SINGAPORE - Workers' Party Non-Constituency MP Daniel Goh has informed the opposition party that he will not stand in the coming general election, and has stepped down from his party posts.

The WP said in a media statement that Associate Professor Goh, who is a sociologist at the National University of Singapore, had informed the party leadership that his health had been failing some months ago.

Since then, he has been under medication for a health condition, the statement added.

Dr Goh, who had been in charge of the party's media team, had stepped down from his appointments in the party's decision-making body to focus on getting well, though he remains an ordinary member of the central executive council.

He also stepped down as a town councillor of the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council some months back, the statement said.

"All his said responsibilities have been assigned to other individuals," added the statement.

"Assoc Professor Goh will continue to fulfil his duties as a NCMP in this term of Parliament. At his request, Associate Professor Goh will not participate in the upcoming General Elections."

Dr Goh was unveiled as a party member during the Punggol East by-election campaign in 2013, and spoke at the WP's rallies during the campaign. He was later co-opted into the party's central executive council that year.

He was part of the party's East Coast GRC team in the 2015 GE, and was touted as one of the party's next-generation leaders by then WP chief Low Thia Khiang.

In the past two years, Dr Goh had been shadowing Mr Low in the Bedok Reservoir-Punggol division of Aljunied GRC, and speculation was rife that he may be groomed to take over the ward from Mr Low.

When contacted by The Straits Times, Dr Goh declined to comment on his decision not to contest the next GE. He said the coronavirus situation is more important, adding that he hoped he would not be “even a minor distraction”.