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May 9, 2011
Voters back WP's style of politics, says Low
VOTERS have endorsed the Workers' Party's (WP) style of politics, one in which the opposition does not oppose aimlessly but advances its cause in a rational and responsible way.
Its chief Low Thia Khiang said this the morning after the party's best-ever performance at the polls.
It is this approach, he observed, that has helped the party clinch a stunning victory in Aljunied GRC, obtain more votes in Hougang and achieve good results in the other six constituencies.
'I'm heartened to note that Singaporeans have accepted the WP as a rational, responsible and respected party. They have responded to the approach of politics which I have taken,' said the new Aljunied GRC MP-elect.
He was speaking to reporters yesterday outside the Hougang Town Council, before he and his teammates went on a thank-you parade in various parts of Aljunied GRC, which it captured from the People's Action Party (PAP) with 54.7 per cent of the votes.
In defeating the PAP team led by Foreign Minister George Yeo, the WP team has made history by becoming the first opposition party to win a Group Representation Constituency (GRC) since the system was introduced in 1988.
The feeling was 'great', said Mr Low, while also expressing delight with the WP's overall showing at the polls.
The party is now firmly the strongest opposition party, a far cry from 2001 when it fielded only two candidates.
When Parliament sits again, the WP will be the only opposition party with elected MPs. Its group of six comprises the five-member team from Aljunied GRC and Hougang MP-elect Yaw Shin Leong, 34, who won 64.8 per cent of the votes. The vote share surpassed Mr Low's own career-high of 62.7 per cent in Hougang at the 2006 polls.
Even the party's weakest GRC team in Moulmein-Kallang managed 41.4 per cent of the votes, while its candidates in the Joo Chiat single ward and East Coast GRC will be offered the Non-Constituency MP seats as best losers.
Overall, the WP's vote share climbed from 38.4 per cent in 2006 to 46.6 per cent, well above the average of 36.5 per cent for the other five opposition parties.
However, Mr Low's brand of politics has received brickbats over the years, from even among the opposition camp, with criticisms of it being too conservative, slow, or too similar to the PAP's.
Yesterday, he acknowledged the criticisms as he took pains to explain the WP's approach, which includes confronting the Government if necessary.
'But as the society matures and becomes civilised, I think Singaporeans want political engagement to be done in a civilised manner,' he added.
He also believes the WP won Aljunied GRC because of its slate of candidates with 'diverse, solid backgrounds' whom the voters felt they could entrust the management of the town council to.
He also disagreed that missteps in the PAP's campaign, which included having the party heavyweights lending support to Mr Yeo, had any part to play.
'The PAP has many people helping it to think of strategies. So I don't think whatever they did was done blindly or has backfired,' added Mr Low.
But he pointed out that remarks from PAP leaders could have been a factor in swaying the ground towards the WP, though Mr Low was careful not to attribute any blame to anyone in particular.
Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew's warning that Aljunied GRC voters would 'repent' for the next five years if they supported the WP has been cited by analysts as a key factor in the PAP's defeat.
Mr Low said the WP is determined not to let voters down, in the light of how the opposition peaked with four elected opposition MPs in 1991 but regressed to two at the 1997 polls.
Asked if voters should give up on the opposition if the WP team does not perform, he replied: 'Please do not assume that we will fail. We will do our best to make it succeed.'
Echoing his sentiments were his GRC teammates, like Mr Chen Show Mao, who said he is determined to make sure that 'we don't disappoint or give the Aljunied residents cause to regret their decision'.
Another, Mr Pritam Singh, agreed, saying the euphoria of the GRC win has died down quickly as the team recognises that there is 'a lot of work for all of us'.
'Aljunied residents have a lot of expectations and, as voters and citizens, it's their right to have expectations of their elected MPs,' he added.
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