Dear Dr Chee,
Recently, I attended your seminar at the Quality Hotel and had also attended some of your other events – I remembered there was another seminar at Sheraton Hotel and then some other places. I also enjoyed surfing your SDP website. I have some thoughts to share.
SDP had been very vocal about the Myanmar issue compared to the other opposition parties. I feel that the Myanmar issue may not really help to secure more votes in future because the Myanmar issue is more of a foreign affair and most Singaporeans do not really care much about it. Notwithstanding the aforementioned, I do support your party to capitalize on the Myanmar issue because it helps to raise your profile among the masses.
I feel that Singaporeans care more about bread and butter issues. Recently, public transport fares went up. Due to the sky-rocketing oil prices, petrol prices continued to climb.
A few days ago, I observed that the price of some food items had gone up. One piece of plain roti prata used to cost 60 cents but it costs 70 cents now. The roti prata stalls all raised their prices at the same time. Recently, noodle prices also went up and my favourite Char Kway Teow stall at Amoy Street Hawker Centre now cost $2.5 instead of $2.
A few weeks ago, there was a documentary in TV that the price of noodles had gone up. If we can harp on the high costs of living, maybe we can pull more people towards the SDP and then raise some funds as long as more people get involved.
I remembered fondly that SDP had a few good initiatives recently. Your idea of getting the other opposition parties to meet and discuss on how to present a united front is a good one.
Your party’s attempt to raise funds during events and through your website is a positive one because more funds means that you can do more things. Ultimately, financial backing is very important for an opposition party.
Just some of my thoughts and suggestions. May SDP gain more votes in the next General Election.
CHUA Y T
SDP’s Reply:
Dear Mr. Chua,
Thank you for your feedback and concern. Of course, as a political party, we are very interested in getting votes. At the same time, however, there are other matters and issues we are concerned about.
Take the Burmese event for example, while some might think that we are speaking up for the Burmese merely publicity, the truth is, we are truly concerned for them as just we are concerned with many other human right issues. If that raises our profile, we take it as a bonus.
We agree with you that many Singaporeans cared about the recent rising cost of living. They should, and so do we. Speaking up for bread and butter issues isn’t new to the SDP. We have done that in the past and we are still doing it as a matter of routine.
In fact, it was over bread and butter issues that Dr. Chee and our friend, Mr. Yap, are currently on trial for speaking in public.
You may be pleased to know that, despite being bogged down by the many trials, we are presently researching to see how we can best frame this issue. Let us know if you have any ideas.
You can probably guess that our resources are limited. Why not join us? We can use all the help and contribution we can get.