Former NCMP Steve Chia takes over from Chiam See Tong as Singapore People’s Party chief

SINGAPORE — The Singapore People’s Party (SPP) has appointed former National Solidarity Party (NSP) member Steve Chia to take its top post of secretary-general, following its first central executive committee meeting on Tuesday night (Nov 5).

The 48-year-old, who once served as a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) from 2002 to 2006, takes over from former secretary-general and opposition veteran Chiam See Tong, 84.

Mr Jose Raymond, 47, a former executive director of the Singapore Environment Council, was appointed as chairman and longtime SPP member Williiamson Lee, 39, is vice-chairman.

Mrs Lina Chiam, 70, the former chairman and wife of Mr Chiam, will take the position of “immediate past chairman”. 

She said: “This has been a very smooth transition to the new SPP leadership team.

“I have confidence in all of them, and trust that they will work very hard to continue the legacy and the work of the SPP, and to serve the people of Singapore.” 

Mr Chiam has held the top post of the SPP since 1996, and the announcement of SPP’s new central executive committee effectively marks his retirement after more than four decades in politics. He has been in poor health after suffering multiple strokes and a hip injury.

Mrs Chiam said: “On behalf of Mr Chiam, I would like to thank everyone who has supported us and hope that they will continue to support the new leadership team, as we continue to serve — for the nation, for the people.”

Acknowledging Mr Chiam’s influence on his foray into politics, Mr Chia said: “I would personally like to thank Mr Chiam for his many years of mentorship and guidance … For guiding me into Parliament as a Non-constituency Member of Parliament when we were under the Singapore Democratic Alliance.

“He has been a beacon in my life, and this is truly an honour for me to be given this task of taking over his appointment in SPP.” 

Mr Chia was a longtime member of NSP and joined SPP just last year.

After joining NSP in 1995, Mr Chia contested in his first General Election (GE) in 1997. He became an NCMP after emerging as the "best loser" in the GE held in November 2001.

In the 2015 GE, he wanted to contest in the Macpherson Single Member Constituency, but changed his mind after a link to a website carrying details of a nude photo scandal involving him in 2003 was shared widely.

Mr Raymond, a chief strategy officer of communications firm Spin Worldwide, who was seen to be a potential new party chief along with Mr Chia, said that “never in his wildest imagination” did he think he would be party chairman.

He said: “It is our duty and responsibility to carry on the work of Mr and Mrs Chiam and the values of the SPP — of being loyal to the country, of bringing good policy ideas to the table, to help people in need, to be their voices, and to always be their ray of hope.”

Mr Raymond, a former member of the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) and press secretary to Dr Vivian Balakrishnan when he was Environment and Water Resources Minister, joined SPP in October 2017. 

He has been doing walkabouts with the party in Potong Pasir. The Single Member Constituency was Mr Chiam’s stronghold for 27 years before it fell to the PAP in the 2011 GE, when he moved out to stand as part of a five-member team at Bishan-Toa Payoh Group Representation Constituency.

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Mr Chiam’s team lost to the PAP that year, securing 43 per cent of the vote, while his wife — who stood at Potong Pasir in his place — narrowly lost the seat to the incumbent as well, with 49.6 per cent of the vote.

NEW POSITIONS AT SPP 

SPP’s first central executive committee meeting lasted about three hours on Tuesday night and saw the following positions filled. They are: 

• Mr Chia as secretary-general

• Mr Raymond as chairman

• Mrs Chiam as immediate past chairman

• Mr Williiamson Lee, a sales executive, is vice-chairman. Ms Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss was in this role before she stepped down on Sept 2. 

• Mr Ariffin Sha, 22, a law student who is studying overseas at New Zealand’s Victoria University of Wellington and was newly elected into the central executive committee, is the assistant secretary-general.

• Mr Eman Lim, 39, director of corporate development at By Definition, a social enterprise, is organising secretary, a role previously filled by Mr Chia. 

• Mr Mario Ong, 39, an administrative officer at the Singapore General Hospital and formerly the assistant organising secretary, is treasurer.

• Mr Ng Theng Lim, a businessman and former assistant treasurer of the party, is assistant organising secretary. 

• Ms Kathleen Cheong, who is in the creative media industry, is communications chief. She was formerly assistant organising secretary.

• Assistant treasurer Shahir Shahfie, who works in the oil and gas industry 

• Mr Jalil Wari, who was newly elected into the central executive committee

• Mr Yong Seng Fatt