SINGAPORE — His party had undergone a string of resignations by its members, leading to his appointment last month as acting secretary-general, and has had to endure a smear campaign on two of its members. However, the National Solidarity Party’s (NSP) Mr Lim Tean thinks it can do better than it did in the 2011 General Election, and says its goal of winning at least one constituency remains.

In an interview with TODAY, Mr Lim, 50, who is a legal consultant, felt that the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) would continue to lose ground, as its candidates are out of touch with the average Singaporean.

Speaking after a walkabout in Tampines Group Representation Constituency (GRC) this morning (Sept 5), Mr Lim, who is part of the NSP’s slate that is contesting in Tampines, said the PAP is having “a difficult time” connecting with the ground “because their candidates are not representative of Singapore society”.

“They are not offering a vision at all,” he added.

It is important for the NSP to make a breakthrough by winning a constituency, so it can represent its supporters in Parliament. Winning will also help bring about growth for the party, which Mr Lim described as a “centrist” one.

The NSP fielded 24 candidates in 2011, among them Ms Hazel Poa and her husband, Mr Tony Tan, who are both government scholars and were considered “star catches” for the party, as well as Ms Nicole Seah, who became an instant media sensation in the run-up to the election. This time, the party is fielding 12 candidates in Tampines GRC, Sembawang GRC as well as in MacPherson and Pioneer.

Despite the drama leading up to Nomination Day, as well as the brickbats hurled at Mr Cheo Chai Chen, the party’s candidate for MacPherson, after he called the new status of his rival, Ms Tin Pei Ling, as a mother a “weakness”, Mr Lim expects the NSP to fare better in this election.

“I think people agree with what the NSP stands for and agree with the four critical issues (in our manifesto),” he said.

Among the tumultuous events that the NSP had experienced recently are the departure of Ms Poa as acting secretary-general when the party voted to contest in MacPherson, as well as a poison pen letter campaign launched against its president Sebastian Teo and member Steve Chia.

Despite the drama, Mr Lim, who joined the NSP in 2011, insisted that he had never considered leaving the party.

“These things happen in any political party,” he said. “My own belief is that when you join a political party and you agree with its values and principles, you should be with the party through rocky and smooth times, unless its values change so much from yours that you are compelled to leave.”

The NSP’s democratic values as a party was the reason that he joined it after the 2011 election. Growing up in a middle-class family where “politics were always discussed at the dinner table”, Mr Lim, who is married with a 19-year-old child, said he had considered entering politics when he was younger, but decided to focus first on his legal career and starting a family.

Despite his interest in politics, he had “never, ever” considered joining the PAP. “I think even back then, I did not agree with their policies. I did not agree with the fact that Singapore should be a one-party parliamentary system,” he said.

Mr Lim cited former United States President Bill Clinton as his greatest political influence, “because I agree with almost everything that he did”.

“I think he was not just a natural politician. I think history will treat Clinton very well when you look at his record. He was a Democrat, but he was a person who brought the Democratic Party from the far left back to the centre again. And the centre is where I want the NSP to be.”