Andrew Loh /
“It’s over. We move on from here,” Mr Desmond Lim says. He is referring to the events in recent weeks which were played out in the media.
The long drawn out saga between the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) and Mr Chiam See Tong, MP for Potong Pasir and then Chairman of the alliance, resulted in not only Mr Chiam resigning from his position but also the withdrawal of the Singapore People’s Party (SPP) from the grouping.
Speaking to The Online Citizen (TOC) in an exclusive interview, Mr Lim, who was recently appointed secretary general of the SDA, says the matter has been resolved and that he is looking ahead to the General Election.
When asked how he felt about the whole saga and Mr Chiam himself, Mr Lim said, “Personally, we have no problems. No personal grudges.” He says it was unfortunate that he was singled out as the person responsible for scuttling the membership application of the Reform Party (RP), which had applied to join the SDA in 2010 and which Mr Chiam had facilitated. This, he said, led to perceptions that he was the one solely responsible for the decision taken by the SDA. This is not true, Mr Lim explains. “Whatever decision that was made, it was a collective decision,” he says, referring to the SDA CEC.
Mr Lim says his friendship with Mr Jeyaretnam, the secretary general of the RP, is good and that the two have been in contact. “We just had lunch together on Saturday,” he says. “Whatever that has happened, it’s not personal. It was just a matter of principle.”
Looking forward to the upcoming General Election, Mr Lim says he is all prepared and that the SDA is in it to win. “We’re not there for fun,” he says. “We’ll do our best.” Mr Lim disclosed that the alliance has recently set up its Youth Wing and that its members are presently involved in crafting its election manifesto.
The new electoral boundaries, which sees Punggol East being taken out from the Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC and designated an SMC, will not affect his campaign, Mr Lim says. This is because he has been engaging the residents in Pasir Ris-Punggol the last several years. In fact, since the last General Election.
Besides wanting to provide an alternative voice in Parliament, Mr Lim feels the PAP has to be made “accountable for their policies.”
He also feels that the election will be about national issues, rather than local ones. Still, he’s not taking any chances.
Mr Lim, who is an engineer, says that he has a five-year masterplan for Punggol East which he will be presenting to residents of the area during the elections. This, he hopes, will counter the People’s Action Party’s estate upgrading carrots.
He also intends to make full use of New Media. He already has his political videos ready for the election, and has set up two Facebook accounts. A party mascot, key chains, badges and even soft toys have all been prepared.
Mr Lim made his debut in electoral politics in 2001, where he contested Jalan Besar GRC. His team scored 25.5 per cent against the PAP’s team. In the 2006 General Election, he did better – scoring 31.3 per cent in Pasir Ris – Punggol GRC.
But Mr Lim is undeterred. “I would encourage anyone who wants to get involved in politics, [he] must have the conviction, not for popularity, for fame, or for some other personal agenda.” If he is elected, he says, he will be a full-time MP so he can be easily available to constituents. This is because, he explains, when residents face problems, sometimes these cannot wait and need to be looked into immediately. “If there is a problem, residents should be able to contact us,” Mr Lim says.
Being full-time MPs should also be “the standard set for the SDA’s future candidates” he adds.
His message to voters in this election, expected to be called in a matter of weeks, is to consider the kind of Singapore they want, going forward. The SDA’s campaign will centre around a “Singapore for Singaporeans, Singaporeans First” policy, he says.
If Singaporeans want to maintain their Singaporean identity and culture, Mr Lim says this should consist of preserving what are “Chinese culture”, Malay culture”, “Indian culture”, and “Western culture”.
“Hence, we should stand up and tell the PAP that we want to preserve our national identity, we want this place to be a nation, a country, a home. Not a city where anyone can come in and suppress our wages and increase [the] cost of living.”
His parting shot:
“Now is the time for change, to be brave, to defend our national identity. In this coming GE, reduce the number of PAP MPs in Parliament. The past has proved that instead of more [good] years for the people, it has become more tough years for the people.
“Please support a ‘Singapore for Singaporeans, Singaporeans First’ policy.”
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March 18, 2011 at 4:19 pm
Last few paragraph sounds decent, at least for me!
March 18, 2011 at 5:16 pm
I will support a ‘Singapore for Singaporeans, Singaporeans First’ policy.
March 19, 2011 at 6:32 pm
Vote LIm Bak Chuan in, as he is a credible candidate and hard working. Singapore comes 1st for him at least. If he loses, at least he can be a NCMP
March 20, 2011 at 5:07 pm
Why The Result Of The GE IS A No-Brainer….OR IF YOU LIKE….A FOREGONE CONCLUSION
============
Let’s get real.
Whatever you or I or the dog named Boo does..the inevitable result is that the PAP will still be the gahmen of the day after the GE.
In fact they will be the gahmen even after Nominations close and before Polling Day.
Would you bother to stay up that night? The ST can prepare its headline now..”PAP LANDSLIDE WIN AGAIN!!”
That is the way how the PAP have engineered the set up of the GRC,the boundary and the constituencies.
In any other democracy, this won’t happen, but then this is Uniquely Singaporean..as created by the PAP.
So once for all, can we stop all the abusive or airy fairy ideas of trying to chuck out the PAP.
You won’t and you cannot.
Its not so much that the PAP will win again, but how many seats they are set to lose which will make interesting reading.
I do believe LHL does lie wake at night wondering ..how many the PAP will lose. He must do, if he is reading all the online forums …the stuff that ST will never publish.
But the blame rests heavily on us on why and how the PAP has taken over our lives for so long.
For too many years, the PAP has been telling us we have never had it so good.
For example, we have a roof over our heads for a start. Only it does not belong to us after 99 years, so don’t hope to leave it to your children. You just PAY AND PAY rent…all your life.
No doubt you have other issues too.
We have no say in what the PAP does.
We never do , we never did and we will never have.
ITS THEIR COUNTRY TO DO AS THEY WANT, PAY THEMSELVES WHAT THEY WANT ETC.
WE ONLY LIVE HERE.
They built a mausoleum of a Parliament so the PAP MP’s can doze off in aircon comfort away from the oppressive heat. And awake only to say YES to their leaders.
Its also our fault that over the years, we have allowed the PAP to become so powerful that all else is swept aside. We were not too bothered to care. Most of us were too busy just trying to survive.
Now are we beginning to care? Maybe.
The PAP have the money and the clout to rail road anyone and anything in its way. It has the money to spend like no other political party can do. It is Uniquely Singaporean.
It has the clout of the media.
SPH sold its soul to the PAP many years ago for less than 30 pieces of silver for the monopoly and the licence to print money.The PAP have in place their own henchmen to “jaga” the stooges of print and radio and TV.
The Editor of ST and his puppets were too meek to question MM, for example, when he made those testy remarks about the Muslims.. Reasons are obvious: the Editors would pee in their pants just thinking of asking MM a question.(A joke though not funny…around Harrys ..is that MM penned all the questions himself)
The PAP controls the horizontal and vertical of all media. And everything else in between.
So what chance for the Opposition?
My 89 year old mother in-law, who lives in a rat infested nursing home in JB says , “there can be some surprises.”
(Note: she lives there because our gahmen does not want old people here , if they can help it)
So what then could be the biggest upset on Polling night?
The Opposition capturing say… 10 seats!!
The PAP will be heavily wounded. But then they may start to LISTEN.
There appears a groundswell that MM should throw in the towel and let LHL be his own man and be the REAL PM. Its not easy , I suppose to live in the shadow of his father.
MM today looks , day by day, excess to requirements.
Maybe he should go quietly before he is pushed.
There are some who believe that MM is a giant among men. But we all know the story of Jack and the Beanstalk. Even giants fail and fall.
Things will then change. For starters, the gahmen will LISTEN AGAIN….where they stopped listening a long time ago.
But nothing will really change until the MAN goes to the happy hunting ground and LHL passes the baton to his successor.
But all will change forever..when the NEW Singaporeans..the very people the PAP brought in by the planeloads, turned them into Singaporeans……and will be the ones to oust the PAP.
The hand that fed them will bite them back.
So, if we are allowed to dream, even in Singapore…think what a result it will be if MM, SM,WKS, Khaw and MBT lose their seats.
And if we are allowed to dream more, how would it be if they they lose their deposit.
What a night! What a result!
And years later, children will continue toask..”Why was that (polling)night so different from any other night?”
What a story to be told.
Meantime, ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to come to the aid of the OPPOSITION PARTY.
If you get to vote. JUST DO IT.
April 19, 2011 at 5:59 pm
“” My 89 year old mother in-law, who lives in a rat infested nursing home in JB “” .. “(Note: she lives there because our gahmen does not want old people here , if they can help it)”"
Is she a malaysian or singaporean?
if malaysian, its not our government’s problem..
if singaporean, do you have anything that shows that government block her return or stay in singapore??
April 26, 2011 at 8:47 am
Vote Desmond Lim!
I met him before, he is humble and friendly.
May 2, 2011 at 2:30 pm
I’m staying in PASIR RIS-PUNGGOL GRC , Hougang st 61. Till now I have not seen any poster of the SDA candidates around my area.
May 2, 2011 at 2:49 pm
My dear Singaporean Voters,
My heart filled with hatred when so many PAP artices reported in today’s ST. My anger was boiling when I see a half page of NTUC youths photograph inside. I immediately throw it away. WTF!
I am telling myself that I must let my children to know the truth. Cos they are innocent youth who have been brainwashed by NTUC. What has Lim Swee Say done so far for the workers in Singapore ? He knew how to play golf only. I think he needs to retire too. Please let your nieces, nephews, children, friends’ children who have join in this so called “youth unionist from NTUC” know that it is totally a very shameful and disgrace thing to join them. Please have a good sleep on May06 and the next morning, please, I am begging you straight away go to the polling centre to cast a vote. Throw away all the newspapers especially the ang mo paper, never never read or else you will be poisoned.