Worker Party Members
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Do you call yourself true opposition ?
JBJ is bankrupt and the party did not do anything to help.
The party has gone downhill since he left.
Are there no capable people left in the party ? -
New Nation, Nov 2, 1981
Mr J B Jeyaretnam, the first opposition man to be elected to Parliament in the last 13 years, will plunge into constituency work right away.
His first task will be to look into the quit notices served by the Port of Singapore Authority to 700 families in Blair Plain.
He plans to discuss the matter with PSA today and then meet the residents involved on "this urgent matter", he said in an interview yesterday.
Slightly lower on his priority list is the resettlement issue. Longer term issues that he plans to take up will include higher medical fees and higher cost of flats.
"I intend to discharge what I have promised the voters," he said.
Mr Jeyaretnam will write to the Housing Board asking for premises for him to start an office in Anson.
He will then turn his attention to the grassroot organisations, such as the citizensÂ’ consultative committee, in his constituency.
"I intend to examine the structure and have office-bearers who are elected by the people, not appointed by the Prime MinisterÂ’s Office," he said.
What if the PMO disallows this? "They may cut off the funds to us. IÂ’m prepared to face that."
Does he foresee problems in getting the cooperation of the PAP government to do a good job in Anson?
"I do not think any sensible political party will want to do that -- how will they call themselves a responsible party if they shut the doors on me?
"But if they do, I will expose them."
The WorkersÂ’ Party will also receive Mr JeyaretnamÂ’s attention.
The party will be reorganised and strengthened to prepare for the next general elections.
"Slowly but surely, we are going to build a society with participation of all the people," he added.
"Come 1984, weÂ’ll be ready for the elections."
How Jeya got there
Mr Jeyaretnam's bid to get into Parliament began way back in 1972 when he lost to Dr Lee Chiaw Meng in Farrer Park. He only got 2,668 votes or 23 per cent of the votes cast.
After that, he contested in five elections and by-elections.
This is how he fared against PAP candidates:
1976 general elections: Kampung Chai Chee against Mr Fong Sip Chee; he got 7,177 votes or 40 per cent.
1977 by-election: Radin Mas against Mr Bernard Chen; 5,021 votes or 29 per cent.
1979 by-elections: Telok Blangah against Rohan Kamis; 8,036 votes or 39 per cent.
1980 general elections: Telok Blangah against Rohan Kamis; 8,141 votes or 47 per cent.
1981 by-election: Anson against Mr Pang Kim Hin; 7,012 votes or 51.9 per cent -
Jeya so old oredi better let him relax and enjoy his retirement.
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Ya like Lee Kwan Yew.
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BTW how come Jeya leave WP ?
Issit because he is bankrupt so have to leave ? -
Those ungrateful people remaining in Weaklings Party will be able to answer that question.Originally posted by crazy monkey:BTW how come Jeya leave WP ?
Issit because he is bankrupt so have to leave ? -
You actually see yourself fit to comment on such things.Originally posted by sgsentinel:Those ungrateful people remaining in Weaklings Party will be able to answer that question.
It makes me wonder who are you actually.
Wanna come clean? Dare to post in your own name or not?
Well if you think the WP is made up of weaklings, come stand against our candidates lah. Talk no use, give me action. -
Define true opposition:Originally posted by sgsentinel:Do you call yourself true opposition ?
Someone like CSJ? shoot off without thinking and get sued and then disqualified from contesting and sit out GE? Don't make me laugh.
Sure or not. Or are you shooting your mouth off just like CSJ?
JBJ is bankrupt and the party did not do anything to help.
Wanna bet? You are another of those who know alot about WP izzit?
The party has gone downhill since he left.[/b]
Now now, is that a concern to you? Or are you just taking the opportunity to pass a negative remark on WP? You itching to get whacked like YP's Elfred ole boy issit?
Are there no capable people left in the party ? [/b] -
Define true opposition:
Someone like JBJ is true opposition.
Someone like CSJ? shoot off without thinking and get sued and then disqualified from contesting and sit out GE? Don't make me laugh.Sure or not. Or are you shooting your mouth off just like CSJ?
LTK each month got so much money from MP allowance. If he helped, JBJ would not go bankrupt.Wanna bet? You are another of those who know alot about WP izzit?
WP dont even have a good speaker who can galvanise the masses since JBJ left. -
dbl postOriginally posted by crazy monkey:BTW how come Jeya leave WP ?
Issit because he is bankrupt so have to leave ? -
He became bankrupt due to damages awarded against him by the court. The law states that Bankrupt ppl must give up their seat in parliament.Originally posted by crazy monkey:BTW how come Jeya leave WP ?
Issit because he is bankrupt so have to leave ? -
sgsentinel, do not insult an organization without proper evidence. EVen so, it will be better for you to be gentlemanly in your conduct.Originally posted by sgsentinel:Those ungrateful people remaining in Weaklings Party will be able to answer that question. -
Workers' Party
Without JBJ
After 31 years, Mr. J.B. Jeyaretnam leaves a fragmented party. His younger successor, strong at grassroots and a totally different personality, rejuvenates it into a modern force?
June 9, 2001
When the fiery, charismatic lawyer became leader of Workers" Party in 1970, half of Singapore's population were toddlers or not yet born. The man, J.B. Jeyaretnam was then 45.
That Singapore is, of course, largely no longer aroWund. But many of his views formulated then still are.
For most of the past 31 years, he had shaped and dominated its policies, turning it into a hard-hitting party to speak up for blue-collar workers, the poor and "human rights."
He was a rhetorical, aggressive figure and unsurprisingly often attracted candidates who were hostile to the PAP and its leaders or who spoke out strongly - sometimes provocatively - for Chinese or Malay rights.
While some admired him for speaking up, others found him exasperating when he found it hard drawing the line between hitting out at Singapore and criticising the PAP.
On one occasion he told the press in Jakarta that Singapore was exploiting Indonesia for business benefits.
And when national service was in full swing, he implied it was useless because Singapore was indefensible. It might as well run up the white flag if the Russian navy (The Vietnam War was on) sailed in, he added.
Mellowing only slightly, "JBJ" - as he is widely called - stepped down recently at 76. He was declared a bankrupt on Jan. 19 after he failed to pay damages resulting from a defamation suit.
Unless his coming appeal succeeds, he will be out of politics. His deputy, Mr. Low Thia Khiang, 47, was elected to take over.
Under his strong personality (which has driven away colleagues who found it intolerable,) the left-of-centre party fought on a platform of championing the less educated and poor.
Mr. Jeyaretnam also stepped up the "human rights" battle to capture the English-educated liberals.
Unlike his former leader, Low Thia Khiang, 47, is Chinese-educated, very strong at grassroots work and may pose a bigger, long-term, challenge to the PAP than JBJ if he succeeds in:-
* Focusing on bread-and-butter issues, like rising cost of living, health care, welfare for the elderly, etc, that bother Singaporeans more than"human rights".
* Rejuvenating the party, attracting younger professionals who do not share Mr. Jeyaretnam's firebrand, "tear down society" type of politicking. This is an uphill fight that may happen after Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew leaves the scene.
* Pulling together resources, or even merging, with other parties that inflexible Jeyaretnam had found it hard to do. WP is so weak and lethargic that, after 43 years of history, it could barely muster 31 cadres (out of 60) to attend a meeting to elect a new leader.
* Shifting from being a poor man's party to fight for the majority middle class. The poor are now a minority. Besides, the ruling party has been dishing out lots of goodies to them in recent years.
Other opposition parties, too, are facing the problem of ageing leaders and cadres and inability to attract enough young qualified people to replace them.
The PAP suffers from this public disdain of politics, too, but it has powerful carrots, including a million-dollar pay package for ministers, to get them.
The fact that opposition parties, poor on finance and poorer on human resources, can't fight on level ground has gained them sympathy from a widening section of voters.
It is an old problem, of course. Singapore is a city-state strongly entrenched in competitive trade and commerce. But with the advent of a knowledge-based economy, life has become even more pressing.
From the age of six at kindergarten, the new Singaporean throws himself or herself into the arena of striving for a degree, a good job and then climbing on top of the pile.
This rat race is discouraging marriage and child-birth with a serious impact on the nation's future.
Politics is being hit harder and ranks even lower. Singaporeans passionately groan and complain about politics but would shrink away from joining a political party.
An oppositionist role is even less attractive since it is seen as reducing people's prospect of a comfortable life.
Many of opposition central executive members and cadres are old or lack knowledge of fast-changing high-tech Singapore.
The other ageing opposition leader is Mr. Chiam See Tong, a highly-respected four-term MP for Potong Pasir. He, too, is turning several shades greyer.
At 66, teacher-turned lawyer Chiam is widely admired and gung-ho, organising an opposition alliance of five parties to fight the PAP in the coming polls.
But it is not known how many more elections he can keep fighting in. There are no visible successors. Another leader Dr. Lee Siew Choh retired years ago.
The opposition knows its ageing predicament. A big cause, it says, is the government's unfair tactics to make life hard for its rivals and create an uneven playing field. It knows that if leaderships are not renewed, there will be fewer fresh ideas. One of the complaints of young professionals is that Mr. Jeyaretnam expounds the same causes and says the same things again and again.
Without its own alternative, overall plan for the nation, the opposition will find it hard to win broad-based support. Today's Singaporeans still vote according to their feelings about the PAP, not its rivals in politics.
If the people are happy and contented with the ruling party, the votes for opposition will come down; if they are angry against its policies, opposition votes will increase.
To many, Jeyaretnam's plight ("my sons say I am a fool to do all this") may serve as a further discouragement to the opposition cause.
His big letdown came recently. After three decades of incessant, mostly losing battles, a public rally was organised to collect $235,000 in funds to help him pay off his debt. The collection - a dismal $19,000.
But no one can write off his political future. He says he will continue to speak out against the government.
When his bankruptcy is lifted, he may be back fighting in elections either as an independent or as head of a new party. He still has a small loyal following that will probably not dissipate.
Seah Chiang Nee -
but why he leave WP ? wats the story ?Originally posted by lwflee:He became bankrupt due to damages awarded against him by the court. The law states that Bankrupt ppl must give up their seat in parliament. -
Dear Mr Ti Lik,Originally posted by Chia Ti Lik:Now now, is that a concern to you? Or are you just taking the opportunity to pass a negative remark on WP? You itching to get whacked like YP's Elfred ole boy issit?
Get whacked like YP's...? Like how? Hahaha...
Consider this as a first warning, Mr Ti Lik. Don't forget, (you claimed) you are a lawyer.
As an adult, I hope you are aware there's a limit to certain nosense.
Regards,
Elfred. -
Originally posted by Elfred:
so wat are you going to do ? send him lawyer letter ?
Dear Mr Ti Lik,
Get whacked like [b]YP's...? Like how? Hahaha...
Consider this as a first warning, Mr Ti Lik. Don't forget, (you claimed) you are a lawyer.
As an adult, I hope you are aware there's a limit to certain nosense.
Regards,
Elfred.[/b] -
Ya, no capable people left in the party cos JBJ chased them all away. So he got to fend for himself lor. Wait, he still have his morons left. You wanna help? LOL.............Originally posted by sgsentinel:Do you call yourself true opposition ?
JBJ is bankrupt and the party did not do anything to help.
The party has gone downhill since he left.
Are there no capable people left in the party ?
EmptyCage -
Ok the first serious question. AFAIK, JBJ announce he resign becos of differences with the leadership. One reason he cited is WP never help him get out of bankruptcy.Originally posted by crazy monkey:BTW how come Jeya leave WP ?
Issit because he is bankrupt so have to leave ?
Low TK took over as SG of the party. They did try to raise some money but cannot do much. That's all I know.
EmptyCage -
JBJ left becos WP cannot help him get out of bankruptcy? That's a joke. Of cos WP cannot help JBJ get out of bankruptcy. Only PAP can. PAP is the one who sued JBJ. Since you like JBJ so much, you go and beg PAP to let JBJ go lor.Originally posted by sgsentinel:Those ungrateful people remaining in Weaklings Party will be able to answer that question.
EmptyCage -
Low TK get elected by the PEOPLE but he should use his allowance for JBJ? Wah hahahaha......... LOL..........Originally posted by sgsentinel:LTK each month got so much money from MP allowance. If he helped, JBJ would not go bankrupt.
You pass me your salary I spend for you la. Wait, maybe you are umemployed, no salary thats why you whining here.
JBJ is bye bye liao. Stop whining, you moron.
EmptyCage -
Originally posted by Elfred:
Elfred,
Dear Mr Ti Lik,
Get whacked like [b]YP's...? Like how? Hahaha...
Consider this as a first warning, Mr Ti Lik. Don't forget, (you claimed) you are a lawyer.
As an adult, I hope you are aware there's a limit to certain nosense.
Regards,
Elfred.[/b]
I think your statement applies to yourself more than it does to me.
i now call your bluff. Come and get me ole boy!
Regards. -
Originally posted by Elfred:
Obviously, if you look at the post in the context of the fore-going posts, any reasonable person will conclude that "whacked" means flame.
Dear Mr Ti Lik,
Get whacked like [b]YP's...? Like how? Hahaha...
Consider this as a first warning, Mr Ti Lik. Don't forget, (you claimed) you are a lawyer.
As an adult, I hope you are aware there's a limit to certain nosense.
Regards,
Elfred.[/b]
Stop being silly Elfred. -
JBJ still pack a punch. if he can make a comeback PAP will be wary of him.Originally posted by EmptyCage:Low TK get elected by the PEOPLE but he should use his allowance for JBJ? Wah hahahaha......... LOL..........
You pass me your salary I spend for you la. Wait, maybe you are umemployed, no salary thats why you whining here.
JBJ is bye bye liao. Stop whining, you moron.
EmptyCage