WP leader Low Thia Khiang has vacated his safe seat of Hougang in a bold bid to win Aljunied GRC
By Cheryl Chan
Political Correspondent
It is confirmed – Workers’ Party leader Low Thia Khiang will be vacating his Hougang seat to lead a team in Aljunied GRC. He has taken with him party heavyweights Sylvia Lim, a non-constituency MP in the last Parliament, as well as high-flying corporate lawyer Chen Show Mao.
This bold move could end up with the WP winning a GRC for the first time in its history, seeing as it lost Aljunied by a very slender margin in the 2006 election. However, it could also end up with the party being completely wiped out from Parliament and five years in the wilderness for Mr Low – he has already declared that he will not accept an NCMP seat if he loses.
Mr Low says that it is imperative for the party to break into Aljunied because the PAP re-draws the electoral boundaries at every election. But he could also be making his move because he senses a groundswell of support for the opposition – especially the WP – following years of hard work in reshaping its image.
When Mr Low took over the reins of the WP from J B Jeyaretnam in 2001, the party was decimated, broken, and in danger of being cast into the periphery of Singapore’s political landscape – the result of decades of PAP harrassment, which included libel lawsuits, jail terms and expulsions from Parliament. Indeed, the late Mr Jeyaretnam was forcibly removed from the legislature not once, but twice.
Under Mr Low’s leadership, however, the WP has been completely transformed. It is now by far the most widely supported opposition party in Singapore, having been able to attract a host of well-qualified candidates, including several with obvious ‘star’ quality such as Ms Lim and Mr Chen – something which the PAP has been unable to do. Even Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong conceded in 2006 that his team had found it difficult to do battle against the “WP brand name”.
It is evident that Mr Low feels that the fruit of his labour is ripe for the picking, and that as Singapore’s de facto leader of the opposition, he should be standing at the forefront and leading the charge in a GRC – something that Singapore’s only other long-serving opposition MP, Mr Chiam See Tong, has also done.
What this means is that the residents of Aljunied are now faced with a serious choice: it is now incumbent upon them to decide whether Singapore will benefit from having the voices of Mr Low, Ms Lim and Mr Chen speak up for them in Parliament, and by the same stroke, boot out two cabinet ministers in George Yeo and Lim Hwee Hua.
Even if Mr Low’s gamble fails to pay off, and the PAP manages to secure a clean sweep on May 7, there will be a silver lining attached. Perhaps an event of such magnitude would finally provide the impetus that Singapore’s voters need in order to throw their support behind the opposition.
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The author holds a degree in political science from the National University of Singapore and works at a leading multinational research firm.
This is a big gamble : but it should be well worth it. If PAP makes a clean sweep, I better pack my bags, withdraw all my CPF and move out. There is no more hope for Singapore. We have already close to 40% foreigners and the PAP will bring in another 900,000 more. No more space for me – I will be minority in my own country. Sigh!
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Dear countryman, brothers and sisters,
With the efforts from all, the contributed information has given us a better insight picture what has been going on in SG.
For the last 5 years, “Life is getting tougher and tougher”
We are poorer as we are owing more debts and bigger debts!
We earning less yet paying more for public housing HDB, utilities, education fee, public transportation fee, medical fee and many others.
The moment has come!
We want real
1. Accountability,
2. Responsibility,
3. Creditability,
4. Transparency
from the new government!
One that serve the country and its people!
We do not need A team with multi-millions $ and just only passed the exams!
But we need a team to give A results!
Agree?
Enough is Enough!
Ignore their last minute justification and effort to destroy the opposition.
Let us focus and not distracted by their unscrupulous propaganda.
Time for a CHANGE!
Are we ready for a CHANGE?
Do we dare to make a CHANGE?
If yes…..then CHANGE!
Vote for Opposition!
Vote for yourselves, our fellow countryman!
Vote for the futures of our beloved children!
Be responsible to your children, save them from amounting debts and stress, do not let them become slaves to the country!
7 May, Remember Vote for Opposition!
Blessed Singapore!
Gigantic, colossal, enormous risk by WP and LTK. But I like it.
This is a brave move by Low TK. He realises that having 2 opposition MPs in parliament is the same as having zero. Go for broke. All or nothing. Force Singaporeans to decide whether they are willing to let PAP have a clean sweep
Mr Low is an inspiration. He is leading by example. He deserves to be respected and saluted by all Singaporeans and the best way of doing that is to convince all your friends and family who lives in Aljunied GRC to vote for him.
While I applaud Mr Low for his courage and idealism, I am also disappointed that he has chosen to gamble with the only flickering hope of democracy in Singapore. In the event that he loses a very narrow contest (say 50.2% vs 49.8%), it could well be that the PAP will manage to do a clean sweep of all 87 seats. That would spell utter disaster.
You should not be disappointed with LTK, rather you should be disappointed with the Aljunied voters for not electing his team. Having said this, it is still up to the voters there to live with their own consequences….
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I have lived under Mr Low’s care until 2000. My parents have lived in Hougang since 1985. Hougang has progressed well under his stewardship over these years and Mr low has proven himself to be a proficient MP who looked after his constituency.
The WP must win the Aljunied GRC this time because this is an “all-in” bet in the political poker game. If we do not give WP some voice in Parliament, the peripheral voices of NCMP/NMP will only provide cosmetic opposition when the ruling government imposes unpopular policies to our detriment.
We have ourselves to blame if this happens. It is true that the PAP must have a strong mandate to govern us in the next 5 years but it is also a valid suggestion to have a team of WP heavyweights representing us in a lopsided Parliament.
May the best team win. Whoever they are, please continue to work for the success of Singapore and the well-being of the ordinary Singaporean