Battle for Bukit Batok: SDP on the walkabout
SDP chief Chee Soon Juan briefing party volunteers. Photo: Nicholas Yong/Yahoo Singapore
The battle for Bukit Batok has begun and the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) has gotten into the full swing of things.
Tuesday (22 March) was a full night for SDP chief Chee Soon Juan. Following a doorstop interview with journalists at Bukit Batok MRT station, he recorded a video message for his Facebook followers. Then it was time to go door-to-door to canvas support for his candidacy in the Bukit Batok by-election.
Together with 20 party volunteers, Chee covered 10 blocks in Bukit Batok Street 21. Giving out copies of the party newsletter, the 53-year-old spent a few minutes at each home, informing residents of the coming by-election and asking for their support.
One man was heard telling Chee: “I will not only support you, I will canvas for you. Hope Singaporeans will wake up.”
The by-election was triggered by former Bukit Batok MP David Ong’s resignation on 12 March, amid various media reports that he had an extramarital affair with a grassroots activist. The SDP was quick to declare its intention to contest the ward on the same day, subsequently announcing Chee as its candidate on Sunday (20 March).
‘He has gone through a lot’
Chee speaking to a Bukit Batok resident. Photo: Nicholas Yong/Yahoo Singapore
Residents whom Yahoo Singapore spoke to seemed enthusiastic about Chee, a man who has been sued multiple times by government figures. But in what is perhaps a reflection of an age-old fear factor in Singapore politics, they declined to give their full names.
Mr Leow, 62, a Bukit Batok resident of almost 30 years, quoted a Techew proverb that literally translates to: Don’t bully the crab with no legs.
He said, “Chee has gone through a lot. He has been made a bankrupt, they call him crazy, but I don’t think so. Maybe he is a bit bad tempered, but everyone goes through that. Who does not make mistakes?”
He added that he still thought of David Ong as a “good man”, saying, “If this happens in France or China, who cares?”
SDP’s by-election goals
Chee on his walkabout. Photo: Nicholas Yong/Yahoo Singapore
Viswa Sadasivan, the founder and editor-in-chief of sociopolitical site Inconvenient Questions, told Yahoo Singapore that a key consideration for the SDP in the by-election is to remain on the public’s radar screen. He noted that in a general election, it would usually be overshadowed by the Workers’ Party (WP).
“But in a by-election like this, where the spotlight is exclusively on one ward, the amount of publicity and political mileage you can get out of this is a lot, if you play your cards right.”
Dr Mustafa Izzuddin, a fellow at ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, added that it is a “win-win” situation for the SDP, no matter the outcome of the by-election.
“If they win, they get a seat in parliament, and Chee will finally achieve his goal of reaching parliament. If they lose but increase the percentage that they got, and it’s likely to be the case with the by-election effect, they can convey the message that they are beginning to resonate more with Singaporeans,” he said.
Mustafa noted that the SDP has refined its strategy from one of confrontation to a “more subdued and diplomatic” approach. “The SDP has also put on the back-burner the liberal positions and causes they usually champion. They are going local, by talking about the town council and local issues.”
A study in contrasts
Murali Pillai is the PAP’s candidate for the Bukit Batok by-election. Photo: Nicholas Yong/Yahoo Singapore
On Monday (21 March), the People’s Action Party (PAP) unveiled Chee’s opponent: Lawyer K. Muralidharan Pillai, 47, who has been active in the Bukit Batok grassroots movement for 16 years.
The contest between Chee and Murali is one of two men who are “poles apart”, said Viswa. “Chee is charismatic, effervescent, and he speaks with a lot of impact. But if you look at Murali, he is a low-profile kind of guy. He is a doer and not a talker. And that is what the PAP is going to emphasise.”
Chee, a sometimes controversial figure, has been in politics since 1992. He has also been arrested and jailed several times, mainly for making speeches and staging public demonstrations without a police permit. During last year’s general election, Chee’s speeches at SDP rallies drew thousands.
A retiree in his 70s, who has lived in Bukit Batok for more than a decade, was impressed by Chee’s “grit and commitment”. The retiree, who declined to be named, said: “He’s making a comeback. It’s been a long slog for him, and full marks for stamina.”
Local issues
In the light of issues raised at the last election, local issues may be the real deal-breaker, said Viswa. “If I were a voter, I would think carefully and say: if I vote in SDP, what are the chances of me having the same issues as the Aljunied and Hougang guys? Even a more established party like WP is struggling to manage a town council.”
