GE2025: RDU withdraws from opposition coalition over NSP’s refusal to back down from 3-way fight
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RDU secretary-general Ravi Philemon said it cannot support NSP’s intention to enter a three-way contest against the opposition SDP and the PAP in Sembawang GRC.
ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR
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SINGAPORE - Opposition party Red Dot United (RDU) has said it would withdraw from a coalition of parties formed in 2023,
The Coalition is an alliance of opposition parties that also includes the Singapore United Party (SUP) and Singapore People’s Party (SPP).
In a Facebook post on April 12, RDU secretary-general Ravi Philemon said it cannot support NSP’s intention to enter a three-way contest
Doing so undermines a core belief of the coalition, which is to always put the interests of voters first, he wrote.
He said: “Our evaluation is that SDP is in a positive position to serve as the people’s choice, and should be accorded the benefit of a clean two-way fight against the PAP.
“We are disappointed that NSP has decided to take this route, but remain hopeful that it will return to the original values we have collectively established for The Coalition.”
He said the key reason RDU had been part of The Coalition was to avoid multi-cornered fights in constituencies, while allowing the parties to come forward as a strong and united platform, consolidate resources and help one another put their best candidates forward.
“We believe that this approach must also be extended to the broader opposition movement in Singapore,” he said, adding that it is why RDU has worked tirelessly with other opposition parties outside the coalition to avoid multi-way contests.
Mr Philemon said RDU will not contest in a constituency unless it knows it has “made a strong connection with residents, and has the ability to represent their needs and interests in Parliament and as town councillors”.He said his party recognises that the incumbent already enjoys an outsized presence in citizens’ everyday lives, and the right to contest should not come at the strategic expense of giving the PAP an even greater advantage.
“A multi-cornered fight serves only the incumbent,” he added.
“We believe that the party with the strongest support from the ground, sufficient resources, a message that resonates, and candidates who are reasonable and recognised should be given the space for a direct contest with the PAP.”
In a message to the other parties in The Coalition, RDU chairman David Foo said the decision for the party to leave was not an easy one. He added: “Despite our resignation, RDU remains committed to opposition unity, and we look forward to working with all of you whenever our mission aligns. “We remain in the same ecosystem, and our goal is the same – to serve Singapore and her people better. But at this juncture, we are convinced that we must walk alone.”
NSP secretary-general Spencer Ng told The Straits Times on April 12 that it was very unfair of RDU to blame its withdrawal on his party.
NSP, he said, has been the “incumbent opposition party” in Sembawang for the past 10 years, and it is SDP that is making the contest at the upcoming election a three-cornered fight.
NSP contested Sembawang GRC in the 2020 and 2015 elections, while SDP did so in 2011 and 2006.
Mr Ng said the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by parties in The Coalition states very clearly that they would work together to avoid three-cornered fights among themselves to achieve the goal of opposition unity.
“There is nothing being said about having multi-cornered fights with non-coalition political parties. So it is very, very wrong of RDU to put up that statement (suggesting that) NSP has broken the spirit of the coalition,” he said.
In a statement on the evening of April 12, NSP, SUP and SPP expressed “profound disappointment” at RDU’s abrupt decision to withdraw from the coalition.
The parties said RDU had misrepresented NSP’s actions, and that RDU’s swift withdrawal from the coalition at the first sign of challenge was disheartening.
They added: “The MOU calls for mutual support to secure constituencies, not retreat under pressure. Their exit raises questions about their dedication to standing united for Singaporeans when resolve matters most.”
The three parties stressed their “unwavering dedication” to the principles that founded The Coalition and said they would continue to collaborate, avoid unnecessary electoral clashes if possible, and present a cohesive vision for Singapore’s future.
