Opposition politics - talking to each other (or not)

The SDP itself too bungled the invitation to the WP right from the start – first, in declaring publicly its intention to contest the ward, only to later seek a discussion with WP over it; second, to publish what should have been private and confidential emails between the two sides; third, to propose the “unity candidate” idea, at a press conference, no less; and fourth, to then say that it "knew all along" that its proposal to the WP would be rebuffed. [The SDP has since clarified the reported remark. See here.]

In short, it was a disaster in diplomacy.

One can’t fault the WP for ignoring the SDP.

Having said that, the WP too is not faultless for this sad state of affairs, of the opposition failing at even the simple task of speaking to each other. The WP too was approached by the Reform Party (RP) chief, Kenneth Jeyaretnam, who made a similar proposal – as the SDP’s – to the WP. The WP has obviously also rejected the proposal. It is unclear if the two sides had met to discuss the matter.

The Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) had attempted to persuade WP not to contest the ward in the last general election, so as to avoid a three-cornered fight with the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) Michael Palmer. The SDA’s secretary-general, Desmond Lim, “broke down talking about the pressure he faced to give up the fight for the single-seat”. Two days later, at a rally, his wife too broke down and accused Lee – who was also the WP candidate then – of “parachuting” into the ward.

Lim had been canvassing the Pasir Ris-Punggol area for several years leading up to the 2011 general elections, when Punggol East was carved out as a single-seat constituency.

The WP’s rebuff of the proposal by the SDP, the RP and previously by the SDA is seen by some as an emerging sense of confidence within the WP leadership (and indeed among its supporters too) that it can – and should – go it alone.

There is no doubt that the WP’s brand name is leaps and bounds ahead of the other parties’. Its GE 2011 performance has created an almost mythological aura around Low, Sylvia and its “star catch” Chen Show Mao among some sectors of the public – and that the WP can do no wrong. (A visit to Chen’s Facebook page, for example, might make one cringe upon seeing the hero-worship going on there.)

But that, in fact, is truly a myth indeed.

The WP has to remember that it can only win more seats if it avoided multi-cornered fights with other opposition parties. Its brand name and candidates, unlike the PAP, are not yet able to win outright majority votes in such multi-cornered contests.

And this is where diplomacy comes in. Diplomacy is indeed an integral – and vital - part of politics, especially opposition politics in Singapore’s context. To not even entertain suggestions or proposals by other parties, or be seen not to, is unnecessary. To then make subtle and disparaging references to these proposals or the ones making these proposals is to project a certain sense of arrogance.

There is nothing wrong with being confident in one’s own achievements or ambitions, but to do so in such a way without realising that it will do damage to one’s own long term goals is to risk the big picture for short term superficial ego trips. The WP, being where it is and with momentum on its side, risks losing more than the other parties.

The other parties may be more willing to scupper the WP’s plans if the WP is seen by them as not only being arrogant but also if it is seen as just another version of the PAP. This, lately, has been a point raised in some quarters, primarily because of the WP’s perceived failures in Parliament in raising certain issues of concerns, and voting with the PAP on matters or issues which the WP itself had, in fact, criticised. An example are the changes to ministerial salaries which the WP criticised but then voted for.

The expected multi-cornered contest in Punggol East reveals this growing disenchantment by some opposition parties of the WP’s perceived similarities to the PAP, and an unwillingness by these parties to lay down and make way simply because it is the WP coming to the neighbourhood.

For the WP and its leadership, they must realise that its ambitions and plans to make the constituencies in the eastern part of S’pore its own will require straight fights with the PAP – a prospect which will only happen if it is able to negotiate to avoid multi-cornered fights with the other opposition parties.

And in order for this to happen, the WP needs to work on its diplomatic skills, even if it does not at all agree with any of the other parties’ position on things.

The WP has more to lose than other parties, by virtue of the success it has had so far. Expectations of the party have grown too. And one would argue that besides the vote count, Singaporeans would much prefer a party which is not also seen to be arrogant. This in fact is one of the reasons why the PAP is so much disdained presently.

WP should not fall into that same trap.

Its failure to negotiate a straight fight in Punggol East reveals the WP’s inability in navigating the other aspects of Singapore politics – political diplomacy.

The multi-cornered fight WP faces in Punggol East perhaps has nothing to do with whether one has the right to contest in the ward but more about why other opposition parties are unwilling to cede the ground to the WP.

It is something which the WP should ponder on, if it wants to avoid similar situations come the next general elections.

The other opposition parties, while smaller with brand names not as recognisable as the WP’s, nonetheless still can put a spoke in the wheel of WP’s long term goals.

It would be a pity, especially for opposition supporters who yearn for a more democratic and representative Parliament with more opposition voices.

So, being the best-supported opposition party in S’pore, the WP, besides making sure that its candidates, when elected, “are prepared to work and can connect to [sic] the people”, should also perhaps make sure that it too can connect with other opposition parties – for the sake of its long term goals.