Many must be shell shocked by National Solidarity Party’s Secretary-General (SG) Mr Goh Meng Seng’s recent decision to step down from politics to take a 2-year political sabbatical break.
He was the NSP’s SG for fifteen months and led the party in the recent 2011 General Election.
He is most likely seeking a executive director’s position in Hong Kong’s NGO so that he can spend more time with his family there.
Hazel Poa will take over the position of SG with immediate effect.
When news broke out that he quitted, many friends and NSP supporters asked me why Meng Seng made that decision – especially when he did so well at Tampines GRC as the team managed to garner 43% of the votes during the recent general election. Many also rumoured that the good result toppled Mr Mah Bow Tan from his position as Minister for National Development.
Was he taking responsibility for the collective poor showing at the polls as no one in NSP managed to win any Member of Parliament (MP) seat – not even a Non Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) position.
Not many SG in opposition politics took responsibility for their party’s poor showing at the polls and Meng Seng must be given credit for been the first one to do so.
Nevertheless, many people have also speculated that Meng Seng could be ousted as he is a straight talking guy and sometimes tend to step on too many toes while he discharged his duties perhaps abit too stringently.
I will not want to touch on this topic too much here as I am still a NSP Congress member and it is also a sensitive issue.
Humble Yet Proud Guy?
I first met Meng Seng three years ago – after a TOC event at Hong Lim Park. We just finished our speeches and he approached me asking whether I want to meet him for a chat on another day.
He had a ever ready smile and never seem to lose that sparkle in his eyes when he talked. It is difficult not to like this guy.
Knowing that he belonged to a political party and been rather non-partisan then, I turned him down. However, deep down inside me, I knew that I won’t be seeing this guy for the last time…
We didn’t cross path much during these past few years as I was abroad for a long while.
I heard that he left Workers’ Party and later joined NSP – becoming their SG shortly.
It was not surprising that he took up such a high-profiled position in opposition politics as he has a deep seated conviction about such matter.
He told me during our campaigning in Tampines GRC that his dad was in politics and it ran in his family.
He was proud to mention that he introduced opposition politics to his eldest brother, David, who later became his Principal Election Party in Tampines GRC. Unfortunately, he passed away due to a heart attack on the first day of campaigning.
While still living in Sydney last year, he emailed me asking if I am keen to join politics. I took up the challenge later when I decided to stand in the recent General Election.
When I came back to Singapore early this year, I met him up in Bishan J8 Toastbox and was surprised at his attire.
He was dressed in a kaki-coloured Bermuda and his tummy showed when he tucked in his round necked tee underneath it. His sandals seemed to complete the image of a hawker working in the coffee shop.
Though I am not expecting him to wear a tie to meet me, I was completely overwhelmed by his casual approach when he went to talk to potential election candidates.
He was relaxed, humble and easy to talk to. Compared to Kenneth Jeyeretnam whom I would be talking to in a few days’ time, Meng Seng came across as someone who is approachable and open.
I felt very comfortable around him but were still bothered by his extremely casual attire.
He didn’t really push me to join his party like Kenneth did and there was no contact from him after we spoke. Kenneth, on the other hand, did his best to bring me into the party and there was communication from him during the period that I took time to deliberate on my decision.
Of course, all of you knew what happened next and I don’t want to repeat myself here.
Meng Seng would termed it my first big political mistake…
Though many people saw that, on the exterior, Meng Seng seems humble and easy going, deep down he is rather obstinate and hold to his principles very well. Sometimes, it works well for him but on numerous occasions, his stubborn streak didn’t serve him well.
Perhaps, as a party leader, you can’t seem to be regularly switching stance or else people will think that you are fickle minded and inconsistent so you want to be seen as unbendable and steady.
Some have even commented that he could come across as rather proud and insisted on having his own way. He also self-praised quite a fair bit and this adds on to the notion that he may come across as being rather self-conceited.
Nevertheless, on a personal level, I felt that he is not too open to criticism and tend to hold on to his own thinking even though it could be flawed.
For example, Meng Seng always felt that the success of the election campaigning boiled down to how much exposure we have gained through the media.
Many people knew by now that there was a news black-out on Tampines GRC for NSP during the 9 days of campaigning and except for the slight reporting on David’s death, we didn’t gain any fair media coverage through the mainstream media (MSM).
We knew that was deliberate as Tampines GRC was seen as a possible upset win for the opposition party due to the Mah Bow Tan’s factor.
Sticking to his media-theme gun, Meng Seng didn’t really have a Plan B when that didn’t work and we simply campaigned without any strategy at all after that.
I could see though that his plan to use the media to his advantage eventually backfired on him badly.
Too Casual As Secretary General?
On the other hand, many have also commented that he is seen as been too casual and approachable as a secretary general.
He can be out having coffee with his volunteers laughing away heartily and many may have taken his casualness as a weakness.
It was perhaps his difficult time at the Workers’ Party that made him want to be seen as approachable and open in his leadership style.
At Workers’ Party, many members have left as they could not stand the SG Low Thian Kiang’s autocratic leadership style.
Nevertheless, on a personal level, I felt that his casual manner may have appeal to some – especially those who dislike leaders who are too dogmatic.
His consultative manner also invite people to also criticize him openly – sometimes in front of other people and slowly, people may have lose the respect for him.
Well Read
I was actually floored at how well-read Meng Seng is.
I remembered we had dinner with someone at a posh restaurant in Hotel Hyatt just after the election.
We were talking about ancient China politics in comparison with the European ones and his exposition literally made my jaw dropped.
Moreover, he is not even a political science student as he did economics in varsity. He gained a second upper honours degree and that made him quite an intelligent guy.
I learned quite a lot that day from him and he is eight years younger than me…
“Many people have told me that I am not intellectual enough in my conversation,” he later confided in me on our many trips back in his beaten-up van.
I have never felt that he is not intellectual enough but perhaps he lacks the clout to make people sit up and take notice when he speaks.
It is not something we all have and perhaps that is why some leaders are literally born and not make.
I always see Meng Seng more as an activist than a politician and I am sure that he can be a damn good one.
As an activist, you are also impacting lives as much as politicians do and more importantly you escape from all the dirt that politics bring.
It is also more rewarding as you touch lives without the sick feeling that there is an ultimate aim of winning their votes when you try to help them.
This has also being my constant struggle with opposition politics as people tend to perceive that you help them with a motive – to garner their votes to win the next election.
Conclusion
As Meng Seng faded into political seclusion for the next two years, let us hope that he will not take this as a set back but try to plough his massive energy into an NGO or even set up one on his own.
Many people have said that politics is always in one’s blood and when you have tasted it before , you can never leave it out completely from your life.
I am sure that there are many Meng Seng’s fans out there hoping that he will make a come back after his sabbatical.
Though we don’t really see eye to eye on some matters, we have always reserved that mutual respect for one other.
I am also gratified that you took me in after the short RP nightmarish stint and even made me a member of the Tampines GRC team. Many other candidates were eyeing for a spot within the GRC team…
I wish you all the best Meng Seng and sometimes what don’t kill us makes us stronger! After all, politics is already running in your blood and do make a comeback but in a sterner fashion…
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- Post Presidential Election: What will become of Singapore’s political future?
- Online interview with a married female PMET voter in Tampines GRC
“As an activist, you are also impacting lives as much as politicians do and more importantly you escape from all the dirt that politics bring.
It is also more rewarding as you touch lives without the sick feeling that there is an ultimate aim of winning their votes when you try to help them”. Unquote.
Fully concurs with the Above-mentioned.
And Mr Goh Meng Seng will certainly make a great activist if and when he becomes one. He is very approachable, spontaneous and a natural humble person.
Wish Mr Goh all the very best in health and endeavours.
I think it is good for Meng Seng to take a break as there are quite some vicious attacks on him.
Singaporeans are such, they think that oppositions owes them a favour to let them vote. The worst is most Singaporeans are not worth all the effort to help them because they will vote for nasty and mediocre PAP candidates over highly credible opposition candidates with a little benefit. Holland/Bukit Timah had clearly shown the Singaporean’s mentality in this aspect.
Singaporeans are cheap, a few hundred bucks or estate upgrading and a few empty promises is enough to make them sell their dignity. This is not to mention the stupidity of Singaporeans where all this vote buying is from their own money.
A real leader is like an open book.
Trusted and respected by the many.
Only those who like leaders who like to dictate or this is my way has forgotten what a leader should always be in the first place…a leader should always take the lead for his/her people and serve all be it good or bad or plain silly.
Real leaders make real sacrifices and always goes for the hardest fights.
Good day all.
Seng Seng could fight foranimal rights – such as abused Orangutan and its relatives in regional countries.
Good Luck.
another troll in the making—Fan
GMS has replied in Sammyboy forum to Gilbert’s posting:
Actually, there are a few contradictions made in Gilbert’s assessment.
I am glad people try to compare me to LTK but no, I am not LTK and I am definitely not running a party like WP.
IR123 seems to have a better understanding of what is going on.
There are definitely a lot of things happening in NSP “behind the scenes” but I guess Gilbert isn’t in the position to make good assessment of it.
Well, he didn’t really make good assessment on who to join and failed his first political judgement and subsequently, failed the second political judgement as well.
Politics is not so simple as one plus one equals to two. Due to many last inclusions and insertions, things didn’t turn out as the way I have planned it to be.
I have strong views but definitely not “obstinate” as one who calls it. Such strong views are based on assessment of situation as well as past experiences. I may have strong views that both scholars should join the Tampines Team but I am not that extremely obstinate when they declined to join Tampines Team. Of course, there is no “IFs” in politics on scenarios of different kinds. Nobody would know exactly whether they would make a difference in Tampines because we cannot replay history again.
But it just happens that, on hindsight, many people share my “strong views” eventually.
It is a recorded fact that I have strong views that Marine Parade should be contested and we should avoid Jurong GRC. I am not that “obstinate” when there are people who insist on contesting Jurong GRC. It “just happens” that the objective results proved that my “strong views” or judgement is right.
While people may view that as being “boastful” when I put these assessment up after GE but that is really not the point. The point is, people should learn good lessons from such incidents. If they want to view it as “boastful”, I cannot stop them. If they refuse to learn from such mistakes, I cannot force them to.
That is why I say, the results speak for itself but if people choose to continue ignore these objective indicators and refused to listen to sound strategic views, it is their loss not mine.
Gilbert came into the Tampines campaign at the eleventh hour. He wanted to carry the campaign very different, in his own ways. Spending hours in “cell group” discussion, believing that this will make an impact. He believes that this is the way to gain trust, confidence and votes. This is his strong views. It is the TEAM’s decision to abandon that plan, not mine.
I didn’t agree with him but yet, I let him try. I gave him the free hand to try things out. I am definitely not that “obstinate” which he chose to describe.
People tend to say oh, MBT is so unpopular why NSP cannot dislodge him? They forgotten to ask how MBT became so unpopular when he has actually gained a good polling result of more than 68% in GE2006. It is a deliberate effort on our part to spend two whole years in dissecting his HDB policy bits by bits. It is only when we raised the ills of 30 years mortgage and thereafter, it gets viral. These are strategic moves which have been forgotten by even Gilbert.
To win a GRC, it takes a lot of factors to be right. The right Candidates, the right issues, the right strategies applicable to different parties, the right ground, right opponents etc. CSM didn’t do much ground work but he won. Why?
For example, Tony and Hazel team spent two months working the ground relentlessly but their team got 39%. Similarly scholar in nature, Tan Jee Say and team, with the burden of SDP branding, managed to win 39% as well in a ground which we know is far worse than CCK, without much ground work. Why? (In fact, my assessment is that Tan Jee Say and team are the MOST VALUABLE ASSETS in opposition for this GE2011 but this is another matter.) On the other hand, the other scholar in Bishan Toa Payoh, with very little ground work, but by virtual of standing with Uncle Chiam, gets 43%!
The main difference lies in the media exposures given to TJS Holland Bukit team, Bishan Toa Payoh Team and the lack of it for CCK. Thus the assessment that Main Stream Media plays a very important role is not an overstatement.
Priority for the last 9 days campaigning should be focus on Visibility. Knocking doors or having group meetings at last hours will not make that kind of impact. But people believe in that BIG “IF”.
Tampines IS a BIG FORTRESS and that is why, it is the only GRC that has ABSOLUTELY no change to its boundaries at all. i.e. they cannot make it any stronger! With 32% of 5 room flats and above, this is the TOP fortress in Singapore electoral constituency!
I can be a very nice person but when it comes to strategy wise, I can proudly say that 90% of the time I have it right. And I have to put my feet down and say the “undesirable” songs that few people want to listen.
Unfortunately, it is “others” who think too highly of themselves to do otherwise. But it is strange, when you got it right and talk about it, it becomes “boastful”; but when it comes to things that are not able to conclusively prove with that big “IF” covered with intensive hindsight, it becomes “obstinate”.
I told some people, it is not about making decisions or comments or remarks that would PLEASE everyone that matters but it is all about making the RIGHT decisions, doing the RIGHT things. When people are not convinced, let the objective results or indicators speak for itself. And we must drum into them, that is where they have gone wrong.
The contradiction is this: Whose ego is that? Most likely, people who feel that I am “boastful” have taken it personally that my words hurt their egos directly. But I have to speak the truth with the objective indicators as the supporting evidence because, nobody is perfect and will need to learn fast, especially for intelligent people who lack wisdom. When one cannot reason it out properly to say otherwise, they will come to that kind of emotional conclusions.
Some brush aside the little mis-steps made by other people by saying they are young, inexperienced etc. My direct rebuttal is, Singaporeans are really very unforgiving; look at Tin Pei Ling and you will understand why I am worried about all these “technicalities” which can turn into big nightmares.
Whether we like it or not, we must face the reality that NSP IS NOT WP which has 1 MP and 1 NCMP to start with and they have lots of political capital garnered through GE 2006. And now, they have a total of 8 MPs plus NCMP in parliament! You cannot run NSP the way LTK runs WP.
Having said all these, NSP did make critical mistake as well: letting inexperienced people to run the media team. Anyway, all these things have nothing to do with the “Truth” I step down. I will put up my thoughts on GE2011 later on my blog. THESE, I promise, will be really HARD TRUTH to start with. But as for the real TRUTH on why I step down as SG, it is already there on my blog.
Goh Meng Seng
I read with interests the happenings and finally come to the simple conclusion that NSP is bound to fail.
According to what is published elsewhere, Goh Meng Seng has asked the scholars Tony and Hazel to contest in Tampines but they have declined. They have made such a big blunder by making such critical strategic mistake. It just shows that they lack the political strategic acumen in making the RIGHT decision at the most critical time.
Interesting enough, yet, the one who have MADE the right call at that critical moment has stepped down and IRONICALLY, handing over to the ONE who have screwed up!
This just shows how STUPID NSP is as a whole! It is unlikely Goh Meng Seng would do such thing because so far as we have seen, he has made all the RIGHT call resulting in the fall of a couple of ministers. So this is intriguing that Goh Meng Seng has decided to step down; is he forced to step down?
Gilbert has provided a good insight here; most probably, Goh Meng Seng has become very “unpopular”, even to his own Team mate like Gilbert, he is very unpopular for whatever he did. However, Gilbert wasn’t able to pin point exactly what mistakes Goh Meng Seng has done to make him so unpopular among his party.
From Gilbert’s writing, it seems that it is just “emotional knee jerks” and indeed, Goh Meng Seng’s reply in Sammyboy Forum has somewhat hinted that people don’t like him not because he has done badly but rather, people are “hurt” by his blunt ways of putting forward the “hard truth”!
If my assumptions are right, it seems that NSP is screwed. They are not interested in putting the man who could make that CRITICAL RIGHT judgement call at its helm but rather, would like to put “populist” at the top, even if it means he or she are INFERIOR in making judgement calls!
The next article Gilbert should write is, is there future for NSP with such idiocy going on ?
I too read with interest what is written above. I watched the live telecast on election results, is Goh Meng Seng the guy on TV saying that the party didn’t get enough TV exposure and that there will be changes at management or something? He looked quite disappointed.
This article also give a glimpse of Mr Low’s party which is interesting, the image I have of Mr Low is that he eats at kopitiam and visit funerals.
I remember some years ago, Mr Chiam form an alliance of opposition parties, but mega power exploded, and the political scene has been appalling since. I see ocassional mud slinging by supporters.
I’ll make a guess that Worker’s party won, due to having appeased newly minted Singaporeans. They have candidates who are foreign borne. While SPP and the rest, seems more about Singaporean first policies, which probably swing the votes.
Just trivals,in that live telecast, Miss Dong shu hua the TV presenter introduced a candidate and said that she was a ISA detainee, wah…is it an honor to be call ISA detainee, why did she say that ?