This article needs additional citations for verification .(June 2019) |
National Solidarity Party | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Malay name | Parti Perpaduan Nasional |
Chinese name | 国民团结党 Guómín Tuánjié Dǎng |
Tamil name | தேசிய ஒருமைப்பாட்டுக் கட்சி Tēciya Orumaippāṭṭuk Kaṭci |
President | Reno Fong |
Secretary-General | Spencer Ng |
Vice President | Ridzuan Mohamed |
Founder | Kum Teng Hock |
Founded | 6 March 1987 |
Headquarters | 55 Serangoon North Ave 4 #04-06 Singapore 555859 |
Ideology | |
Political position | Centre-left |
Colours | Orange |
Parliament | 0 / 104 |
Website | |
nsp | |
The National Solidarity Party (abbreviation: NSP) is an opposition political party in Singapore.
The NSP was founded by a group of middle-class businessmen and women on 6 March 1987. The founding president and secretary-general of the party were Kum Teng Hock and Soon Kia Seng respectively. Kum was a former member of the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) while Soon was the ex-chairman of the Singapore Democratic Party. [1]
According to its 1995 manifesto, the main political objective of the NSP was to organise and maintain a democratic movement that would ensure the solidarity and establishment of a just political system and standard of living. The party believed in a multi-party political system so that the rights and interests of the people could be proportionately represented. The NSP also aimed to establish an open and freely competitive economic environment that would provide sufficient opportunities for local enterprises. Today, the NSP continues to strive for these values. It continues to promote the establishment of a multi-party political system as well as a pro-business economic environment.
NSP made their political debut in the 1988 general election, and has contested in every election since. NSP also had contested in the 1992 by-election for the constituency of Marine Parade GRC, which was led by then-Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong.
Ahead of the 2001 general election, the NSP became a founding member of the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA), along with the Singapore Justice Party (SJP), the Singapore People's Party (SPP) and the Singapore Malay National Organization (PKMS). The Chairman of the alliance was the SPP leader and then-Member of Parliament (MP) for Potong Pasir, Chiam See Tong (who was the SDA's only candidate-elect until 2011).
On the polling day, the party's then-secretary General Steve Chia, who contested the Chua Chu Kang Single Member Constituency but defeated with a vote share of 34.6%, was the highest percentage secured by a losing opposition candidate at the election, and Chia assumed his Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) post, becoming the first non-Workers' Party (WP) NCMP to do so.
However, despite Chia losing his election but increased his margin to 39.63% in the 2006 general election, he lost his position as a NCMP and did not return to Parliament (the highest percentage among losing candidates was for the WP team of Aljunied GRC at 43.9%; party's chairman Sylvia Lim succeeded Chia for the NCMP role).
In 2007, the NSP decided to withdraw from the SDA [2] with a view to "explore new possibilities through wider latitude to manoeuvre, re-engineer, and rebuild the NSP". Sebastian Teo also took over the leadership of the party from Steve Chia. The party acquired a new collective colour of orange for their activity jersey as a sign of vitality, rebirth and unity, and the newsletter underwent a transformation and adopted the new name North Star.
In the 2011 election, the party fielded the most candidates of all Opposition parties for the election, with 24 candidates contesting in four Group Representation Constituencies (Chua Chu Kang GRC, Jurong GRC, Marine Parade GRC and Tampines GRC), and four Single Member Constituencies (Mountbatten SMC, Pioneer SMC, Radin Mas SMC and Whampoa SMC; the latter was currently defunct). This election saw a boost in electoral support for the NSP, notably receiving endorsement from the newly formed Reform Party along their supporters. The party was led by then Secretary-General Goh Meng Seng (a former WP candidate, and currently the leader for People's Power Party), and saw introductions to prominent candidates, which include Nicole Seah, Hazel Poa, Tony Tan Lay Thiam and Jeanette Chong-Aruldoss.
However, despite fielding notable candidates such as former MP Cheo Chai Chen and entrepreneur Hazel Poa, the undefinable branding took a huge toll on the party by a lack of a strong party brand, as the party was defeated in all eight of the contested constituencies; Goh resigned from his post shortly after the election.
The party expressed intention to contest five constituencies (MacPherson, Marine Parade, Pioneer, Sembawang and Tampines), but the party shortly dropped out on MacPherson and Marine Parade, citing the possibility of multi-cornered contests that were likely to dilute the votes from the incumbent opposition WP and reducing the chance for a more diverse Parliament. [3]
The party later changed their mind a few days later, and announced their intention to contest MacPherson SMC citing closeness with the constituency as they had contested there in the prior election. In a response, a few party members, such as acting secretary-general Hazel Poa [4] and a CEC member Fazli Talip, [5] resigned from NSP, citing that they were strongly opposed on a very controversial decision to contest MacPherson. The party initially fielded Chia as the candidate, but he later withdrew on 23 August due to the online abuse that received from him, [6] and the party eventually chose Cheo as a candidate. Prior to the election, few members had earlier resigned, which members include Nicole Seah and Jeanette Chong-Aruldoss, who later joined WP and SPP, respectively.
During the campaigning period, Cheo drew public outcry on an interview citing MacPherson's incumbent Tin Pei Ling's status as a new mother was "her weakness" and saying that she might spend more time focusing on her child than on her constituents, and later claimed it as a joke. [7] On 8 September, Tampines GRC candidate Choong Hon Heng's rally on booing PAP had gone viral. [8] [lower-alpha 1]
The party failed to win any of the constituencies, and Cheo had his S$14,500 electoral deposit forfeited as a consequence of garnering less than 12.5% of the valid votes cast for MacPherson (215 or 0.82%). [9]
Earlier, Lim Tean was appointed as acting-secretary general following Poa's resignation, but resigned from his post and left NSP in May 2017, [10] and formed his new party, Peoples Voice, in October 2018. [11]
The party fielded a total of 10 candidates and contested Sembawang and Tampines in the 2020 elections. The party also expressed interest in contesting MacPherson and Pioneer, but both withdrew and respectively backed the People's Power Party [12] and Progress Singapore Party. [13] Ahead of elections, Steve Chia also resigned from NSP and participated the Singapore People's Party and became the new secretary-general a year later. [14] [15]
On polling day on 10 July, the party neither won any GRCs, but improved their both shares for popular vote and overall vote share by 25.27% and 3.53% to 33.15% and 3.76%, respectively. Former NSP and now-PSP member Hazel Poa however fell short on being elected in the West Coast GRC (whose team led by former PAP MP and 2011 presidential candidate Tan Cheng Bock) in about a 4% margin, but by-virtue on having the best performing result among losing candidates, Poa became a Non-constituency Member of Parliament along with Leong Mun Wai. [16]
In late-2007, the NSP formulated a set of political objectives and mission statements. According to its website, these are:
Political Ideology: The National Solidarity Party believes in a multi-political system that upholds economic progress and nation-building as the twin pillars of a strong and vibrant Singapore where the supremacy of the citizenry is respected and the natural rights of every individual may be enjoyed in harmony with a fair and equitable society.
Mission Statements: NSP exists to uphold democracy and to provide constructive policies. The Party positively promotes the establishment of a multi-party political system. It envisions to be a credible and caring political party in the pursue of rational and responsible politics in the interest of Singapore and Singaporeans.
Core Values:
No | Name | Years |
---|---|---|
1 | Steve Chia | 2001–2005 |
2 | Goh Meng Seng | 2006–2011 |
3 | Hazel Poa | 2011–2013 |
4 | Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss | 2013–2015 |
5 | Lim Tean | 2015–2017 |
6 | Spencer Ng | 2017–present |
Title | Name |
---|---|
President | Reno Fong |
Vice-President | Ridzuan Mohamed |
Secretary-General | Spencer Ng |
Assistant Secretary-General | Eugene Yeo |
Treasurer | Raymond Chua |
Assistant Treasurer | Ivan Yeo |
Organising Secretary | Sean M. |
Assistant Organising Secretary | Vincent Ng |
Member | Sebastian Teo |
Member | Yip Yew Weng |
Member | Ong Hock Siong |
Member | Yadzeth Haris |
Member | Sathin Ravindran |
Due to a merger with the Singapore Democratic Alliance in the 2001 and 2006 elections, the number of candidates represented by the National Solidarity Party was displayed in parentheses; the number of elected seats represented shown first was for the National Solidarity Party, and the next by SDA.
Election | Seats up for election | Seats contested by party | Seats won by walkover | Contested seats won | Contested seats lost | Total seats won | Change | Total votes | Share of votes | Popular vote | Resulting Government | Leader |
1988 | 81 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 / 81 | ![]() | 50,432 | 34.6% | 3.8% | No seats | Kum Teng Hock |
1991 | 81 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 / 81 | ![]() | 57,306 | 37.1% | 7.3% | No seats | Rasiah Thiagarajah |
1997 | 83 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 / 83 | ![]() | 48,322 | 30.1% | 6.7% | No seats | Tan Chee Kien |
2001 | 84 | 13 (9) | 0 | 1 (0) 1 | 11 (11) 1 | 0 / 84 1 1 / 84 | ![]() | 75,428 | 27.6% | 12.0% | Largest Opposition (+1 NCMP) 1 | Chiam See Tong (SDA) |
2006 | 84 | 20 (11) | 0 | 1 (0) | 19 (11) | 0 / 84 1 / 84 | ![]() | 145,628 | 32.5% | 13.0% | Opposition | |
2011 | 87 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0 / 87 | ![]() | 244,682 | 39.25% | 12.04% | No seats | Goh Meng Seng |
2015 | 89 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 / 89 | ![]() | 79,780 | 25.27% | 3.53% | No seats | Lim Tean |
2020 | 93 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 / 93 | ![]() | 93,546 | 33.15% | 3.76% | No seats | Spencer Ng |
Election | Seats up for election | Seats contested by party | Contested seats won | Contested seats lost | Total votes | Share of votes | Outcome of election | Constituency contested |
1992 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 950 | 1.4% | No seat | Marine Parade GRC |
The Workers' Party is a major centre-left political party in Singapore and is one of the three contemporary political parties represented in Parliament, alongside the governing People's Action Party (PAP) and the opposition Progress Singapore Party (PSP). It is currently the largest opposition party in Parliament. It is also one of the two oldest parties active in the country, having contested every parliamentary election since 1959, the other being the PAP. The WP has been the only political party other than the PAP with elected Members of Parliament (MPs) since the 1991 general election.
The Singapore Democratic Alliance is an opposition political coalition between Singapore Justice Party (SJP), Singapore Malay National Organization (PKMS), Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), National Solidarity Party (NSP) and Singapore People's Party (SPP) in 2001. Now Singapore Justice Party (SJP) and Singapore Malay National Organization (PKMS) are left in the alliance in Singapore.
The Singapore People's Party is an opposition political party in Singapore.
Chiam See Tong is a Singaporean retired politician and lawyer who appointed 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 won as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Potong Pasir SMC and served between 1984 and 2011.
Steve Chia Kiah Hong is a Singaporean politician. A member of the opposition Singapore People's Party (SPP), he has been the party's secretary-general since 2019. He was previously a NCMP between 2001 and 2006 of the 10th Parliament of Singapore.
General elections were held in Singapore on 3 November 2001. President S.R. Nathan dissolved parliament on 18 October 2001 on the advice of Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong. The ruling People's Action Party (PAP) won 82 of the 84 elected seats in Parliament. Due to the large number (51) of uncontested seats, only 675,306 of the 2,036,923 eligible voters (33.2%) had an opportunity to vote. As of the recent election in 2020, this was the most recent, and fourth overall election PAP returned to power on nomination day with a majority of uncontested walkovers.
General elections were held in Singapore on 6 May 2006. President S.R. Nathan dissolved parliament on 20 April 2006 on the advice of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong three weeks before the election. The People's Action Party (PAP) won 66.6% of the overall votes and gained 82 out of 84 seats. The PAP held the office of Prime Minister for a twelfth consecutive term. The general election was held under the first-past-the-post system. On Nomination Day, the PAP gained 37 seats in divisions which were uncontested by other parties. The main election issues included employment, cost of living, housing, transport, education, the need for an effective opposition voice in parliament, and the quality of the candidates.
These are the events concerning the 2006 Singaporean general election which occurred before the polling day on 6 May 2006.
General elections were held in Singapore on 2 January 1997. President Ong Teng Cheong dissolved parliament on 16 December 1996 on the advice of Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong. The election results were released in the late evening that day and the ruling People's Action Party won a total of 81 out of 83 seats as well as a tenth consecutive term in office under the then-Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong. Other major political parties contesting in the election were the Workers' Party, Singapore Democratic Party, National Solidarity Party, Singapore People's Party and the Democratic Progressive Party.
General elections were held in Singapore on 7 May 2011. President S. R. Nathan dissolved parliament on 19 April 2011 on the advice of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Voting is mandatory in Singapore and is based on the first-past-the-post system. Elections are conducted by the Elections Department, which is under the jurisdiction of the Prime Minister's Office. Nomination day was held on 27 April 2011, and for the second election in a row, the PAP did not return to government on nomination day, but it did return to government on polling day. This election also marked the first and the only three-cornered fight since 2001 in Punggol East SMC before it increased to four-cornered fight on a by-election held two years later.
Cheo Chai Chen is a Singaporean former politician and businessman. A member of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), he served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Nee Soon Central SMC between 1991 and 1997.
Goh Meng Seng is a Singaporean politician who is a member of the opposition People's Power Party.
Tin Pei Ling is a Singaporean politician and businesswoman. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), she has been the Member of Parliament (MP) representing MacPherson SMC since 2015 and previously the MacPherson division of Marine Parade GRC between 2011 and 2015.
Sebastian Teo Kway Huang is a Singaporean politician and businessman. He was formerly the president of the National Solidarity Party (NSP).
Hazel Poa Koon Koon is a Singaporean politician and businesswoman. A member of the opposition Progress Singapore Party (PSP), she has been a Non-Constituency Member of the 14th Parliament of Singapore since 2020 and the Vice-chairman of the Progress Singapore Party since 2023.
Lee Li Lian is a Singaporean politician. A member of the opposition Workers' Party (WP), she was the Member of Parliament for Punggol East SMC between 2013 and 2015.
Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss is a Singaporean lawyer and politician. She started her political career by joining the opposition Reform Party in 2009, but left in 2011 to join another opposition party, the National Solidarity Party (NSP). During the 2011 general election, she contested as a NSP candidate in Mountbatten SMC but lost to the People's Action Party (PAP) candidate Lim Biow Chuan after getting 41.38% of the vote. From October 2013 to January 2015, she served as the NSP's secretary-general before leaving to join another opposition party, the Singapore People's Party (SPP). She contested in Mountbatten SMC again during the 2015 general election as a SPP candidate, but lost to the PAP's Lim Biow Chuan again, garnering just 28.14% of the vote. She left the SPP in 2019 and was seen accompanying Workers' Party members on a walkabout in Marine Parade GRC.
The People's Power Party (PPP) is an opposition political party in Singapore.
List of notable events prior to the 2020 Singaporean general election: