‘Tan who?’ Netizens wonder why ex WP chair is weighing in on Pritam Singh’s discipline case, special cadre conference

SINGAPORE: After a letter from the former Workers’ Party (WP) chair was made public, calling for the special cadre members’ conference (SCMC) to be expedited rather than waiting for the results of the disciplinary panel on party chief Pritam Singh.

CNA reported on the evening of Feb 6 (Friday) that Tan Bin Seng had written a letter to WP chair Sylvia Lim asking the Central Executive Committee (CEC) for the SCMC to be convened at the “earliest reasonable opportunity, without waiting for a disciplinary panel and timeline and report.”

The WP announced on Jan 2 that its CEC had met to deliberate on issues arising from the High Court judgment that upheld Mr Singh’s conviction for two counts of lying to the Committee of Privileges in Parliament, as well as a request by members to hold an SCMC. The CEC then directed that a disciplinary panel be formed to assess whether party leader Mr Singh had contravened the party’s constitution.

The panel is supposed to accomplish its aim within three months, after which, the notice of the SCMC would be issued within two weeks.

In Dr Tan’s letter to Ms Lim, he wrote, “The matter at hand is of exceptional gravity, involving constitutional obligations, public accountability, and the moral standing of our party leadership,” adding that other cadres and members had expressed concerns over the issue and requested the SCMC.

“These concerns deserve to be addressed promptly, transparently, and decisively,” he wrote, warning against delaying the process.

Dr Tan also told CNA that he felt that with over a month already since the WP had made its announcement, it “has stretched on for quite long already,” when, normally, a request from cadres for an emergency meeting meant it would take place quickly.

A number of netizens responding to Dr Tan’s letter have expressed puzzlement as to why he’s weighing in on the issue at all, especially since it’s been many years since Ms Lim took over as party chair, which took place in 2003.

“All the sudden come back so concerned ah?” wrote one, while at least one other commenter asked, “Tan who?”.

Over on Reddit, a user on the platform opined on why he felt the WP was taking its time. “I feel that (Dr Tan is) a bit out of touch with the ground? During his time, the WP only had one MP in Parliament. They currently have 10 MPs and 2 NCMPs, and with Budget debates coming up, it seems reasonable that they will be stretched during this period, especially since two of the panellists are MPs.”

Others agreed with some of the points Dr Tan made, underscoring the importance of the WP dealing with the matter decisively and with transparency.

For example, one wrote, “I believe the Workers’ Party should take this matter seriously and make a clear decision on how to deal with PS. As a party positioning itself as a loyal opposition that scrutinises the Government on standards and accountability, it must also uphold the same principles internally. Having unresolved issues within its own ranks risks undermining its credibility. Otherwise, it does come across as a double standard.” /TISG

Read also: Worker’s Party disciplinary panel seeks member input on Pritam Singh