
Red Dot United elects new CEC
SINGAPORE: The Red Dot United (RDU) elected its new Central Executive Committee (CEC) during a party conference on Jun 27 (Friday), the opposition party announced in a statement over the weekend.
Dr David Foo remains RDU's chairman, and Ravi Philemon has retained his position as secretary-general. Harish Mohanadas has replaced Liyana Dhamirah as the party's treasurer. RDU chair David Foo. Photo Credit RDU.
Aside from the three office bearers mentioned above, here are RDU's nine other CEC members: Ben Puah, Eddy Tan, Emily Woo, Liyana Dhamirah, Mohamed Feroz, Pang Heng Chuan, Sharon Lin, Sharad Kumar, and Dr Syed Alwi Ahmad.
Mr Philemon called this year's party conference an important one, given that it was held in the wake of the General Election on May 3.
'The results tell us that there is space for us. We are relevant to the politics of Singapore,' he noted, adding, 'So do not let anyone tell you that we are new, that we are small, or that what we do does not matter. We do not need anyone's permission to do what needs to be done. We do not need anyone's approval to work for our citizens.' RDU chair Ravi Philemon. Photo Credit RDU.
'We must challenge the system and shift it, from serving the billionaire class and big businesses to standing with everyday Singaporeans. That will be our big message.
'We must be the party that holds the ruling party accountable, and we must be the movement that pushes the opposition to be a real alternative that Singapore deserves,' he noted further.
The party said in its statement that it has resolved to stand by 'this driving vision for RDU' set out by Mr Philemon.
Meanwhile, Dr Foo said, 'This new CEC reflects both continuity and renewal. It includes long-serving members who know the Party's DNA and new faces who will help push us further. We are not here to be liked. We are here to fight for a fairer Singapore.' RDU's CEC
Dr Foo is an entrepreneur and research chemist, while Mr Philemon is the managing partner of a boutique media business focused on health and wellness. Mr Monandas is a principal software engineer. See also Red Dot United meet many Burmese folks during outreach at Clementi
As for the council members, Mr Puah is an artist and community art organizer; Mr Tan, an IT expert; Ms Woo, an educator; Ms Dhamirah, an NPO manager, entrepreneur and author; Mr Feroz, a senior business analyst; Mr Pang, an MNC director; Ms Lin, a senior IT consultant; Mr Kumar, an assistant hardware engineer; and Dr Syed, an independent researcher. /TISG
Read also: RDU chief Ravi Philemon calls new Cabinet 'disappointing' as more women, youth should be given seats at the table
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


CNA
2 hours ago
- CNA
Thailand's ruling political dynasty faces day of legal peril
BANGKOK: Thailand's ruling political dynasty faces fresh legal peril Tuesday (Jul 1) with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra risking suspension from office by the Constitutional Court, and her ex-premier father's separate royal defamation trial due to start. The kingdom's politics have been dominated for years by a battle between the conservative, pro-military, pro-royalist elite and the Shinawatra clan, who they consider a threat to Thailand's traditional social order. Thaksin Shinawatra, the 75-year-old family patriarch and billionaire twice elected leader in the early 2000s, is scheduled to appear in criminal court accused of breaching strict lese majeste legislation used to shield Thailand's king from criticism or abuse. The allegations stem from a 2015 interview he gave to South Korean media and could result in up to 15 years of imprisonment after a trial set to last for weeks, with a verdict not expected for at least a month after that. Meanwhile, Thailand's Constitutional Court is due to meet for the first time since a group of conservative senators lodged a case against Paetongtarn, accusing her of breaching ministerial ethics during a diplomatic spat with Cambodia. If the court decides to hear the case they could suspend her as they enter months-long deliberations, plunging Thailand into chaos as it grapples with a spluttering economy and the threat of US tariffs. "I will let the process take its course," a downcast Paetongtarn told reporters in Bangkok on Monday. "If you are asking whether I am worried, I am." The 38-year-old Paetongtarn took office less than a year ago but has been badly weakened by a scandal over her conduct in the row with neighbouring Cambodia. PHONE CALL SCANDAL A long-standing territorial dispute boiled over into cross-border clashes in May, killing one Cambodian soldier. But when Paetongtarn called Cambodian ex-leader Hun Sen to discuss the tensions, she called him "uncle" and referred to a Thai military commander as her "opponent", according to a leaked recording which caused widespread backlash. Conservative lawmakers accused her of kowtowing to Cambodia and undermining the military, and alleged she breached constitutional provisions requiring "evident integrity" and "ethical standards" among ministers. Paetongtarn's Pheu Thai party has already been abandoned by a key conservative coalition partner, leaving her with a razor-thin parliamentary majority dependent on other parties. Around 10,000 people mustered in central Bangkok over the weekend to protest her administration. Her approval rating has plunged to just nine per cent, down from around 30 per cent three months ago, according to a survey released Sunday by Bangkok university the National Institute of Development Administration. Paetongtarn's case and her father's trial are the latest round in a bitter, decades-long tussle between Thailand's powerful conservative forces, and parties linked to Thaksin. Thaksin was ousted in a coup in 2006, while his sister Yingluck Shinawatra suffered the same fate in 2014 and other prime ministers from their political movement have been sacked by court rulings. After 15 years abroad, Thaksin returned to Thailand in August 2023. He was immediately ordered to serve an eight-year jail term for historic graft and abuse of power charges, but was taken to hospital on health grounds and later pardoned by the king.


CNA
10 hours ago
- CNA
Singapore and Maldives to deepen cooperation in sustainability, education
More opportunities for student exchanges between Singapore and Maldives, and collaboration in areas such as climate science and weather forecasting on the horizon. This, as both nations look to deepen ties in capacity building, sustainability and education. Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu is on a three-day state visit to Singapore at the invitation of President Tharman Shanmugaratnam. Both countries are marking five decades of diplomatic ties. Alif Amsyar reports.


CNA
13 hours ago
- CNA
Thai PM Paetongtarn fights for political survival as thousands of protesters rally in Bangkok
Thailand is on the brink of more political turmoil. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra faces a tough week ahead, as she fights to stay in office less than a year into her premiership. Thousands have gathered in Bangkok to demand her resignation — the largest such rally since the ruling Pheu Thai party came to power two years ago. The Constitutional Court is set to consider a plea tomorrow calling for her resignation. Ms Paetongtarn also faces a possible no-confidence vote when parliament resumes on Thursday. Saksith Saiyasombut reports from Bangkok.