WP manifesto stems from different philosophy: Low
By Kor Kian Beng & Cheryl Ong
THE Workers' Party (WP) manifesto may mean more government spending or a reallocation of funds, but that is to be expected as it has a different philosophy from the People's Action Party (PAP), said party chief Low Thia Khiang.
'The question is how do you want to spend the money and how do you want to focus your resources,' he told reporters after a walkabout in Joo Chiat yesterday.
'If Singaporeans take a look, they must decide what they think is the right philosophy and right society for Singapore, moving forward.'
The Hougang MP was making his first comments on the party's 63-page election manifesto launched on Saturday. Titled Towards a First World Parliament, it contains proposals on 15 broad areas.
Among other things, it asks for more spending on health care, higher cash components for low-wage workers that are pegged to the cost of living, government-paid paternity leave and[size="6'] pegging prices of new Housing Board flats to the median incomes of households that qualify to buy them[/size], instead of pegging them to resale market prices.
The manifesto also calls for tighter controls on immigration and greater civil liberties.
Mr Low invited voters to assess 'our stand, our quality ideas in various areas', adding that the WP is prepared to debate and defend its manifesto, which is now on its website.
In 2006, the PAP attacked the WP manifesto for containing 'time bombs' it said would destroy the country. Mr Low said he expects the ruling party to respond in a similar way to its latest manifesto.
'We are the WP, we are in the opposition. We don't expect PAP to sit back and smile at us,' he said.
WP's previous manifesto had called for the scrapping of group representation constituencies (GRCs), the government grassroots groups and the ethnic housing quotas, and to have subsidies for the needy, even if it led to Budget deficits.
Yesterday, the WP chief went further in the party's call to remove the grassroots organisations in its manifesto.
He called for the scrapping of the People's Association (PA), which runs the community centres and clubs, residents' committees and citizens' consultative committees, among others.
He argued that the PAP's links to the PA gives the ruling party an unfair advantage in getting support from voters.
Mr Low also asked for grassroots leaders and advisers with no political affiliations to be elected, rather than appointed. That way, grassroots efforts are non-political and involve residents, he said.
He made the remarks in response to questions about the challenges that WP's potential candidates appear to face in reaching out to residents. Several Joo Chiat residents told The Straits Times that they recognise Mr Low, but not the other WP leaders or potential candidates on the walkabout.
Among those present was WP's 'star catch', China-based corporate lawyer Chen Show Mao, 50. He made his first public appearance yesterday after news broke last month that he would be a potential WP candidate.
Some 30 WP members, such as entrepreneur Yee Jenn Jong, 46, and eastern area committee chairman Eric Tan, 55, were also present.
Said restaurant cook Peter Wong, 61, who has lived in Joo Chiat for five years: 'I recognised only Mr Low, but I have faith in the WP's ability to field good,
capable candidates. I hope they will raise issues to help lower-income Singaporeans.'
Mr Low, 54, noted he was more recognisable than other WP members as he has been an MP for Hougang since 1991.
He added that opposition candidates were at a disadvantage compared with PAP's candidates because of the ruling party's links with the PA.
Mr Low cited activities such as dialogues or block parties attended by PAP newbies - usually in their capacity as grassroots advisers - allowing them to mingle with residents.
However, opposition MPs like him were not invited to these events, he said. He also pointed out other difficulties faced by the opposition, such as being refused entry into condominiums to visit voters.
Mr Low believes residents could continue to benefit 'in many ways, even without the PA'.
Backing him up, Mr Chen said: 'One principle we can affirm, and that is, if we should get elected into government, the policies will not be driven by what will keep us there. It has to be fair, as Mr Low said, and has to be principled.'
By Kor Kian Beng & Cheryl Ong
THE Workers' Party (WP) manifesto may mean more government spending or a reallocation of funds, but that is to be expected as it has a different philosophy from the People's Action Party (PAP), said party chief Low Thia Khiang.
'The question is how do you want to spend the money and how do you want to focus your resources,' he told reporters after a walkabout in Joo Chiat yesterday.
'If Singaporeans take a look, they must decide what they think is the right philosophy and right society for Singapore, moving forward.'
The Hougang MP was making his first comments on the party's 63-page election manifesto launched on Saturday. Titled Towards a First World Parliament, it contains proposals on 15 broad areas.
Among other things, it asks for more spending on health care, higher cash components for low-wage workers that are pegged to the cost of living, government-paid paternity leave and[size="6'] pegging prices of new Housing Board flats to the median incomes of households that qualify to buy them[/size], instead of pegging them to resale market prices.
The manifesto also calls for tighter controls on immigration and greater civil liberties.
Mr Low invited voters to assess 'our stand, our quality ideas in various areas', adding that the WP is prepared to debate and defend its manifesto, which is now on its website.
In 2006, the PAP attacked the WP manifesto for containing 'time bombs' it said would destroy the country. Mr Low said he expects the ruling party to respond in a similar way to its latest manifesto.
'We are the WP, we are in the opposition. We don't expect PAP to sit back and smile at us,' he said.
WP's previous manifesto had called for the scrapping of group representation constituencies (GRCs), the government grassroots groups and the ethnic housing quotas, and to have subsidies for the needy, even if it led to Budget deficits.
Yesterday, the WP chief went further in the party's call to remove the grassroots organisations in its manifesto.
He called for the scrapping of the People's Association (PA), which runs the community centres and clubs, residents' committees and citizens' consultative committees, among others.
He argued that the PAP's links to the PA gives the ruling party an unfair advantage in getting support from voters.
Mr Low also asked for grassroots leaders and advisers with no political affiliations to be elected, rather than appointed. That way, grassroots efforts are non-political and involve residents, he said.
He made the remarks in response to questions about the challenges that WP's potential candidates appear to face in reaching out to residents. Several Joo Chiat residents told The Straits Times that they recognise Mr Low, but not the other WP leaders or potential candidates on the walkabout.
Among those present was WP's 'star catch', China-based corporate lawyer Chen Show Mao, 50. He made his first public appearance yesterday after news broke last month that he would be a potential WP candidate.
Some 30 WP members, such as entrepreneur Yee Jenn Jong, 46, and eastern area committee chairman Eric Tan, 55, were also present.
Said restaurant cook Peter Wong, 61, who has lived in Joo Chiat for five years: 'I recognised only Mr Low, but I have faith in the WP's ability to field good,
capable candidates. I hope they will raise issues to help lower-income Singaporeans.'
Mr Low, 54, noted he was more recognisable than other WP members as he has been an MP for Hougang since 1991.
He added that opposition candidates were at a disadvantage compared with PAP's candidates because of the ruling party's links with the PA.
Mr Low cited activities such as dialogues or block parties attended by PAP newbies - usually in their capacity as grassroots advisers - allowing them to mingle with residents.
However, opposition MPs like him were not invited to these events, he said. He also pointed out other difficulties faced by the opposition, such as being refused entry into condominiums to visit voters.
Mr Low believes residents could continue to benefit 'in many ways, even without the PA'.
Backing him up, Mr Chen said: 'One principle we can affirm, and that is, if we should get elected into government, the policies will not be driven by what will keep us there. It has to be fair, as Mr Low said, and has to be principled.'
