Low Thia Khiang’s Open
Letter
to Voters of Hougang and Aljunied
GRC
Dear Fellow Singaporeans
Leaving Hougang is one of the hardest decisions I have ever made
in my life. Hougang has been such a huge part of me. It was the
Hougang people who gave me their vote of confidence to represent
them in 1991. Over the next 20 years, they courageously supported
me despite the ‘carrots and threats’ from the PAP government. I am
grateful for their unwavering support. I am honoured and proud to
have been their MP. Personally, if I have a choice I would continue
to stay in Hougang where I have made many friends and have many
fond memories of people there.
However there are times when all of us have to make tough
decisions. For the Workers’ Party and I, the time is now. We are at
the crossroads of Singapore’s political development. Both the PAP
and opposition have to focus on renewal of our party leadership.
The new PM is likely to be among this batch of PAP candidates. WP
too needs to ensure a credible and responsible batch of leaders to
work towards a First World Parliament where the government is
accountable to the people.
While I may feel a sense of satisfaction that the government has
to answer my questions in Parliament, there is still no effective
check and balance mechanism on an excessively strong Executive. The
government can choose to ignore our concerns and we are
helpless.
The single most important tool used by the PAP government to
keep our political landscape stagnant is the GRC system. This
system totally dilutes your vote by ushering in a group of PAP
candidates on the coat-tails of one or two PAP heavyweights.
The constant gerrymandering also prevents Singapore from
developing a First World Parliament. For example, the recent
redrawing of electoral boundaries transferred more than 29,000
voters of Aljunied GRC to Ang Mo Kio GRC (the prime minister’s
ward) and some other wards! Clearly the purpose is to disperse the
supporters of WP into different constituencies to prevent WP
candidates from being elected and posing a challenge to them in
Parliament.
This Divide and Rule strategy helps the PAP to ensure that the
process of ‘check and balance’ remains weak in Parliament. This is
totally immoral and against the spirit of democracy.
I am already 55 years old and as the Secretary General of WP, I
have a responsibility to the Party and the people who have
supported WP. This is a heavy decision and we have mulled over it
many times. I am aware of the danger that we might end up with
totally NO elected MPs in Parliament but ultimately it is not a
choice of ‘playing it safe or taking a risk’. We are only being
true to WP’s vision of “Power to the People”. The government must
be transparent and account to the people.
To do this we need a breakthrough in the GRC system. We must
entrench more WP voices with full voting rights in Parliament. We
need a First World Parliament. WP and I have therefore made the
important decision that I should lead a team to contest Aljunied
GRC.
I hope the people of Hougang will understand and support this
important decision for the long-term good of our country. I hope
the people of Aljunied will support us too.
WP seeks your support to take this step with us towards a First
World Parliament. We offer you a team of responsible and credible
candidates who will represent you in Parliament. You have the power
to decide what kind of future you want to build for yourselves and
your children.
Vote Workers’ Party, Towards a First World Parliament.