Tan Jee Say Mystery ?

[Perspective]

Not knowing JS but just looking from outside in, what he is doing smacks of opportunism. He appears to be exiting from SDP in the wake of the GE as fast as he had entered to now jump on the bandwagon for the EP just as quickly as he had done so for the GE. This doesnt reflect well on him. It kinda begs the question - what does he really want?

I also agree that failing to qualify for the EP or failing to win is not going to be a positive development for his political career (if he is serious about one), and may well come home to haunt him.

I don't know how many remember but he was actually more of a NSP person than SDP person.

Initially he had approached NSP who offered candidacy in wards helmed by ministers closer to him hence he turned down. After the GE he is seen more with NSP people in particular Jeannette A and Nicole S, such as the MacPherson activity by Nicole. For his presidential bid, both women individually offered support in their FB while none of his ex SDP comrades (VW, JG, JT etc.) did (though the party itself did wish him the best).

 

[Perspective]

TJS doesn't really care if it will haunt him, this is a one shot thing for him, not everyone (you and me included) has the chance to announce for their intention to contest in EP, and if TJS doesn't jump in this time, he may never get the chance next time.

TJS has the opportunity to contest in the EP and he took the opportunity. That's better than no opportunity.

Have to agree. While it may not translate into votes in 2016, surely you have a headstart in getting followers. The rest is up to your leadership. Some like KJ has a good headstart but did terrible from there onwards. But better than no headstart.

I agree with Scroobal that TJS next stop in 2016 (after he fails to secure PE opportunity) will not be SDP. In fact, I dare venture a guess that it will be NSP.

 

[lovesamleong]

After the GE he is seen more with NSP people in particular Jeannette A and Nicole S, such as the MacPherson activity by Nicole. For his presidential bid, both women individually offered support in their FB while none of his ex SDP comrades (VW, JG, JT etc.) did (though the party itself did wish him the best).

SDP's Michelle Lee is seen with TJS during his press conference. Unsure if any other SDP party member showed up.

Actually, SDP no show is better because SDP`s presence may jeopardize TJS application for eligibility.

 

[MightyMouse]

Not knowing JS but just looking from outside in, what he is doing smacks of opportunism. He appears to be exiting from SDP in the wake of the GE as fast as he had entered to now jump on the bandwagon for the EP just as quickly as he had done so for the GE. This doesnt reflect well on him. It kinda begs the question - what does he really want?

I also agree that failing to qualify for the EP or failing to win is not going to be a positive development for his political career (if he is serious about one), and may well come home to haunt him.

Opportunism or otherwise, his announcement on contesting the EP has attracted a fair amount of online support. The desire to see a non-PAP related candidate is very very strong, so much so that many are hoping that TJS can qualify though it is quite clear that his eligibility is the weakest amongst the known candidates.

If TJS qualifies and contests, then TKL support base will be largely decimated. Similarly, some of TCB's potential voters will also move over to him. The biggest winner will be TT.

 

[kingrant]

The office of President is supposed to be one full of grace, magnanimity, dignity and poise. However, the way the process of selecting and electing our next President is already playing out to be quite a farce. No doubt the blame has to fall back squarely on the Old Man and his tinkering with the system to safeguard his and the PAP's hegemony. To his credit, he has reduced the once high office to one of partisanship politics. In the aftermath of the GE2011, leaving the PAP to lick its wounds, the recriminations have not abated, and any name endorsed by it seems to be a kiss of death. Opportunists have come forward to pander to the people's appetite for more bloodletting, and instead of focusing on finding a dignified honourable gentleman for the highest office in the land, we seemed destined to settling for whomever we can use to throw more eggs at the govt and rub salt into the wounds.

What a mess and quandary the PAP elder statesman has left us as his legacy! It's so sad.

 

[Perspective]

SDP's Michelle Lee is seen with TJS during his press conference. Unsure if any other SDP party member showed up.

Actually, SDP no show is better because SDP`s presence may jeopardize TJS application for eligibility.

To be exact, Michelle and Ang Yong Guan are the only 2 exceptions. The three are a "group", in that sense. I believe one more may be the Sadasivam chap.

If TJS cared about opposition affiliations, he wouldn't have joined SDP in the first place. And it's also not as if having endorsement of NSP is better.

 

[kingrant]

While he may not have cared going into the GE, this time it would be different because he is now offering himself as an EP candidate.

As I have argued, the EP very system corrupts the candidates and the process degenerates into one of ugly partisanship. It is Singapore PAP politics that has sullied the dignity and stature of the office of President. Gutter politics being elevated to the highest office in the land.

If TJS cared about opposition affiliations, he wouldn't have joined SDP in the first place. And it's also not as if having endorsement of NSP is better.

 

[Perspective]

Which in other words mean that TJS did not think about PE prior to GE.

 

[scroobal]

A mess indeed. They thought they can pay a high salary to increase the attractiveness of the office but it has back fired. All they required was a presidential advisory committee on the matter of the reserves.

What a mess and quandary the PAP elder statesman has left us as his legacy! It's so sad.

 

[scroobal]

The honeymoon with the various newly formed new committees is over for SDP. The GE euphoria is now gone. The general human dynamics is now in play and some people are beginning to find out that they are in the wrong circle or its just not their cup of tea.

Chee's challenge is to retain those who have political currency and not let SDP morph into an interest group for Sec 376A. Unfortunately it seems to be a losing battle. There is no behind the scenes intrigue but there is only one party that is prepared to accept them.

One cannot be in the GE process without looking broad based. WP who previously had a heavy bent on social issues began talking more about the role of parliament and hot button political issues. NSP went straight into hot button issues.

My sense is that TJS will likely form a new party and the following will be part of the founding members - Michelle, Ang, Nicole, Jeannette, Jeysilan etc. These 5 have been meeting lately. The EP move is certainly an exit strategy which in any other way would not have been pleasant.

To be exact, Michelle and Ang Yong Guan are the only 2 exceptions. The three are a "group", in that sense. I believe one more may be the Sadasivam chap.

If TJS cared about opposition affiliations, he wouldn't have joined SDP in the first place. And it's also not as if having endorsement of NSP is better.

 

[Perspective]

My sense is that TJS will likely form a new party and the following will be part of the founding members - Michelle, Ang, Nicole, Jeannette, Jeysilan etc. These 5 have been meeting lately. The EP move is certainly an exit strategy which in any other way would not have been pleasant.

I think it's more likely that this SDP group go to NSP. No point they form another party.

 

[scroobal]

No way will Sebastian let that happen. Note that Jeannette and Nicole are hanging around with TJS. No one else from NSP since GMS departure.

GMS found out the hard way about Sebastian. I am sure the lesson is not lost on Nicole's dad or Jeanette. I found Tony and Hazel to lack political acumen but certainly concerned and determined - too straight forward.

I think it's more likely that this SDP group go to NSP. No point they form another party.

 

[ChaoPappyPoodle]

Why is TJS in the fray? It's isn't only TJS who may be disqualified. TKL and TCB may also be disqualified.

My take is that TJS jumps into the fray to make it more difficult for the fcukwhit council to bar so many candidates at one go.

THose who are matured or who have tasted battle will now know that politics is a long drawn out game especially if you're fighting against the PAP. This includes TJS. The onus is to put a heavy burden on the PAP to have to disqualify so many decent candidates at one go and to only have TT as the main runner. The other PAP alternative is to find a fcukwhit to join the fray and actually be accepted to run.

After two PE without actually having an election and after GE2011, the PAP are in a tight spot for PE2011.

Win or lose, or better yet being disqualified, TJS will have done a positive for
himself for GE2016.

When your enemy digs a hole for you to fall into, your job is to make him dig a bigger and deeper hole so that he himself will fall into the hole when it implodes, while he digs!

 

[Thick Face Black Heart]

Ah, so GMS's initial stage of helping TKL in the presidency was a face-saving way of quitting NSP.

I THINK I am connecting the dots :-) Thanks all!

 

[jw5]

7. TJS ego is quite well known. And he can be quite demanding.

The ego of the other candidates is no less than that of TJS.

The elections are over, he can resign today, tomorrow, next month or next year quietly and in a dignified manner, and no one will say anything. It would be a way to go if the general elections was coming and he didn't want to create an uproar. The analysis on TJS in relation to SDP is probably right, but he doesn't need a presidential election to quit quietly.

TCB qualifies as a chairman of a company with $100 Mil issued capital. If he doesn't make it, it would be based on qualitative factors. TJS doesn't meet this criteria.
My guess is that he's doing this so that it would be more difficult for TCB to be not eligible. There will be uproar if TJS, TCB and TKL are all not eligible, although it wouldn't be a shock.
And when TJS is deemed not eligible, he will declare that he is helping TCB to campaign and hopefully pull some of TKL's supporters who had moved to him, towards TCB.

At the same time, he can also assess the support for him, to determine if he should start his own party.
This man is smart and not simple.

 

[Perspective]

No way will Sebastian let that happen. Note that Jeannette and Nicole are hanging around with TJS. No one else from NSP since GMS departure.

GMS found out the hard way about Sebastian. I am sure the lesson is not lost on Nicole's dad or Jeanette. I found Tony and Hazel to lack political acumen but certainly concerned and determined - too straight forward.

There's nothing much a 65 year old man who will be 70 in 2016 can do. Then you have 6 veterans left vs 5 former RP chaps. The balance shifted compared to just last month.

 

[Thick Face Black Heart]

JW5,

I have always believed that when certain men reach a certain age, they start to want something other than money. I believe that is what is driving TJS and TKL, if not TCB as well.

TJS does not fit into the SDP mould with its emphasis of collective cultism. NSP on hindsight (which is always 20/20, no doubt) would be attractive to a person like TJS because he can pull rank the moment he steps in but I don't seriously think he will consider NSP.

The two parachute candidates were clearly using SDP as a platform in GE2011, and the old guard tried to point that out but they were shunted aside because "in with the new, out with the old" was the unspoken motto of the SDP leadership. I am keen to see how that would slowly unravel in the months ahead.

The ego of the other candidates is no less than that of TJS.

The elections are over, he can resign today, tomorrow, next month or next year quietly and in a dignified manner, and no one will say anything. It would be a way to go if the general elections was coming and he didn't want to create an uproar. The analysis on TJS in relation to SDP is probably right, but he doesn't need a presidential election to quit quietly.

TCB qualifies as a chairman of a company with $100 Mil issued capital. If he doesn't make it, it would be based on qualitative factors. TJS doesn't meet this criteria.
My guess is that he's doing this so that it would be more difficult for TCB to be not eligible. There will be uproar if TJS, TCB and TKL are all not eligible, although it wouldn't be a shock.
And when TJS is deemed not eligible, he will declare that he is helping TCB to campaign and hopefully pull some of TKL's supporters who had moved to him, towards TCB.

At the same time, he can also assess the support for him, to determine if he should start his own party.
This man is smart and not simple.

 

[jw5]

JW5,

I have always believed that when certain men reach a certain age, they start to want something other than money. I believe that is what is driving TJS and TKL, if not TCB as well.

Sure, agree with that.
Did you see the thread in the main folder about Singaporean ah peks?

I don't think TJS needs the presidential elections platform to resign quietly and in a dignified manner from SDP. GE is over, he can do that anytime without ruffling any feathers and with no backlash against himself.

He's doing this for other reasons, may it be self actualisation, ego, doing what he thinks is best for fellow Singaporeans, preparing to start his own party, helping his friend, giving his former boss another squeeze in the balls for saying he would not have made PS, etc etc. All are possible.

 

[sense]

My sense is that TJS will likely form a new party and the following will be part of the founding members - Michelle, Ang, Nicole, Jeannette, Jeysilan etc. These 5 have been meeting lately.

Looks realistic and certainly a great team makeup.

http://multiply.com/mu/sensesg/imag....png?et=jjkiWhoVGbylJ5wxIV1sRA&nmid=438549980

 

[Perspective]

I don't think TJS needs the presidential elections platform to resign quietly and in a dignified manner from SDP. GE is over, he can do that anytime without ruffling any feathers and with no backlash against himself.

On the contrary, if you leave without a reason, you will be asked. If you bad mouth your party, someone's credibility gets hit. And who will badmouth themselves?

Sure, you can take the risk. Some did. They enjoyed the name of the first party they joined hanging around everytime they operate in their second party. The truth is, none of them won. Many didn't even get more votes than they did in their first party. Would TJS want to take the risk?