Jose Raymond, former Chairman of Singapore People’s Party (SPP) announces his exit from the political scene, citing the need to focus on things which will help him create impact in other ways to help others and making his firm regional.
Posting on his Facebook page on Tuesday evening (22 Dec), Mr Raymond thanked his supporters who had helped him in his political journey and wrote that he has fulfilled his father’s wish for him to stand for elections.
Mr Raymond who joined SPP in October 2017, was fielded as its candidate for Potong Pasir SMC in the General Election 2020.
Prior to that, he is a former member of the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP). He was the press secretary to Dr Vivian Balakrishnan when he was Environment and Water Resources Minister and assisted him in the 2006 and 2011 General Election.
Despite his best effort in walking the ground and speaking up for residents of the SMC, Mr Raymond still lost to People’s Action Party candidate, Sitoh Yih Pin who was the incumbent Member of Parliament of the SMC with a score of 60.67 to 39.33 per cent.
Mr Raymond told TOC that he has submitted his application of resignation from the party last Thursday. According to Straits Times, SPP secretary-general Steve Chia said that the party’s central executive committee (CEC) had received Mr Raymond’s resignation, and added that it would “make a decision” at its next meeting.
“The time has come for me to focus on things which will help me create impact in other ways, to help others in different ways and to take my firm regional – something which I have been wanting to do ever since i started the firm in 2016. The Malaysian chapter was added last year, and now it is about surging ahead even further.” wrote Mr Raymond in his post and apologised to supporters if his decision has disappointed any one.
The 49 year-old former journalist is currently the chief strategy officer at the strategy and communications advisory firm SW Strategies — the company which is also founded by him. Mr Raymond told ST that he has been exploring the possibility of expanding into Indonesia and Thailand.
“I was spending half my time in Malaysia before Covid-19, and now we are starting on the Jakarta chapter as well, which is why I need to stay focused on what I need to do,” he said.
On another note, Mr Ariffin Sha who assumed the position of assistant secretary-general has submitted his application of resignation from the party in August and told TOC that it has been since accepted.