Chee Soon Juan
Chee Soon Juan is a prominent Singaporean political figure and the Secretary-General of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP). Born and raised in Singapore, Chee became politically active after witnessing the government's Graduate Mothers Scheme, which controversially favored educated women in family planning. His academic journey took him to the United States, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in psychology and later a PhD. Upon returning to Singapore, he began a career as a lecturer in psychology but was dismissed from his position amid allegations of misappropriation, which he denied.
Throughout his political career, Chee has been known for his outspoken nature and willingness to challenge Singapore's strict laws on public demonstrations. Despite facing multiple arrests and legal battles, including a significant defamation case leading to bankruptcy, he persisted in advocating for civil and political rights in Singapore. Chee also ventured into entrepreneurship by opening a restaurant aimed at fostering open dialogue and promoting local culture, although he faced challenges due to COVID-19 and concerns about reprisals related to his political activism. While he has not won electoral office, his efforts have inspired many Singaporeans to seek greater democratic freedoms. Chee is married and a father of three.
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Subject Terms
Chee Soon Juan
Activist and politician
- Born: July 20, 1962
- Birthplace: Republic of Singapore
Significance: Chee Soon Juan is an activist and a politician in the Republic of Singapore. He became secretary-general of the Singapore Democratic Party in 1993 and is the longest-serving leader of a mainstream opposition party in his country. Chee has spoken out about the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP), which has been in power since 1959, and has been charged with defamation of national leaders. Since becoming involved in politics, he has been arrested and jailed more than a dozen times for organizing demonstrations and making public speeches without authorization.
Background
Chee was born and raised in Singapore. His family includes a sister, Chee Siok Chin, who also became an activist. When he was in his early twenties, the Singapore government initiated the Graduate Mothers Scheme, a policy permitting women with university degrees to have as many children as they wanted. Women without degrees would be penalized for having more than two children. He was incensed.
Chee attended college in the United States. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology from Mansfield University in Pennsylvania. He later completed a PhD at the University of Georgia and then returned to his homeland to work as a lecturer in psychology at the National University of Singapore.
Life’s Work
Chee was angry that nothing in Singapore’s political climate had changed while he was in the United States. For example, the PAP’s Graduate Mothers Scheme was still an official policy. He decided to work for change.
Chiam See Tong, the founder of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), encouraged Chee to join the SDP and run for office in 1993. Though unsuccessful, Chee began climbing the ladder of party leadership. The SDP was founded in 1980 with a platform of restoring Singaporeans’ civil, human, and political rights. Soon after Chee began his political career, the National University of Singapore fired him, claiming that he misappropriated research funds. Chee, who denied the charges, staged a hunger strike, but the university refused to rehire him.
Chee quickly became known for challenging Singapore’s laws requiring approval to give a public demonstration or a speech. He organized rallies and spoke to crowds without obtaining permits and was repeatedly arrested for these acts. He was also arrested for other alleged transgressions such as trying to leave the country without a permit. He was found guilty of defaming some political leaders and fined $500,000 but refused to pay the damages. He was then declared bankrupt, and the government refused to permit him from traveling or standing in the parliamentary elections from 2006 to 2011. He was banned from traveling to attend the Oslo Freedom Forum in 2012, but international pressure convinced Singaporean authorities to vacate the bankruptcy and permit him to travel again. Chee has often been banned from travel. For example, he was not permitted to travel with his wife and children to Taiwan to visit her family.
He and another party official, Yap Keng Ho, founded a newspaper, the New Democrat; both were charged under the Public Entertainment and Meetings Act for selling the publication during the 2006 election campaign to raise funds. In that election, the PAP took 66.6 percent of the overall vote but won eighty-two of the eighty-four available seats.
Chee is also an entrepreneur. He opened a restaurant, Orange & Teal, in Singapore in June 2021 after considering the idea for many years. Chee said that he envisioned a place where open debate and discussion would occur. He also wanted to support young artists and writers and promote Singaporean culture. He believed that by fostering all types of creativity, he could encourage discussion and a desire in people to develop and achieve goals. This he hoped would help to change society and politics in Singapore. However, due to COVID-19 restrictions, he had to delay holding events in the establishment for more than a year. He also faced staffing challenges because, he said, some people were concerned about reprisals because of Chee’s political life.
Impact
Although Chee has run in elections numerous times since becoming a party leader, he has not been victorious. However, he has succeeded in motivating many Singaporeans to press for a more democratic system. His dogged determination to stand against the ruling figures in his country has cost him personally and professionally, but he has continued to fight the status quo and antidemocratic authority.
Personal Life
Chee is married to Huang Chihmei, a native of Taiwan. They met as graduate students at the University of Georgia. They are the parents of two daughters, E Lyn and An Lyn, and a son, Shaw Hur.
Bibliography
“Chee Soon Juan.” Oslo Freedom Forum, oslofreedomforum.com/speakers/chee-soon-juan/. Accessed 3 July 2023.
Chee, Soon Juan. Interview. Conducted by John Keane. “Talking a Bird Down from a Tree: A Conversation with Chee Soon Juan.” The Conversation, 24 Feb. 2015, theconversation.com/talking-a-bird-down-from-a-tree-a-conversation-with-chee-soon-juan-37965. Accessed 3 July 2023.
Chee, Soon Juan. nterview. Conducted by Thum Ping Tjin. “Dr Chee Soon Juan’s ‘Orange & Teal.’” New Naratif, 29 Apr. 2022, newnaratif.com/dr-chee-soon-juans-orange-teal/. Accessed 3 July 2023.
Ching, Shi Jie. “No Hooks to Hang Clothes? Use Rice, Says Chee Soon Juan as He Shares Tips on Surviving Prison.” AsiaOne, 29 Dec. 2022, www.asiaone.com/singapore/no-hooks-hang-clothes-use-rice-says-chee-soon-juan-he-shares-tips-surviving-prison. Accessed 3 July 2023.
Singapore Democratic Party. Teacher Thinker Rebel Why. Singapore Democratic Party, 2015. Print.
“Singapore to Dissident Leader: Shut Up.” Asia Sentinel, 23 May 2008, web.archive.org/web/20080526044218/http://asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com‗content&task=view&id=1218&Itemid=31. Accessed 3 July 2023.
Yusof, Zaihan Mohamed. “GE2015: ‘Just Keep Going, Don’t Give Up’, Chee Soon Juan’s 13-Year-Old Daughter Tells SDP Chief.” The Straits Times, 13 Sept. 2015, www.straitstimes.com/politics/ge2015-just-keep-going-dont-give-up-chee-soon-juans-13-year-old-daughter-tells-sdp-chief. Accessed 3 July 2023.
Book intro:
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0754/0317/files/Teacher‗Thinker‗Rebel‗Why‗sample‗pages.pdf?174960352148391240
https://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singaporescene/peek-life-chee-soon-juan-050517946.html