Goh Meng Seng: LTK has lost his arms and legs politically

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An honorable member of the Coffee Shop Has Just Posted the Following:

My view on WP CEC elections:

Congratulations to those elected into CEC. If you look at it in simple terms, the only changes to the WP CEC is only the inclusion of two names, aka John Yam and Soma. The last CEC was bloated anyway, with 4 co-opted into the rank. Thus, minus the 4, WP only lost two incumbents. Among the six who are out of CEC, only Glenda did not contest.

However the impact of the losses is great. It basically means that LTK has lost his arms and legs politically. Among the 6 incumbents who lost their seat in CEC, 4 of them held very important positions. Most notable is the loss of BOTH Organizing Secretary and two important persons in the Media Team. Jane Leong is instrumental in the production of every issue of Hammer. Swee Bee is the blue eye girl of LTK, I believe, the only full time party CEC member PAID to run the party in and out as organizing secretary!

Outsiders may feel puzzled or shocked at the loss of Jane and Swee Bee, who have been long standing CEC member. Jane Leong used to TOP the vote count at CEC elections but apparently this time round, it is a dramatic change of fortune here. She is the political BRAIN and Adviser behind LTK, a very trusted intellect among the early days of LTK's management team. She is seen to hold the moral high ground in giving opinions and views because she does not have "conflict of interests" or "self interest" because she does not have the ambition to contest in GE. She always kept a low profile in public although she is a capable woman, running a multi-million dollar publishing firm at one time which produced magazines which rivaled the Tatler. Her supposed "objectivity" was valuable to LTK in running the party. However, along the way, she somehow lost her touch of objectivity. The only problem with her is that she hardly mix around with members, cadres or otherwise. With an expanded size of the cadre membership, it will be difficult for her to garner enough votes because most people do not know her well enough. So her loss is not unexpected in some ways.

The loss of Swee Bee is actually quite EXPECTED because she is arrogant in the way she treated others, nose high all the time just because LTK trusted her very much. She basically has the problem of HEAD SWELL Syndrome. She has just stepped on TOO MANY toes over the years. Veterans and new members alike, do not like her attitude at all. Basically lack of manners, tact and EQ in her daily dealings, disregarding sensitivity of other people. Imagine she could send messages in Chinese text to a group which includes Malays and Indians! LTK has to bear most part of the responsibility in putting such a person in such an important position, who may be the key person that will agitate the whole lot of members, young and old.

As for Choon Yong, it is a sad case of a person who doesn't understand the grey areas in politics, only indulging in Black and White, Right and Wrong. But among the so call original "LTK loyalists" (which I think he has inevitably drifted away from LTK gradually), he is still relatively a uprighteous guy who just happened to be a bit naive politically. Yes yes, I know he hated me and is very critical of me all the time, but I think that's because of his mistaken belief that everything is in Right and Wrong, Black and White, as well as the misplaced blind loyalty he has for LTK as well as WP. I guess deep down in his subconsciousness, he is envious of the freedom and exposures I had. I do not blame him for that but in fact, I think he has the very strange passion and loyalty to defend WP at every instance, even if it bugs him on his conscience at times. I guess he is somehow disillusioned along the way. He has to get his mind clear and attunes to the fact that politics is unlike programming with logic 1 and 0 only.

Hong Boon is typical scholar mentality and doesn't understand the nuances of politics. Most probably he thinks that the most important thing in WP is to be loyal to LTK and thus, everything will be fine and bright for him. Now he should realize it is all about numbers in the cadre members, both Veterans and young ones. Unfortunately, he is the only HIGHLY QUALIFIED losers among the 6, the only one with a scholarship (Astar some more!) He will have to do a rethink and reflection on why he has lost. Loyal to LTK, having a scholarship and even a prominent position like Organizing Secretary post is NOT a guarantee of respect and support.

Frieda, aka wife of Melvin Tan, lost because she was too engrossed in politicking so much so that she lost herself along the way. Her vigorous attempts to win support and recognition from everybody has deemed her as insincere. Basically, she has lost the trust of LTK and was unable to earn the trust of the veterans and new members.

The return of John Yam and Soma to CEC is a clear sign that the veterans are exerting their influence in a coordinated manner, in the midst of the unhappiness or even anger at the likes of LTK's loyalists, especially Swee Bee. LTK can be angry or frustrated but he will have to do a deep reflection on his way of management. It would be interesting to see whether he will give any appointment to CSM or not.

Goh Meng Seng


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