SDP in a position to conduct 'first-rate' election campaign: Chee Soon Juan
SINGAPORE — Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) secretary-general Chee Soon Juan says his party is in a position to conduct a “first-rate campaign” in the coming general election.
He made his comments after the party’s elections at its 19th Ordinary Party Conference on Thursday (31 October) saw a largely unchanged Central Executive Committee (CEC) being voted in by its members.
Chee was re-elected secretary-general, while Paul Tambyah was voted chairman again.
The other party members voted into the CEC are: Christopher Ang, Damanhuri Abas, Jufri Salim, Khung Wai Yeen, Bryan Lim, Gerald Sng, John Tan, Matthew Tan, Wong Souk Yee, and Francis Yong.
“The unchanged lineup reflects the confidence party cadres have of the effectiveness of the current leadership,” Chee said in a media statement by SDP after the party election.
Stepping up campaign
During the party conference, Tambyah urged members to step up the campaign to “get our message across to the people of Singapore so that they know more about the SDP, who we are, what we stand for and why we should be in parliament to advocate for a more just and democratic Singapore".
"We are not afraid of challenges or difficult tasks,” he said.
Chee also addressed his party members at the conference, highlighting the activities SDP conducted this year in anticipation of a general election. These included policy launches, the publication of the party’s manifesto and a pre-election rally held at Hong Lim Park on 19 October.
He also said that the growing number of younger members in the party is encouraging.
“We must provide the opportunity for the younger generation to rise and eventually assume leadership roles within the Party and, in time to come, the country,” he added.
Join only if you subscribe to what SDP believes in: Chee
Chee also called on those who wish to join the party not to do so for self-serving and opportunistic ends.
He said that the SDP has grown because of members who subscribe to what the party believes in and stands for: Putting people before profit, rights before riches, and wisdom before wealth.
“Moral leadership is not just showing the way but going the way. It is walking the talk that has enabled the SDP to progress,” he said.
“We must ensure that such attitude becomes even more deeply entrenched in our Party as we work to achieve our dreams of building a democratic Singapore.
“If you subscribe, genuinely subscribe, to what the SDP believes in and stands for, then we welcome you with open arms, no matter what stage of the political journey you’re at. You will succeed not because of your individual talent but because of the collective grit, the pa see buay zhao (hokkien for never-say-die) spirit of all in this Party.”
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