TODAY: Workers' Party reaches out with slogan contest

SINCE 1991, the Workers' Party (WP) has made its pitch to Singaporeans with the motto "Power to the People".

This month, it hopes to glean more ideas from the public through an online political slogan competition.

But the opposition party may not be ditching its current motto anytime soon.

"I don't think we're going to be changing the motto. But, with elections coming up, it's always good to get some supplementary slogans," party chairman Sylvia Lim told TODAY.

"The competition is another means of touching base with the people to see what ideas they have. We are trying out new forms of enagagement and a slogan competition on our website is an easy way for people to respond."

The WP is offering a $20 NTUC voucher and a party souvenir like its 45th anniversary mug for the top three entries.

So far, the WP has received a "healthy response" of more than 100 entries, said Ms Lim. Examples include "Bi-Partisanship for a Progressive Singapore", "Dare to Aspire" and "I Hammer - Do You?"

The Party has no plans to change its hammer logo, but it has bveen reviewing its manifesto, set out in 1994, since the last elections. Since then, the WP has undergone a renewal process of sorts, which included the election of 39-year-old Ms Lim, a law lecturer at Temasek Polytechnic, to the post of chairman.

When asked if there were any other "new forms of engagement" being planned, Ms Lim said: "Well, we are quite dynamic, with more young people joining us. I'm sure there will be new ideas."

The slogan competition on www.wp.org.sg will run until April 30. - Derrick A Paulo