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Aug 5, 2010
Chiam's wife to contest Potong Pasir
Opposition veteran himself plans to lead a team to stand in a GRC
By Jeremy Au Yong & Chong Zi Liang
POTONG Pasir MP Chiam See Tong has named his wife Lina as his political successor.
It means that at the next general election, Mrs Chiam, 61, will contest the single-seat constituency her husband has held since 1984.
And Mr Chiam, 75, intends to lead an opposition team to stand in the neighbouring Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, a five-MP constituency he has been eyeing for some time.
Speaking to The Straits Times at his Meet-the-People session last night, Mr Chiam said he chose his wife as she was his 'natural successor'.
'I think she's very good at bonding with the residents and that's what wins elections. She gets along very well (with the residents), especially the ladies,' he said.
Referring to his constituents, he added: 'They told me for Potong Pasir, Mr Chiam is the first choice and anyone else who stands, they won't win, except for Mrs Chiam.'
And if she is victorious at the polls, he said she would be well prepared to take over the running of the Potong Pasir Town Council, of which she is now the vice-chairman.
'She has been working so closely with me that I think the staff even recognise her as some kind of a boss,' he said.
Mr Chiam is a retired lawyer and his wife was previously a staff nurse. His remarks put to rest long-running speculation on who would succeed him in Potong Pasir.
Some names had been thrown up, including the Chiams' only child, Camilla, 34, and Mr Desmond Lim.
Mr Lim, 42, is a central executive committee member in Mr Chiam's Singapore People's Party (SPP) and the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA).
Mrs Chiam said she and her husband wanted to let their daughter focus first on her life and marriage.
As for Mr Lim, she agreed there was a time when they had groomed him as a possible replacement.
'But somehow or other, I'm sorry to say, he just didn't have the X-factor, (or) even the personality,' she said.
Mrs Chiam and Mr Lim are embroiled in a spat that reportedly began in May, after a proposal for the opposition Reform Party to join the SDA fell through.
There was speculation that she blamed him for the failed merger.
Mr Lim, when asked last night to comment on her being Mr Chiam's chosen successor, said simply: 'Congratulations.'
In an earlier statement to The Straits Times yesterday, he said he would support whichever candidate the party chooses.
Mr Chiam hoped last night that 'party politics will not interfere with this natural trend of events'.
He said his wife's candidacy would have to be endorsed by SDA members. If that failed, she might run on the SPP's ticket or even as an independent.
She said: 'Do or die, I will stand in Potong Pasir. I want to continue the legacy.'
As for Mr Chiam's plans, he said he was still keen to join forces with the Reform Party.
Noting that the Reform Party had indicated an interest in West Coast GRC, he said: 'West Coast is quite unknown to me, whereas Bishan-Toa Payoh, we are neighbours and I feel an affinity with them.'
The two parties are still in talks and Mrs Chiam said she had sent a revised proposal to the Reform Party, as well as the component parties of the SDA.
She said the SDA had also approached the National Solidarity Party, which had indicated it might rejoin the alliance depending on the outcome of the talks with the Reform Party.
Mr Chiam expressed the hope that the opposition could work together.
Asked if he would retire from politics if he lost at the polls, he said: 'I think so. Have you seen a loser come back again?'
Technician Huong Ing Kwong, 54, who moved to Potong Pasir ward two years ago, said: 'I've admired Mr Chiam since he entered politics but I have yet to decide who to vote for at the next election.'
However, babysitter Habibah Bee, 62, who has voted for Mr Chiam at every election since moving to Potong Pasir 13 years ago, said she would support Mrs Chiam.
'I will surely support anyone from Mr Chiam's party.'
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