SINGAPORE — Fresh from his party’s victory in the Punggol East by-election, Workers’ Party Secretary-General Low Thia Khiang yesterday struck a conciliatory tone, as he downplayed the significance of the win which saw WP candidate Lee Li Lian, 34, claw a significant number of votes from the People’s Action Party to score a winning margin that few observers saw coming.

Cautioning against reading too much into the result, Mr Low said: “You can’t take the by-election result as one that is going to be the trend in the future ... It is a by-election and not a General Election. So the people of Punggol East had no worries that … (they) might accidentally throw out the Government.”

Ms Lee, who lost in the 2011 GE after garnering 41 per cent of the vote, took home 54.5 per cent this time, securing over 3,000 votes more than PAP candidate Koh Poh Koon, who got 43.7 per cent of the vote.

The WP win came after an intense nine-day campaign in a historic four-way contest. In particular, the WP and the PAP mounted a fierce battle for votes as the hustings drew to a close.

Speaking to reporters at the WP victory parade, Mr Low said his party will work with the PAP Government to make the country better.

He also asked Singaporeans to be patient and allow time for the impact of national policies to address hot button issues to be felt fully. “Let’s not throw out the baby with the bath water. I think we need to allow time for the Government to work and eventually the policies will take effect on the ground,” said Mr Low.

He also stressed the WP’s role in the Republic’s political landscape: To provide checks and balances on the PAP Government. “It’s not the time and we are not yet ready to be an alternative government,” he said.

Mr Low noted that while “political vibrancy” is important, “at the same time it’s also not productive to politicise everything”.

The WP victory parade started at about 9.30am yesterday. As its vehicle made its way around the constituency, the WP leaders and Ms Lee were greeted with cheers from the residents. Some came forward to shake Ms Lee’s hands, others asked her for autographs on WP paraphernalia.

Ms Lee reiterated that her top priorities are to start her Meet-the-People Session (MPS) and to take over the town council, which is currently part of the Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council, “as soon as possible”. She will be holding her first MPS next Monday.

Volunteers from Aljunied and Hougang will assist her during the transition, which she assured will be “problem-free”. “There will be volunteers ... from Punggol East as well ... I’ve received emails from them,” she said.

Ms Lee said the WP was “very grateful” for the constituents’ support and confidence in the party. Referring to the next GE, which is due by 2016, she said: “Now it’s time for hard work ... I have three years to prove myself.”