WP ramps up Tampines walkabouts ahead of GE; Low Thia Khiang joins the campaign

SINGAPORE: Workers’ Party, Singapore’s alternative political entity, has been actively engaging residents of the Tampines group representation constituency (GRC) through outreach efforts.

In a Facebook post on Monday (22 April), the WP shared a series of photos, depicting the party’s outreach to the Tampines resident on Sunday, along with the party’s top leaders, members and volunteers.

The visit included notable figures such as Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh, Sylvia Lim, WP MPs for Aljunied GRC Gerald Giam and Muhamad Faisal bin Abdul Manap, Assoc Prof Jamus Lim, and the MP for Sengkang GRC

Notably, the former WP Chief and ex-MP for Aljunied GRC, Mr. Low Thia Khiang, received a warm reception from Tampines residents during the visit.

WP members can be seen actively engaging with the community by selling the Hammer newsletter at the Tampines Round Market and Food Centre, as well as Block 478 on Tampines Street 44, along with other locations. This proactive approach underscores their commitment to connecting with people on the ground.

WP has dedicated significant efforts to outreach across diverse areas within Tampines over the past few years.

Notably, WP volunteers have been intensifying their active engagement with residents across the constituency for some time now.

Is Low Thia Khiang making a return to politics?

In the 2020 Singapore General Election, veteran WP member Mr Low, along with the former MP for Hougang GRC Png Eng Huat, chose not to contest.

Despite stepping down from their political roles, they remain actively supportive of their party. Mr Low currently serving as Committee Members in WP’s Central Executive Committee.

There’s speculation and anticipation regarding Low’s potential return, fueled by his enduring grassroots popularity.

Some ponder whether he will lead a team to challenge another People’s Action Party (PAP) stronghold in the upcoming election, reminiscent of his strategic move in 2011 when he chose not to contest in Hougang SMC but instead contested in Aljunied GRC, leading the party to a historic breakthrough by securing the first GRC from PAP.

During the 2020 General Election, Tampines GRC saw a contest between the PAP and the National Solidarity Party (NSP), which has been contesting in the ward since 2011.

Under the leadership of Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli, the five-member PAP team retained the ward for the party with a convincing 66.41% victory, a drop of 5.65% from the previous election.

Masagos Zulkifli’s team consisted of Senior Minister of State Koh Poh Koon, Senior Parliamentary Secretary Baey Yam Keng, Mayor Desmond Choo, and then-PAP MP Cheng Li Hui.

Having secured 66.41 per cent of the votes, the PAP team achieved the status of the fifth-best performing GRC, following the successes of PM Lee and SM Tharman’s respective GRCs.

Before this election, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat had served as the anchor minister for Tampines GRC for a decade.

However, in GE2020, Heng surprised many by shifting to East Coast GRC, leading his team to victory there, albeit with a narrow margin of 53.39% against the WP team, a 7.34% drop from GE2015.

Potential for alternative parties to challenge PAP strongholds

Speculation suggests that in the aftermath of an extramarital affair scandal involving former Parliamentary Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin and former Tampines MP Cheng Li Hui, the former Transport Minister S Iswaran corruption charges and the Ridout Road controversy involving Ministers K Shanmugam and Vivian Balakrishnan, alternative parties might have an increased likelihood of challenging PAP strongholds.

Of notable importance is the prevailing group sentiment regarding concerns about the cost of living, inflation, housing, and job insecurity, which significantly influences the ground-level support for the ruling party.

In a recent interview with Rice Media, ex-PAP MP Inderjit Singh warned that the Workers’ Party, with strong candidates, could pose a significant challenge to the PAP’s electoral success.

Last Monday (15 April), Singapore’s Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) officially announced PM Lee Hsien Loong’s decision to step down, with DPM Wong slated to succeed him on 15 May 2024.

Mr Wong is expected to lead the ruling PAP into the upcoming elections slated for November 2025.

As speculation about the timing of the next GE grows, sources suggest it might be strategically held in September, potentially aligning with cash handouts from Budget 2024 and before major elections in the United States and the United Kingdom in November.

In response to the PAP’s dominant 2/3 majority in Parliament, Singapore’s political landscape has witnessed increased manoeuvring,  intensifying grassroots outreach efforts, and witnessing alternative parties forming political alliances — both formal and informal — to contest in the upcoming GE.

Earlier, WP Chief Pritam Singh reiterated the party’s medium-term objective of securing at least one-third of Parliament not under the control of the PAP. He emphasized that a more balanced political landscape resonates with Singapore’s core interests.