No fresh blood in new SPP leadership

[MarrickG]

A day after six of its leaders staged a walkout, the Singapore People's Party (SPP) on Sunday elected a new central executive committee (CEC) comprising long-time party loyalists and no fresh blood.

Without a generation of young leaders in sight, party members and observers are now raising questions over the succession plans of its veteran secretary-general Chiam See Tong, 76, and the future of the 17-year-old party.

Sunday's election, attended by about 20 party cadres, started at about 1pm at the closed-door ordinary party conference at the party's new headquarters in Sennett Estate. After an hour, the SPP's Non-Constituency MP Lina Chiam emerged to read out a statement saying that they had re-elected 'the remaining members of the CEC'.

'The election of office-bearers will take place after the first CEC meeting. The ordinary party conference fully supports the leadership of the CEC,' said Mrs Chiam, who was second vice-chairman in the last CEC. She declined further comment.

NO NEW BLOOD

'The Chiams should have made way for the new blood. The party is now facing a crisis with a lack of new leaders and a lack of direction.'

Former SPP chairman Sin Kek Tong

 

[scroobal]

Sadly after all these years, the end of SPP has come to an end for all intents and purposes. The Chaims both started out together in their iconic VW beetle, attempted to appeal to well heeled and English eduacted suburb of Cainhill against Lim Kim San. Theirs was an independent approach to politics. After 36 years, 3 stabs at parliament and a final run of 26 years in Parliament with a than more credible and impressive stand against the PAP, the Chiams have remained independent. Not good for opposition politics but it was an unsual style for a husband and wife that had such an appeal at grassroots but continued to do it their own way.

A day after six of its leaders staged a walkout, the Singapore People's Party (SPP) on Sunday elected a new central executive committee (CEC) comprising long-time party loyalists and no fresh blood.Without a generation of young leaders in sight, party members and observers are now raising questions over the succession plans of its veteran secretary-general Chiam See Tong, 76, and the future of the 17-year-old party.Sunday's election, attended by about 20 party cadres, started at about 1pm at the closed-door ordinary party conference at the party's new headquarters in Sennett Estate. After an hour, the SPP's Non-Constituency MP Lina Chiam emerged to read out a statement saying that they had re-elected 'the remaining members of the CEC'.'The election of office-bearers will take place after the first CEC meeting. The ordinary party conference fully supports the leadership of the CEC,' said Mrs Chiam, who was second vice-chairman in the last CEC. She declined further comment.

 

[saratogas]

How cum Mr Chiam's children didn't take over... Just like many of the existing political parties?

 

[RandomMonkey]

36 years is more than enough time to develop a successor.

This will remain as the one gaping hole in Chiam's legacy. He has failed to develop a successor. Others, especially LTK, have made it a top priority from day one. Low has fresh blood in his party and is already taking a back seat himself, preferring to let the young guns lead the charge in Parliament. And Low is only in his 50s.

 

[Bigfuck]

Chiam is like the hippie kibbutz movement without the debauchery and drugs. Too clean for fresh blood who want both plus power.

 

[myfoot123]

36 years is more than enough time to develop a successor.

This will remain as the one gaping hole in Chiam's legacy. He has failed to develop a successor.

PAP camp also faced similar problem. In fact, it is easier for opposition camp to find successor than for PAP camp to do so. Leegime don't trust anyone to open up the Lee's can of worms. Whereas opposition camps have nothign to fear. Restructuring better begin now than later, 4 years before the next election I hope all opposition start to get their house in order and don't wait until the election is near.

 

[freedalas]

PAP camp also faced similar problem. In fact, it is easier for opposition camp to find successor than for PAP camp to do so. Leegime don't trust anyone to open up the Lee's can of worms. Whereas opposition camps have nothign to fear. Restructuring better begin now than later, 4 years before the next election I hope all opposition start to get their house in order and don't wait until the election is near.

It's true that PAP has a similar problem. LKY had never really groomed any successor to be the leader. What he did was to groom people to comply with his orders all the time and not deviate from his way of thinking in any way. Putting someone in the PM post does not mean those who occupied this post has become the succeeding leader. It's just a post. The real leader is still him. It's obvious that GCT was never really in charge. And now LHH as well. He'd never been his own man. So when LKY is gone, there will be some form of disorderliness as everyone in the party would not have anyone to look up to as leader now. Yes, u have a PM in place, but as the party members had not really regard him as the leader being in the shadow of his father all these while, a leadership void will be result.