Low Thia Khiang: Workers’ Party has done its due diligence

In selecting its candidates for the coming General Election, the Workers' Party has asked the "hard questions", said WP chief Low Thia Khiang on Wednesday.

In the instance of WP's high profile candidate Chen Show Mao, whose entry into Singapore politics after some 40 years abroad raised criticism from the People's Action Party (PAP), Low said the WP had questioned Chen's decision and was "satisfied" with his answer before fielding him in this GE.

PAP's organising secretary Dr Ng Eng Hen wrote to The Straits Times forum page to criticise Chen's entry into politics, according to a report on Tuesday.

Noting that Chen has responded "extensively" in media interviews on his motivations, Low said, "I really don't understand why Dr Ng Eng Hen, Minister for Education, is asking those questions. Perhaps he has not read the Zaobao report, or he couldn't understand Chinese?"

Speaking at the WP's unveiling of its first batch of GE candidates, a day after Polling Day is announced to be 7 May, Low described the process by which the party selects its candidates from a pool of about 50 people.

Rather than a formal process, the responsibility lies with a small committee consisting of Low, party chairman Sylvia Lim and one or two others.

They measure the potential candidate for five qualities: credibility, capability, character, passion and public spiritedness. They also research the person's background, and get party members to feedback on him.

Said Low, "As a party, we've done our due diligence, we've gone through a process of selection, making our own judgment."

"But moving forward, the voters will have to make their own judgment," he said, urging voters to scrutinise candidates carefully.

"We're all human beings, we're not God. We can make the wrong judgment. If the Workers' Party makes the wrong judgment, it may not be that bad. But if the PAP makes the wrong judgment and you get the wrong person to be Prime Minister, I think we'll all be in trouble." he said.

This time, Low said the WP's candidates will be "more mature" and "more experienced in life" compared to its 2006 slate.

"I would expect that after the election the party can further consolidate its leadership," he added.

The WP is set to field 23 candidates for the coming polls, its biggest slate since 1988.

Of the four candidates introduced on Wednesday, three will be contesting for the first time.

They are sales trainer Lee Li Lian, 32, freelance counsellor Mohamed Faisal Abdul Manap, 35, and IT consultant Gerald Giam, 33.

Former banker Eric Tan, 55, contested the 2006 GE at East Coast GRC.

What each candidate brings to the table:

Single and stay home parents are a group that Lee wants to speak for. Having witnessed the lack of support they face, she said, "I really want to be able to speak up for these people so they are not forgotten."

Single parents should be given the baby bonus and tax rebates married working women have, she said.

Giam, who was an officer in Ministry of Foreign Affairs before he moved into the private sector, said he is able to understand the dynamics in both sectors.

The socio-political blogger said he joined politics to "put into action a lot of things I was thinking about." He hopes to translate his understanding of issues Singaporeans face into policy.

Faisal said his experience as a counsellor puts him in good steed to get feedback from the community. He also wants to be an "alternative voice to the current Malay PAP leaders."

Tan, with 23 years banking experience, has a keen interest in how Singapore's sovereign wealth fund is managed.

Having contested in East Coast GRC in 2006 and possibly contesting there again this year, he cited issues such as parking, feeder bus services and cleanliness facing the GRC.

Noting that he could face fierce competition from the PAP team led by labour chief Lim Swee Say, he said, "The places where we are contesting ... I hope all of them will be hotly contested. We'll fight tooth and nail to win."

More on the candidates:

1) Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap, 35

Post in WP: Central Executive Committee (CEC) Member, North Eastern Area Committee Member

Education: Bachelor of Science (Psychology), Monash University, Australia (2006)

Occupation: Proprietor of Ihsan Family Consultancy

Marital status: Married with three children

Background: Faisal worked as a Technical Officer with the HDB between 1998 to 2002, before he went to Monash University to pursue a degree, majoring in psychology.

When he returned to Singapore in 2005, he worked as a counsellor to needy and dysfunctional families and counselled Muslim couples under the Syariah Court's Marriage Counselling Programme. He is also a certified Ministry of Community, Youth and Sports 'Bersam Mu' Marriage Educator.

He joined the WP in 2006 and was an election agent for the Aljunied team for GE 2006.

2) Gerald Giam, 33

Post in WP: assistant webmaster, CEC member

Education: Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, University of Southern California

Occupation: Senior consultant at IT multinational firm Avanade

Marital status: Married with two children.

Background: Giam has served as a Foreign Service Officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and volunteered in South West Community Development Council for over seen years.

He also completed two terms as a member of the Films Appeal Committee at the Ministry of Information, Communication and the Arts.

Giam is also a socio-political blogger and has authored the book, Singapore version 2.0: Alternative proposals for a better Singapore.

He joined the WP in January 2009 and has been involved in the party's policy analysis and research work.

3) Eric Tan, 55

Posts in WP: treasurer, chairman of Eastern Area Committee

Education: Bachelor in Electrical Engineering, National University of Singapore

Occupation: Private equity fund manager

Marital Status: Married with three daughters

Background: Tan has held about a dozen management positions in various financial institutions, such as the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation and Royal Bank of Canada.

He campaigned for independent candidate Chia Shih Teck in GE 1997 and WP candidate Dr Poh Lee Guan in GE 2001. He stood as a WP candidate in East Coast GRC in GR 2006.

4) Lee Li Lian, 32

Post in WP: deputy treasurer

Education: Bachelor Commerce (Marketing), Curtin University of Technology, Australia

Occupation: trainer

Marital Status: Married with no children

Background: Lee has been involved in industrial and financial sales for the last six years. In 2008, she took on a position as a trainer. She is the eldest in the family, with two younger sisters.

Lee joined the WP in June 2006. She was a WP volunteer in GE 2006.

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