Former SingFirst chief and presidential candidate Tan Jee Say applies to rejoin SDP

Singapore — The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) announced on Monday (June 29) that Mr Tan Jee Say had applied to rejoin the party.

Mr Tan was Secretary-General of the now-dissolved Singaporeans First (SingFirst) party. He is not new to the SDP or elections, as he contested under the SDP banner in the 2011 General Election. He was in the team that faced off against the People’s Action Party (PAP) team in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, getting 39.9% of the vote. This was the SDP’s best showing in the elections.

In a Facebook post, Mr Tan said he was applying to rejoin SDP as “the values of SDP reflect the values and beliefs I champion for Singaporeans”. He added that the SDP’s “alternative voice is what Singaporeans need”.

Mr Tan left SDP in 2011 to stand in the Presidential Election that year. He ended third out of four candidates, with 25% of the vote.

Mr Tan founded and led SingFirst in 2014. It was dissolved on June 25, 2020. The dissolution of the party, he said, was to promote opposition unity by allowing the opposition to consolidate.

In a Facebook post in which he shared the party’s Statement of Dissolution, he mentioned that its Central Executive Committee had encouraged its members to join other parties which reflect their values and beliefs.

Some of its former members are now active in the other opposition parties.

Dr Ang Yong Guan, who used to be the Chairman of the party, is now a candidate in the Progress Singapore Party (PSP). Mr Melvyn Chiu, who was a party member, is now a candidate in the Singapore People’s Party (SPP).

As at Monday (June 29) night, the SDP had yet to officially announce where it would be fielding its candidates, although its Secretary-General, Dr Chee Soon Juan, had confirmed that he would be contesting in the Bukit Batok SMC. /TISG