Soon Juan’s character and credentials, and argued that the ruling party’s personal attacks were borne out of fear.

Mr Sadasivam Veriyah, who stood in the single seat ward in the General Election last September, noted that both Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam have visited Bukit Batok to garner support for the PAP’s candidate Murali Pillai because “they do not want Dr Chee to be in Parliament”.

He added: “If he is in Parliament, there (are) going to be nightmares, 100 per cent, I’m sure about it. Because all along Dr Chee has raised a lot of issues.”

During a doorstop interview with the media in Bukit Batok on Saturday (April 30), Mr Lee said Dr Chee has presented himself as a changed man even though he remained the same person who was not contrite about his past antics.

The SDP responded later that day saying the attack on Dr Chee’s character was “uncalled for”.

The party’s vice-chair in the central executive committee John Tan weighed in last night, saying Dr Chee was one of the “most hardworking and the most tenacious man I’ve ever met”.

He added: “The very person holding the highest office of our land has to stoop so low to assassinate the character of an election candidate. And what more, he dragged along his ministers and the Speaker of Parliament (Halimah Yaacob) to join the mudslinging as well.”

Dr Paul Tambyah, who sits on the SDP’s central executive committee, added that despite attempts to smear Dr Chee’s character, those who have spent time with the man would know he has good character. This election should not be about Dr Chee or Mr Murali’s personalities or character assassinations but the issues they have proposed, he said.

Another rally speaker Jaslyn Go rebutted Culture, Community and Youth Minister Grace Fu’s remarks that Dr Chee has not held a steady job for many years, which was a jibe at Dr Chee’s promise to serve as a full-time MP if he is elected.

Ms Go, SDP’s assistant treasurer, said Dr Chee has authored and co-authored several books and written for foreign newspaper columns in recent years.

She added that the minister’s comments were disparaging to full-time mothers and grandparents who stay at home to raise children and grandchildren.

Mr Sadasivam also asked the crowd why their former Member of Parliament David Ong resigned — over an alleged extramarital affair — if he was concerned and considerate of the residents’ welfare.

“I’m not here to condemn him, we are not touching on his personal life. (But) as a politician, you must be committed, you must be concerned for your people, otherwise he should not come on stage to talk,” he added.