6 Impatient Ex- WP members who could have been MPs

[scroobal]

Eric Tan - Banker
Chia Ti Lik - Lawyer
Goh Meng Seng - Entrepreneur
Hazel Poa - Scholar / Entrepreneur / Elite Admin Service
Tony Tan - Scholar / Entrepreneur / Elite Admin Service
James Gomez - Academic

They might make claims from difference in ideology, strategy and even party conduct but everyone of them would have been ranked higher than Lim Li Lian. But I have no doubt that there will be a tinge of regret despite refusing to acknowledge this in public. Their subsequent conduct is secondary and would be material later but they could have made it if they has their priorities right.

The aim is to become an MP. The aim is not to be the party sec general. Chen SM who is imminently qualified in paper and in the legal and corporate world understood that. He thus became an MP.

The other distraction is that people confuse activism with politics. It is as different as chalk and cheese. Politicians use social issues to deliver needs of society. Note the number of people in political parties that have not fared well calling themselves as activist.

The third issue is to engage the people / the voters, not the govt, not the press, and not be a showboat. James Gomez and Chia Ti Lik fall in the category. So much hot air and nothing to show for it. James Gomez singlehandedly started or has been associated with so many things political and still has nothing to show for it - rounndtable, think centre, WP, SDP, books, registration of new society etc.

 

[steffychun]

I dont know

Eric Tan - Banker
Chia Ti Lik - Lawyer

very well. Who were they?

 

[songsongpunggol]

other than csj i think if they ask wp nicely to take them back i think there shouldn't be any problems.

li lilian lost before now she won.

never give up if you really are serious about politics.

try and try again until you suceed.

 

[metalmickey]

I dont know

Eric Tan - Banker
Chia Ti Lik - Lawyer

very well. Who were they?

Eric Tan is a WP stalwart who helped lead the East Coast GRC team to a very respectable 45% showing in GE2011.

I didn't know that Hazel Poa and Tony Tan were former WP members.

But there are basically three things.

When you are in parliament, your job is to represent the people.
When you are in a party CEC, your job is to advance the interests of your party.
When you are an activist, your job is to advance your cause.

All three have overlaps but they are fundamentally different, and they sometimes conflict with each other. The first two are political, but they sometimes also conflict. It's really up to the person to decide which one they regard as the most important.

 

[steffychun]

Eric Tan is a WP stalwart who helped lead the East Coast GRC team to a very respectable 45% showing in GE2011.

I didn't know that Hazel Poa and Tony Tan were former WP members.

But there are basically three things.

When you are in parliament, your job is to represent the people.
When you are in a party CEC, your job is to advance the interests of your party.
When you are an activist, your job is to advance your cause.

All three have overlaps but they are fundamentally different, and they sometimes conflict with each other. The first two are political, but they sometimes also conflict. It's really up to the person to decide which one they regard as the most important.

Aye thanks.

Doubt WP wil bring back oldies

 

[jswyodn]

I agree. WP will not bring them back. There's no such thing as friends or enemies in politics after all, only shared interests. All of the above folks are no longer of any use to the WP since they have very little political influence now. WP already has people clamouring to join them by the droves and will not look back at former members unless they really have something to offer.

 

[scroobal]

Eric Tan is the biggest loser. A moment of madness. Poor chap, 2 BEs in quick succession and he would have been a certain contender.

 

[ray_of_hope]

I agree with those who say that WP will not take them back. From what I know there are some others of equivalent status and standing (yet to be formally introduced) who have started indicating joining WP. Thus, there is no need to accept those who left in a huff.

PS: I did not know Tony Tan/Hazel Poa were with WP. They were with RP.

 

[jixiaolan]

Bro, do not always equal participation in politics as wanting to become mp. WP must do self reflection on why the promising slate of candidates introduced in GE06 only left with Glenda Han. The WP cannot enjoy today success without the hard work from these candidates who came forward to offer themselves after GE2001 where the party only managed to field contest on 2 seats.

Eric Tan is the biggest loser. A moment of madness. Poor chap, 2 BEs in quick succession and he would have been a certain contender.

 

[jixiaolan]

Talents can easily be replaced. Passionate and capable ones, less so.

I agree. WP will not bring them back. There's no such thing as friends or enemies in politics after all, only shared interests. All of the above folks are no longer of any use to the WP since they have very little political influence now. WP already has people clamouring to join them by the droves and will not look back at former members unless they really have something to offer.

 

[metalmickey]

I agree with those who say that WP will not take them back. From what I know there are some others of equivalent status and standing (yet to be formally introduced) who have started indicating joining WP. Thus, there is no need to accept those who left in a huff.

PS: I did not know Tony Tan/Hazel Poa were with WP. They were with RP.

There is another important reason why these big people who left will not join back. If you leave an organisation, other people will think that they will get a chance. If you get the "prodigal sons" back, and put them at the head of the queue, that will be bad for morale. Reading the "men in White" told me that in the early days the PAP has problems keeping everybody happy because the number of plum positions (cadreship, MP seats, CEC membership) is small compared to the number of hardworking people who freely give their time for grassroots activity. If they return, they probably have to join the back of the line.

Some of those people who left, I'm sure it's to exit politics entirely.

 

[ray_of_hope]

There is another important reason why these big people who left will not join back. If you leave an organisation, other people will think that they will get a chance. If you get the "prodigal sons" back, and put them at the head of the queue, that will be bad for morale. Reading the "men in White" told me that in the early days the PAP has problems keeping everybody happy because the number of plum positions (cadreship, MP seats, CEC membership) is small compared to the number of hardworking people who freely give their time for grassroots activity. If they return, they probably have to join the back of the line.

Some of those people who left, I'm sure it's to exit politics entirely.

Chia Ti Lik set up his own party, Socialist Front.
James Gomez let to join SDP.

From the political direction both these 2 took it is clear that they did not belong in WP in the first place, since LTK became Sec-Gen in 2001..

 

[metalmickey]

Chia Ti Lik set up his own party, Socialist Front.
James Gomez let to join SDP.

From the political direction both these 2 took it is clear that they did not belong in WP in the first place, since LTK became Sec-Gen in 2001..

This is how I feel that the opposition should behave. There was a time in the past when "opposition" just means "opposition", ie "anything but PAP".

When political parties start to have their own identities, people should just sort themselves out by voting with their feet. Join the political party which most suits you. There's no need for "opposition unity". Part as friends, and then join the one that's really for you.

Eventually, one by one the political parties die out and the last opposition party standing will be the grand unified opposition party, the one that those proponents of "opposition unity" wanted in the first place.

 

[ray_of_hope]

This is how I feel that the opposition should behave. There was a time in the past when "opposition" just means "opposition", ie "anything but PAP".

When political parties start to have their own identities, people should just sort themselves out by voting with their feet. Join the political party which most suits you. There's no need for "opposition unity". Part as friends, and then join the one that's really for you.

Eventually, one by one the political parties die out and the last opposition party standing will be the grand unified opposition party, the one that those proponents of "opposition unity" wanted in the first place.

This is the reason that right from the start, well before Nomination Day, I was a strong advocate of MCF. And unlike yourself I also wanted SDP in the game too. All these parties need to know exactly where they stand relative to each other. If SDP was in, WP would still have won comfortably.

 

[elephanto]

Reading this thread. Makes me happy .....

so intelligent, so many gems

i.e. until the inane and the insane barge in : IBs and one bird who always stalk scroo & slam everyone else as sucking up to him...

metalmickey even sgparent, rayofhope etc keep it up !

 

[metalmickey]

This is the reason that right from the start, well before Nomination Day, I was a strong advocate of MCF. And unlike yourself I also wanted SDP in the game too. All these parties need to know exactly where they stand relative to each other. If SDP was in, WP would still have won comfortably.

YEh, but not all parties have to die out. Even if not all the parties unify, you can have multiple parties representing different interests, different views. And then they can be part of a coalition. I think in Taiwan and Japan there are many many opposition parties. I want the useless parties to die, not the ones that still serve a plausible purpose. SDP and WP are so different that surely there's enough room in Singapore for both of them.

 

[kukubird58]

Eric Tan - Banker
Chia Ti Lik - Lawyer
Goh Meng Seng - Entrepreneur
Hazel Poa - Scholar / Entrepreneur / Elite Admin Service
Tony Tan - Scholar / Entrepreneur / Elite Admin Service
James Gomez - Academic

hahaha...as usual when it comes to facts, my idol is always wrong.....
he has been caught so many times that he has becum immune with his thick hide.....
trust the blur elephant to cum in and porlumpar without knowing what was wrong.....
another classic....priceless..

 

[marjojohn]

Eric Tan - Banker
Chia Ti Lik - Lawyer
Goh Meng Seng - Entrepreneur
Hazel Poa - Scholar / Entrepreneur / Elite Admin Service
Tony Tan - Scholar / Entrepreneur / Elite Admin Service
James Gomez - Academic

They might make claims from difference in ideology, strategy and even party conduct but everyone of them would have been ranked higher than Lim Li Lian. But I have no doubt that there will be a tinge of regret despite refusing to acknowledge this in public. Their subsequent conduct is secondary and would be material later but they could have made it if they has their priorities right.

The aim is to become an MP. The aim is not to be the party sec general. Chen SM who is imminently qualified in paper and in the legal and corporate world understood that. He thus became an MP.

The other distraction is that people confuse activism with politics. It is as different as chalk and cheese. Politicians use social issues to deliver needs of society. Note the number of people in political parties that have not fared well calling themselves as activist.

The third issue is to engage the people / the voters, not the govt, not the press, and not be a showboat. James Gomez and Chia Ti Lik fall in the category. So much hot air and nothing to show for it. James Gomez singlehandedly started or has been associated with so many things political and still has nothing to show for it - rounndtable, think centre, WP, SDP, books, registration of new society etc.

mY OWN OBSERVATION, HEAVEN GOT EYES . SO FAR THOSE FROM WP THAT GET INTO PARLIAMENT DESERVE TO B THERE IMMATERIAL OF THEIR QUALIFICATION. THOSE MENTIONED ABOVE REALLY NONE DESERVE A PLACE IN PARLIAMENT. HEAVEN GOT EYES!!! SINGAPORE IS BLESSED!! I DARE SAY NONE OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED AND CSJ WILL EVER FIND A PLACE IN PARLIAMENT IN THEIR LIVING TIMES!!!

 

[wwabbit]

SDP and WP are so different that surely there's enough room in Singapore for both of them.

There's always room for more political parties. Just a matter of whether they can win votes and seats.

 

[ray_of_hope]

I DARE SAY NONE OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED AND CSJ WILL EVER FIND A PLACE IN PARLIAMENT IN THEIR LIVING TIMES!!!

This I agree. However, CSJ has his groupies who think otherwise.