Serious Start Catch Chen Show Mao sacked from being the Workers' Party's (WP) treasurer

Aljunied GRC MP Chen Show Mao has stepped down as the Workers' Party's (WP) treasurer, just three months after starting a second term in the post he had held since 2014.

He challenged WP chief Low Thia Khiang for the post of secretary-general at the Central Executive Council (CEC) election in May and lost, but was persuaded to continue as treasurer. Sources said he reluctantly agreed to remain but would have preferred to hand over, given his unsuccessful bid for the top WP post.

Mr Low confirmed that Mr Chen had resigned as treasurer when contacted by The Straits Times. Mr Chen, who quit at a CEC meeting on Tuesday, is still a council member.



Deputy treasurer and Non-Constituency MP Dennis Tan has succeeded Mr Chen, and former Punggol East MP Lee Li Lian, a council member, is now deputy treasurer.

Mr Low, citing party confidentiality, declined to reveal what transpired at Tuesday's CEC meeting when he was asked about Mr Chen's reasons for stepping down as treasurer and whether CEC members tried to persuade him to stay.

"I am only sticking with the facts that Mr Chen is no longer treasurer. As for his reasons for stepping down, it's more appropriate that you ask him," he said on Wednesday after his Meet-the-People Session in Hougang Avenue 6.

When contacted yesterday, Mr Chen declined to elaborate on his decision, saying simply that "I have little comment to add on the subject".

A party insider close to Mr Chen downplayed the incident, saying the resignation had nothing to do with his leadership challenge.

Mr Low, who had never faced a contest since becoming secretary- general in 2001, retained the post in May with 61 votes to Mr Chen's 45.

The source said Mr Chen indicated after his loss that he did not want a second term as treasurer. But the CEC wanted him to stay on.

Mr Chen agreed so as to ensure a smooth handover to a successor, and to dampen speculation of an internal split so soon after his leadership challenge, the source said.

Mr Tan, the new treasurer, did not comment on Mr Chen's stepping down, but said he was willing to step up and assume the position as he had served as deputy.

either he is disillusioned or he is gonna breakaway.
it will be interesting to see if PAP will force a by-election if Chen decide to step away.

Hosay liao ! CSM can now defect to PPP and join GMS.

so what does this mean?the dream is over?even the golden boy and star player who reappeared after 20 years absence as Singapore's savior is disillusioned with the game.iv never liked the dude from the beginning even he is giving up.thats like watching ur presidential candidate drop out in the finals.i guess this country is really fucked.

The article says that Chen Show Mao has resigned as treasurer, he was not sacked, the title of this thread is very deceitful and an intentional lie to defame WP.

yahoo55 said:

The article says that Chen Show Mao has resigned as treasurer, he was not sacked, the title of this thread is very deceitful and an intentional lie to defame WP.

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Treasurer resigned, the CEC accepted, new replacement taken the job and life goes on. Nothing to fuss about. PAP MPs always merry-go round too, at their leader's whim and fancies and I don't see people speculating that Heng Swee Kiat taking over Tharman will force Tharman to quit his ministerial role. Right or not? On the other hand, Liu Tuck Yew resigned completely because he screwed up the transport in Singapore and cannot take stress.

the longer one stays in sg the oilier the face.

WP accounts are too boring for him to manage? He is used to corporate accounting?

LTK is too cunning to be outwitted.. Teochew reptile has survived the power struggle.

CSM obviously did not want to help fulfill the legitimacy of the duo LTK-Sylvia. Having said it, he must have felt no meaning to stay on.

I guess he will be stepping out of politics to pursue other stuff. Clearly he is a man of ambition, and WP is not the platform for him to play a bit role.

What do I remember of CSM?

Nice grin and prominent hairdo. That is about it.

His contributions?

Nice grin.

Maybe he has his eyes on the presidency.

RandomNexus said:

CSM obviously did not want to help fulfill the legitimacy of the duo LTK-Sylvia. Having said it, he must have felt no meaning to stay on.

I guess he will be stepping out of politics to pursue other stuff. Clearly he is a man of ambition, and WP is not the platform for him to play a bit role.

What do I remember of CSM?

Nice grin and prominent hairdo. That is about it.

His contributions?

Nice grin.

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Yes, CSM has been very quiet in Parliament. But people don't know that it's not because he's not willing to speak up but that all his (and the other WP MPs') speeches are vetted by LTK beforehand. And many of issues he wanted to raise in Parliament were vetoed by LTK himself.

You're right that he feels no meaning in staying on. But it's not a matter of his perverse ambition or not being willing to play a bit role; it's about not being able to contribute meaningfully in his role as a CEC position holder according to his principles and conscience.

He's a nice guy; straight, no airs, really sincere about doing a good job. But, sadly, WP is not the platform for him.

McDonaldsKid said:

Maybe he has his eyes on the presidency.

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He should.

He should join SDP. He will be allowed to voice out anything he wants.

myfoot123 said:

He should.

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Is he qualified under the new rules for EP ?

You make him sound like a small kid who was told to stand in a corner and he was disciplined enough to listen. Anyone with half brain, even with 2 GCE O levels and bound in a wheel chair would not accept such level of oppression and would have walked out. Your description is analogous to an arranged marriage of an Indian bride who was told to serve her husband and not to complain.

The guy was top student of Singapore, went to Harvard and then to Oxford and delivered the largest IPO in history at that time worth US 22B.

At least come out with something remotely sensible. He is not obliged to have anything vetted by LTK. They are expected to follow certain policies and party rules. No political party can function like the way you described it. Go read his maiden speech in Parliament. His style and content in Parliament has not meandered far from it. It is possible that he was not cut out to be an opposition politician and it was a mismatch.

yellowarse said:

Yes, CSM has been very quiet in Parliament. But people don't know that it's not because he's not willing to speak up but that all his (and the other WP MPs') speeches are vetted by LTK beforehand. And many of issues he wanted to raise in Parliament were vetoed by LTK himself.

You're right that he feels no meaning in staying on. But it's not a matter of his perverse ambition or not being willing to play a bit role; it's about not being able to contribute meaningfully in his role as a CEC position holder according to his principles and conscience.

He's a nice guy; straight, no airs, really sincere about doing a good job. But, sadly, WP is not the platform for him.

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ginbitchy said:

Is he qualified under the new rules for EP ?

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He worked in multi million MNCs before he joined politics. The problem now is PAP tried to make it a constitution that only minority race can become president this EP, all qualified chinese citizens cannot and should not be taking part.

Chen Show Mao
One of American Lawyer's 2010 "Dealmakers of the Year" in April 2011.

Chen is a partner in the Corporate department of Davis Polk & Wardwell and a managing partner of the Beijing office.
An experienced lawyer, he has practised in the New York office since 1992, the Hong Kong office since 1999 and the Beijing office since 2007.


Chen advised the Agricultural Bank of China on its US$22 billion initial public offering (IPO), which was the largest IPO in history when it completed in August 2010.[SUP][9][/SUP]
He also advised the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) on its US$21 billion IPO, as well as China National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC) on its proposed US$19 billion acquisition of Unocal.
Chen also completed the global IPOs of Air China, China Construction Bank, China Unicom, Metallurgical Corp. of China, Sinopec, as well as offerings by the Ministry of Finance of the People's Republic of China (PRC).[SUP][citation needed]

[/SUP]

Besides China, Chen has completed international securities offerings and M&A transactions by various companies including Acer, ASE, Asus, AU Optronics, BHP, Foxconn, Freeport-McMoran, HTC, TSMC and UMC.
He also worked with financial institutions such as JP Morgan Chase and Morgan Stanley, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs of the Republic of China (ROC).[SUP][citation needed]

[/SUP]

Beyond that, Chen has worked with sovereign wealth funds such as the China Investment Corporation (CIC), the Development Fund of the ROC and also advised the Shanghai, Hong Kong and Taiwan Stock Exchanges on proposed regulations.
Chen was named one of American Lawyer's 2010 "Dealmakers of the Year" in April 2011.[SUP][10]

[/SUP]https://www.davispolk.com/files/uploads/Articles/AmLaw.Dealmaker.Year.schen.apr11.pdf


Before he began full-time practice as a corporate lawyer, Show Mao worked at a number of research institutions such as Ralph Nader’s Centre for Study of Responsive Law (CSRL),
the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) and the Research & Planning and Enforcement divisions of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).[SUP][11]

[/SUP]

On 1 July 2011, Chen announced on his Facebook page that he had retired from active practice as a partner of his law firm given his new responsibilities as an MP.
The decision was made so that he can spend more time with his family, to better serve his constituency and country, and that he would be exploring alternative work arrangements.[SUP][12][/SUP]