SINGAPORE: Red Dot United (RDU) plans to contest in Holland-Bukit Timah Group Representation Constituency (GRC) for the upcoming General Election, but will give way to the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) if doing so is “in the best interest of the people”, said party chief Ravi Philemon on Thursday (Apr 10). 

SDP is aware that RDU will be campaigning in the Holland-Bukit Timah area, he told journalists before a walkabout at Senja Hawker Centre on Thursday night. 

“We know that SDP … they have spoken to the media saying that they are trying to see if they can put together a team for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC,” said Mr Philemon.

“But for Red Dot United, we do not do our negotiations in front of the media. We do it behind closed doors.” 

Mr Philemon added that he has the “highest regards” for what SDP has done in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, and RDU has “friendship with the leadership in SDP”.

“So we will work this out going forward to the General Election,” he said. 

At the 2020 General Election, the People’s Action Party team, led by Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, beat SDP’s team in the constituency, winning 66.36 per cent of the votes.

SDP also contested in the four-seat GRC in the 2015 and 2011 elections. 

After the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee’s report was released in March, RDU had said it would contest in six constituencies – Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC, Jurong Central Single Member Constituency (SMC), Nee Soon GRC, Jalan Kayu SMC, Tanjong Pagar GRC and Radin Mas SMC. 

If RDU fields a team in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, it will not field candidates in Tanjong Pagar GRC and Radin Mas SMC, said Mr Philemon. 

Opposition unity is important in the upcoming General Election, he added. “For Red Dot United, it is always about the people and who we think can represent the people the best.” 

RDU will consider this in its negotiations with other opposition parties, said the party chief on Thursday. 

“The people are a non-negotiable for us, so we will do what’s in the best interest of the people. And if that means withdrawing so that SDP contests here, so be it.” 

Mr Philemon admitted that he is “quite unfamiliar” with Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, adding that he wanted to be “totally honest” with residents.

The walkabout at Senja Hawker Centre is the party’s first walkabout in the area. 

“I think it’s important to be honest with the residents here, because it’s with honesty that you can build trust,” he said.

“And although we are new to this constituency, we acknowledge that the residents in Holland-Bukit Timah, they will have concerns. And the concerns will be centred … mainly around municipal issues.” 

He added that the party has put together a town council management plan because it is “very serious” about managing the town well if its candidates are elected into parliament. 

On Thursday night, Mr Philemon introduced three RDU members who will lead the party’s efforts in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC: 43-year-old financial consultant Fazli Talip, 25-year-old engineer Sharad Kumar and 70-year-old businessman Patrick Tan.

Mr Fazli is a former member of the National Solidarity Party, and also contested in East Coast GRC during the 2011 General Election as part of the Workers’ Party’s slate. He has been an RDU member for the past five years, said Mr Philemon on Thursday. 

RDU has about 25 people who went through the party’s training for potential candidates, he added.

“We have the numbers to field in a few more constituencies. But I think it's also important for us to make sure that we don’t spread ourselves too thin,” he said. 

If potential candidates need to stand down to support a team contesting in another constituency, they would be happy to do so, he added. 

“We are a team, that’s what I want to emphasise. There are no divas here.”