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SDP speakers in fighting mood as they rebut PAP’s ‘venomous attacks’

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SDP chief Chee Soon Juan. (Photo: Joseph Nair/Yahoo Newsroom)

Singapore Democratic Party chief Chee Soon Juan and his fellow party members were in a combative mood on Sunday (1 May), rebutting what central executive committee (CEC) member Dr Paul Tambyah called the “venomous attacks” of various People’s Action Party (PAP) figures.

Speaking at the SDP’s second political rally for the Bukit Batok by-election, Chee first took on Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu’s remarks at the PAP’s rally last Friday (28 April). She said that Chee had “not held a steady job for many years”, and questioned his qualifications in seeking to become a Member of Parliament.

Chee said he earned royalties from the sales of his 12 books and the various articles he had written over the years, while also taking care of his three children. “I have not been working? That’s not true. I’ve been working very, very much, and very, very hard. It’s just that I’ve not been asking to be paid very, very much money,” he said.

SDP vice-chairman John Tan, noting that Chee does not draw a salary despite his many responsibilities as party chief, added: “Here’s the problem with people like Grace Fu and her PAP colleagues… They have no idea what it is like to work hard and work full-time without pay.”

Tambyah also responded to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s “puzzling allegations” of racial politicking, which he said were based on comments made by anonymous posters on the SDP’s Facebook page and lacked “any evidence to back it up”.

Chee declared: “Do a search on the Internet and tell us if we have said anything racist. And yet Grace Fu, without feeling even a bit paiseh (embarrassed), ignored her own party’s racist statements.”

Chee pointed to former MP Choo Wee Khiang’s comments in 1992 about Little India being in “complete darkness” as there were too many Indians there. Chee also noted Jalan Besar MP Denise Phua’s recent call in Parliament for communal areas near Little India to be ring-fenced, as the large crowds there were “walking time-bombs”.

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Chee wearing the garlands and shawl he received after his speech. (Photo: Joseph Nair/Yahoo Newsroom)

On character assassination

Chee also addressed a recent Lianhe Wanbao article, based on an interview with him, which said he was proud of his “crazy history”. Citing the article during a walkabout on Sunday (30 May), PM Lee questioned the SDP chief’s character, calling him “completely hypocritical”.

Chee denied what was said in the paper and noted that Wanbao had amended the online version of the story to reflect this. CEC member Bryan Lim, speaking in Mandarin, even appealed to assembled members of the media to “search your conscience” before writing their articles.

Several speakers also referenced Dr Lee Wei Ling’s recent comments about PM Lee’s own character. The younger sister of the Prime Minister had called her brother a “dishonourable son”, claiming that he was using their late father Lee Kuan Yew’s name to build a political dynasty. PM Lee has said that her accusations are “completely untrue”.

Chee said that he had held back from using Lee Wei Ling’s comments to gain political mileage or indulge in a personal attack on PM Lee and the PAP.

The SDP leader claimed that if his sister Chee Siok Chin had made a similar attack on him, the PAP would have “gone to town” with it and used the mainstream media to ensure that “every man, woman, boy and girl in Singapore” knew about it.

He also said that any further references to former Bukit Batok MP David Ong alleged affair by himself or his fellow party members were “off the table”.

But the SDP chief also elaborated on his plans for the ward, pledging to be a “competent, constructive and compassionate” MP.

“We have built up the SDP with few resources… to become one of the leading opposition parties in Singapore. Just imagine what we can accomplish for Bukit Batok if we had funding to do our work.”