SINGAPORE: With a general election approaching, Singapore Democratic Party secretary-general Dr Chee Soon Juan is intensifying his campaign to win the Bukit Batok Single Member Constituency (SMC) seat. As part of his efforts, he will hold a series of fundraising dinners at his restaurant, Orange & Teal.
In a video posted on his Facebook page earlier this month, Dr Chee highlights the importance of this election, describing it as “the most historic and crucial in our lifetimes”. His fundraising initiative will give supporters the opportunity to engage with him, discuss the SDP’s strategy, and learn more about his vision for Singapore.
“The idea is to have a meaningful dinner with you during which I’ll also brief on the state of my campaign,” shared Dr Chee in a video posted on his Facebook page on Feb 1.
“I’ll also answer any question that you might have regarding the SDP’s strategy. I know that $100 is a lot of money, but I won’t be asking for your assistance if I didn’t think so much of our nation’s future is at stake, and my winning the seat at Bukit Batok was so important.”
Those interested in contributing to Dr Chee’s election fundraising may purchase a ticket at orangeandteal.sg and select any date from Feb 18 to 26. There will be weekday dinners and weekend buffets from 3 pm to 5 pm.
Dr Chee says his campaign is not just about winning a seat in Parliament; it’s about changing the course of Singapore’s history. He urges Singaporeans to support his campaign, stating that “the road to a democratic and hopeful future for Singapore runs through Bukit Batok”.
At the heart of his campaign are two critical issues: the rising cost of living and immigration.
The SDP secretary-general claimed that the relentless increase in the cost of living is not due to uncontrollable global factors, as mentioned by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, but rather the result of the “PAP’s mishandling of the economy”.
Dr Chee said the rising cost of living is “absolutely preventable” and the SDP has viable alternative proposals to address it.
Speaking about immigration, Dr Chee said, “The PAP’s policy of bringing in more and more foreigners into this country and the grave consequences it will have on this country, including continual high inflation, a deterioration of our quality of life, and the ultimate demise of our Republic.
“Apart from causing prices to rise, the rate of immigrants coming into this country has contributed to the woes of Singaporeans when it comes to wages, not to mention the deleterious effects of stress and mental health on Singaporeans.”
Dr Chee, the SDP secretary-general since the 1990s, also criticised the PAP for not articulating a clear plan to address these problems. Instead, the party offered vague promises to help Singaporeans “cope” with the high prices.
“Singaporeans want to get ahead, not just get by. We want to thrive, not just survive,” he asserted.
“We cannot continue down this dangerous road. It is a dead-end street. If we don’t change course, we are going to be in even greater peril.”
Dr Chee initially vied for a seat in the Holland-Bukit Timah Group Representation Constituency (GRC) during the 2015 general election. However, he shifted his focus to Bukit Batok SMC in the 2016 by-election.
In his first attempt at Bukit Batok SMC, he polled 38.77% against Murali Pillai from the People’s Action Party. He contested the same constituency again in the 2020 general election and improved his results, garnering 45.20% of the vote — 12,787 out of 29,948 eligible voters.
The SDP last tasted victory in the 1991 general election, a historic moment when the party won three seats in Parliament. Former party chief Chiam See Tong successfully retained Potong Pasir SMC, while Cheo Chai Chen and Ling How Doong won Nee Soon Central and Bukit Gombak, respectively.