SINGAPORE: Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) chairman Desmond Lim Bak Chuan said he is “very confident” about his chances this election. It is his third time contesting Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC since his first outing there in 2006.
Speaking to CNA before a walkabout at Pasir Ris West Plaza on Thursday evening (Jul 2), the 53-year-old said he “feels very good” and “very confident” about his chances, more so than in the past.
“I’m a familiar face in Pasir Ris-Punggol,” he said. “Even half-masked, people sometimes can recognise me.”
Mr Lim, who has said that this will be his last election as chairman, is going up against the People’s Action Party and Peoples Voice in the only GRC with a three-cornered fight.
READ: GE2020: Pasir Ris-Punggol only GRC with three-cornered fight, involving PAP, SDA and Peoples Voice
“I’m not new here. I don’t fly by night, and I don’t take our voters for granted, assume that (just because) I can speak online, that means I’m the better person to serve you,” he said.
He added that anyone can talk online “until your cows come back”, but if one is not in Parliament, then he or she cannot influence the Government.
Mr Lim secured 27.11 per cent of the vote with his team in 2015 against the People’s Action Party (PAP) and 31.3 per cent of the vote in 2006.
But he said that he does not have a target for the number of votes this year.
“It’s not about how many percentage of votes you get,” he said, switching to Mandarin which he is more fluent in. “If everyone gets about 30 per cent, I just need (that bit more) to win.”
READ: GE2020: SDA’s Desmond Lim says party is looking to win as NCMPs cannot represent residents
He said the redrawing of boundaries will not affect his chances, as his team has been in the area since 2006.
“No matter how you cut, most of the area is in the middle,” said Mr Lim, who lives nearby in Oasis@Elias and was greeted many times on his walkabout by residents.
He was accompanied on his walk by several party members and fellow Pasir Ris-Punggol candidates Abu Mohamed, Kuswadi Atnawi and Kelvin Ong, handing out flyers at the plaza and at the blocks along Pasir Ris Street 51.
Mr Lim also spoke out against the actions of some opposition parties, which he did not name, criticising those who hop from constituency to constituency and those who speak loudly about opposition unity.
“We won’t run here or there – you think there’s a chance there, you go there, then you think you have a chance here, you come back. This is not a statesman but someone trying to play politics,” he said in Mandarin.
On opposition party unity, he said: “Some parties like to shout – Unity! Unity! We never shout. We do it quietly.”
Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) chairman Desmond Lim Bak Chuan (second from left) waves at residents in Pasir Ris on Jul 2, 2020. (Photo: Joyee Koo)
“ENOUGH IS ENOUGH”: DESMOND LIM
Asked for his views on the COVID-19 situation, Mr Lim said “it is of no help” to speak more on the topic.
“We don’t have the the control. PAP wasn’t done resolving it, and they called the election. We already said – don’t hold an election. But we spoke until our mouths were dry,” he said.
“Since you want to hold it, let’s hold it, no need to say anymore, we all know in our hearts. You want to hold an election to hold onto your power, hold onto your rice bowls, what are our citizens to you?”
A campaign poster by Singapore Democratic Alliance seen in Pasir Ris. (Photo: Joyee Koo)
He said the party could have stayed home and not risked it, but they chose to contest because “enough is enough”.
“To me – the people have had enough. Lightning is high stress, high voltage, might strike you to death,” he said in Mandarin.
Asked about reports that party member Harminder Pal Singh is to be his successor, Mr Lim said: “Besides him, there are a few others. He is one of them. Definitely, any organisation we should have this plan in place, and not wait until our relationship is not good, then start to handover.”
Mr Lim added that Singapore does not belong only to a small group but to everyone. Pointing to his party, he said: “We believe that all Singaporeans are Singaporeans, not Indian, Malay, Chinese. As long as you are capable, you can be the prime minister.”
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