Chee Soon Juan says PAP MPs showed up during SDP walkabout in Yishun, alleges member was ‘prodded’
Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) chief Chee Soon Juan has claimed that People’s Action Party (PAP) members approached residents during a sale of the SDP’s party newspaper in Yishun, leading to some friction between the two parties.
SDP vice chairman Bryan Lim also alleged that PAP entourages followed the opposition party during its walkabout.
Source: Chee Soon Juan on Facebook
Chee Soon Juan says PAP members approached residents during SDP walkabout
On Saturday (10 Oct), SDP members visited Chong Pang Food Centre to sell copies of their party newspaper, The New Democrat (TND).
Mr Chee said that three PAP Members of Parliament (MPs) also turned up at the venue.
“Wah, what’s happening? Why both parties here today?” one resident reportedly remarked.
Mr Chee did not identify the three MPs, although he appeared to allude to the absence of Senior Minister K Shanmugam, who is also an MP for Nee Soon GRC.
Source: Chee Soon Juan on Facebook
According to Mr Chee, the walkabout initially “went well enough” before SDP members began experiencing what he described as “a bit of argy-bargy”, a term referring to a noisy disagreement or argument.
He claimed that PAP members were “shoving” tissue paper bearing the likeness of an absent individual at residents whenever SDP members stopped to speak with them.
Source: Chee Soon Juan on Facebook
SDP vice chairman claims PAP entourages followed members during walkabout
Mr Chee also claimed that a younger SDP member reported being “prodded a couple of times” by members of the other party.
“Play nice and stay classy, okay, PAP?” he wrote.
Source: Chee Soon Juan on Facebook
Mr Lim made a similar observation, claiming that two PAP entourages were “tailing” SDP members throughout their walkabout.
He also remarked that the days when “intimidation and scare tactics could easily silence people” were long gone, although he did not elaborate on whether he was referring specifically to the walkabout.
SDP plans to sell newspapers in constituencies it has not previously contested
Party quibble aside, both Mr Chee and Mr Lim said the SDP received a warm reception from Chong Pang residents.
Mr Chee said many residents were seen reading the party newspaper, while Mr Lim noted that supporters and well-wishers openly expressed their encouragement.
Source: Bryan Lim Boon Heng on Facebook
Mr Lim added that Yishun had been relatively uncharted territory for the SDP for more than three decades, making the positive reception particularly heartening.
“Over the coming months, we will be taking sales of The New Democrat (TND) to more constituencies that we have not contested in previous General Elections,” he wrote.
SDP chairman Paul Tambyah also weighed in on 11 Oct, saying the party had enjoyed interacting with residents.
“As one resident pointed out, we may have actually made the ruling party work harder!” he quipped.
Source: Bryan Lim Boon Heng on Facebook
Also read: PSP and PAP cross paths at hawker centre in Marymount during Gillman & Maju Forests outreach
PSP and PAP cross paths at hawker centre in Marymount during Gillman & Maju Forests outreach
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Featured image adapted from Chee Soon Juan on Facebook.
