Is it because he was your toughest opposition opponent?
No. His character is so flawed, he cannot be a tough opponent.
To put it in a general way, the toughest opponent is actually PAP’s success. And the wish of the people to have alternative voices in Parliament. That is the toughest opponent because we have succeeded and won so many seats and the people, not just opposition, say, no, they want to hear alternative voices.
We could encourage, as we did, PAP MPs to be critical, to be honest in their criticism, to speak out. But the people say —— all of you are of the same mould; they want somebody different. That is the toughest opponent. In other words, it is a situation of success and total dominance.
So, if you ask which individuals would pose problems? They are not troublesome, but they are tough in a sense that they would fit the mood of the people.
So, Chiam would be tough to get out of Potong Pasir because he fitted the thinking of the people and is decent, a middle-of-the-road kind of an MP. If you want to campaign against him, it would be very difficult to get him out. So, it was tough in that sense.
Low would also fit that mould. Once he had won, it would be difficult to get him out. Politically, he is sharper, compared with Chiam. If you want to debate against him to get him out, it would be difficult. He is shrewd.