Benjamin Pwee wears slippers now!

[leetahbah]

Benjamin Pwee joins DPP leadership as acting secretary-general

SINGAPORE - Opposition politician Benjamin Pwee has joined the leadership of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) as acting secretary-general.

He was co-opted into the Central Executive Committee (CEC) at a closed-door meeting yesterday, while six other independents were officially accepted as party members and cadres.

The DPP's secretary-general, Mr Seow Khee Leng, went on leave from the party from yesterday and handed over the leadership reins to Mr Pwee.

The DPP said in a statement that Mr Pwee and his new team will prepare for the party's congress in March, where Mr Pwee will officially take over as secretary-general.

The new team also intends to reach out to other opposition parties through a joint Lunar New Year walkabout, as well as collaboration in various areas.

Mr Pwee is also discussing the possibility of an alliance leadership role to rally the opposition parties to jointly strategise and plan for the next General Election, due in 2016.

The new DPP leadership team will launch several activities, including a day-trip to Pulai and Batu Pahat for residents, monthly "happy hour" at a pub at Clarke Quay and monthly Meet-the-People sessions in selected constituencies.

Also in the CEC are Mr John Chiam (chairman), Mr Mohamad Hamim Aliyas (vice-chairman), Mr Wilfred Leung (assistant secretary-general), Mr Winston Lim (treasurer), Ms Juliana Juwahir (assistant treasurer) Mr Ting Tze Jiang (organising secretary) and Mr Sa'aban Ali (assistant organising secretary).

All, except Mr Lim, are ex-members of the Singapore People's Party.

CHANNEL NEWSASIA

 

[Kohliantye]

The title of the thread reminds me of MELLISSA HYAK?

She loved using the "slipperman" word on a politician.

She must be stupid to do so as she, if truly educated, ought to know that the Indian Gandhi wore slippers too.

Wonder where she is now? Hope not a full-time PAP member!

 

[myfoot123]

Benjamin Pwee joins DPP leadership as acting secretary-general

SINGAPORE - Opposition politician Benjamin Pwee has joined the leadership of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) as acting secretary-general.

He was co-opted into the Central Executive Committee (CEC) at a closed-door meeting yesterday, while six other independents were officially accepted as party members and cadres.

The DPP's secretary-general, Mr Seow Khee Leng, went on leave from the party from yesterday and handed over the leadership reins to Mr Pwee.

The DPP said in a statement that Mr Pwee and his new team will prepare for the party's congress in March, where Mr Pwee will officially take over as secretary-general.

CHANNEL NEWSASIA

Everybody leaves a party wanted to be secretary-general. Why huh? If defeated will he quit and became political analysis to blame everyone except himself?

 

[Fook Seng]

Everybody leaves a party wanted to be secretary-general. Why huh? If defeated will he quit and became political analysis to blame everyone except himself?

You should ask GMS this question. Only he can answer this well.

 

[tanwahp]

He's definitely lacking in acumen.

There are more than enough parties to choose from and they are reviving a dormant party which is as good as forming a new one. Publicizing the pubbing event just adds to this.

I was amazed when he said someone had pledged $2 million to SPP charity and was not surprised when nothing was heard after that.

Forget about the "necessary scholar". PAP has many of them.

 

[leetahbah]

Everybody leaves a party wanted to be secretary-general. Why huh? If defeated will he quit and became political analysis to blame everyone except himself?

That is what they call career advancement

 

[cass888]

Why are you guys going to understand that NSP follows the UMNO/MCA model rather than the PAP/WP model - in other words, the President is the leader and the Sec Gen is just a runner for the President. Steve Chia never pretended to be the leader, but General of the Armies (minus 10 ranks) Goh Meng Seng tried to be coy and said that the roles were shared - yes, the leader role was with the President and secretary role with the Sec Gen.

Everybody leaves a party wanted to be secretary-general. Why huh? If defeated will he quit and became political analysis to blame everyone except himself?

 

[scroobal]

Does Ben Swee know of Seow Khee Leng's background? Why touch a tainted party when he could have started a new one. Afterall, it all news office bearers.

 

[metalmickey]

Does Ben Swee know of Seow Khee Leng's background? Why touch a tainted party when he could have started a new one. Afterall, it all news office bearers.

The newest party reform party is not doing very well at the moment. Maybe he just wanted to capitalise on existing infrastructure? Maybe taking over an existing party is less work than forming a new one? Maybe getting contacts? Maybe getting name recognition? Scholars are very busy.

Tainted parties still do pretty OK. Before 2011, SDP was a tainted party, but it still did OK during GE 2011.

He probably thought he could wrest SPP away from Chiam See Tong. At the rate that old parties are dying these days it won't be that difficult for him to recruit new members.

 

[Fook Seng]

Why are you guys going to understand that NSP follows the UMNO/MCA model rather than the PAP/WP model - in other words, the President is the leader and the Sec Gen is just a runner for the President. Steve Chia never pretended to be the leader, but General of the Armies (minus 10 ranks) Goh Meng Seng tried to be coy and said that the roles were shared - yes, the leader role was with the President and secretary role with the Sec Gen.

He knew that not before he joined NSP but after.

 

[cass888]

Does Ben Swee know of Seow Khee Leng's background? Why touch a tainted party when he could have started a new one. Afterall, it all news office bearers.

SKL was elected NCMP. Ok, actually he was second choice NCMP.

 

[LordElrond]

SKL was elected NCMP. Ok, actually he was second choice NCMP.

What happened to your lovely ciggy?

 

[The_Hypocrite]

Hi Frens,,I also surprise that ah pwee who has alot of potential go and join the slipper party,,but think about it,,if the trouble maker leadership resigns,,and it can recruit better candidates and use the existing system to get things done,,,and ah pwee brings in respectability to the party,,there is hope,,but DPP will have to work with all the smaller parties,,,with RP etc,,,than we will have SDP, WP and DPP gang,,sda i cant even bother to mention,,

this was wat hitler did,,he join the nazi party,,small and minor,,and in the end it became big,,,but DPP must really reform,,,its say also that Pwee could have revitalised SPP with CST as paramount leader,,but sigh,,chiam is too reluctant to hand over power,,due to that,,Chiam's legacy is all but gone now,,,he will not get any votes in the neext erection,,maybe can get PP back,,but will ppl vote for Lena Chiam,,,,??? i know i would as she will be better than the SHITO Eat Shit,,,,pap dog,,

 

[wwabbit]

Ben Pwee believes that he has what it takes to lead a party into power from scratch, unfortunately this doesn't happen very often in a First Past The Post system. Sure, the Nazi Party managed it, but Germany has always been using a Proportionate Representation system that gave the Nazi Party 32 out of 472 seats with just 6.55% of the total valid votes in their first ever election. In FPTP, small parties mostly have very little chance.

 

[metalmickey]

Ben Pwee believes that he has what it takes to lead a party into power from scratch, unfortunately this doesn't happen very often in a First Past The Post system. Sure, the Nazi Party managed it, but Germany has always been using a Proportionate Representation system that gave the Nazi Party 32 out of 472 seats with just 6.55% of the total valid votes in their first ever election. In FPTP, small parties mostly have very little chance.

If Ben Pwee grows the party into a respectable size, say 10 seats, he will never form a government. But he could be a significant force in a coalition with other opposition parties. A big if, since everybody now sees him as a defector from Chiam's party.

 

[wwabbit]

The problem is with getting the first seat.
Wherever they want to compete, they not only need to beat the PAP, but they need to convince the voters to vote for them instead of the more mature opposition party.

 

[metalmickey]

The problem is with getting the first seat.
Wherever they want to compete, they not only need to beat the PAP, but they need to convince the voters to vote for them instead of the more mature opposition party.

SPP made a fatal mistake. Chiam should have contested Potong Pasir, he would have won. And he would have kept his party together. The only good reason why he couldn't keep Potong Pasir was that he wouldn't have lasted the full term.

 

[The_Hypocrite]

some voters dont like mrs chiam so they vote for PAP and get screwed even more,,CST should have ask Pwee to contest PP and he would have won,,but CST want too much control and now,,CST legaccy is gone,,,

SPP made a fatal mistake. Chiam should have contested Potong Pasir, he would have won. And he would have kept his party together. The only good reason why he couldn't keep Potong Pasir was that he wouldn't have lasted the full term.

 

[liangshan]

He's definitely lacking in acumen.

There are more than enough parties to choose from and they are reviving a dormant party which is as good as forming a new one. Publicizing the pubbing event just adds to this.

I was amazed when he said someone had pledged $2 million to SPP charity and was not surprised when nothing was heard after that.

Forget about the "necessary scholar". PAP has many of them.

Prior to this news, Benjamin revealed 3 opposition parties approached him and SDP was not one of them.
One was called the "mega star" big party which I think it's obvious it's WP.
One was DPP.
The other was not revealed. But I'm guessing it's NSP since Benjamin Pwee was quite close to them and went for walkabout with them and Tan Jee Say last Chinese New year. I really thought he would have joined NSP.

And then this pieces of news came out that he's taking over as SG of DPP.

I can only conclude he's as power-hungry as other opposition leaders.

 

[Asterix]

I think this guy Benjamin Pwee spent some time in Hong Kong before returning to SG?

If so, he should know the importance of looking the part, for as Polonius said in Hamlet:

Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,
But not express'd in fancy; rich, not gaudy,
For the apparel oft proclaims the man,
And they in France of the best rank and station
Or of a most select and generous chief in that.

For a Cantonese version of this admonishment, please view the video

[video=youtube;P5SjBwL-P4I]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5SjBwL-P4I[/video]