TODAY: Young candidates a 'breakthrough' for WP
Low says Workers' Party will continue to attract young talent to contest in the next GE
ANSLEY NG
THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOTES: Yesterday, Workers' Party secretary-general Low Thia Khiang was at his Hougang constituency to thank voters for their support.
ANSLEY NG
ansley@newstoday.com.sg
CONDUCTING a post mortem for reporters after a victory parade in Hougang yesterday, Workers' Party (WP) secretary-general Low Thia Khiang said that the WP's ability to find enough "capable" young candidates had been the key to the party's performance in the General Election (GE).
And despite winning only one seat in Parliament, the WP - the best performing Opposition party - scored more than 30 per cent of the votes in all the three Group Representation Constituencies (GRC) and four Single Member Constituencies (SMC) it contested.
Said Mr Low: "The breakthrough for the Workers' Party is that we were able to field capable young candidates. We could get the support from young voters."
Mr Low also singled out his lineup in Ang Mo Kio GRC for praise.
The six-man team - all first time candidates with five who are no older than 30 years old - managed to win 33.87 per cent of the votes against a People's Action Party (PAP) team helmed by PrimeMinister Lee Hsien Loong.
That showing, Mr Low said, demonstrated that there was "a level of trust" in his party. He also said that the party would keep attracting young talent, and would work on it immediately.
"The election is a politicising process - we politicise and raise the awareness of the young. (Whether) that awareness level will translate into the person joining a party or (becoming) just a supporter, we do not know," he said yesterday.
But Mr Low did reveal that some young people, "who are interested to join us" either as volunteers or just supporters, have approached his party. The profiles of spectators at his party's rallies also helped him gauge the WP's appeal to young Singaporeans.
"I noticed that there is a sizeable number of younger Singaporeans who are attending our rallies," he added. "When I speak, they listen."
"I also got feedback from party members that some of them (young Singaporeans) were prepared to join us during GE 2006 or after," Mr Low added.
Meanwhile, WP chairman Sylvia Lim confirmed that the party would be back to contest the Aljunied GRC again, despite the loss.
Her team had garnered 44 per cent of the votes at last Saturday's polls, losing the constituency to the PAP team helmed by Foreign Minister George Yeo.
Said Ms Lim: "It has been quite a gruelling campaign. And after that we will plan to work towards the next GE, probably in terms of the groundwork we intend to do and we'll probably carry on to work in Aljunied.
"Hopefully there won't too much redrawing of boundaries the next round." - ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY LEE CHING WERN
LOWSPEAKS
Hougang residents want and need upgrading but they have character. If you threaten them to replace Low Thia Khiang with upgrading, it doesn't mean they would do it. Every time I see (SM Goh), I will ask him for the money. I will tell him: "This is a promise you made." He can't go back on his word. My priority - if I get the money - is to provide lifts that stop on every floor.
- Workers' Party secretary-general Low Thia Khiang
