Hi Steve,
I hope you don't mind me addressing you by your first name when we
do not know each other. Let me cut to the chase and state that I
have emailed you to express my appreciation and gratitude for your
efforts and blood-and-sweat over the last few years, culminating in
the recent Elections 6th May in which you won a 39.6% of votes in
CCK.
I have heard that you plan to quit politics if you fail to win a MP
seat this time round. Let me first state that I understand your
frustrations, pains and distress that might have led you to make
such an "all-or-nothing" decision. And that whatever your choice
you will still have the sincere support of an ordinary Singaporean
like me.
However, I really feel that it would be a huge pity for an
established and talented person as yourself to leave the current
political scene as it is, after all the efforts that you have put
in over the last few years. 5 years ago, you were relatively
unknown, even within the circles where express sentiment and
sympathy for the Opposition was strong. Today, your name rests on
the tips of tongues of people like me and my peers, as a symbol for
intellectual and gentlemanly politics.
Who am I, then? What demographic do I represent? Let me introduce
myself shortly. We just never had a chance to vote for you as most
of us live in GRCs which were never contested.
We understand the sacrifices you have made in the course of
politics, including the pain and shame of having your personal and
private affairs brought out into public, scrutinised under the
microscope, and then riddiculed for it. But let me assure you that
I, and many of my peers, feel that such activities of yours do not
reflect on your ability and capability to represent and speak for
us. What matters to us is your passion, your courage, your
commitment and your ability to speak up and argue about meaningful
issues and matters which are questionable and dodgey.
And in this respect, Steve, you have excelled. You have done far
more than you should have done, paid a heavier price than what many
of us will ever have to pay, and we appreciate that. And we would
really hate to see you go, to see you leave, and to see a good,
courageous and intelligent man like yourself leave the political
scence, just right at the moment as the bubbling cauldron that is
the Singapore political arena is starting to boil over!
An alternative could be for you to join the Worker Party, for
reasons which are obvious. I will leave the reasoning and
motivations and benefits of this move to you. Or you could stay in
your current party and continue the good fight which you have been
fighting and are fighting. It doesn't matters.
What matters is that you are a hero, the unsung hero of ordinary
Singaporeans without a voice like myself, by choice, by fear or by
circumstances. And know that if we do ever have a chance to vote
for you, our voices will be resounding and travel far and
wide.
On a parting note, I wish you well in whatever you do and your
endeavours ahead. All the best, Mr Chia. You will be remembered
whatever you do.
Best Regards,
XXX
