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Workers' Party: Difference between revisions
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|birthmonth=Nov | |birthmonth=Nov | ||
|birthyear=1957 | |birthyear=1957 | ||
|website=https://www.wp.sg | |website=https://www.wp.sg | ||
|othersites=https://www.facebook.com/workersparty/ | |othersites=https://www.facebook.com/workersparty/ | ||
|youthwingname=Workers' Party Youth Wing<br />https://www.facebook.com/wpyouth/ | |youthwingname=Workers' Party Youth Wing<br />https://www.facebook.com/wpyouth/ | ||
|status=Active | |||
}} | }} | ||
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Since the 1991 general election, the party has held the seat of Hougang. [[Low Thia Khiang]] was elected as MP for Hougang in 1991 and re-elected at the 1997, 2001 and 2006 general elections. Low moved to Aljunied GRC for the 2011 general election where he led the first team from an opposition party to win a GRC, while Yaw Shin Leong held the Hougang seat for the party. Yaw was expelled from the party in February 2012, which triggered a by-election in Hougang. The seat was retained by the Workers' Party's candidate, Png Eng Huat. On 12 December 2012, Speaker of Parliament and incumbent PAP MP for Punggol East, Michael Palmer, resigned from his seat. After the Prime Minister issued the writ of election for the Punggol East by-election, the Workers' Party announced on 14 January 2013 that Lee Li Lian, who stood in Punggol East in the 2011 general election, had been chosen to represent the party. On 26 January 2013, Lee Li Lian made history as the first woman to win a by-election. However, she narrowly lost her seat in the 2015 general election amid the massive swing towards the PAP. | Since the 1991 general election, the party has held the seat of Hougang. [[Low Thia Khiang]] was elected as MP for Hougang in 1991 and re-elected at the 1997, 2001 and 2006 general elections. Low moved to Aljunied GRC for the 2011 general election where he led the first team from an opposition party to win a GRC, while Yaw Shin Leong held the Hougang seat for the party. Yaw was expelled from the party in February 2012, which triggered a by-election in Hougang. The seat was retained by the Workers' Party's candidate, Png Eng Huat. On 12 December 2012, Speaker of Parliament and incumbent PAP MP for Punggol East, Michael Palmer, resigned from his seat. After the Prime Minister issued the writ of election for the Punggol East by-election, the Workers' Party announced on 14 January 2013 that Lee Li Lian, who stood in Punggol East in the 2011 general election, had been chosen to represent the party. On 26 January 2013, Lee Li Lian made history as the first woman to win a by-election. However, she narrowly lost her seat in the 2015 general election amid the massive swing towards the PAP. | ||
<div style="width:202px; float:left; margin-right:15px;"> | <div style="width:202px; float:left; margin-right:15px;"> | ||
[[File:WP-Aljunied.png|frameless|200px]]<br /> | [[File:WP-Aljunied.png|frameless|200px]]<br /> | ||
''<small>Typical WP uniform worn by members on their walkabouts</small>'' | ''<small>Typical WP uniform worn by members on their walkabouts</small>'' | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
A number of Workers' Party members have also served as Non-Constituency Members of Parliament (NCMPs). Lee Siew Choh served as an NCMP from 1988 to 1991. Jeyaretnam returned to Parliament as an NCMP from 1997 to 2001 and Sylvia Lim has served as an NCMP from 2006 to 2011. Two members of the party, Gerald Giam and Yee Jenn Jong, served as NCMPs between 2011 and 2015. After the 2015 general election, the Workers' Party nominated Dennis Tan Lip Fong, its candidate in Fengshan SMC, as well as Leon Perera and Daniel Goh Pei Siong, two members of its East Coast GRC team, to serve as NCMPs in the current parliament. | |||
In recent years, the Workers' Party's candidates have worn a uniform of light blue shirts while campaigning to represent the party's links with the blue collar workers. | In recent years, the Workers' Party's candidates have worn a uniform of light blue shirts while campaigning to represent the party's links with the blue collar workers. | ||
== Ideology == | == Ideology == | ||
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=== Founding years === | === Founding years === | ||
In 1956, Singapore's first Chief Minister, David Marshall, resigned following the failure of the Merdeka Talks that had sought self-governance for Singapore. Initially he remained a backbencher in the Legislative Assembly for the Labour Front (the largest party in the assembly at the time), but he left the party in 1957 and | In 1956, Singapore's first Chief Minister, [[David Saul Marshall]], resigned following the failure of the Merdeka Talks that had sought self-governance for Singapore. Initially he remained a backbencher in the Legislative Assembly for the Labour Front (the largest party in the assembly at the time), but he left the party in 1957. [[David Saul Marshall]] then set up another party and the Workers’ Party (WP) was formed on '''3 November 1957''', with the inauguration held at the Hokkien Association Hall on Telok Ayer Street.<ref>Walking with Singapore-The Workers' Party 60th Anniversary, page 27</ref> Marshall was subsequently elected to head the party as its chairman. Marshall lost his seat in the assembly at the 1959 general election (in which the [[People's Action Party]] (PAP) became the majority party and the Workers' Party did not win any seats). | ||
=== City Council Elections === | === City Council Elections === | ||
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During the 2006 election campaign, controversy arose over one of the Workers' Party's candidates in Aljunied GRC, James Gomez, who claimed that the Elections Department had lost his minority race candidate's certificate, and was forced to apologise when closed-circuit television evidence showed that he had placed the form in his briefcase without submitting it. The PAP attacked Gomez for the incident, with Lee Kuan Yew publicly calling him a "liar". One day after the election, Gomez was prevented from leaving Singapore on a trip to Stockholm and questioned by police over whether he had committed criminal intimidation in his dealings with the Elections Department. He was subsequently released after being given a warning, and was allowed travel to Stockholm. | During the 2006 election campaign, controversy arose over one of the Workers' Party's candidates in Aljunied GRC, James Gomez, who claimed that the Elections Department had lost his minority race candidate's certificate, and was forced to apologise when closed-circuit television evidence showed that he had placed the form in his briefcase without submitting it. The PAP attacked Gomez for the incident, with Lee Kuan Yew publicly calling him a "liar". One day after the election, Gomez was prevented from leaving Singapore on a trip to Stockholm and questioned by police over whether he had committed criminal intimidation in his dealings with the Elections Department. He was subsequently released after being given a warning, and was allowed travel to Stockholm. | ||
{{WP-gallery}} | |||
=== 2011 General Elections and Aljunied GRC breakthrough === | === 2011 General Elections and Aljunied GRC breakthrough === | ||
The manifesto for the General Election 2011 was entitled "Towards a First World Parliament". This was also used as a slogan during campaigning. One key proposal was for more affordable public housing such that Housing Development Board (HDB) lessees should be able to pay off their mortgage loans within 20 years rather than 30 years. On 27 April 2011, [[Low Thia Khiang]] announced his candidacy for the Aljunied Group Representation Constituency along with Lim and three other "A-list" candidates, vacating his seat of Hougang and leaving it to Yaw Shin Leong. | The manifesto for the General Election 2011 was entitled "Towards a First World Parliament". This was also used as a slogan during campaigning. One key proposal was for more affordable public housing such that Housing Development Board (HDB) lessees should be able to pay off their mortgage loans within 20 years rather than 30 years. On 27 April 2011, [[Low Thia Khiang]] announced his candidacy for the Aljunied Group Representation Constituency along with Lim and three other "A-list" candidates, vacating his seat of Hougang and leaving it to Yaw Shin Leong. | ||
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On 12 June 2011, the Workers' Party launched its grassroots arm for Aljunied GRC, called the Aljunied Constituency Committee. It also combined the Hougang and Aljunied town councils to form the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council. | On 12 June 2011, the Workers' Party launched its grassroots arm for Aljunied GRC, called the Aljunied Constituency Committee. It also combined the Hougang and Aljunied town councils to form the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council. | ||
{{WP-member-gallery}} | |||
=== Hougang and Punggol East By-Elections === | === Hougang and Punggol East By-Elections === | ||
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|0 (as of 2018) | |0 (as of 2018) | ||
|} | |} | ||
{{Navbar-parties}} | |||
==References== | |||
[[Category:Political Parties]] | [[Category:Political Parties]] | ||
[[Category:WP]] | [[Category:WP]] | ||
[[Category:Court-cases Lawsuits]] | |||