SDP wants clean campaign and not name calling about eating oyster omelette

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The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) held its 35th anniversary dinner on Saturday (Aug 15) with secretary-general Chee Soon Juan arguing that problems with economic and social well-being cannot be meaningfully addressed without advancement of political rights.

Setting the SDP apart from other opposition parties, Dr Chee told the gathering of 300 party members, supporters and members of the public that it is the only party to consistently maintain that political rights and economic progress are “two sides of the same coin” and “inextricably bound”, and the only party to have drawn up its vision for the nation.

“There’s nothing worse than asking voters to vote for change when we don’t know what that change will look like,” said Dr Chee, who said his party is advocating a system where people can shape their own future.

Potential SDP candidate, Professor Paul Tambyah, also said the party, which is expected to contest in Holland-Bukit Timah and Marsiling Yew-Tee Group Representation Constituencies and Bukit Batok Single Member Constituency, would have a “good, clean campaign” that allows Singaporeans to make decisions on important issues.

“To decide on what kind of Singapore we want to have, not a campaign that degenerates into name calling or silly jibes about eating orh luak (oyster omelette),” said Prof Tambyah, an infectious diseases expert and academic. His remark appeared to be an oblique reference to People’s Action Party first assistant secretary-general Teo Chee Hean taking a swipe on Friday at Workers’ Party’s management of town council finances, through WP chairman Sylvia Lim’s Instagram post of herself sampling oyster omelette in Fengshan single-member ward, where her party intends to contest.

In his speech, Prof Tambyah, who is in the process of joining the SDP after recently leaving human rights group Maruah, said he got involved with the SDP because he wanted change in the healthcare financing system. “The current healthcare system, and even the much talked about MediShield Life, has got heavy co-payments and high deductibles and it punishes people who are sick through no fault of their own. We need a new healthcare financing system,” he said. MediShield Life is the universal insurance scheme protecting against large hospital bills that will kick in from November, replacing MediShield.

Speaking to reporters, Dr Chee promised an “exciting slate” from the SDP in the coming General Election but said the line-up would be announced “much closer to Nomination Day”.

At the dinner, Dr Chee played the guitar and performed two songs with his daughters, while the SDP central executive committee performed the party’s GE2015 song called I Will Be The One.

Civil society activists including Ms Teo Soh Lung and some Opposition politicians including Mr Goh Meng Seng of the People’s Power Party were among attendees.

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