GE2015: Workers’ Party celebrates SG50 sans political talk (almost)

As the Workers’ Party observed its SG50 Celebration Dinner, just 5km away around the same time, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was speaking in English during the National Day Rally (NDR) 2015.

Some 1,800 residents attended the Workers’ Party’s SG50 Celebration Dinner, which was organised by the WP Grassroots Committee (WPGC). All the WP’s nine Members of Parliament, including party chief Low Thia Khiang and chairman Sylvia Lim, were at the event.

The WP event was held at the open field at Block 814 Hougang Central while the NDR took place at ITE Headquarters and College Central at 2 Ang Mo Kio Drive.

But the contrast between the two events could not have been greater.

There was no rousing political speech by the top WP leadership at the SG50 dinner. Instead, there were plenty of joyous celebrations with WP MPs mingling and bantering with residents. Even Hougang SMC MP Png Eng Huat took to the stage to strum a guitar and entertain the residents with his rendition of “Speedy Gonzalez”.

At the NDR, Lee was rallying Singaporeans with a recap of the country’s achievements over the past 50 years and urging support from them in the upcoming election. Lee also unveiled a slew of goodies that will benefit Singaporeans, ranging from the elderly, married couples to the needy.

It was the first time that WP MPs did not attend the NDR since 2011.

A WP spokesman had earlier said that the MPs would not be attending the NDR due to the clash in timings for the two events. She added that the date of the WP’s grassroots event was decided in December 2014. Before 2007, opposition MPs were not invited to the rally, as the government had said they could not be expected to rally support for its policies.

Speaking to reporters at a WP walkabout in Chong Pang last Sunday, Lim said, “We think that it’s meaningful for us, especially as an opposition party, to rally our supporters to remind everyone that what we want is betterment for Singapore as a whole.

“I think sometimes people get confused – they can’t distinguish between national interest and ruling party interest. And we want to underscore the point that even if you’re an opposition supporter, you can be as loyal to Singapore as any PAP supporter."

Still, Lim did inject a bit of politics when she gave a toast to Singapore at the end of the event.

“May she enjoy 50 more years of security and peace, and journey towards being a more democratic country.”