• The Workers’ Party unveils its first slate of four candidates for the July 10 polls
• Among them is Ms Nicole Seah, who gained prominence in the 2011 polls
• Their ages range between 33 and 55
• The party did not reveal the wards where they would be contesting

SINGAPORE — The opposition Workers’ Party (WP) has unveiled its first slate of four General Election (GE) candidates on Thursday (June 25):

• Marketing firm associate director Nicole Seah, who ran in the 2011 GE under the National Solidarity Party (NSP)

• Gig economy worker Muhammad Azhar Abdul Latip

• Research analyst Louis Chua Kheng Wee

• Former Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) Yee Jenn Jong

Meanwhile, the party said that former chief Low Thia Khiang and his fellow Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC) Member of Parliament (MP) Chen Show Mao, as well as outgoing Hougang MP Png Eng Huat will not be standing as candidates in GE 2020.

Outgoing NCMP Leon Perera and former NCMP Gerald Giam will stand in Aljunied in the coming polls.

Mr Dennis Tan, another outgoing WP NCMP, will be the party’s candidate in Hougang Single-Member Constituency (SMC).

Speaking to the media in an online press conference, WP chief Pritam Singh said the party came to this decision with Mr Low, Mr Chen and Mr Png “some time ago”, when all three stated their wish to step down at the end of the current term.

He said that they were not retiring, but that this was a collective decision based on three considerations: Broadening WP’s leadership base, allowing senior WP leaders to mentor younger members and ensuring that WP remains relevant to all Singaporeans.

Mr Png told TODAY that he would continue to contribute to WP in whatever ways the party’s leaders see fit. “One can never really retire from politics,” he said in an emailed response.

He said that he was stepping aside as the party has younger members who are willing to step up. 

“That is good news, but that would mean the older members would have to think really hard about this opportunity of renewal,” he said.  

“Opportunity knocks but once. The younger members will grow old one day and we will be facing this renewal issue again down the road.”

Mr Chen declined comment, while Mr Low did not respond to TODAY’s queries. 

In the coming polls, WP said it is fielding 21 candidates, down from 28 during its last GE outing in 2015. The party did not say which constituencies the four new candidates will be fielded in, but Mr Singh said that this would be made known in the days to come.

On why the party is contesting fewer seats in GE 2020, Mr Singh said: "We have put the best candidates that we can find forward and we wanted to represent Singapore and represent them well. If we can find more candidates who are better, of course we can consider fielding more seats.

“It’s important for us to focus on our efforts and ensure that the candidates we put forward can do well for the Workers’ Party.”

The announcements came two days after the Government dissolved Parliament and called for a GE on July 10.

The party is set to announce its remaining candidates online in the next three days.

THE NEW CANDIDATES

• Ms Nicole Seah, 33

Ms Seah, an associate director at a multinational marketing company, is making her political comeback after her debut in 2011. That year, she contested Marine Parade GRC under the National Solidarity Party. Then 24, she gained prominence for being the youngest candidate.

Her team lost to the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP).

She resigned from NSP in 2014, a year after she published a Facebook post on how the election had affected her life, including losing two jobs and having to deal with death threats.

She joined WP as a volunteer in 2015 and has been active in its grassroots activities. She has also been involved in the party’s media team.

Ms Seah, a mother of a two-year-old girl, said on Thursday that she joined WP as she was drawn to its ethos, which is to build a strong and reasonable opposition that contributes to Singapore’s political landscape.

 “It’s a party that does not oppose for the sake of opposing,” she said.

Asked why she decided to return to politics, Ms Seah said that the political landscape was “unfair” and the playing field unequal.

“To be honest, I am having a very stable career right now. My personal life is in a very good state. I do recognise that coming back out will also mean increased scrutiny,” she said.

“But I do it for the party because I believe in the leadership and vision. And I do it for my daughter, because she is the next generation of Singaporeans and I want to leave behind a legacy for her, where she would feel comfortable regardless of political inclinations or the kinds of views that she is expressing.”

• Mr Muhammad Azhar Abdul Latip, 34

Mr Muhammad Azhar is a Grab driver and runs a small business.

He lost his left leg in a road accident in 2014, but before that had worked in the marine insurance industry and was an insurance broker with an international broking house.

A political science graduate from the National University of Singapore, he helps out in WP’s grassroots activities in the Kaki Bukit division of Aljunied GRC with outgoing MP Faisal Manap and in the area that was formerly Fengshan SMC, which has been absorbed into East Coast GRC for the coming polls.

He has known Mr Faisal since 2010, and has helped with his community outreach and food distribution programmes.

Mr Azhar said that he hoped to be given an opportunity to help and be a voice for disadvantaged and vulnerable groups in society.

“I’d like to see a more equitable and fairer society, where minorities are not discriminated against and where each of us gets a fair shot in life,” he said.

• Louis Chua Kheng Wee, 33

A graduate of the Singapore Management University, Mr Chua is a vice-president at Swiss investment bank Credit Suisse, where he is a Singapore equity researcher.

Mr Chua has been actively involved in grassroots and parliamentary support work. It was not stated when he joined the party.

Mr Chua said his experience in the finance industry, which has strict rules about disclosure, has shown him the importance of having checks and balances in any system to ensure transparency.

“It is with this understanding I strongly believe that a monopoly on governance is never a good thing,” said Mr Chua. “Without an effective opposition in Parliament, who will guard the guards themselves?”

• Mr Yee Jenn Jong, 55

Mr Yee joined WP in 2011 and contested in Joo Chiat SMC that same year.

The education entrepreneur lost narrowly with 48.99 per cent of the votes and was named a Non-Constituency MP. He went on to work with elected party members on key issues such as ministerial salaries and the Population White Paper.

The government white paper, released in January 2013, projected Singapore’s population would reach 5.8 to 6 million by 2020, and 6.5 to 6.9 million by 2030.

In the 2015 polls, Mr Yee contested in Marine Parade GRC, which had absorbed the Joo Chiat seat.

Although Mr Yee’s team lost, having garnered 35.93 per cent of the votes, he said he has been actively involved in community projects in Marine Parade, and during the recent circuit breaker gave out cooked food daily to low-income families in the GRC.

On why he was running as a candidate for a third time, Mr Yee said he believes that Singapore needs a “strong alternative”.

“Only when there's competition will the PAP listen to you.”