Ex-Singapore People’s Party (SPP) member Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss was among a group of volunteer lawyers who offered pro-bono legal services to Aljunied-Hougang residents, on Sunday (24 Nov). Ms Chong-Aruldoss and fellow lawyers prepared Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) documents for Aljunied GRC residents at no charge as part of the Workers’ Party’s (WP) effort to educate their constituents on the importance of LPAs.
An LPA is a legal document that allows an individual to appoint people they trust to make decisions and act on their behalf in the areas of personal welfare, property and affairs should they lose mental capacity. Aljunied GRC MPs Sylvia Lim and Chen Show Mao have been giving talks on LPA. On Sunday (24 Nov), Ms Lim led a team of volunteer lawyers in certifying LPAs for residents at no charge at an event held at Block 117 Hougang Avenue 1.
WP secretary-general Pritam Singh shared photos from the event, that was held at Block 117 Hougang Ave 1, on Facebook and Ms Chong-Aruldoss could be seen among the group of lawyers who provided pro-bono signing of LPA documents.
Her participation at the WP event comes weeks after she joined WP member Yee Jenn Jong’s walkabouts in Marine Parade, shortly after she resigned from the SPP.
Ms Chong-Aruldoss – who was an SPP Central Executive Committee (CEC) member – announced her resignation from the SPP on 4 Sept – the same day that the party indicated that 84-year-old Mr Chiam will step down after 23 years at the party’s helm to make way for new blood.
Ms Chong-Aruldoss later told The Independent that she decided to resign from the party “after considering all the implications of my decision” and that she does not plan to join another political party.
On whether her resignation from the SPP marks the end of her political career, she said: “There are many ways of serving in politics and I hope to continue serving my country and my countrymen in one way or another.”
After she was spotted accompanying the WP on their walkabouts in Marine Parade following her resignation from the SPP, Ms Chong-Aruldoss told The Independent that she has not joined the WP but is supporting Mr Yee in her personal capacity as she wishes to help him win the Marine Parade ward she lives in during the next General Election.
On why she is volunteering with Mr Yee’s team, Ms Chong-Aruldoss told The Independent that she believes in stepping forward and volunteering for a cause she believes in. Noting that alternative parties need all the support they can get, Ms Chong-Aruldoss called on Singaporeans to pitch in and volunteer with opposition parties:
“I live in Joo Chiat, which was an SMC in GE2011 and which subsequently become a part of MP GRC for GE2015. WP contested Joo Chiat SMC in GE2011 and MP GRC in GE 2015. WP’s Yee Jenn Jong lost his bid for Joo Chiat by a very narrow margin in GE2011. Yee Jenn Jong led the WP team which contested MP GRC in GE 2015. I have supported WP/Yee Jenn Jong in GE2011 and GE2015.
“In the run up to GE 2015, it was very difficult for candidates of alternative parties to meet condo residents. I live in a condo. To help him connect with my neighbours, I organised a gathering at the BBQ of my condo in Aug 2015 to give my neighbours the opportunity to meet YJJ – see links.
“As a resident, I would like to see WP to win my constituency in the next GE, so I am lending my personal support. It is good people that people take an interest in what is going on in Singapore. But it is even better to step forward to volunteer for whatever cause one supports or believes in. The alternative parties need all the support they can get. I hope more people would come forward to help the alternative parties as volunteers.”