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What of Opposition Politics in Singapore?
With the passing of Mr JB Jeyaretnam, the fate of his recently-minted Reform Party hangs in the balance.
The bigger question though, is if opposition parties can find in themselves the will to join forces and offer voters a viable alternative.
Can they also get round to proper succession planning and if it's already in place, making it public early on?
Political watchers voice their thoughts to Geraldine Soh.
Will it live on, will it die?
Organising secretary of the Reform Party Edmund Ng said Mr Jeyaretnam already had a successor in mind.
But the final decision lies with the Central Executive Committee, which will meet soon to decide the fate of the party.
A small party membership of less than 20 means the committee won't have many options.
In fact, SMU law lecturer Eugene Tan feels the Reform Party has a slim chance of survival.
"The question now is whether the reform party has the critical mass of members and whether the members are motivated enough and galvanised and inspired by Mr JBJ's life and continue with the establishment of the reform party. At this point in time, based on media reports, it isn't clear if there would be someone else who's able. But again in politics it's very hard to predict although I tend to take the view that Mr JBJ was so important to the party that I won't be surprised if the reform party is unable to move up a gear now that he's no longer on the scene."
The lasting power of the party will be a good sign, as it means there're enough people to offer an alternative voice.
All the better if the party can work with the other opposition parties to provide a credible challenge to the ruling party.
NUS Law academic and playwright Eleanor Wong is optimistic.
"There're certainly others including opposition party members who're currently in parliament, several of our NMPs who'll continue to perhaps take on part of the mantle that he leaves behind."
Could this be the impetus for the merger that opposition parties have been toying with?
"When Mr JBJ was alive, the opposition wasn't able to make as much inroads so I'm a bit skeptical as to whether now that he's no longer on the scene, whether the opposition can actually tap his legacy."
The passing has certainly reinforced the need for parties to be more proactive about succession planning.
"It may well be that the Singapore People's Party and other opposition parties may have succession plans but I think it's important that while the charismatic opposition leaders are still around to get their potential successors introduced to the electorate for them to have higher profile."
Assistant professor Tan also hopes younger Singaporeans will take a keener interest in local politics.
"It's important for Singaporeans to know that to build a society we need a contest of ideas because if we're stuck in this thinking that elections are not important or that it doesn't matter who gets elected then I think the future of Singapore is not very bright."
With the passing of Mr JB Jeyaretnam, the fate of his recently-minted Reform Party hangs in the balance.
The bigger question though, is if opposition parties can find in themselves the will to join forces and offer voters a viable alternative.
Can they also get round to proper succession planning and if it's already in place, making it public early on?
Political watchers voice their thoughts to Geraldine Soh.
Will it live on, will it die?
Organising secretary of the Reform Party Edmund Ng said Mr Jeyaretnam already had a successor in mind.
But the final decision lies with the Central Executive Committee, which will meet soon to decide the fate of the party.
A small party membership of less than 20 means the committee won't have many options.
In fact, SMU law lecturer Eugene Tan feels the Reform Party has a slim chance of survival.
"The question now is whether the reform party has the critical mass of members and whether the members are motivated enough and galvanised and inspired by Mr JBJ's life and continue with the establishment of the reform party. At this point in time, based on media reports, it isn't clear if there would be someone else who's able. But again in politics it's very hard to predict although I tend to take the view that Mr JBJ was so important to the party that I won't be surprised if the reform party is unable to move up a gear now that he's no longer on the scene."
The lasting power of the party will be a good sign, as it means there're enough people to offer an alternative voice.
All the better if the party can work with the other opposition parties to provide a credible challenge to the ruling party.
NUS Law academic and playwright Eleanor Wong is optimistic.
"There're certainly others including opposition party members who're currently in parliament, several of our NMPs who'll continue to perhaps take on part of the mantle that he leaves behind."
Could this be the impetus for the merger that opposition parties have been toying with?
"When Mr JBJ was alive, the opposition wasn't able to make as much inroads so I'm a bit skeptical as to whether now that he's no longer on the scene, whether the opposition can actually tap his legacy."
The passing has certainly reinforced the need for parties to be more proactive about succession planning.
"It may well be that the Singapore People's Party and other opposition parties may have succession plans but I think it's important that while the charismatic opposition leaders are still around to get their potential successors introduced to the electorate for them to have higher profile."
Assistant professor Tan also hopes younger Singaporeans will take a keener interest in local politics.
"It's important for Singaporeans to know that to build a society we need a contest of ideas because if we're stuck in this thinking that elections are not important or that it doesn't matter who gets elected then I think the future of Singapore is not very bright."
