Singapore Democratic Party facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Singapore Democratic Party
Malay name	Parti Demokratik Singapura
Chinese name	新加坡民主党 Xīnjiāpō Mínzhǔ Dǎng
Tamil name	சிங்கப்பூர் மக்களாட்சி Ciṅkappūr Makkaḷāṭci
Abbreviation	SDP
Chairman	Paul Tambyah
Secretary-General	Chee Soon Juan
Vice Chairman	Bryan Lim Boon Heng
Founder	Chiam See Tong
Founded	6 August 1980; 44 years ago (1980-08-06)
Headquarters	3 Ang Mo Kio Street 62 #02-30 Link@AMK Singapore 569139
Newspaper	The New Democrat
Youth wing	Young Democrats
Women's wing	Women Democrats
Ideology	Liberalism Social liberalism
Political position	Centre to centre-left
Regional affiliation	Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats
International affiliation	Liberal International
Colors	Red
Slogan	Competent, Constructive, Compassionate
Parliament	0 / 104

The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) is a political group in Singapore. It believes in ideas like liberalism and social freedom. A political party is a group of people who share similar ideas about how a country should be run. They work together to get their members elected into the government.

The SDP once had three members in Parliament after the 1991 election. Parliament is where laws are made and important decisions for the country are discussed. Since 1997, the SDP has not had any members elected to Parliament.

The party was started in 1980 by Chiam See Tong. He became the first SDP member to be elected to Parliament in 1984. In the 1991 election, two more SDP members, Ling How Doong and Cheo Chai Chen, also won seats. This gave the party three Members of Parliament (MPs). An MP is a person elected by citizens to represent them in Parliament.

Later, Chiam See Tong had disagreements with the party's leaders. He left the SDP in 1996 and started a new party. Chee Soon Juan then became the leader of the SDP and has been ever since.

The SDP is seen as a "centre" to "centre-left" party. This means their ideas are often in the middle or lean a bit towards helping people through government programs. They support things like protecting people's freedoms and making changes to education, healthcare, and housing. They also want more government spending to help Singaporeans and fewer immigrants coming into the country. The SDP is part of international groups like Liberal International.

History of the SDP

How the Party Started

The SDP was founded on August 6, 1980. A lawyer named Chiam See Tong started it with a few friends. They wanted to end old ways of thinking and protect democracy in Singapore. Democracy means that people have a say in how their country is run, usually by voting for their leaders.

In October 1980, the party showed its symbol. It's a circle, which means unity among Singapore's different groups. An arrow inside the circle shows progress, and the color red means courage. The party officially began on September 21, 1981.

Chiam See Tong's Time as Leader (1980–1993)

Elections in 1980 and 1984

In the 1980 election, the SDP used the slogan "Singaporeans for Singapore." They said that Singapore needed elected opposition members in Parliament. Opposition members are those who are not part of the ruling party. They question the government and offer different ideas. The SDP also talked about changing education and retirement savings (CPF) rules. They were against the idea of an Elected President.

The SDP had four candidates in that election. The ruling party, the People's Action Party (PAP), criticized the SDP leaders. But the SDP leaders quickly defended themselves. Chiam See Tong won his seat in Potong Pasir. He became only the second opposition MP ever elected in Singapore. The SDP got 45.2% of the votes in the areas they ran in.

After another opposition MP left Parliament in 1986, Chiam was the only opposition voice. He said he would oppose the government only if they did things that were not good for Singapore.

1988 Election

The 1988 election was a big challenge for the ruling party. The SDP's Chiam and another opposition leader had a TV debate with the PAP. The SDP focused on the government's plan to change the constitution. They also said that the government's economic numbers were not true.

In the end, the SDP was the only opposition party to win a seat. Chiam was re-elected in Potong Pasir for a second time. The SDP got 39.5% of the votes in the areas they ran in.

1991 Election

The 1991 election happened only three years after the last one. The SDP spoke out against some government policies. These included high salaries for ministers and the cost of healthcare and education. They also talked about the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

The SDP worked with other opposition parties. They agreed to run for less than half of the seats in Parliament. This was to make voters feel safe to vote for opposition. It meant people could vote for change without worrying about the government changing completely.

The SDP had its best election results since Singapore became independent. They got 48.6% of the votes in the areas they ran in. Three SDP candidates won seats: Chiam, Ling How Doong, and Cheo Chai Chen. This was a big moment for the opposition.

In 1992, Chiam invited Chee Soon Juan, a university lecturer, to join the SDP. Chee ran in a special election but did not win. Soon after, disagreements started between Chiam, Chee, and the other party leaders.

Party Problems in 1993

In 1993, Chee Soon Juan was dismissed from his university job. He said it was for political reasons, but the government denied this. Chiam See Tong wanted to criticize Chee for his comments. However, the party's main committee supported Chee.

Chiam then stepped down as the party's Secretary-General, and Chee took over. Chiam publicly criticized the party leaders. He later won a court case to stop the party from removing him. But the party appointed Ling How Doong to lead their members in Parliament instead of Chiam.

Many of Chiam's supporters left the SDP. They formed a new party called the Singapore People's Party (SPP) in 1994. Before the 1997 election, Chiam left the SDP to lead the SPP.

Chee Soon Juan's Time as Leader (Since 1993)

1994–2000

After becoming the SDP leader in 1993, Chee Soon Juan often spoke about the lack of democracy in Singapore. He wrote a book in 1996 called Dare To Change. Before the 1997 election, Chee challenged a PAP leader to run against him.

In the 1997 election, the SDP lost all its seats. This included Cheo, Ling, and Chee himself. The party's vote share dropped from 48.6% to 33.1%. Since then, no SDP members have been elected to Parliament. However, Chiam See Tong, now with the SPP, kept his seat.

In 1999, Chee gained attention for giving a public speech without a permit.

2001–2005

During the 2001 election campaign, Chee Soon Juan had a public exchange with the then-Prime Minister. Chee asked about a large sum of money lent to the Indonesian President. The PAP demanded an apology, saying it was a false claim. Chee apologized the next day.

The SDP also criticized the PAP's economic plans. They asked for a minimum wage of S$5 per hour. The PAP said these ideas would harm Singapore's economy.

The SDP's popular vote dropped again, to 20.4%. They did not win any seats. Chee Soon Juan was later declared bankrupt, which stopped him from running in elections until 2015.

2006 Election

Before the 2006 election, there were reports of problems within the SDP. Chee Soon Juan was jailed for not paying a fine. The party's chairman, Ling How Doong, was quoted saying the party might do better without Chee. But Chee's sister, also a party member, said the party was still united.

The SDP focused on a public scandal involving the National Kidney Foundation. They questioned the PAP's honesty about the issue. The PAP sued the SDP for defamation, and the SDP had to apologize and pay money.

Despite this, the SDP nominated seven candidates for the election. They ran in Sembawang GRC and Bukit Panjang SMC. Their vote share improved slightly compared to 2001, but they still did not win any seats.

Tak Boleh Tahan Protest

On March 15, 2008, Chee Soon Juan and 18 others held a protest at Parliament House. They wore red T-shirts that said Tak Boleh Tahan, which means "Cannot Take It" in Malay. This was to start a campaign about public issues.

The police warned them to stop, but they continued. The police then broke up the protest and arrested them. The trial for this protest was seen as a test of Singapore's justice system.

2011 Election

A SDP walkabout in Yuhua SMC, 17 April 2011

Before the 2011 election, the SDP held rallies and shared their plans for the country. They talked about a "Shadow Budget" and their campaign called "The SDP Promise." They also continued to meet people in different areas.

The party announced its 11 candidates just before Nomination Day. These included a former civil servant, a teacher, a doctor, and a social activist. They planned to run in Holland–Bukit Timah GRC, Sembawang GRC, Yuhua SMC, and Bukit Panjang SMC.

The SDP raised concerns about many foreigners in Singapore. They also talked about how the Youth Olympic Games were managed. However, these issues were overshadowed by a PAP minister's comments about one of the SDP candidates. The SDP quickly denied these claims.

On election day, May 7, the SDP lost in all the areas they ran in. However, their team in Holland–Bukit Timah GRC got their best result since 1997.

After the election, one of the SDP candidates, Tan Jee Say, left the party. He wanted to run for president, and presidential candidates cannot be part of a political party. He did not win the presidential election.

On November 23, 2012, Chee Soon Juan was officially cleared of bankruptcy. This meant he could run in elections again. He thought about running in a special election in 2013 but decided not to, to avoid too many opposition parties running against each other.

2015 Election

A SDP poster during the 2015 general election

The 2015 election happened 50 years after Singapore became independent. The SDP ran in five areas. This election marked the return of Chee Soon Juan to politics after his bankruptcy was cleared. He led the team in Holland–Bukit Timah GRC.

Even though they didn't win any seats, Chee's team in Holland–Bukit Timah GRC did better than the average for opposition parties. Many candidates from the 2011 election had left the party before this election. In August, the party moved its main office to Ang Mo Kio.

Chee Soon Juan was noted for changing his style during this election. He tried to be less confrontational. While the SDP's overall vote share was lower, they were less affected by a general drop in support for opposition parties.

2016 Bukit Batok By-election

On March 20, 2016, the SDP announced that Chee Soon Juan would run in a special election for the Bukit Batok SMC area. This election was held on May 7 because the previous MP had left his seat. Chee was successfully nominated and ran against the PAP's new candidate.

Even though Chee lost the election, he got his best result since 1997. His performance was seen as strong, and his campaign attracted a lot of attention.

2017–2018: Lawsuit about By-elections

On August 7, 2017, the Speaker of Parliament, Halimah Yacob, left her seat to run for president. Her seat was in Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC. A GRC is a group of seats in Parliament. One of the reasons for GRCs is to make sure that different groups of people are represented. Because only one person left the GRC, a special election was not held.

On September 14, the SDP filed a lawsuit to ask for a special election to be called. However, on April 9, 2018, their request was turned down. The judge said that a special election should only be called if all seats in a GRC are empty.

2018–2020: Getting Ready for the 2020 Election

In July 2018, the SDP was one of several opposition parties that met. They discussed possibly forming a group for the next election. The SDP wanted to work with another party, but that party declined.

On February 23, 2019, the SDP was the first party to start its election campaign. They announced they would run in the same areas as in 2015. Their goal was to stop the ruling PAP from winning a very large majority of seats in Parliament. The party also said they would release plans on housing, cost of living, healthcare, and population issues.

On June 21, the party leader confirmed that Chee Soon Juan would run against the PAP candidate in Bukit Batok SMC again. Three days later, the party confirmed they would run in the same areas as the last election. Their 11 candidates were confirmed on June 30.

During the campaign, the SDP chairman made a claim about the Ministry of Manpower. A minister later denied this claim.

When the results were announced on July 10, the SDP lost in all the areas they ran in. However, their chairman in Bukit Panjang got 46.26% of the votes, which was a strong result. Chee Soon Juan also got 45.20% of the votes in Bukit Batok.

2020-2025: Party Improvements

The SDP remained determined after the 2020 elections. They felt they ran a good campaign. The former chairman, Ling How Doong, passed away in April 2021.

In 2023, the party started getting ready for the next general election, which will happen before November 2025. They plan to run in Sembawang GRC for the first time since 2011. They also announced they would move their main office to a new location. The party also suggested working with another opposition party. Sadly, a new member of their committee passed away in July 2023.

How the SDP is Organized

The SDP is run by a twelve-member Central Executive Committee (CEC). These members are chosen by the party's special members every two years.

Party Leaders

List of Secretaries-General

List of Chairmen

Former Members of Parliament from SDP

These are the people who were elected to Parliament while they were members of the SDP.

Election Results

This table shows how the SDP has done in past general elections.

Election Year	Total Seats in Parliament	Seats SDP Ran For	Seats Won Without Contest	Seats Won (Contested)	Seats Lost (Contested)	Total Seats Won	Total Votes for SDP	Percentage of Votes (Contested)	Overall Percentage of Votes	Change in Seats	Election Outcome	Party Leader
1980	75	3	0	0	3	0 / 75	11,292	30.7%	1.8%		No seats	Chiam See Tong
1984	79	4	0	1	3	1 / 79	32,102	46.1%	3.7%	1	Largest opposition
1988	81	18	0	1	17	1 / 81	158,341	39.5%	11.8%		Opposition
1991	81	9	0	3	6	3 / 81	93,856	48.6%	12.0%	2	Largest opposition
1997	81	12	0	0	12	0 / 83	76,129	33.1%	10.6%	3	No seats	Chee Soon Juan
2001	84	11	0	0	11	0 / 84	50,607	20.4%	8.1%		No seats
2006	84	7	0	0	7	0 / 84	45,937	23.2%	4.09%		No seats
2011	87	11	0	0	11	0 / 87	97,369	36.76%	4.83%		No seats
2015	89	11	0	0	11	0 / 89	84,770	31.23%	3.76%		No seats
2020	93	11	0	0	11	0 / 93	110,827	37.04%	4.45%		No seats

Special Election Results

These are results from special elections, which happen when an MP leaves their seat before the next general election.

Groups the SDP Works With

The SDP works with other groups that share similar goals. These include:

• Alliance for Reform and Democracy in Asia
• World Movement for Democracy
• Sweden-Singapore Initiative for Democracy
• Community of Democracies NGO Process

The Young Democrats, which is the SDP's youth group, are members of:

• International Federation of Liberal Youth (IFLRY)
• Young Liberals and Democrats of Asia (YLDA)

Images for kids

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  A SDP walkabout in Yuhua SMC, 17 April 2011

• 

  A SDP poster during the 2015 general election

See also

In Spanish: Partido Demócrata de Singapur para niños