Jeyaretnam
Up the political ante
It’s his sheer presence, rather than his new party, that is
stirring up opposition hopes for the next election - if he
stands.
By Seah Chiang Nee, littlespeck.com
Apr 22, 2008
Surprisingly, the return of Singapore’s veteran opposition figure
has evoked less online interest than the international press.
But it has not devalued the importance of the re-emergence of Mr.
JB Jeyaretnam, one of the most colourful and articulate politicians
here at a time when the political temperature is rising.
It has boosted the opposition’s hope of making a bigger inroad in
the 2011 general election, provided he himself contests in
it.
But the registration of his new Justice Party has not been greeted
enthusiastically in the opposition-sympathetic Internet for a
number of reasons.
For one thing, many bloggers are too young to know much about the
82-year-old opposition figure or his past record, including his
fierce battles with Mr. Lee Kuan Yew.
With the mainstream media rarely mentioning him for so many years –
except for his troubles - young Singaporeans have grown up ill
informed of JBJ’s colourful history.
There are other reasons for the lukewarm response, including the
following: -
- His proposed Reform Party is viewed as too dependent on 0ne man –
an 82-year-old not renowned for organisation or recruitment
abilities. His reform platform doesn’t much appeal to non-English
speaking masses, which are simply worried about bread-and-butter
issues.
- Knowing the ways of the government, Singaporeans do not expect a
quick or smooth approval of the party.
- Mr. JBJ has not said he will contest in 2011; if he doesn’t, few
people believe his party will make any significant inroad on the
political scene.
- The fragmented opposition needs good politicians, not another
party. Merely adding one more may actually intensify the division,
rather than unite them to oppose a giant.
If Mr. JBJ runs the new party the same way he did with the old
Workers Party, it will not work. He is a strong debater not a
natural leader who can rally people.
These are the negative factors.
The positive points of this old warrior are twofold.
First, his determination and fearless record of raising ‘sensitive’
issues publicly have earned him much respect to those who know (or
even disagree with) him.
Secondly, Mr. JBJ’s tough debating skills are proven, matched only
by his long-time political rival, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, and these are
needed to augment the opposition role of checking the People’s
Action Party’s power.
A JBJ in Parliament will be unpalatable to the PAP, which will find
it hard to pitch most of its younger leaders to engage and win any
toe-to-toe verbal slugging with him. They just don’t have the
experience.
The Senior Minister and possibly a handful others may have the
skills to match his sharp tongue.
The man’s return, however, could be a badly needed boost to the
morale of the opposition when it comes to debating a growing list
of pressing problems facing Singapore.
In short, the biggest impact is JBJ himself, not his Reform Party –
not yet, anyway.
The proposed Reform Party will serve to provide him with a
political platform, which the mainstream media can ignore only at
the cost of its own credibility.
At any rate even if it blacklists him, the Internet will keep the
public informed. Politics could be entering a more exciting
phase.
Some Singaporeans are already relishing the prospect of a JBJ
contesting in Tanjong Pagar against Mr. Lee Kuan Yew (provided both
men feel up to it).
The Law of Nature will decide this.
In 2011 Lee will be 87 years old and JBJ, 85, which means that TIME
is the common enemy of both fighters.
if he actually gets into the parliament the younger mp will
really shit in their pants!
