Many people show concerns about “multi-corner” fights among Opposition with this formation of new party, People’s Power Party. But let me put it this way, most of the people who are involved in this PPP are not new faces but experienced activists. For those slated as candidates under PPP, either they stand under PPP or other political party. The net number of people participating in the next GE will not be more or less!
Thus, as I have said, don’t worry too much about multi-corner fights even with this new party. This new party will not field too many candidates and most importantly, these are known faces.
Those WP people and supporters somehow have this apprehension about PPP because they think that I will definitely go into 3 corner fights with WP! Some even think that I may just go and contest in Aljunied GRC since WP is now facing confidence crisis over there. I can safely tell you guys that I am not someone who will rob the victims when there is a fire.
But I can foresee that WP may go into a lot of multi-corner fights because of its expansion plan. i.e. if they increase their number of candidates, it may just be inevitable that they will clash with other opposition parties. I sincerely hope not but apparently, this is unavoidable. I hope PPP will not be involved in such contests.
PPP is formed basically because we do not want to DISRUPT other existing party’s management. Most of us have been through the difficult times of integration when different groups of people come into one party. We do not want to waste energy and time on such matters again.
Secondly, we have to agree with PAP Minister Masagos that all political parties in Singapore do not have strong philosophical and political ideological grounding. PPP will not disappoint him in that sense.
Last but not least, we are seeing worrying signs which are working against opposition as a whole. The tightening of internet and new media space, with the never ending Town Council saga eroding voters’ confidence in opposition as a whole. We hope to re-establish the lost confidence by doing our part in making sure that our selection of candidates are worthy ones.
I hope the above will address some of the unwarranted concerns that most opposition supporters have.
Source: Goh Meng Seng
