Chiam See Tong (; born 12 March 1935) is a Singaporean retired politician and lawyer who served as the Secretary-General of Singapore Democratic Party between 1980 and 1993 and Secretary-General of Singapore People's Party between 2011 and 2019 and the chairman of Singapore Democratic Alliance between 2001 and 2011. He served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Potong Pasir SMC between 1984 and 2011. He was one of the two opposition MPs in Parliament. A lawyer by profession, Chiam contested in the 1976 general election and 1979 by-elections as an independent candidate in Cairnhill SMC and Potong Pasir SMC but lost both. He founded the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) in 1980 and became its secretary-general, and contested in the 1980 general election but was defeated again. Chiam succeeded on his fourth attempt during the 1984 general election and won Potong Pasir SMC against People's Action Party candidate Mah Bow Tan. He joined J. B. Jeyaretnam from the Workers' Party as the second of only two opposition Members of Parliament. Chiam left the SDP after a falling-out with his protégé Chee Soon Juan and joined the Singapore People's Party (SPP). In 2001, Chiam convinced three other opposition parties—National Solidarity Party, Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura and Singapore Justice Party—to join the SPP in forming the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA), and served as SDA's chairman between 2001 and 2011. He withdrew the SPP from the SDA in the lead up to the 2011 general election and decided not to seek re-election for Potong Pasir SMC to contest in Bishan–Toa Payoh GRC, but lost to the PAP team. Chiam retired after 39 years in politics at the age of 80 prior to the 2015 general election, citing health reasons. He was the longest-serving opposition MP until surpassed by Low Thia Kiang in 2018. He remains the longest-serving de facto Leader of the Opposition. Early life and career Chiam was educated at Anglo-Chinese School, where he was a competitive swimmer who enjoyed swimming 200 metres freestyle and was part of the ACS relay team of star swimmers. He completed his A Level examinations in 1955 before going on to the Victoria University of Wellington and graduated in 1961 with a Bachelor of Science degree. After graduation, he worked as a teacher at Mahmud Secondary School in Raub, Pahang between 1962 and 1963, and later at Cedar Girls' Secondary School in Singapore between 1964 and 1972.