Tag: Lim Tean

Osman Sulaiman: Opposition Party Leaders Should Not Curtail Freedom Of Speech

When I heard news that Lim Tean has resigned from NSP, I wasnt surprised of the reasons for his resignation.

Curtailment of his freedom of speech is one of it. And we are talking about freedom of speech where it’s done in a responsible manner. Not the Amos Yee or Charlie Hebdo kind of free speech.

Often times, it’s the alternative parties that espouses freedom of speech but in reality, fall short of implementing it within its own organization.

I encountered many times where alternative parties feel uneasy when its members are vocal about issues they feel strongly about.

Issues like LGBT, Tudung issue, discrimination, religion, 377A, article 154 etc.

Party members are always reminded to ‘tone’ down, or a messenger will come to relay message not to get too vocal or get involved in any protest speeches.

This effectively curb or placed an OB marker on a person to be mindful not to engage in anything the party leaders deemed unsuitable.

But of course not all of the alternative parties hold such unwritten rules. It depends on the leader at helm.

For instance, we have leaders from the Reform Party (RP), Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), People’s Power Party (PPP) and Singapore First Party (SFP) who allow its member to participate freely in a democratic society.

It give members the freedom to have differing opinions from the party’s stand.

Some may argue that members need to toe along the party lines to achieve unity within the organization but by doing so, it instead create artificial harmony within its rank.

These parties are then no better than the PAP, the very one they hope to replace.

My advice to political leaders with ambition to rule Singapore, deal with these sensitive issues and not fetter your members from discussing matters that are crucial to the development of the country. If you are to be a leader, you will need to solve problems, not suppressing it.

In this aspect, Im proud to be a part of The Reform Party where its leadership never once tried to curtail my freedom of speech as long as it is done in a responsible manner.

I wish Lim Tean all the best. It is better to move away than to be in a party and gets zipped up. That can spell the end of democracy.

Source: Khan Osman Sulaiman

May 23, 2017
Cambridge-Educated Lawyer, Lim Tean, Appointed Acting Sec-Gen Of NSP

After weeks of turmoil, Cambridge-educated legal consultant Lim Tean has been appointed the National Solidarity Party’s (NSP) new acting secretary-general, TODAY has learnt.

Mr Lim, who was a partner at law firm Rajah and Tann, was introduced as a potential candidate at a walkabout in Tampines GRC earlier this month. He takes over from Ms Hazel Poa, who abruptly resigned from her post over a week ago because she “strongly disagreed” with the party’s decision to contest in MacPherson.

Mr Lim did not respond to calls for comment, but several party sources at a walkabout today (Aug 30) in Sembawang confirmed the appointment.

When contacted, NSP president Sebastian Teo said the party will introduce its new acting secretary-general and its slate of candidates on Nomination Day on Tuesday.

The party has said it will contest in Tampines GRC, Sembawang GRC, as well as in MacPherson and Pioneer. When asked, Mr Teo also said he planned to contest, but reiterated that final confirmation would have to wait until Nomination Day.

Today, over a dozen NSP members, including NSP organising secretary Spencer Ng, new face Kevryn Lim, youth-wing head Eugene Yeo and former Member Of Parliament Cheo Chai Chen — all touted as potential candidates — gave out flyers at Sembawang and Woodlands MRT stations. Other new faces present included Mr Yadzeth Haris and Mr Nicky Tan.

The walkabout came in the wake of the drama that besieged the party over the past two weeks, with its decision to run in MacPherson — a U-turn from an earlier position that sets up a three-cornered fight with the Workers’ Party and the People’s Action Party — leading to the resignation of Ms Poa and Mr Mohamed Fazli Talip, who was on the party’s central executive committee.

This was followed by an anonymous online smear campaign that went viral, resulting in party member Steve Chia reversing his decision to run in MacPherson. Mr Teo was also a target of the online attack, which detailed his corruption conviction in the 1970s.

On Saturday night, the NSP also said it was filing a police report on an alleged intrusion at its offices. In a Facebook post, the party said the four alleged intruders were captured on closed-circuit television. The police are investigating the incident while the party is also conducting its own investigations.

The uncertainty over the NSP’s election slate has also led the Reform Party to signal that it is keen on contesting in Pioneer if the NSP withdraws.

Source: www.todayonline.com

August 31, 2015
Mohamed Fazli Talip Introduced As Potential NSP Candidate

The National Solidarity Party (NSP) was back at its old stomping ground of Tampines on Saturday morning (Aug 15), led by its president Sebastian Teo and secretary general Hazel Poa.

About 15 party members and volunteers turned up for the walkabout which started at 9am from Block 201D Tampines Street 21.

Closely by the side of Mr Teo and Ms Poa as they greeted residents at the coffee shops and food market along the stretch and handed out pamphlets, were branding consultant Mohamed Fazli Talip, 33, and Cambridge-educated lawyer Lim Tean, 50. They were introduced as “potential candidates for the NSP”.

While Ms Poa hinted that her party will be fielding its A-team for the coming election, as to who they are, she continued to keep her cards close to her chest.

“We would prefer for the PAP to reveal its candidates for the constituencies that we are interested in first, before we announce our candidates. It’s always advantageous to know who you will be running against first before we decide on our final line-up,” she said.

Source: www.tnp.sg

August 16, 2015