On Jan. 19, 2020, Workers' Party (WP) Secretary-General Pritam Singh addressed his party in its annual WP Members’ Forum 2020, saying that WP will field "candidates that the public can envision to become competent MPs", focusing on "quality candidates from a range of backgrounds and life experiences".

Pritam provided a hint to the type of WP candidates in the upcoming GE, adding that the candidates will be competent parliamentary backbenchers and can manage their Town Councils well.

Speaking to about 100 WP members at the ballroom in Clarke Quay Central, the opposition leader shared broadly about the preparations for the upcoming General Elections (GE), the opposition's role in Singapore, and the importance of opposition representation in parliament.

This was followed by a number of presentations by WP members before a Question and Answer session with Pritam and WP Chairperson Sylvia Lim.

Numerical balance in parliament inherent to S'pore's democracy

In his speech, Pritam elaborated on the role of the opposition in Singapore, which is to make sure that the "ruling party does not have a blank cheque to do whatever it wants".

Pritam argued that an unelected opposition, like the NCMPs, "cannot change the PAP", citing how GE 2011 (and the loss of seats) had prompted the government to shift to the left.

Hence, it is important for the opposition to hold one-third of the seats in parliament, which he set as WP's goal in his speech at the annual forum last year.

Pritam cited Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's comments to CNN in Oct. 2019, where he rejected the premise of a two-party system naturally being a better system for Singapore.

PM Lee said, "It is not whether you have got the right numerical balance in Parliament, between the opposition and the government."

Pritam responded in his speech:

"The numerical balance that the Prime Minister dismisses, on the contrary, absolutely counts because the PAP cannot change the constitution at its pleasure unless it has more that two-thirds of the seats in Parliament, like it can today."

He added that the numerical balance was "not just some random number", but an "inherent checking mechanism in our parliamentary democracy against any ruling party that chooses to put its political interests first".

Pritam quoted the amendment of the elected presidency in 2017, where he opined that "the urgency to amend the Elected Presidency was politically manufactured by the PAP".

He added:

"The real risk appeared to be Tan Cheng Bock’s potential participation in the last Presidential elections, and the election of a President who was unlikely to be the PAP’s preferred choice."

He quipped that those he spoke to from the Malay community "were in fact more enthusiastic about Malay MPs taking up ministerial appointments in high-profile Ministries than the Elected Presidency".

WP to strive for greater heights at Town Council level

Pritam also said that WP must "focus on doing our best", and that WP has to "earn our place and work hard both in our Town Councils and in Parliament".

He added that WP must "strive for greater heights at Town Council level", and build the public's confidence in alternate political leaders.

Pritam revealed that the Aljunied Hougang Town Council has performed well this term, recording an operating surplus of $7 million. He added that WP have decided to use around $1 million to improve connectivity and amenities for the residents.

WP to field candidates that public can envision to become competent MPs

The opposition leader concluded that that WP has a key role to play in shaping how a responsible opposition party should participate in local politics.

"Focusing on the facts, not taking the PAP's word as the gospel truth but pursuing answers that the PAP may seek to fudge or give a superficial answer to," Pritam said to his party members.

The upcoming election will be WP's first election with Pritam as the party chief, after Low Thia Khiang stepped down as Secretary-General in 2018.

Top image via Workers' Party