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Chiam See Tong | |
|---|---|
詹时中 | |
 Chiam in 2006 | |
| 6th Leader of the Opposition | |
| In office 26 May 1997 – 20 April 2006 | |
| Prime Minister | Goh Chok Tong Lee Hsien Loong |
| Preceded by | Ling How Doong |
| Succeeded by | Low Thia Khiang |
| In office 10 November 1986 – 17 May 1993 | |
| Prime Minister | Lee Kuan Yew Goh Chok Tong |
| Preceded by | J. B. Jeyaretnam |
| Succeeded by | Ling How Doong |
| 2nd Secretary-General of the Singapore People's Party | |
| In office December 1996 – 16 October 2019[1] | |
| Chairman | Lina Loh (2012 — 2019) Sin Kek Tong (1996 — 2012) |
| Preceded by | Sin Kek Tong |
| Succeeded by | Steve Chia |
| Member of Parliament for Potong Pasir SMC | |
| In office 22 December 1984 – 19 April 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Howe Yoon Chong |
| Succeeded by | Sitoh Yih Pin |
| Majority | 1,718 (11.6%) |
| 1st Secretary-General of the Singapore Democratic Party | |
| In office 6 August 1980 – 17 May 1993 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Chee Soon Juan |
| 1st Chairman of the Singapore Democratic Alliance | |
| In office 2001–2011 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Desmond Lim |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 March 1935[2] Singapore, Straits Settlements, British Malaya |
| Political party | Singapore People's Party (2011–2019) |
| Other political affiliations | Independent (1976–1979) Singapore Democratic Party (1980–1984) Singapore Democratic Alliance (2001–2011) |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
| Occupation |
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| Chiam See Tong | |||||||||||
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| Simplified Chinese | 詹时中 | ||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 詹時中 | ||||||||||
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Chiam See Tong (Chinese: 詹时中; pinyin: Zhān Shízhōng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Chiam Sî-tiong; born 12 March 1935)[2] is a Singaporean retired politician and lawyer who served as the Secretary-General of Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) between 1980 and 1993 and Secretary-General of Singapore People's Party (SPP) between 2011 and 2019 and the chairman of Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) between 2001 and 2011. He was the de facto Leader of the Opposition when he became the Member of Parliament (MP) for Potong Pasir Single Member Constituency (SMC) and served between 1984 and 2011.
A lawyer by profession, Chiam contested the 1976 general election and 1979 by-elections as an independent candidate in Cairnhill SMC and Potong Pasir SMC but lost both.[2][3][4] He founded and led the SDP to contest in the 1980 general election, only to be defeated again.[5] Chiam was elected on his fourth attempt during the 1984 general election, winning in Potong Pasir SMC against People's Action Party candidate Mah Bow Tan.[6] He joined J. B. Jeyaretnam from the Workers' Party as one of only two opposition MPs in Singapore at the time. After Jeyaretnam was removed from his seat in 1986, Chiam became the sixth de facto Leader of the Opposition and the only opposition MP at the time. He continued his leadership of the opposition after the 1991 general election, in which he led the SDP to contest in three SMCs.
In 1993, after a falling-out with the SDP's central executive committee, Chiam resigned as the SDP's secretary-general and consequently lost his leadership of the opposition. Chiam later joined and successfully ran for election as a member of the Singapore People's Party, regaining his position as the opposition leader after the 1997 general election.[7] In 2001, Chiam convinced three other opposition parties —National Solidarity Party, Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura and Singapore Justice Party — to join the SPP in forming the Singapore Democratic Alliance, and served as SDA's chairman between 2001 and 2011.[8] He withdrew the SPP from the SDA in the lead up to the 2011 general election, leading the SPP in a contest in Bishan–Toa Payoh GRC, but eventually lost to the PAP team.[9][10]
Chiam retired after 39 years in politics at the age of 80 prior to the 2015 general election due to health reasons.[11][12][13] He was the longest-serving opposition MP until he was surpassed by Low Thia Kiang in 2018.[14] He remains the longest-serving de facto Leader of the Opposition in Singapore.
- ^ Koh, Fabian (16 October 2019). "Chiam See Tong steps down as SPP chief, ending storied political career that spanned more than four decades". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 19 October 2019. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
- ^ a b c Loke, Hoe Yeong (2014). Let the People Have Him: Chiam See Tong: The Early Years. Singapore: Epigram Books. ISBN 9789810791735.
- ^ "ELD | 1976 Parliamentary General Election Results". www.eld.gov.sg.
- ^ "ELD | 1979 Parliamentary By-election Results". www.eld.gov.sg.
- ^ "ELD | 1980 Parliamentary General Election Results". www.eld.gov.sg.
- ^ "ELD | 1984 Parliamentary General Election Results". www.eld.gov.sg.
- ^ Loke, Hoe Yeong (2019). The First Wave: JBJ, Chiam & the Opposition in Singapore. Singapore: Epigram Books. ISBN 9789814845427.
- ^ "Singapore Democratic Alliance is formed - Singapore History". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
- ^ "ELD | 2011 Parliamentary General Election Results". www.eld.gov.sg.
- ^ hermes (16 August 2015). "Battle for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC". The Straits Times. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
- ^ Ong, Justin (30 August 2015). "SPP, DPP announce candidates for joint Bishan–Toa Payoh GRC team". Channel NewsAsia. Archived from the original on 2 September 2015. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
- ^ "New opposition candidate expected in Potong Pasir" Archived 4 November 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Zul Othman. Channel Newsasia. 4 November 2009.
- ^ The Straits Times (print edition) 9 December 2009, page B6.
- ^ "Low Thia Khiang will be the longest-serving opposition MP in Singapore's history by end of 2017". Mothership.sg. Archived from the original on 12 December 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2017.