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SINGAPORE: The head of the Workers’ Party (WP), Pritam Singh, said that the party was trying to balance continuity and renewal in its latest changes in the Central Executive Committee (CEC), and that he and the president of the party Sylvia Lim continued to lead the WP even as younger members joined the CEC.
Singh remains secretary general and Sylvia Lim remains as party chair, while former WP Low chief Thia Khiang and veteran former MP Png Eng Huat were retained as committee members at a cadre membership conference on Sunday (December 27) .
When asked what this means, Singh said there must be a path to renewal.
“This time, the cadre’s membership … recognizes the importance of this trajectory of renewal that we are on, having a good balance of experience and new blood,” he said.
“I think it is very important that some of our most experienced members continue to be a central part of the party,” he added.
READ: Workers’ Party deputies He Ting Ru, Jamus Lim, Raeesah Khan and Louis Chua elected to the Central Executive Committee
Recent members of the CEC include the four Sengkang Members of Parliament, Ms. He Tingru, Mr. Louis Chua Kheng Wee, Dr. Jamus Lim, and Ms. Raeesah Khan.
They are joined on the committee by the younger members of the party, who had contested in the East Coast GRC: Ms. Nicole Seah and Mr. Kenneth Foo.
Louis Chua of the Workers’ Party speaks to the media on December 27, 2020.
The CEC is also made up of MPs from the Hougang and Aljunied GRCs: Mr. Dennis Tan, Mr. Faisal Manap, Mr. Gerald Giam and Mr. Leon Perera.
The average age of the 14 members is about 45 years. Among the CEC members, only Mr. Low is 60 years old, while the youngest is Ms. Khan, 27 years old. Three members, Mr. Chua, Ms. He and Ms. Seah, are 30 years old.
“CONSCIOUSLY CLEANING THE YOUNGEST LEADERS”
Explaining why she ran for president again, Ms. Lim said she had considered whether she could still contribute effectively after 17 years as president, but took into account that Low stepped down as general secretary just two years ago.
“I consulted with the current SG Pritam, as well as some other members of the CEC, and they felt I should still stay,” he said.
“Of course, we are consciously preparing our younger leaders to take office in due time, also from my position. Exactly when that will happen will depend on many factors and also what the party needs at any given time.”
The President of the Workers’ Party, Sylvia Lim, speaks to the media on December 27, 2020.
In response to a question, Ms. Lim said that the number of women in the current CEC is not the highest in WP history.
“I remember … shortly after I joined the party, probably in the early 2000s, there was a time when almost 50 percent of the CEC members were women. In my opinion, four out of 14 still it’s not good enough, “she said.
“At the last conference we said that we amend our constitution to emphasize the need for diversity on the board, not just racial diversity, but diversity in many ways. I think we’re making progress, but I think (is) not yet. good enough. “
He added that the party needs a “broad spectrum” of advice and expertise, and that the recent GE campaign benefited from the advice of younger people.
“Had it not been for the advice of people of a younger generation, we would not have been able to communicate that effectively. So I think one of the keys to the game is to always make sure that we have the full spectrum of advice and experience. .. so that we can reach as wide an electorate as possible, “he said.
Workers ‘Party Chairperson Sylvia Lim, Sengkang Member of Parliament Louis Chua, Workers’ Party Secretary General Pritam Singh, and Ms Nicole Seah on December 27, 2020 (Photo: Chew Hui Min).
A senior member of the party, former GRC MP Chen Show Mao, was not re-elected to the CEC. Singh confirmed that Chen, who was not at the conference, was still a member of the party.
Other non-reelected members were Associate Professor Daniel Goh, Ms. Lee Li Lian and Mr. Terence Tan.
But Ms. Lee and Mr. Tan, along with Mr. Low and Mr. Png, will be among a list of party members who will replace Ms. Khan and Ms. He at Sengkang GRC. Both members must go on maternity leave.
Singh had written in a Facebook post earlier this month that when the two go on leave, the WP members will help out with weekly meet-the-people sessions and home visits at Sengkang GRC on a rotating basis.
