SDP’s Damanhuri Abas says public support of the party has improved positively over the years

Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) member Damanhuri Abas said that the support the party is getting now from the public is “more encouraging” compared to what it got in the last general election (GE).

He said following the GE2015, SDP continued walking the ground right after the party’s internal post-mortem of the election.

“I still remember the many dismissive residents, from chiding us to outright remarks to ‘not waste our time’. Nevertheless, Bryan Lim Boon Heng (林文兴) and I and even John L. Tan who sadly is disqualified for this election, remained steadfast and persevered,” Mr Damanhuri said in a Facebook post today (27 June).

He added that the party never gave up its believe that in order to improve SDP’s “collective condition”, it requires the party to take “real actions” and reach out to the people and “patiently persuade” them.

“Gradually and surely we gain ground and can pleasantly say that the reception we get today is so much more encouraging.”

However, the SDP member stated that changing the mindset and attitude of people was “daunting and formidable”, especially given that everything was against the party for decades.

In fact, Mr Damanhuri said that SDP may not win even after trying very hard, but it will continue to fight for the people of Singapore.

“We may strive and never win. But we will hold on to our believe to offer hope for real change and continue the fight for the common people none the less,” he wrote.

For the upcoming GE that is set to happen on 10 July, SDP’s chief Dr Chee Soon Juan confirmed during a walkabout at Bukit Batok West Shopping centre last weekend that he will be contesting in Bukit Batok SMC.

Dr Chee last contested in Bukit Batok SMC in the 2016 by-election – which took place following the sudden resignation of People’s Action Party (PAP) Member of Parliament (MP) David Ong – where he lost to the PAP’s Murali Pillai, who won with 61.21 per cent of the vote.

Apart from Dr Chee’s announcement, SDP has not made official confirmation on any other candidates and where they will be contesting. However, its walkabouts since Friday (19 June) strongly indicated which constituencies it will contest as well as who will be the representative, the Straits Times reported.

The party sent teams of four of the five constituencies it contested in 2015 – Bukit Batok SMC, Yuhua SMC, Holland-Bukit Timah GRC and Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC.

Today, the party is also holding another walkabout in the fifth constituency, Bukit Panjang SMC.