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Workers' Party leadership renewal now complete: Low Thia Khiang

Outgoing Workers’ Party chief Low Thia Khiang shows off a thank-you card from party members, as new WP Secretary-General Pritam Singh looks on on Sunday, 8 April 2018. (PHOTO: Yahoo News Singapore / Dhany Osman)
Outgoing Workers’ Party chief Low Thia Khiang shows off a thank-you card from party members, as new WP Secretary-General Pritam Singh looks on on Sunday, 8 April 2018. (PHOTO: Yahoo News Singapore / Dhany Osman)

With the election of a new secretary-general, leadership renewal for the Workers’ Party (WP) is now complete for the current development phase, said outgoing WP chief Low Thia Khiang on Sunday (8 April).

“It started since 2001 when I took over as secretary-general, and I set party renewal as a first priority because a party without renewal, without new blood…will die a natural death,” said Low during a media doorstop at the WP HQ in Geylang Road following the party’s elections for its central executive council (CEC).

“I think we still need to put in effort to attract younger Singaporeans (in their) 30s and all that, so that the renewal process can continue and will not… dry up at the end of the day,” added the Member of Parliament for Aljunied GRC.

The party’s CEC elections saw Low’s fellow Aljunied GRC MP Pritam Singh elected unopposed as the WP’s new secretary-general. Party chairman Sylvia Lim also retained her post on the CEC. Low will remain a member of the CEC, having gained the highest vote share in the process.

Asked if he intended to contest the next General Election, Low said that it was “premature” to discuss his plans now. He also did not elaborate on his role in the party going forward, saying only in Mandarin that it will “depend on the circumstances.”

Lim noted, “This is a milestone for the party. It shows our commitment towards party renewal. And of course, we are very happy that Mr Low has decided that he wants to continue to contribute as a member of the council, so I think we can also benefit from his experience as a council member.”

“I think it’s a very healthy phenomenon that… our council places are hotly contested, so it shows that people actually want to assume leadership positions. We’ve come a long way from the past where we couldn’t even fill the positions on the council, so I think that’s a happy state to be in,” she added.

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COMMENT: Why master of the moment Low Thia Khiang is stepping down