SINGAPORE — Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) chief Chee Soon Juan paid tribute to the late JB Jeyaretnam — who died seven years ago this month — at his second rally yesterday, dedicating his entire speech to the Opposition politician.

Calling Mr Jeyaretnam a “dear friend”, Dr Chee delivered his speech in the form of a letter addressed to Mr Jeyaretnam, and related personal moments he shared with the late politician, such as the time Mr Jeyaretnam stopped to buy a bunch of flowers for his late wife, and how the two men had worked to create Singapore’s first human rights non-governmental organisation in Singapore.

He recounted how “despondent” Mr Jeyaretnam had been on a trip to New York, with the spectre of a defamation suit hanging over him.

“We’d checked into this small hotel and struggled with our luggage along the narrow and dingy corridor, and as I fumbled for the key to open the door, I heard you mutter to yourself, ‘Oh Ben, what have you gotten yourself into?’

“My heart sank when I heard you say this, I was feeling a little depressed myself, and I was hoping to get some cheer from you. Seeing you so despondent made my own morale wobble.”

Mr Jeyaretnam, Dr Chee said, was feeling depressed and anxious over the lawsuit. “As we put our weary heads on the pillows, you said they just didn’t want to win politically, but they were determined to also crush us personally. We made a pact that night that while we might not yet be able to beat them politically, we would not allow them to defeat us on the personal front,” he said.

“They may take away all our possessions, but they will never take away our will to speak up. Then, you said that we needed to rest, as tomorrow is another day that we have to fight.”

Mr Jeyaretnam, said Dr Chee, was a man of principles whom “no one could buy”.

Despite their clashes and disagreements, they remained true to each other and what they believed in.

“As you lay down to rest, democracy is not yet at hand. But, don’t you ever believe those who say that your fight on earth was irrelevant and personal. Nothing could be further from the truth.

“You have inspired an entire generation of Singaporeans and we will keep the fight going,” he said, to cheers and applause.

Mr Jeyaretnam was Singapore’s first Opposition Member of Parliament since independence. He joined the Workers’ Party in 1971 and led it to a historic victory in the 1981 Anson by-election. However, he was the subject of several defamation suits and lost his seat in Parliament twice — in 1986 and 2001 — because of charges filed against him and bankruptcy. He attempted a comeback in 2008 with the formation of the Reform Party, but died that year.

Dr Chee is standing in Holland-Bukit Timah Group Representation Constituency— his first election since 2001, after having been discharged from bankruptcy in 2012.

Other speakers at the rally at Bukit Batok include Ms Jaslyn Go, Mr Khung Wai Yeen, Ms Chong Wai Fung, Mr Damanhuri Abas, Mr Bryan Lim and Professor Paul Tambyah, who spoke in Mandarin, to the delight of the audience.

Mr Sadasivam Veriyah, who is contesting in Bukit Batok, spoke on the improvements the town needed, calling it “a neglected constituency”.

“When you go around you see, Block 172, just beside the highway, there is a playground and a place to play football and games. Go and visit, see how badly (run) it is, compared to the one in Bishan, how beautiful Bishan Park is. Why the difference? We are Singaporeans, why must we have two different standards?” he said.

Mr Sadasivam also brought up an incident that he found questionable on Nomination Day, where People’s Action Party supporters of the party’s candidate David Ong had helped independent candidate Samir Salim Neji when his assentors did not show up. His successful filing led to a three-cornered fight in Bukit Batok. Mr Sadasivam did not object, but called the gesture “unethical and unacceptable”.