Workers’ Party CEC and Hougang MP Dennis Tan extend condolences on Yaw Shin Leong’s passing

SINGAPORE: Funeral wreaths from the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the Workers’ Party and Dennis Tan, the incumbent Hougang SMC MP, were prominently displayed at the wake of the late former WP MP Yaw Shin Leong, who passed away in Beijing on 10 November.

The memorial service for Mr Yaw spanned from last Friday (17 Nov) through Sunday, taking place at Woodlands Memorial, situated in Woodlands Industrial Park E8 in Singapore.

Teo En Ming, an IT consultant who attended Mr Yaw’s wake on Saturday, shared a poignant series of photos illustrating the outpouring of condolences from friends, colleagues, and even residents of Hougang, offering their sympathies to the grieving family in their time of loss.

Notably, funeral wreaths from the WP CEC and the current Hougang MP were prominently displayed, along with tributes from former Minister of State Teo Ser Luck and several others.

According to Lianhe Zaobao, upon learning of Mr Yaw’s sudden passing, a close friend who happened to be on a business trip in China immediately halted his work commitments to accompany Yaw’s wife to Beijing and assist in handling the necessary arrangements.

Their efforts culminated in successfully repatriating his remains to Singapore last Friday morning.

Mr Yaw’s passing was initially announced on his social media profiles, including Facebook and LinkedIn, late last Tuesday (November 14) night.

The obituary, shared on Mr Yaw’s social media platforms, indicated his demise at the age of 47.

As reported by Chinese media outlet 8World News, the administrator of the social media account disclosed on 15 Nov that Yaw Shin Leong’s wife shared the obituary.

It was stated that Yaw Shin Leong collapsed during a morning run in Beijing, China, succumbing to sudden cardiac arrest.

Former WP MP Png Eng Huat expresses condolences for Yaw Shin Leong’s passing

Png Eng Huat, the former Workers’ Party (WP) MP for Hougang SMC, had earlier offered heartfelt condolences following the passing of his former WP colleague.

Png, who held the Hougang MP position for eight years from 2012 to 2020, conveyed his sympathies to Yaw’s family.

Speaking to “8World News,” he recalled their time together in the Workers’ Party, acknowledging Yaw’s profound commitment to serving the people with genuine dedication.

He expressed hope that Yaw’s family could find solace in the memories of his sincere service despite the tragic loss.

Short political career

After serving in Hougang for 20 years, Mr Low decided to contest Aljunied GRC in 2011.

Mr Yaw, seen as the successor in Hougang, lived up to expectations and won with 64.8% of the votes against the People’s Action Party (PAP) candidate, Desmond Choo.

Mr Yaw, however, was expelled from the WP in 2012 due to his non-response to party queries regarding allegations concerning an extra-marital affair.

After being expelled from the Workers’ Party, Yaw left the country to avoid attention and has been abroad for several years.

As the Hougang seat remained vacant for an extended period, a resident applied to the High Court for a compulsory order, urging the Prime Minister to hold a by-election within three months or a reasonable timeframe.

The by-election was eventually held on 26 May 2012 where Mr Png won against PAP’s Desmond Choo who was running for the PAP for the second time with 62.08%.