“The more difficult things get, the harder I work” – Chee Soon Juan resumes work at Bukit Batok a week after GE2020

Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) chief Chee Soon Juan resumed his grassroots work at Bukit Batok SMC, a week after the 2020 General Election took place and pledged to work hard even though he narrowly lost the ward to the ruling party incumbent.

Dr Chee has been active on the ground at Bukit Batok for the past four years, since he contested the 2016 by-election in the single member ward, that was left vacant after People’s Action Party (PAP) MP David Ong resigned due to an extra-marital affair with a grassroots member.

The PAP fielded lawyer Murali Pillai as their candidate in the ward. Mr Pillai, who lost the 2015 General Election when he went against the Workers’ Party team at Aljunied GRC, won the Bukit Batok by-election with over 60 per cent of the vote.

He did not fare so well when he faced off with Dr Chee again in the latest election but was returned to Parliament with 54.8 per cent of the vote. Dr Chee was among the best performing opposition candidates who failed to win a ward and achieved his personal best score of 45.2 per cent since he first contested electoral politics over two decades ago, in 1997.

In a Facebook post published exactly a week after the nation went to the polls, Dr Chee said that he has resumed his grassroots work in the western ward. Referring to his campaign promise of turning Bukit Batok into a model town if he was elected, Dr Chee said that his plans have only been set back, not extinguished.

Revealing that he is working on a new community initiative through which he can serve and connect with Bukit Batok residents, Dr Chee promised to unveil more details of his grassroots campaign in the coming days. He wrote:

“Today, 18 July 2020, my work at Bukit Batok resumes. Just concluded a meeting with residents and volunteers to begin a new chapter in BB – a grassroots campaign to continue to serve and connect with Batokians. Will announce details of the initiative over the next several days and weeks. My goal of turning BB into a model town suffered a setback, not demise.”

Alluding to his tumultuous but enduring political journey, the veteran politician added: “It’ll be harder to get things done but that’s my life’s story – the more difficult things get, the harder I work.”

“Angst over foreign workers continues to be at the forefront of Bukit Batok residents’ minds” – Chee Soon Juan