Several WP CEC members back Pritam Singh as next party chief

SINGAPORE – Several Workers’ Party (WP) central executive council (CEC) members on Monday (Feb 12) backed assistant secretary-general Pritam Singh, 41, to succeed party chief Low Thia Khiang, saying there is “general consensus” that Mr Singh will be WP’s next leader although he will need to be voted in by the cadres.

Speaking to TODAY, WP Non-Constituency Members of Parliament (NCMPs) Dennis Tan and Leon Perera, as well as former NCMP Gerald Giam, all expressed support for Mr Singh, after their party colleague Daniel Goh did likewise on Facebook as he ruled himself out of the running in response to media reports citing him as a possible contender.

Dr Goh, 44, described Mr Singh as “a proven MP”, and said the next WP chief has to be “a humble servant-leader who knows his own flaws, works closely with the party grassroots and exhorts them to unite for the common good of Singapore and Singaporeans”. “I worked closely with Pritam on the WP60 Organising Committee… and I am convinced he is such a servant-leader,” Dr Goh wrote.

On the other qualities which Mr Low’s successor would require in order for the WP to develop as a viable opposition party, Dr Goh said the person has to be an MP “with good experience of speaking and debating in Parliament and able to lead the other WP MPs”. He must also be someone who “works with his constituents and has their confidence and support”, and has “good experience in leadership of town council management”. Dr Goh noted that on these counts, he has a lot more to learn, since he is “only (an NCMP) with two years of real political experience”.

Mr Singh could not be reached for comment.

Last November, Mr Low, 61, dropped a bombshell when he announced that he will be stepping down as WP chief. Outside the WP, people were surprised, although the party line was that it had been on the cards for some time.

The WP will hold its next CEC elections in April, and Mr Low has said he will not contest the secretary-general post, which he has held for 17 years.

Apart from Dr Goh and Mr Singh, political analysts had earlier said that Mr Tan, 47, and Mr Perera, 46, were expected to play key roles in the WP’s next generation leadership.

Both Mr Tan and Mr Perera also ruled themselves out of the top post, and said they will support Mr Singh if he runs for it.

They cited Mr Singh’s extensive parliamentary and town council management experience as the key reasons why he should be the next party chief. Since Oct 2015, Mr Singh has been the chairman of the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council.

Mr Tan noted that Mr Singh — who joined the WP in 2010 — has also held key positions within the party, such as organising secretary. “In that sense, he has that three-fold experience. To a large extent, I’d like to think that there’s a consensus within the party that he will be the successor. But we’ll have an election and cadres will have to decide,” he added.

Mr Singh, a lawyer, was appointed as assistant secretary-general — or the party’s second-in-command — in June 2016, following an unsuccessful challenge for the top post by Mr Chen Show Mao during the party’s biennial CEC elections.

Party members had told TODAY earlier that they did not expect another challenge from Mr Chen or anyone else when the cadres elect their officebearers this year. This would pave the way for a smooth leadership transition, they had noted.

Mr Perera said Mr Singh is a “tried and tested leader, who has served creditably in many roles in the party and town council”. Mr Singh is also effective in the grassroots and has performed well in Parliament, he added.

Describing Mr Singh as “a breath of fresh air” for his take on various issues, Mr Giam — who heads the WP Youth Wing — also threw his support behind Mr Singh. “He can carry the party’s image and bring it to new heights,” said Mr Giam.

Political analysts noted that Mr Singh is poised for the role, given that he is the most experienced among the next generation of WP leaders. Despite his experience, he is the youngest among the possible list of contenders, they noted.

As such, Mr Singh is better placed to connect with younger voters, said Singapore Management University law professor Eugene Tan. “His other ‘plus’ is that he is non-Chinese, and WP has been reaching out to this vote-bank in recent years,” he added.

National University of Singapore political scientist Bilveer Singh said the WP’s next leader will have to come from one of its current slate of MPs. Given that Mr Singh is the second-in-command, it would be “logical” for him to take the helm after Mr Low steps down, he added. But while Mr Singh might be capable, it remains to be seen whether he can carry the weight of the party. “The secretary-general not only has to win the votes in his constituency but also across the country,” said Dr Bilveer Singh.

SIM Global Education associate lecturer Felix Tan noted that while Mr Singh appears to have the support of his peers, this should not be interpreted as clear backing from party members, including those from the older generation.

Indeed, a veteran party member who declined to be named said it is “not really a guarantee” that Mr Singh will succeed Mr Low. He claimed that the majority of the older members still prefer Mr Chen because he is “his own man and has independent ideas”, while Mr Singh is seen as being too closely aligned to Mr Low.

During the 2016 CEC elections, Mr Chen lost with 45 votes to Mr Low’s 61. Dr Felix Tan noted: “Although he lost, there is still strong support for him among some members.”

Meanwhile, WP chairman Sylvia Lim told reporters that she is not keen on succeeding Mr Low. Speaking to the media at her Meet the People session, Ms Lim said she will again contest the chairman position at the coming CEC elections. On the identity of the next WP chief, she reiterated that the CEC has not held any meetings to discuss this, and it will be left to the cadres' vote.