Workers' Party's Eric Tan quits

[Kelpie]

From Yahoo! News

 

SINGAPORE: With an eye on the next General Election (GE), the Workers' Party's (WP) top leadership made a strategic decision late Thursday night to select a younger member for its second Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) seat.

 

Unfortunately, the move prompted veteran central executive committee member and party treasurer Eric Tan to quit.

 

In an exclusive interview with Today late Thursday night, as he drafted a statement for the media, he said: "I feel betrayed."

 

The WP is expected to officially announce on Friday which of its candidates will be accepting the NCMP seats.

 

The WP is entitled to two NCMP seats - one for 46-year-old Yee Jenn Jong, who lost narrowly in the single-seat of Joo Chiat and the other for one of the five members of its East Coast Group Representation Constituency (GRC) team.

 

The Thursday night meeting at Hougang Town Council saw the WP's central executive committee vote to hand the second NCMP seat to the party's assistant webmaster, 34-year-old Gerald Giam.

 

This was the first election the IT consultant, who joined WP in 2009, has contested.

 

He was part of the team in East Coast GRC which was led by 55-year-old Mr Tan.

 

Mr Tan, a former banker who is now a private equity fund manager, said: "I am disappointed that Low (Thia Khiang) and part of the CEC have decided to go against the people's wishes, citing party renewal as their reason.

 

"I too, also believe in the renewal of the party but in an orderly manner, with succession plans.

 

"But not like this, dropped like a bomb."

 

Mr Tan added: "I have helped build the East Coast team since 2005 and was the only one remaining after the 2006 election. I fought on and rebuilt the team, helping to gain a solid result for the party," he said.

 

"I wanted the NCMP post so that I would be able to be the voice of the people." said Mr Tan, who is also the chairman of the party's Eastern Area Committee.

 

The 45.17 per cent polled by the WP in East Coast GRC has led many to speculate that the WP has set its sight on making the constituency its next major battleground in five years' time.

 

Mr Tan is also understood to have played a role in attracting corporate lawyer Chen Show Mao and Mr Yee to join the party. It is not known if the opposition party might reconsider its decision on Friday.

 

Regards,

[Kelpie]

From an outsider point of view, Gerald Giam seems to me to be of greater political value due partly to his background. A former civil servant. His younger age also given him an edge too.

 

He has also been heavily promoted as a prominent political figure in WP prior to the GE2011.

 

WP could have consider CST plight in making such decision.

 

Regards,

[Csnewbie]

 

no internal conflicts pls..

[Wt_know]

for party renewal and greater cause, eric should let go

however, on the other hand, he did feel betrayed for his hard work and dedication and moreover he believe he can continue to contribute nothing less than gerald.

 

tough decision. one have to go, no doubt.

 

like in any mnc or big company, replace senior or old bird manager/supervisor who had fight for the company with young, energetic and aggressive ones. is it a necessary evil?

Edited May 13, 2011 by Wt_know

[Acemundo]

From an outsider point of view, Gerald Giam seems to me to be of greater political value due partly to his background. A former civil servant. His younger age also given him an edge too.

 

He has also been heavily promoted as a prominent political figure in WP prior to the GE2011.

 

WP could have consider CST plight in making such decision.

 

Regards,

basically individual pride still makes people lose the big picture. if i were him, i would gladly give way to a younger candidate like gerald giam for the greater good of the party and opposition voice.

 

sylvia lim's profile was raised considerably after becoming ncmp from previous election. then this election voters know her and willing to vote her.

 

if let an oldie become ncmp, he may have 1 more election to contest, whereas let gerald take part, he would benefit from many subsequent election.

[Tarzan666]

Ya man..if im Eric i oso damn fed up...

 

Its like office politics..

 

U work hard as acting head of the dept for years..

Then management promote your junior as head..

 

 

[Kiario]

basically individual pride still makes people lose the big picture. if i were him, i would gladly give way to a younger candidate like gerald giam for the greater good of the party and opposition voice.

 

sylvia lim's profile was raised considerably after becoming ncmp from previous election. then this election voters know her and willing to vote her.

 

if let an oldie become ncmp, he may have 1 more election to contest, whereas let gerald take part, he would benefit from many subsequent election.

 

+1

[Chongster]

it's a good decision by WP. pity to lose Eric who is a good man, but what they did was right.

[Jolie888]

Hoot ah!

 

Internal conflicts could lead to the downfall of WP.

[Kelpie]

Ya man..if im Eric i oso damn fed up...

 

Its like office politics..

 

U work hard as acting head of the dept for years..

Then management promote your junior as head..

 

The consolation is, a FT is not taking over the job . Naughty me.

 

Regards,

[Tianmo]

From an outsider point of view, Gerald Giam seems to me to be of greater political value due partly to his background. A former civil servant. His younger age also given him an edge too.

 

He has also been heavily promoted as a prominent political figure in WP prior to the GE2011.

 

WP could have consider CST plight in making such decision.

 

Regards,

 

 

Well, Eric did openly mention that he will likely be the one getting that post during an interview...................now no have........face and pride lor...........

 

That would also means that his forsight is on the present...........the bigger picture would be for the younger ones to expose more while the older ones take a backstage role of mentoring............otherwise how to train the younger ones........

[Kelpie]

basically individual pride still makes people lose the big picture. if i were him, i would gladly give way to a younger candidate like gerald giam for the greater good of the party and opposition voice.

 

sylvia lim's profile was raised considerably after becoming ncmp from previous election. then this election voters know her and willing to vote her.

 

if let an oldie become ncmp, he may have 1 more election to contest, whereas let gerald take part, he would benefit from many subsequent election.

 

Yap, Eric's age is his disadvantage. But in other developed countries, it is not uncommon to see very old folks fighting for major election campaign. They don't emphasize so much on age.

 

I guess, being NCMP, would give Gerald the needed exposure. Probably, will be made a prominent member in WP's A team formation.

 

Regards,

 

 

[Jman888]

Well, Eric did openly mention that he will likely be the one getting that post during an interview...................now no have........face and pride lor...........

 

That would also means that his forsight is on the present...........the bigger picture would be for the younger ones to expose more while the older ones take a backstage role of mentoring............otherwise how to train the younger ones........

 

 

he never consult the ah tao before making that comment

[Tianmo]

Ya man..if im Eric i oso damn fed up...

 

Its like office politics..

 

U work hard as acting head of the dept for years..

Then management promote your junior as head..

 

 

ai ya bro.................the day they made you acting head............already telling you...........the post is not your's to be liao lah.

 

there are many reasons to such thing...........one being they feel that the position need some other requirements or you are not ready for that post, but at that point of time there is no other candidnates to fill that gap............so they make you acting........the key word here is "acting".............you stand in only.........until they find the correct person............

 

always like that one lah...........

[Acemundo]

Ya man..if im Eric i oso damn fed up...

 

Its like office politics..

 

U work hard as acting head of the dept for years..

Then management promote your junior as head..

 

the emotional feeling is the same but the logical explanation is different.

 

this is not a job per se.

 

joining opposition is more like sharing vision of a common non-pecuniary cause. there is no salary to be drawn, such "promotion" only addresses the emotional self worth, it does not bring any other tangible benefit.

 

hence if i am him, i will go back to ask myself - why did i join wp in the first place? to further the cause of alternative voice or to gain some reputation and recognition in the political arena for his own enjoyment. if it is the former, he should not veer from this objective. if it is the latter, i am sorry to say he is also not suitable to be in wp nor the opposition camp.

[Tianmo]

he never consult the ah tao before making that comment

 

 

high chance he did not do that lor...............being one of the old bird there..............maybe he always ya ya papaya also we don't know mah...............

 

ppl can get carried away one lah..............

[Csnewbie]

high chance he did not do that lor...............being one of the old bird there..............maybe he always ya ya papaya also we don't know mah...............

 

ppl can get carried away one lah..............

 

 

so is PAP.

 

internal conflicts too.

[Jman888]

the emotional feeling is the same but the logical explanation is different.

 

this is not a job per se.

 

joining opposition is more like sharing vision of a common non-pecuniary cause. there is no salary to be drawn, such "promotion" only addresses the emotional self worth, it does not bring any other tangible benefit.

 

hence if i am him, i will go back to ask myself - why did i join wp in the first place? to further the cause of alternative voice or to gain some reputation and recognition in the political arena for his own enjoyment. if it is the former, he should not veer from this objective. if it is the latter, i am sorry to say he is also not suitable to be in wp nor the opposition camp.

 

 

rather be the shi ye behind the scene than the general in front [laugh]