OPEN LETTER TO MY FRIEND STEVE CHIA - HAVE THE TROLLS WON?

<Facebook post by David Leong>

You have been my friend for close to 30 years. I have known you since school days. I know you to be a good person.

Serving has to be agnostic, color-blind and you need to develop a condition called scleroderma- where your skin get thick and tight and your blood vessels can thicken too which will leads to tissue damage and high blood pressure. In politics, it's sure high pressure. You know that the moment you join politics whether with PAP or the opposition, you must be prepared to serve with the purpose of serving Singaporeans- those same ones who adore and support you as well as those who now smear and criticize you online.

It is not about your dashed hope of serving people and this is your last bastion you are holding out and now you declare defeat because the trolls have won. There are no trolls only your imagination of defeat and imaginary enemy. You can not have treated those who are against you as your enemy since as politician you must care for all so that one day they will see the value and true love you give to them. You must continue with the deep conviction that to serve means to give more than receive. When you decide you jump into the frays with the wolfs packs and the hyenas be prepared to be bitten.

Your enemy is not PAP not even Tin PeiLing because they have every right to contest the hearts of their constituents as you would like to. PAP is the incumbent and will do whatsoever is right to maintain the love of its people. What grave wrong has Tin PeiLing done that aggrieved her constituents and residents that some old aunties do not like her.

In politics, focus on the big picture and draw a vision on how you can make things better for the people. Not because some old aunties dislike Tin PeiLing and you support WP and pit against the incumbent. Your anger in politics have caused you reality distortion so much so that trust and words are no longer honored. 失信于人。In fact your earlier week provocation to reclaim McPherson was a tactical error- using 诚信 - trust to trade for McPherson. It is a good thing you pull out as NSP will suffer broader damage and be relegated to a party of no value except to be just against PAP at all cost.

You have been a volunteer all your life. You do not need to win election to serve the people. You do not need to sit in parliament to pass laws to serve the people. You do not need to be anti-PAP to serve the people.

Be your good self Steve and rise to the occasion to be a better man- to bless others with your intellect, wits and wealth. There are many ways to help build a better Singapore and I am sure you and I know how to do that. So let's just do it.

I hope you can jump out of this self defeating thoughts and be the man I know you to be- strong, resilient and ready to serve. Now, serve with love for our countryman and beloved nation.

天下非一人之天下也，天下之天下也。天下非人民行动党的天下，非他人的天下。是天下人的天下，是新加坡人的天下。