The Singapore People’s Party has elected four fresh faces into its Central Executive Committee (CEC) at its Ordinary Party Conference yesterday evening (16 Oct). The party’s longtime secretary-general, veteran opposition politician Chiam See Tong, did not contest the CEC election – a move that signals an end to his 40-year political career.

Mr Chiam’s wife Lina Chiam, who served as the party’s chairman remains in the CEC. Kathleen Cheong, Steve Chia, Yong Seng Fatt, Ong Ming Hui, Williamson Lee, Ng Theng Lim and Shahir Shahfie were re-elected into the CEC.

The newly elected CEC members are Eman Lim, Jose Raymond, Ariffin Sha and Jalil Wari. Mr Jalil Wari is an SPP veteran who has helped Mr Chiam for over two decades while Mr Ariffin Sha is a 22-year-old undergraduate. 39-year-old Mr Eman Lim serves as the CEO of SingaSports Academy while 47-year-old Jose Raymond runs a communications firm.

The individual appointments within the CEC will be decided at the committee’s first meeting which is scheduled to take place sometime next month.

In a Facebook post published today (17 Oct), the party said: “We wish to thank the outgoing CEC and wish the incoming CEC all the very best. We are confident that the renewed party leadership will uphold the Party motto of ‘Service Before Self’, and always have the best interests of Singapore and Singaporeans at heart.”

84-year-old Chiam See Tong expected to step down as SPP chief to make way for younger leaders