The Singapore People's Party (SPP) yesterday elected a new central executive committee (CEC) one day after six of its leaders resigned.
Mrs Chiam, 62, second vice-chairman of the CEC, and her husband, Mr Chiam See Tong, 76, who is the party's secretary- general, arrived at the SPP's headquarters Siang Kuang Avenue to attend an Ordinary Party Conference (OPC) to elect a new CEC. Some 20 to 30 cadres and party supporters were also in attendance at the closed-door session.
wever, The Straits Times reported that the new CEC comprised long-time party loyalists and no new members, leading to questions over Mr Chiam's succession plans, as well as the future of the 17-year-old party.
An hour after the conference, Non-Constituency MP Lina Chiam emerged to read out a statement saying that they had re-elected 'the remaining members of the CEC'.
'The election of office-bearers will take place after the first CEC meeting. The ordinary party conference fully supports the leadership of the CEC,' said Mrs Chiam, who was second vice-chairman in the last CEC.
Besides Mrs Chiam, the new CEC includes Mr Chiam; previous chairman Sin Kek Tong, and former CEC members Jason Leong, Ricky Toh, Yen Kim Khooi, Yong Seng Fatt and Han Jook Kuang.
The new CEC will haev to meet within the next three weeks to decide who will fill which roles.
Former assistant secretaries-general Wilfred Leung and Benjamin Pwee - both previously touted as potential successors to Mr Chiam - and former Malay/Muslim affairs bureau head Mohamad Hamim Aliyas, were among the six SPP leaders who left the party. The only fresh face left is Mr Jimmy Lee, 36, who contested in the Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC with Mr Chiam, Mr Leung, Mr Pwee and Mr Hanim.
But he was not elected into the CEC as his membership is less than a year old.The SPP's Constitution.states that only members who have been with the party for more than a year can be elected.
