Ravi Philemon
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| honorific-suffix =
| name = Ravi Philemon
| native_name =
| image = File:Ravi Philemon at Red Dot United rally, 30 Apr 2025.png
| caption = Philemon in 2025
| office = 1st secretary general of Red Dot United
| term_start = 26 May 2020
| term_end =
| alongside =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| office1 =
| 1blankname1 =
| 1namedata1 =
| term_start1 =
| term_end1 =
| predecessor1 =
| successor1 =
| 1blankname2 =
| 1namedata2 =
| term_start2 =
| term_end2 =
| predecessor2 =
| successor2 =
| office3 =
| president3 =
| deputy3 =
| term_start3 =
| term_end3 =
| predecessor3 =
| successor3 =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1968|05|15}}
| birth_place = Singapore
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Red Dot United (2020-)
| spouse =
| children =
| education = New Town Secondary School
| alma_mater = National Institute of Education (Certificate in Special Needs Education)
Heriot-Watt University (Bachelor of Science in Management)
| occupation = Politician
| website =
| otherparty = National Solidarity Party (2012-2015)
Singapore People's Party (2015-2016)
Progress Singapore Party (2019-2020)
}}
{{Short description|Singaporean politician}}
Ravi Chandran Philemon (born 15 May 1968) is a Singaporean politician and the secretary-general of Red Dot United (RDU) since its formation. Previously, Philemon was also a member of the National Solidarity Party (NSP), Progress Singapore Party (PSP) and Singapore People's Party (SPP).{{Cite web |title=OPPOSITION MOVEMENTS |url=https://graphics.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/Interactives/2015/03/opposition-movements/index.html |access-date=3 April 2025 |website=graphics.straitstimes.com}}
Political career
In 2012, Philemon joined the NSP to help Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss in her campaign. In February 2015, Philemon left the party after unsuccessfully challenging for the post of secretary-general.
In the 2015 general election, Philemon contested Hong Kah North SMC as the SPP candidate against incumbent People's Action Party (PAP) Member of Parliament Amy Khor.{{Cite web |last=Liang |first=Lim Yan |date=22 August 2015 |title=Blogger Ravi Philemon to contest single-seat Hong Kah North for Singapore's People Party |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/blogger-ravi-philemon-to-contest-single-seat-hong-kah-north-for-singapores-people-party |access-date=3 April 2025 |website=The Straits Times |language=en}} Philemon received 25.24% of the vote against Amy Khor's 74.76%.{{Cite web |title=Singapore Parliamentary General Election 2015 > Hong Kah North |url=https://sg-elections.com/general-election/2015/hong-kah-north.html |access-date=3 April 2025 |website=sg-elections.com}}
In the lead-up to the 2020 general election, Philemon joined the newly formed PSP led by Tan Cheng Bock. However, in May 2020, Philemon left the party, joining 10 other members, formed Red Dot United.{{Cite web |title=Progress Singapore Party sees fourth departure in two months, as Ravi Philemon quits |url=https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/progress-singapore-party-sees-fourth-departure-two-months-ravi-philemon-quits |access-date=3 April 2025 |website=TODAY |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Koh |first=Fabian |date=29 May 2020 |title=Two former Progress Singapore Party members set up political party called Red Dot United |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/two-former-progress-singapore-party-members-set-up-political-party-called-red-dot-united |access-date=3 April 2025 |website=The Straits Times |language=en}} Philemon led a team to contest Jurong GRC. Red Dot United team received 25.38% of the vote against the PAP's 74.62% of the vote.{{Cite web |last=Baharudin |first=Hariz |last2=Davie |first2=Sandra |date=11 July 2020 |title=GE2020 official results: Tharman leads PAP to thumping win in Jurong GRC with 75 % of votes against RDU |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/ge2020-results-tharman-leads-pap-to-thumping-win-in-jurong-grc-with-75-of-the-votes-rdu |access-date=3 April 2025 |website=The Straits Times |language=en}}
Under Philemon's leadership, RDU expanded significantly across Singapore, announcing its intention to contest 18 seats in the 2025 general election. The party eventually contested 15 seats, but failed to win any. Philemon contested in Nee Soon GRC and received 26.19% against the PAP team's 73.81%.{{Cite web |last=Citizen |first=The Online |date=11 March 2025 |title=Red Dot United announces intention to contest six constituencies in GE2025 |url=https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2025/03/11/red-dot-united-announces-intention-to-contest-six-constituencies-in-ge2025/ |access-date=3 April 2025 |website=The Online Citizen |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |title=ELD {{!}} 2025 Parliamentary General Election Results |url=https://www.eld.gov.sg/finalresults2025.html#N |access-date=2025-05-06 |website=www.eld.gov.sg}}