[SINGAPORE] On its fourth and final day of candidate introductions, the Workers’ Party (WP) unveiled three new faces for the general election on Sunday (Apr 20), bringing their slate of first-timers to 14.
As was the case for all but two previously introduced candidates, party chief Pritam Singh did not disclose where they will be fielded.
Nor did he rule out the prospect of more new candidates on Nomination Day on Apr 23, saying: “We also have to prepare for the prospect of spare candidates… in case there’s a need to have them deployed for whatever reason.”
Asked if some candidates from GE2020 will stand again, Singh said: “The answer will be clear on Nomination Day.”
Among the first-timers introduced on Sunday is start-up founder Michael Thng, 37, a master’s graduate from Harvard Kennedy School and former Boston Consulting Group principal.
He started volunteering for the WP during GE2011, where he did house visits in East Coast Group Representation Constituency (GRC). Recently, he has been assisting Sengkang GRC MP He Ting Ru with grassroots and policy efforts.
A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU
Friday, 8.30 am
Asean Business
Business insights centering on South-east Asia’s fast-growing economies.
Said Singh: “He is taking the next step forward because of his deep love for Singapore, and his desire to contribute to the nation’s political maturation.”
Thng said that as a volunteer, he has seen firsthand “how impactful the WP has been at shaping policy in Singapore, especially for communities that are often overlooked”. These include single mothers, singles and low-income individuals.
“I want to do my part to continue building towards a more robust political system, one that allows issues to be raised earlier, addressed more quickly and tackled more constructively,” he said.
Also introduced was Jackson Au, 35, who leads regional communications and corporate affairs at London Stock Exchange Group.
The 35-year-old started out volunteering in the Serangoon division in Aljunied GRC, and was a legislative assistant for former MP Leon Perera. He has been spotted at walkabouts in Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC.
Au said he would like greater press freedom in Singapore, and raised concerns over political advertising, “especially when using public resources and social media influencers and partnerships to shape certain political narratives”.
“As a young Singaporean myself, I feel the weight of pessimism that many in my generation carry,” said Au. “They feel left behind, that they will struggle to get good jobs or homes, and beneath it all, the deeper question is, can they build better lives for themselves than their parents did?”
Rounding out the three is Paris Parameswari, a former US Navy security administrator who has volunteered for the WP for four years, particularly in the Serangoon division of Aljunied GRC.
“If elected, I would advocate for ex-offenders to have better job opportunities and also for social stigma of them to be removed,” the 51 year old said. She would also like to speak up for better “student-life balance” for youths.
Asked to assess WP’s newcomer slate, Singh said: “There’s a lot of potential to improve the political system in Singapore, to drive our political system towards better balance, and they will look after Singapore. I look forward to their contributions.”
The new faces are a “broad range of individuals from different walks of life”, he said.
As for how the WP is responding to PAP’s announced municipal plans and estate upgrades, party chair Sylvia Lim noted that Sengkang Town Council has put out a five-year masterplan.
For new constituencies that it will contest, the WP has built up experience running town councils and can share this with newly elected MPs, she added. “At this point in time, I think to expect opposition candidates who are not the incumbent to come up with a five year plan, for example, (is) maybe jumping the gun a little bit.”
For more election coverage, visit our GE2025 microsite
