Red Dot United leaves opposition Coalition, ‘disappointed’ with NSP for courting 3-way contest in Sembawang

Red Dot United withdraws from Coalition, citing NSP’s planned three-cornered fight as deal-breaker

Red Dot United (RDU) has announced its withdrawal from the opposition Coalition it co-founded in November 2024.

This follows the National Solidarity Party’s (NSP) decision to press ahead with a three-cornered fight against the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) and the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) in Sembawang GRC.

In a statement released on Saturday (12 April), RDU said that it cannot support NSP’s intentions.

The party’s Secretary-General Ravi Philemon said the decision to leave the Coalition was made with “much regret” after “intense deliberation”.

Source: Red Dot United on Facebook

The Coalition was comprised of the NSP, RDU, Singapore People’s Party (SPP), and Singapore United Party (SUP).

Multi-cornered fights favour the incumbent, says Red Dot United

In a statement seen by MS News, Mr Philemon stressed that multi-cornered fights only serve to benefit the People’s Action Party (PAP).

It also goes against the Coalition’s founding principle of putting voters first.

“We must not let party ambition come at the cost of citizen choice,” he said.

In its statement, RDU reaffirmed its belief in plurality and the right of any party to contest elections.

However, it emphasised that such rights must not come at the “strategic expense” of handing the PAP an electoral advantage.

“In a general election where so many issues weigh on their minds, voters should not be forced to decide between choosing the right party, and championing the right of a party to contest,” said Mr Philemon.

“Multi-cornered fights that only assert the right to contest, without considering voter choice, will only work against the interests of citizens.”

SDP deserves clean contest in Sembawang, says Red Dot United

RDU’s statement singled out the SDP as having the support and ground presence to offer a credible alternative to the PAP in Sembawang GRC.

The party argued that SDP “should be accorded the benefit of a clean two-way fight”.

Source: Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) on Facebook

It added that the NSP’s move to challenge SDP in Sembawang undermines the core values of the Coalition.

Based on NSP’s website, the Coalition agreed to avoid three-cornered contests during elections.

“We are disappointed that NSP has decided to take this route, but remain hopeful that they will return to the original values we have collectively established for the Coalition,” said Mr Philemon.

RDU: Coalition was meant to unify, not fragment

Source: NSP website

Mr Philemon said that the Coalition was formed with the aim of building a strong and united platform to help each member party field its best candidates.

RDU has also engaged with parties outside the Coalition to prevent multi-cornered contests, he added.

“On our part, we will not contest in a constituency unless we know we have made a strong connection with residents, and have the ability to represent their needs and interests in Parliament and as town councillors.”

Call for unity and maturity in opposition politics

The statement concluded with a reaffirmation of RDU’s belief that party interests — including its own — must always align with the broader mission of serving the democratic rights of the people.

While RDU’s exit marks a blow to opposition unity ahead of GE2025, the party said it remains committed to fair, strategic, and voter-first contests.

“We believe that the party with the strongest support from the ground, sufficient resources, a message that resonates, and candidates who are reasonable and recognised — should be given the space for a direct contest with the PAP.”

Also read: ‘3 corner contest always benefit PAP’: Sembawang GRC set for 3-way battle in GE2025, netizens say PAP has already won

Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.

Featured image adapted from NSP website and Red Dot United on Facebook.