too slow, too late?

Aug 11, 2010
Chiam: Vacating Potong Pasir a personal sacrifice to strengthen opposition

I REFER to Mr Michael Tan's letter last Saturday ('Chiam should have spared a thought for loyal voters').

I must balance the interest of Singapore and the interest of the residents of Potong Pasir.

To have a strong democracy, Singapore must have enough opposition in Parliament to balance the strength of the People's Action Party. Singapore has had only two opposition MPs for far too long, without the prospect of a successful opposition bid in capturing a group representation constituency (GRC).

I have decided to make a sacrifice by coming out of my comfort zone to capture a GRC in order to expand the strength of the opposition. I have not abandoned the residents of Potong Pasir. Their interest is always with me and so, for this reason, I have chosen my wife to take my place and represent me in Potong Pasir. She has been helping me all these years in parliamentary and constituency work.

I chose her because she is able and trustworthy, and not because she is my wife. Unlike Mr Low Thia Khiang (the other opposition MP, for Hougang), who is much younger than me, I have completed six elections. It is time for me to move forward to help the opposition grow. I seek your understanding and support for my decision, which was not an easy one to reach. In time, I hope Mrs Chiam will be able to earn the residents' trust to serve them.

I thank all residents for their unwavering support all these years and for my choice of the new candidate.

Chiam See Tong
MP for Potong Pasir

master chiam's ambitious plan to win some more bigger provinces could have come a bit too slow and too late. he was after all quite old now and striken with stroke. his health condition wasn't too good and his speech was rather blur.

the question on every peasants' mind now was : would he live until D-DAY? pray and keep the fingers crossed.

then there was the in-house bickering between auntie chiam and the protege desmondo (going to be ex soon). desmondo was feeling the heat of auntie chiam's breathe on his neck. instead of he being continued as the 2nd hand man to helm the clan, auntie chiam had taken over and cut into his queue. that could have pissed him off and now the internal strife and squabbling began......