▁seen ▁as ▁a ▁significant ▁success ▁for ▁the ▁opposition . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁the ▁SD P ▁appointed ▁L ing ▁to ▁take ▁over ▁from ▁Ch iam ▁as ▁the ▁party ' s ▁parliament ary ▁leader ▁after ▁Ch iam ▁fell ▁out ▁with ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁party ' s ▁Central ▁Executive ▁Committee ▁( CE C ). ▁Ch iam ▁res igned ▁as ▁the ▁party ' s ▁Secretary - General ▁and ▁was ▁replaced ▁by ▁Dr ▁Che e ▁So on ▁Juan . ▁After ▁he ▁public ly ▁critic ised ▁them , ▁the ▁C EC ▁attempted ▁to ▁exp el ▁Ch iam ▁from ▁the ▁party ▁( which ▁would ▁have ▁forced ▁him ▁to ▁vac ate ▁his ▁parliament ary ▁seat ), ▁but ▁he ▁won ▁a ▁court ▁case ▁to ▁prevent ▁them ▁from ▁doing ▁so ▁on ▁proced ural ▁grounds . ▁ ▁L ing ▁hit ▁the ▁head lines ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁after ▁Ch iam ▁whisper ed ▁something ▁into ▁his ▁ear ▁during ▁a ▁debate ▁in ▁Parliament , ▁to ▁which ▁L ing ▁loud ly ▁respond ed ▁" Don ' t ▁talk ▁co ck !" ▁( a ▁Sing lish ▁phrase ▁meaning ▁" Don ' t ▁speak ▁n ons ense "). ▁L ing ▁was ▁formally ▁cens ured ▁by ▁Parliament ▁for ▁using ▁in app ropri ate ▁language ▁in ▁the ▁chamber ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁this . ▁ ▁Ch iam ▁joined ▁the ▁Singapore ▁People ' s ▁Party ▁( SP P ) ▁after ▁Parliament ▁was ▁dissol ved ▁ahead ▁of ▁the ▁election , ▁was ▁re - elect ed ▁as ▁Pot ong ▁Pas ir ' s ▁MP ▁representing ▁his