Channel NewsAsia: WP says it will work the ground at East Coast GRC till next election

SINGAPORE VOTES 2006

By Pearl Forss


Brandon Siow

The defeated Worker's Party team that contested in the East Coast GRC in the recent General Election, has plans to engage residents there for the next 5 years.

It hopes to change the perception that the opposition only turns up in the constituencies only a few months before a general election.

The team members fielded in the 5-member GRC were Mr Perry Tong, Mr Eric Tan, Mr Chia Ti Lik, Mr Abdul Rahim and Mr Brandon Siow.

The rookie team, who collected 36 percent of valid votes in last Saturday's polls, was out and about on Friday morning thanking residents.

They said that they want to contest in the same GRC again at the next General Election, and will spend the next 5 years preparing for it.

Mr Perry Tong said: "We are organising a series of grassroots and community-based activities. The outline is in place, we'll firm up the details.

"We will establish a broad support base here and move on from there, depending on the requirements and needs of residents."

The team said that one main reason it lost in the GRC is that young voters chose the incumbents.

They felt that it was an irony since the young Workers' Party team fielded in the GRC was supposed to connect with the post-65 generation.

Mr Chia Ti Lik said: "Based on the younger voters' perspective, whenever they compare a team that is completely new, unfamiliar and relatively untested against a team where there are ministers from the ruling party, then however much they feel for us, they will tend to be more prudent and vote for the ruling party."

Looking ahead, the team said that it would be a challenge to continue the current momentum for the next five years.

Mr Eric Tan said: "We hope to recruit more people, and therefore build on our branding and offer an institutionalised approach. That means when people look at Workers' Party, it is not just Low Thia Khiang or Sylvia Lim but more an institution that can be an alternative in the future."

In the last few days, over a hundred people emailed the Workers' Party or approached its candidates personally requesting to join the party.

The Workers' Party says it is its responsibility to build up the party so that it can be a serious counter point to the People's Action Party. - CNA/ir