The Workers’ Party (WP) — the only alternative party to have representation in Parliament currently — is seeking to contest fewer wards in the coming General Election (GE) in a bid to consolidate its resources and secure its stronghold Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC).
Party members told The Straits Times on condition of anonymity that other than Aljunied, WP will be fielding its candidates in the GRCs of East Coast, Marine Parade and the new Sengkang one, as well as Hougang Single Member Constituency (SMC).
Hougang SMC is the longest opposition-held ward in Singapore to date, starting with former WP chief Low Thia Khiang’s victory over the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) with over 52 per cent of votes in the 1991 GE.
WP will likely field Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) Dennis Tan as its candidate in Hougang in the next GE.
ST reported on Monday (22 June) that party sources have indicated that Mr Tan will be taking over from fellow party member and MP Png Eng Huat, who has served the constituency for two terms.
According to ST, it has yet to be known if Mr Png will be contesting in a different constituency or if he will be retiring from politics altogether.
TOC understands from its sources that it is indeed the case. Furthermore, Mr Tan is not an unfamiliar face in Hougang, as he has been seen walking the ground with Mr Png and has been helping out the latter in the Meet-the-People sessions since last year.
Residents of Bedok Reservoir, Punggol, Paya Lebar, Serangoon and Anchorvale have also reportedly been visited by WP volunteers and members in the past several days.
ST reported on Tuesday (23 June) that WP’s lineup of 20 candidates this year may see fewer new faces compared to that in GE 2015.
The decision to contest fewer constituencies — particularly those connected to its main bases, i.e. Aljunied GRC and Hougang SMC — would make a sensible strategy, as WP nearly lost Aljunied in GE2015 by a small margin of 1.9 per cent of votes against the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP).
Further, following the emergence of several new alternative parties after GE2015, WP can safely withdraw from wards that it has contested in the last GE — the GRCs of Nee Soon and Jalan Besar, as well as MacPherson SMC — without risking either a walkover or a three-corner fight.
The ongoing Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC) trial, however, will remain a concern for the party, as the mudslinging by PAP in Parliament may create the same outcome as it did in the last GE.
WP’s victory by the skin of its teeth in Aljunied in 2015 was said to be influenced by PAP’s comments on WP’s management of AHTC.
Supporters have expressed uncertainty on whether WP will be able to hold on to the GRC in light of the negative publicity over the ongoing lawsuit faced by three of its town councillors, and — more recently — the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of ground campaigning and outreach.
Aljunied group representation constituency article / WikipediaST reported that while WP has yet to announce its new faces, lawyer Fadli Fawzi — a town councillor at the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council — as well as several others such as information technology professional Peter Tan, economics professor Jamus Lim, social activist Raeesah Khan and advertising executive Nicole Seah — who contested in GE 2011 as a National Solidarity Party candidate — have been seen walking the ground recently.
