SINGAPORE — During their third-anniversary gala dinner, held at the Mouth Restaurant on Maxwell Road on June 24, Red Dot United (RDU) honoured former Potong Pasir SMC Member of Parliament Chiam See Tong and long-time leader of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), Dr Chee Soon Juan, with the ‘Lifetime Achievement’ and ‘Visionary Opposition Leader’ awards, respectively. These awards were given in recognition of their significant contributions and pivotal roles in shaping Singapore’s socio-political landscape.
Dr Chee was at the dinner with his fellow party members and volunteers, such as Tan Jee Say and Kumaran Pillai. In his acceptance speech after receiving the award from RDU’s chairman David Foo, the SDP’s secretary-general paid tribute to past opposition figures in Singapore, such as the late Lim Chin Siong, Said Zahari and JB Jeyaretnam, who have played a significant role in championing for democracy to the country.
“There is much work to be done. In the coming months, we have a general election to fight and we must fight with every ounce of our energy, with honesty and sincerity, and fearlessness. The PAP have demonstrated especially in the recent past to be hopelessly cemented to the twin pillars of greed and power,” shared Dr Chee, who first contested an election with the party during the Marine Parade by-election in 1992.
“It therefore falls on the democratic minds of our society to step forth and do battle with the forces that will lead our country along the dead end road of one party rule,” added Dr Chee.
About 160 guests attended the gala dinner. The momentous occasion also serves as an opportunity for the party to raise funds for its ongoing activities, including their political and community outreach. Dr David Foo, the party chairman, expressed his sincere appreciation to the sponsors and donors for fully funding the event through their generous contributions.
RDU was officially registered weeks before the 2020 election, and Dr Foo emphasised the significance of the party’s presence as a testament to the transformative power of pivotal events. The party contested Jurong GRC against a PAP team led by Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, garnering 25.39% of the votes.
“At the outset, we faced doubts about the availability of space for us to contest. When that opportunity finally emerged, we encountered the formidable challenge of assembling a team for Jurong GRC, a constituency that required five candidates,” shared Dr Foo as he recalled the party’s formation before the last general election and the subsequent journey that unfolded, filled with uncertainties and obstacles.
In his speech, RDU secretary-general Ravi Philemon stressed the necessity of a grassroots-driven movement and underscored the importance of strong institutions instead of relying on a system dependent on “a few good men.”
Philemon drew wisdom from a Chinese proverb, stating “花无百日红,人无千日好” (which roughly translates to ‘Flowers don’t remain red for a hundred days; people do not remain good for a thousand days.’). It highlights the insight from psychology and history that sheer willpower alone is an insufficient indicator of sustained goodness. To safeguard against potential abuses of power, Philemon emphasised the imperative of strong, rules-based institutions as essential checks and balances.
Chiam was represented by his spouse Lina Chiam. Lina served as a non-constituency member of parliament after she narrowly lost the Potong Pasir SMC to current MP Sitoh Yih Pin by 114 votes in the 2011 Singapore General Election.
“My husband would love to come as you all know he loves to attend the opposition political parties gathering. But time is not on his side and he could attend. But I told him that I am coming to the dinner and that Ravi and his RDU team will be presenting him with the Lifetime Achievement award. He nodded his head and gave his blessings. I know from my heart that he wishes everyone well,” said Lina saying a word of thanks to RDU for the award on behalf of Chiam.
Members from other opposition parties were also present at the dinner. Accompanying Lina at the dinner from Singapore People’s Party is secretary-general, Steve Chia and Melvyn Chiu. Seated together with them are Singapore Democratic Alliance chairman Desmond Lim, Reno Fong (president) and Spencer Ng (secretary-general) from the National Solidarity Party, and Progress Singapore Party’s cec member Wendy Low. Andy Zhu, the secretary-general of Singapore United Party and Abu Mohamed, president of PKMS, were also at the dinner.