Principles to Electoral Contest and Negotiation

I have met some friends today and I was pretty surprised that they were worried of me going into 3 corner fights with other opposition parties.

For those who really know me would have known that I have made the effort not only for my team to avoid 3 corner fight but also advocate against it for other opposition party members.

For the record, I have pulled back the NSP A team from Moulmein Kallang GRC to avoid 3 corner fight with WP during last GE with the belief that WP might have extraordinary good candidates to field in this GRC, deserving a good fight to win and get into parliament. I was disappointed in the end that WP didn't field a strong team there but that's life.

I chose to be in opposition politics only for a few reasons:

1) Break the GRC fortress
2) Deprive PAP two third majority
3) Help to send people whom I think are deserving to get into parliament

It is with these guiding objectives that I chose to stay on and fight. Thus, as long as there are good or better candidates contesting, I do not mind to give way.

For each and every contest, lots of money are spent apart from the time and effort candidates have put in. This is why candidates prefer to contest in the same ward again. Personally, I do not mind to give way, in effect wasting all previous efforts and money altogether, as long as there good candidates from other party wanting to contest.

I would also refrain from getting into other people's turf just to "chope" places without any good reasons. We should be fighting to win, not just to chope places with people whom we ourselves have doubts of their ability to contribute to parliamentary debates and public interests at large.

I believe most potential 3 corner fights could be resolved if the leaders of every opposition parties are rational and could make considerations and decisions according to good reasonsing rather than emotions.

Goh Meng Seng