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SINGAPORE – When the former head of the Workers’ Party, Low Thia Khiang, announced that he would not stand in this year’s election, it was not a decision caused by a fall at home, according to a new book by WP member and MP no constitutive Yee Jenn Jong. .
The veteran politician’s plan to resign had already been in the works since 2016 following a leadership challenge in the main opposition party.
A high degree of planning has come to define the WP brand.
This and other lesser known facts are revealed in “Journey In Blue: A Look at the Singapore Workers Party” by WP member and non-constituent MP Yee Jenn Jong.
The book, which chronicles Yee’s journey in politics, aims in a way to lift the veil surrounding the inner workings of the WP, a party that is well known for maintaining tight control over its affairs.
The book confirms for the first time that there was a group of members who felt that the party’s parliamentarians had mishandled matters at the Aljunied-Hougang City Hall (AHTC), which involved financial and governance failures.
The issue, which is the subject of an ongoing court case, as well as unhappiness over how Low had eliminated some members in the past, and the party’s lackluster performance in the 2015 elections, created the lightning rod for the leadership challenge of 2016..
Yee, 55, writes: “There was always a segment unhappy with Low, but they needed a leader with the possibility of overthrowing him. Their group was too small in number. They needed at least one MP-level candidate to root from behind to conquer. to others “.
The group rallied behind Chen Show Mao, a GRC deputy from Aljunied de Low, who faced Low in the party’s internal elections in 2016.
While party leaders have publicly downplayed the episode, Yee’s book describes the tense mood at the elections, where the vote tabulation was projected live on a big screen as ballots were read.
Mr. Low had left his fate in the hands of the other 106 cadres present that day and displayed his unused ballot for all to see.
[[nid:494449]]When asked in an interview on Monday (December 21) how this episode affected relations between Chen and the rest of the party leadership, Yee objected, adding, “I was not disappointed, so I didn’t feel the need to ask him. why he challenged. “
Low resigned as head of the party in 2018 but retired from electoral politics before this year’s election.
Yee also told The Straits Times that he did not believe that anyone would challenge current party leader Pritam Singh in the party’s upcoming election on Sunday.
He added that Low was confident in his decision to withdraw from the election because Singh had proven to be the head of the party.
Yee said there is a lack of political education in Singapore and he hopes his book will shed light on opposition politics, as well as allay the fears of those who may hesitate to vote for the opposition or join its ranks.
[[nid:493411]]His own wife and parents found it difficult to accept his decision to join the WP in 2011 and run as their candidate for Joo Chiat.
Mr. Yee said that his father had pleaded with him, saying in Mandarin “I beg you, I beg you.”
“It was very difficult having to say no to him. I’ve always had my own mind, but at his age, you just want as much as possible to fulfill what they want, but I couldn’t do it, not after promising the party and having been featured, “he told The Straits Times.
Both his parents and his wife finally arrived and helped in his campaign. Yee did well enough in the 2011 election to win a NCMP seat.
During his time as NCMP, he was assigned to oversee the Ministry of Education, among others.
It describes how each WP MP was assigned ministries for which they had to track bills, submit questions, and make related proposals to Parliament.
[[nid:494581]]The Task Force eventually created a policy group headed by former NCMP and National University Singapore associate professor Daniel Goh, who resigned this year for health reasons.
This policy team has become fertile ground for recruitment, with current MPs Dennis Tan, Leon Perera and He Ting Ru discovered there.
During the 2013 population white paper debate, Dr. Goh and some volunteers came up with an alternative population model, which allowed WP MPs to counterproposals in Parliament rather than simply poking holes in the government model. Yee says in the book. .
He reveals that Mr. Low was very concerned that the numbers and calculations were rigorous enough, or the government would tear them to shreds.
He was so concerned that when Dr. Goh came up with a new model at the end of the day, he and Yee decided to keep it from Mr. Low, fearing that he would lose confidence in them and decide to simply attack the government proposal again. .
Another important debate included those on the AHTC issue. He writes: “It was quite painful for me, watching the entire debate as the PAP rained down blow after blow in this modern day gladiator arena.
[[nid:493391]]But Yee says that he, as well as fellow WP NCMP Gerald Giam, were instructed to stay out of the debate as they weren’t on the city council.
He said that during those sessions, WP MPs would be left alone in the Parliament House tearoom as it was awkward to mingle.
Otherwise, they mostly got on well with the PAP MPs.
Yee, who says she will not run in future elections, was part of the WP Marine Parade GRC team in 2015 and this year, although she says she would have preferred to run in a single-member constituency.
The decision on where to present the candidates was largely made by Mr. Low and Ms. Lim, the book says.
He also described how the top two leaders opposed his involving Ms. Nicole Seah in home visits during the 2015 elections.
[[nid:222549]]Ms. Seah, a former National Solidarity Party candidate in Marine Parade GRC, had offered her assistance to Mr. Yee in a personal capacity.
But when Mr. Low and Ms. Lim found out, they strongly objected, warning that it would detract from the WP campaign.
In the end, Ms. Seah was only allowed to help distribute brochures at the Opera Estate with Yee’s daughters. He wrote: “She was obviously not happy.”
Despite the episode, Ms. Seah eventually became a member of WP and was sent to East Coast GRC in this year’s elections.
When asked if his political career might have turned out differently had he been sent to higher-profile constituencies or given more leeway to run his own campaign, Yee said he has no regrets.
“As a politician in a political party, you are like a soldier. If you are chosen to fight in an area, you just try to do your best,” he said.
“Journey In Blue: A Peek Into The Workers’ Party Of Singapore”, published by World Scientific, is available in major bookstores and https://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/12096
Price $ 58 (hardcover) and $ 28 (softcover), excluding GST.
This article was first published in The times of the strait. Permission is required for reproduction.
