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WP’s Low calls for smooth Aljunied handover

The new Aljunied GRC team from the Workers' Party waves at residents at the start of their thank-you procession. (Yahoo!/Liyana Low)
The new Aljunied GRC team from the Workers' Party waves at residents at the start of their thank-you procession. (Yahoo!/Liyana Low)

Newly minted Aljunied GRC Member of Parliament-elect Low Thia Khiang has called for a smooth transition of the ward into Workers' Party hands.

The secretary-general of the WP said while he's happy an opposition team has clinched a GRC -- a first in Singapore political history -- he's cautious about "what will be the response of the government to the loss of a GRC."

This after the WP team beat the People's Action Party team led by George Yeo by a majority of 54 percent to 45 percent of votes in the hotly contested ward.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday morning, Low said that one of the things he's concerned about is the handover of town council management and that he hopes there isn't "any sabotage."

He said when he was first elected in 1991 in Hougang SMC, the managing agent told him he had to find a new office within 45 days to run his town council because the PAP didn't allow him to use the current office space.

While he managed to build himself an office within the stipulated 45-day period, he said the opposition MPs of then-Nee Soon Central and Bukit Batok SMCs in 1991 actually ran their town council in a container office. He claimed it was the PAP's way of "punishing" residents for voting them into Parliament.

"I would like to know if I need to do the same thing again when taking over the Aljunied town council. I want to know if there's a difference in the Singapore 20 years ago and now," he said.

On why the PAP team lost Aljunied GRC, Low said, "So far including an apology from the Prime Minister, I think they have done all the right things, but Singaporeans know they need a credible opposition."

He said, "This election shows that this is the kind opposition that Singaporeans want: rational and responsible. We do not oppose for the sake of opposition, we will only confront when necessary."

Youngest member of the Aljunied team Pritam Singh drinks up before starting on his maiden thank-you procession. (Yahoo!/Liyana Low)
Youngest member of the Aljunied team Pritam Singh drinks up before starting on his maiden thank-you procession. (Yahoo!/Liyana Low)

First-time Member of Parliament-elect Chen Show Mao, considered the "star catch" of the WP, said, "This is a great responsibility, just looking at the number of people who have given me this trust without the benefit of a track record, we don't want to give them cause to regret their decision."

Although he felt there wasn't enough campaigning time, Chen is looking forward to serving the residents and said, "We have to walk more and talk to people more understand their situations and their needs."

When asked how does it feel to be a day-old MP-elect, he said, "It hasn't sunk in yet."

Meanwhile the Aljunied team's youngest team member Pritam Singh said, "The euphoria died down much quickly than I expected it to because we've got a lot of work ahead of us."

A Hougang resident cheers and waves the Aljunied team good bye. (Yahoo!/Liyana Low)
A Hougang resident cheers and waves the Aljunied team good bye. (Yahoo!/Liyana Low)

On why he thought WP won the hearts of Aljunied residents, Singh said, "Singaporeans recognised that we put a good team together. They saw beyond the material concerns and saw the need for a good opposition in parliament."

Of the voters, Low also said, "I think Singaporeans have become mature. We have first-world citizens and so we hope to move towards a first world parliament."

Before he set off for his victory lap around Aljunied, he especially thanked Hougang residents for understanding why he needed to move out of the SMC and run for Aljunied GRC.

"It is beyond words that I can express my gratitude to them," he said.