GE2015: Workers' Party introduces 4 new faces

SINGAPORE — The Workers’ Party (WP) introduced another four candidates today (Aug 27) for the coming General Election.

They are lawyer Terence Tan, 44, owner of a chocolate business Firuz Khan, 48 , private investment firm managing partner Luke Koh, 41, and sales consultant Cheryl Denise Loh, 31.

Mr Tan and Mr Firuz have been seen walking the ground in Marine Parade GRC, while Mr Koh and Ms Loh have been spotted meeting and greeting residents in Nee Soon GRC. They are all standing for elections for the first time.

Mr Koh has been helping out at the grassroots level with both party chief Low Thia Khiang and Aljunied GRC MP Faisal Manap. Sharing his views on various past government policies, the father of two said the projected population of 6.9 million in the population white paper, which the WP voted against, is a “big mistake”. He also flagged the graduate mother scheme introduced in 1984 under the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s watch, saying these past campaigns have led to an “ageing crisis” in Singapore.

"Singapore needs more WP Members of Parliament to prevent another crisis in the next 20 to 30 years,” said Mr Koh, adding that the WP’s upcoming manifesto will reveal the party’s plans to address these policy issues.

Mr Tan, who has been volunteering with the WP since late 2011, said it has been a “satisfying and enriching experience” thus far and he learnt about “servant leadership” through his time volunteering with party members.  

"I believe there is much desire for responsible, reasonable and rational checks and balances for the Government. An Opposition that does not oppose purely for the sake of it, he said. "I really do believe that the Government has focused on too much short-term economic gain instead of long-term gain for us.”

Ms Loh was introduced by WP chairman Sylvia Lim, who told reporters that Ms Loh was her student during her teaching stint at Temasek Polytechnic. "That just tells you a little but about how old I am," quipped Ms Lim, 50.

Ms Loh said she was raised by relatives and worked part-time to pursue her degree studies at SIM-RMIT. Said the sales consultant in a document management company: "The young are the future of Singapore, and I feel no young person in Singapore should be deprived of an education because of their family background.” Ms Loh, who can speak Malay, also cited her late grandmother - who could only converse in Malay – as the source of her strength.

Mr Khan, meanwhile, joined the WP in 2006. He took a pay cut from a banking career to work at the Pertapis Children’s Home in 1999, Describing his experience with helping children from disadvantaged homes, he recounted how he once paid for a cab so that a pair of kids could meet their parents. “Seeing their smiles…touch my heart,” he said. 

He added: "I had always wanted to help my countrymen. My journey to politics started when I returned from my studies in the UK in 1996, and noticed things were different. I look forward to contributing more for the people of Singapore.”