April 16, 2008
Jeyaretnam to file application to register new opposition party
By Jeremy Au Yong
NEARLY a year after he announced his intention to form a new party, opposition politician JB Jeyaretnam will finally file the application to register it on Thursday.
The party, to be called the Reform Party, marks the 82-year-old's final political comeback.
He had been barred from contesting in elections since 2001 when he was made a bankrupt for failing to pay some $600,000 in damages from defamation suits.
Early last year, the Court of Appeal granted him a 'conditional discharge' if he paid the $233,255.78 within three weeks of April 24. He did so on May 10.
The amount represented about 45 per cent of the debt, which his creditors agreed to accept.
The 10-member committee of the Reform Party is likely to feature some familiar faces from other opposition parties.
Former Worker's Party member Ng Teck Siong, 67, a long-time friend of Mr Jeyaretnam said: 'JBJ will be the secretary-general, Mr Teo Kian Chye will be the chairman and I will be the treasurer. That's the three I can tell you now. The other seven you will find out on Friday.'
They have called for a press conference on Friday to announce the submission of their application to register the party.
Article from:
http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest+News/Singapore/STIStory_227916.html?vgnmr=1
Mr JB Jeyaretnam also refered to as JBJ is one of Singapore's oldest politcal vetrans he has been in the political scene for many decades prior to being made declared bankrupt he was was a lawyer and district judge for various courts and chambers prior to his entry into politics.
Ironically this once powerful man has been criticized and obstracized by many....upon further investigation this was simply due to the lack of conformity he failed to display. Furthermore he showed himself to be a brave and outspoken man but lacked tactfulness thus was charged for defamation and conspiracy.
Almost being barred from entry into politics for a decade, JBJ a former Workers Party(WP) leader has made his return to open up a new opposition party and has yet to conform to the norm of following the main stream governing party. So one may question why this non-conformity?
Conformity refers to any change in behaviour caused by another person or group...in this case political faction...conformity encompasses compliance and obidience, because it refers to any behavior that occurs as a result of others' influence.
The chief reasons I attribute for JBJ's "rebellious" nature would be due to:
- his strong nature of individualism.
- has strong Upward counterfactual thoughts. ( involves reflecting how past events could have turned out better.
- Simply he may be a firm believer of Martin Luther King Jr's quotation:
Just as it is the duty of all men to obey just laws, so it is the duty of all men to disobey unjust laws ~ Martin Luther King Jr
For more info on JBJ pls click this link: http://jbjeya.org/abt_jbj.html
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