Yee Jenn Jong slams Critical Spectator's ‘ignorant' post, defends WP's NCMP choices as inclusive

Online Citizen​

23-05-2025

On 23 May 2025, former Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) Yee Jenn Jong from the Workers' Party issued a pointed rebuttal to an article by Polish blogger Michael Petraeus, widely known as 'Critical Spectator'.
The article, published on 19 May, accused the Workers' Party (WP) of 'abandoning Muslim voters' in its selection of NCMPs following the 2025 General Election.
Petraeus alleged that WP sidelined its vice-chairman and three-time Member of Parliament, Faisal Manap, who had contested in Tampines GRC. He framed this decision as evidence of identity politics within the party.
He further claimed that WP was refocusing its efforts on Mandarin-speaking constituencies, citing the appointment of Eileen Chong—who joined the party in December 2024—as a shift in strategy.
Petraeus claimed that this was influenced by Terry Xu of The Online Citizen (TOC), who had previously advocated for greater outreach to older Chinese-speaking voters and new citizens from China.
In his op-ed, Xu argued that the WP would benefit more from appointing Chong as an NCMP, given the current lack of a strong Mandarin speaker among the party's parliamentary representatives and the opportunity to further its efforts toward gender diversity.
Adding to the controversy, Petraeus's post attracted a 'like' from Ho Ching, spouse of former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, further amplifying its reach and raising eyebrows.
On the same day, WP confirmed the appointment of Andre Low and Eileen Chong as NCMPs.
The party reaffirmed its commitment to represent all Singaporeans, hold the Government accountable, and engage in reasoned parliamentary debate.
'Many senior WP members have historically declined NCMP appointments'
Yee, who led the WP team in East Coast GRC during GE2025, responded to Petraeus's commentary via Facebook, calling the article 'trash'.
He said he 'could not believe what [he] was reading', and described Petraeus's writing as ignorant and lacking proper analysis.
Yee expressed frustration with so-called political observers who presume insight into the opposition landscape without insider knowledge.
He clarified that it was likely Faisal Manap had declined the NCMP post, as other senior WP members had done in the past.
Yee cited historical precedent, noting that Gerald Giam, Lee Li Lian, and Low Thia Khiang had either declined NCMP roles or expressed views on how they would have passed them on.
Yee noted that when Lee rejected the NCMP appointment, it was offered to Daniel Goh, following a rather 'unpleasant parliamentary debate in which the PAP attempted to gain political mileage from the situation'.
He added that even Tan Cheng Bock, after GE2020, declined the post, and it was passed to another team member.
Yee argued there was no need for a senior WP figure to take the NCMP role when strong candidates are available, especially in a Group Representation Constituency (GRC).
'Nothing about race or religion' – Yee affirms inclusivity
Yee firmly rejected Petraeus's racial insinuations, saying: 'Nothing about race or religion as alleged in this ignorant post, not even by a Singaporean.'
He expressed confidence in Chong's ability to represent all Singaporeans, and emphasised Faisal's legacy as a well-loved MP serving residents of all races in Kaki Bukit.
Yee pointed out widespread misconceptions about how NCMP appointments are handled.
He explained that if a team declines an NCMP post, the seat does not automatically go to the next highest-losing team.
Instead, a parliamentary motion must be raised and passed to appoint another candidate.
He cautioned that public calls for Tampines GRC to reject the position would not necessarily result in a reassignment, and could instead lead to the seat being left vacant—as occurred in 1984.
Yee criticised external attempts to dictate WP's internal decisions, asserting the party's autonomy.
He also reiterated his broader stance against the NCMP scheme, which he and political researcher Loke Hoe Yeong argue should be abolished in favour of deeper democratic reforms.
Petraeus responds with more criticism
Following Yee's statement, Petraeus escalated the exchange by accusing him of breaking his word about retiring from politics after 2020.
He interpreted Yee's return as evidence of a 'very limited pool' within WP.
Petraeus further claimed WP publicly criticises the NCMP scheme while privately benefiting from it, referencing the party's historical use of NCMP seats since 1984.
He also accused WP leader Pritam Singh of 'hypocrisy', citing Singh's allegations of gerrymandering while supposedly benefiting from constituency changes.
Lawyer Yeoh Lian Chuan questions if PM Wong will repudiate foreign blogger's racial remarks
On 22 May, a day before Yee's statement, Singaporean lawyer Yeoh Lian Chuan called on Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to address Petraeus's comments.
Yeoh asked whether Wong and the People's Action Party (PAP) would repudiate the statements, which many criticised as racially and religiously insensitive.
His call added to the growing pressure on the Government to confront divisive political rhetoric circulating online.
Edit: A clarification has been made regarding Yee's quote about the transfer of the NCMP seat to Daniel Goh, after Lee Li Lian declined her NCMP seat following the conclusion of GE2015.