'How dare you comment on the quality of the Opposition': RP's Jeyaretnam to PAP's Shanmugam

The opposition dispute between Reform Party (RP) and Progress Singapore Party (PSP) over Nee Soon GRC has been a topic of contention this general election.

Even People's Action Party's (PAP) K Shanmugam described PSP's contest as "half-hearted" during a virtual press conference on July 1. Additionally, Shanmugam published a Facebook post and shared a Straits Times article where RP chief Kenneth Jeyaretnam was quoted as saying PSP offered Nee Soon to them. He added that Jeyaretnam "had also put up a FB post saying the same thing".

And now, Jeyaretnam has publicly shared his thoughts on the matter after being approached by the media for comment. He accused Shanmugam of various things, and most notably, the latter's questioning of the unity of the Opposition.

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Jeyaretnam started off by stating that at this point in the election cycle, the public will "want to know how our campaign is going and about our brilliant manifesto" instead of what went on with Nee Soon GRC. Jeyaretnam added that he was "glad Shanmugam is telling Singapore that he reads my Facebook page".

Jeyaretnam also claimed to know that Shanmugam read "my social media and in particular my blog" because that's how "the PAP get any workable solutions for improving the lives of ordinary Singaporeans [sic]".

But the crux of his response was questioning Shanmugam's comment on the quality of the Opposition. Jeyaretnam wrote: "How dare you comment on the quality of the Opposition and our mostly successful attempt at unity when your own party is in disarray and Mr Lee Hsien Loong and his brother are pitted against each other. [sic]"

He also pointed out deputy prime minister Heng Swee Keat's little fumble on his nomination speech, accused the PAP of rigging the election before it even started, and concluded by asking Shanmugam "to fight clean and not bring the process into disrepute".

ALSO READ: GE2020 Battle for Nee Soon: K Shanmugam and PSP's Brad Bowyer's war of words

bryanlim@asiaone.com