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Lina Loh to Lianhe Zaobao on Chee-Chiam rift: Chiam was being forced out of SDP

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In her first ever interview with the mainstream media, the wife of veteran opposition leader Mr Chiam See Tong, Ms Lina Loh revealed that Mr Chiam was forced out of the Singapore Democratic Party he founded in 1980.

Ms Loh contacted Lianhe Zaobao herself after reading the Zaobao interview with Dr Chee Soon Juan which was published on 28 February 2010.

Dr Chee was quoted as saying in the interview that he tried to stop Mr Chiam from leaving SDP to no avail, but was disputed by Ms Loh who said it is only “half the story.”

Ms Loh was interviewed together with former SDP CEC member and current Singapore People Party’s Chairman Mr Sin Kek Tong by Lianhe Zaobao journalist Ms Yew Lun Tian.

She sneered at Dr Chee’s claims that he had wanted Mr Chiam to stay.

“If he really wanted to keep Mr Chiam, he coulld well reject the position of the Secretary-General or object to his expulsion when the CEC moved a motion to do so,” she was quoted as saying in Lianhe Zaobao.

During that critical disciplinary proceedings taken against Mr Chiam, only one out of 13 CEC members objected to Mr Chiam’s expulsion. Another one abstain.

Mr Chiam had been hauled up for disciplinary action by SDP CEC for criticizing Dr Chee Soon Juan’s hungry strike in the media. The latter had done so to protest against his “unfair” sacking from NUS for “misusing” research funds.

Ms Loh revealed that Mr Chiam had threatened to resign from his position as Secretary-General in a fit of anger and was amenable to mediation between the two camps spearheaded by Mr Sin.

As Mr Chiam was heading towards the political oblivion as being sacked from SDP would mean he lose his parliamentary seat as well, Mr Sin founded the Singapore People’s Party in 1994 which Mr Chiam eventually joined later in the year.

Ms Loh stressed that her decision to be interviewed is not to bad-mouth Dr Chee or to argue with him.

“I am only saying the truth for my husband to let the younger generation to understand Uncle Chiam, I need to step forward to clarify that he did not abandon SDP, when we were forced to leave, we were in so much pain in our hearts,” she said.

Mr Chiam’s acrimonious departure from SDP marked the beginning of its decline. After reaching dazzling heights during the 1991 general election when it won an unprecedented 3 seats, it would go on to lose all its seats in the 1997 election.

Though Dr Chee has perservered against all odds to keep the party together in the face of crippling defamation lawsuits launched against it by PAP leaders, it is unlikely that SDP will regain its former glory again.