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SINGAPORE: Former National Solidarity Party (NSP) secretary—general Goh Meng Seng is not closing the door just yet on the next General Election (GE).
Instead, he is planning to devote the foreseeable future to strengthening Opposition policy formulation.
The 41—year—old, who stepped down from the NSP in June to go into a "partisan political sabbatical", gave these details on Thursday on his blog and also in an interview with Today.
On his blog, he said that he will let his NSP membership lapse by the end of this year, adding that he formally informed the party’s president and secretary—general about this in September.
However, unlike what some of his friends had thought, he is not quitting Opposition politics for good.
"There are other things which are equally important to contribute towards the political democratic development of Singapore other than joining a party. Some of these things need us to be non—partisan in order to be effective," he said on his blog.
Speaking to Today, he further explained that the May GE had shown that Singaporeans wanted more alternative voices in Parliament but are still not comfortable with the idea of a change in government.
"One reason is (that) opposition parties really have not provided a more holistic policy platform to convince voters that if they are voted in, they are ready to take over and make certain changes in the policy," he said.
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He added that he was also in talks to collaborate with a "third party" but would not give further details.
To naysayers who may criticise his joining and leaving of two Opposition parties — he had contested as a Workers’ Party candidate in the 2006 GE — Mr Goh said: "Whichever party and whichever way you choose to work, I think as long as we are going in the same direction and contributing to the bigger picture of the political development for Singapore, I think it’s fine."
Instead, he is planning to devote the foreseeable future to strengthening Opposition policy formulation.
The 41—year—old, who stepped down from the NSP in June to go into a "partisan political sabbatical", gave these details on Thursday on his blog and also in an interview with Today.
On his blog, he said that he will let his NSP membership lapse by the end of this year, adding that he formally informed the party’s president and secretary—general about this in September.
However, unlike what some of his friends had thought, he is not quitting Opposition politics for good.
"There are other things which are equally important to contribute towards the political democratic development of Singapore other than joining a party. Some of these things need us to be non—partisan in order to be effective," he said on his blog.
Speaking to Today, he further explained that the May GE had shown that Singaporeans wanted more alternative voices in Parliament but are still not comfortable with the idea of a change in government.
"One reason is (that) opposition parties really have not provided a more holistic policy platform to convince voters that if they are voted in, they are ready to take over and make certain changes in the policy," he said.
:oIo:He added that he was also in talks to collaborate with a "third party" but would not give further details.
To naysayers who may criticise his joining and leaving of two Opposition parties — he had contested as a Workers’ Party candidate in the 2006 GE — Mr Goh said: "Whichever party and whichever way you choose to work, I think as long as we are going in the same direction and contributing to the bigger picture of the political development for Singapore, I think it’s fine."
