A Post-GE Message to Our Supporters from Kenneth Jeyaretnam
Posted: 8th May 2011Firstly I hope all of you are having a well-deserved rest this Sunday. I have never seen people work so devotedly and tirelessly, with very little sleep, as you have worked. Thank you, the Reform Party owes you all a huge debt of gratitude.
As the analysis and chatter comes in on the internet, there is one statistic to be borne in mind. Our share of the total vote, (4.3%), is greater than two long-established parties that have been going for nearly thirty years. The fact that RP got nearly 34% of the vote in West Coast despite our brand not being well known yet shows the power of our message and how our core values resonate with the voters. We have only been actively campaigning for two years yet have succeeded in putting the RP firmly on the map. Who would have thought that there would be space for a new party? In demonstrating that there is, we have changed the political landscape of Singapore forever.
We fielded a very young and inexperienced team at the last minute in Ang Mo Kio and as a result they only had nine days to campaign. The team raised their own election deposits and organized their own posters and flyers. They still performed creditably and the experience gained will stand them in good stead in the next election.
West Coast GRC had not been contested for fourteen years and many of the residents we met had not voted before in their lives. We are proud of having given them a chance to vote for the first time and to normalize democracy.
Two incidents in particular struck me. One was the disabled woman who climbed the stairs of our office with some difficulty but was still determined to volunteer as a polling agent. I saw you at one of the polling stations on Saturday putting in long hours in the cause of democracy. Thank you for all your hard work. Another was the young woman who came up to me and said she had flown all the way back from China to vote. She thanked me with tears in her eyes for giving her and her family a chance to vote for the first time.
Messages of support and encouragement have been flooding in via SMS and Facebook. They will be going up shortly. Also I was overwhelmed by the number of people who approached me last night wanting to become members and future candidates.
On Monday we will start our work of preparing for GE 2016. The Reform Party will be focusing on the West Coast GRC and the SMCs of Radin Mas and Pioneer. I promised to move into West Coast should we win. I still intend to do this and on Monday will start looking for a house in Pioneer. We intend to move the Party office there as soon as practicable and to start implementing as much of our 5 Year plan as is practicable.
15 Responses to A Post-GE Message to Our Supporters from Kenneth Jeyaretnam
dear kenneth
as a young Singaporean, I’ve already what i could but unfortunately we are not strong enough to garner more votes from the old citizen. Come 2016, it’ll be a different ball game altogether.
I wish you and reform party all the best in your next phase to win back not only election but also to let our voice be heard in parliament….
We may have lost in terms of number of votes but we had really won the heart of the people that knew what is going on. I believe many voted for the other party because
1) they do not know us or they are afraid to vote for us.
2) Also, the other party candidates did a good job in reaching out to the people during the walk abouts and house visit.
3) We have a very good agenda and manifesto to execute. This good news we have to do it like network marketing, spread it to everyone. I see that many of the team member are very active in organizing events and helping out logistic but when it comes to facing the citizen and talk, we are still very shallow and need the support. To mention a few, Kumar and Frankie had better hand on this. They are able to talk to the citizen on policies.
4) We need more grounds man to join us to do grassroot activities or events for public awareness that are familiar with the folks at the GRC.
5) We have a team of very good players: from AMK and West Coast but not explored to the limit of their talent.
do forgive and correct me if i have provided with any incorrect information.
This GE2011, we had made a good effort and great sacrifice to wake up the whole Singapore that what is happening ahead of us and we need change.
You have done a good job, keep it up! We could see and feel the efforts from Reform Party. Do not think this is a failure, it is a good start! Be prepared, strategise and steer in the right direction at the right time, u definitely know what to do! We look forward to your return!
Dear Reform Party, it was a good showing for a very young party. I did not expect the RP’s to win any seats, but I understood RP’s reasons for participating. Giving people a chance to vote gets them used to the idea that they can actually have a say in choosing their government. For too long the choice was not given to us and we were too used to things happening by “auto-pilot”. RP and the other opposition parties chose to adopt a long-term view and as we see this morning, Workers’ Party’s efforts finally paid off when they won Aljunied.
So don’t give up RP. Regroup and rework your strategy. It will be a very long road ahead. It may take the next election, or even the election after the next, before you get voted into parliament. But give us Singaporeans a chance. All the best to the Reform Party!
You won 30% in both areas you ran, and eventhough i was initially sad, i realised this is victory, given your newness and the lack of timing! So WELL DONE! I hope to see you in Parliament in 2016!
Dear Kenneth & friends
I am glad that we get to vote and admires your courage to stand for us,
we may be lost in our vote but not our voices
God bless you always
Well Done!
Supporting you 100%!
I am in west coast grc but the new pioneer smc is just 1 street across. Look forward to have you as my neighbour soon! When your party’s office has moved into Pioneer, I also look forward to pay you a visit. All the best in your endeavours!
How about moving over to ayer rajah? =)
First & foremost, I would like to congratulate RP for putting up a brave fight. I hope the result will spur you guys to achieve more in many years ahead. Never feel discourage and keep moving forward. It’s not about hard how you punch but it’s about how strong you keep on going with all the challenges ahead. I hope you guys carry on with the ground works and connect with the people. There are definitely few things you can learn from other parties such as WP & PAP. Always keep your enemies closer. As for now, I and the rest of pro-Opp will bite the bullet and keep striving and competing for a better future. Thanks for all your effort to represent us. Kudos to all of you!
I’m happy to know your intentions of moving to Pioneer and wanting to contest the western part of this country! I’m a resident here & have always feel uncomfortable with the ruling party policies and unjust, self-serving laws. I’m sure in five years to come, you and your party will be well collected & well prepared to contest for the upcoming election. With the percentage shown during this year’s election, it’s just shows that we, the people, wants to be heard and have a stake in this beloved country. Despite all our differences, I love all the friends I’ve made in this land.
I must say that I was truly disappointed with the overall election results but with Aljunied’s breakthrough results, along with Hougang giving stronger support to the new WP MP, I’m beginning to feel that there’s actually a light at the end of the tunnel. All the best to you Kenneth & the Reform Party team.
Thank you and keep up the good work!
Dear Kenneth,
I would like to share my humble views with you after following The Reform Party’s rallies, reports in the local and social media. Im a West Coast GRC resident and a first time voter for 30 years of my life. I have to commend you and your team for daring to stand out and make a contest in West Coast when nobody else even bother.
I studied in Yusof Ishak Secondary which was used to be in West Coast before moving to Bukit Batok. I maintained a close link with a large group of classmates and alumni. Most of us are still living in West Coast GRC and are 30 years of age or below.
i discussed extensively with my network and debated hard if we should vote for you in our gatherings.
There was several deep questions about your party that were being posed which was raised and I urge you to consider these views as your party regroup and re-strategize for elections 2016.
Plus points for u.
a) Your academic qualifications were never in doubt and we felt you could contribute strongly especially in Parliament for economic policy-making and refining, providing strong, creative alternative views alongside PAP.
b) The legacy your herited from your dad was a head-start no doubt.
c) Your willingness to believe in new blood for the party.
d) You dare to start out earlier than other opp groups to signal your intentions
Minus Points for you.
a) YOUR Leadership capability perception – There have been many candidates leaving your party and other parties have benefited greatly from the loss of your party. Imagine how strong is your team if they are still here with you leading the team.
if only two or three have left, it can be boiled down to a clashes of values and direction. but to date how many left only u know.
This deeply signals and underscores a lack of communication skills and leadership qualities on your part.
b)Your website.- Not all singaporeans are perfect eyesight 20/20 u know. Your fonts are too small and website is not updated fast enough, lack of visuals also during campaigns. I check your website several times a day and had to watch the news in the end to find out what i want to know. How to engage the youth??
c) Your Brochure – Reform Party Brochure first to reach my house than PAP but only one picture of you and none of your GRC team in the whole brochure. Are you trying for a SMC?
d) Undergraduates in your Team and you have 2 !
- C’mon. be serious..You want to be projected as a respectable and potential alternative party. A strong voice and not a student union election party.
We are oppsition supporters but not fools either.
e) Communication – You have the substance no doubt. Speak slowly and louder with more confidence. You will come across more convincing.
f) You mentioned you wanted to form a government is your long-term goal – West Coast have alot of older residents with strong feelings for PAP. It has not been contested for many years. You should not talk about it until u have your A team that is really strong. Even Mr Low dared not talked about this.
Im a OPP supporter but It was these questions that i had to debate within myself long and hard to mentally convince myself it is worth voting for your party.
I really hope to see greater things from you and your party!
Dun give up. Best of luck
From a west coast grc resident.
I find it rather strange that the only trifle thing the media mentioned about you is moving to stay in the West Coast. But the most important thing conspicuous by its absence is that you’re a credible economist well-qualified to question the PAP government’s handling of the nation’s reserves (remember President Ong Teng Chong’s case). No 1st world nation is that secretive of the country’s wealth. Particularly a 1st world country who claims itself to be democratic has taken so much pains not to divulge the nation’s reserves to its citizenry.
To my lay-man’s point of view, if a nation is not totally transparent of its reserves it fails in its moral & legal rights to impose taxes. Why is GST so necessary? It is the cause of inflation & a hardship to the middle & lower income group. We wonder how much & how big our reserve is considered sufficient to the PAP government?
We also like to know how the nation’s reserves are being invested; whether it is being invested wisely and paying good dividends or how much has gone soured. If the PAP is not fully transparent of the nation’s investments, we begin to feel that the reserves are being used like in a ‘casino’ but on the world-wide scale. Right thinking persons who have the nation’s interests in their hearts should consider this problem seriously; and how a man of your qualifications can bring about the change for the betterment of Singapore’s masses particularly in helping the middle income & the poor.
We hope you will not give up to strive to get into parliament in 5 year’s time, and bring this message to the greatest number of the citizenry of Singapore as possible; you will have to overcome almost insurmountable odds.
Pls make this your personal crusade in memory of JBJ. Don’t let JBJ’s lifetime work goes in vain.
Dear Mr Kenneth Jeyaretnam Team REFORM PARTY
Your is the key of Ang Mo Kio GRC. I believe Reform Party can make Ang Mo Kio Residents under one ROOF. we need a change and a challenge.
I Wish You and Reform Party all the Best in your next phaseto WIN Back not only Election and also let our voice be heard in parliament.
Thank You! SEE YOUR NEST ELECTION IN ANG MO KIO.
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