WP chief Low Thia Khiang speaks out about party's stand on opposition unity

Aljunied GRC MP and Secretary General of the Workers' Party (WP), Low Thia Khiang, has taken on the issue of opposition unity in the party's rally in Punggol East this evening.

Speaking in Mandarin, he said the WP has been criticised for not uniting behind an opposition alliance

Mr Low said his party has gone its own way not because it is arrogant or disrespectful of others, but rather it was because it did not want to disappoint Singaporeans

Noting how the opposition has not been able to come to agreement on many issues because of differences in ideologies and personalities, he said many Singaporeans have been discouraged by the bickering and splits.

Mr Low said a clear example was seen in 1991, when the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) won 3 seats in parliament

But he said SDP's internal dissension led to the People's Action Party (PAP) highlighting the problems of the opposition in the following general election in 1997 and the opposition losing 2 seats in parliament

Mr Low said in a democracy, it's not difficult to set up a political party in Singapore, though he pointed out that it's not easy to run one well

He added that since Singapore's independence, only two political parties have survived, namely the PAP and the WP

Mr Low called on Punggol East residents to vote for a responsible and rational opposition party as represented by the WP

In his English speech, Mr Low said the WP has been raising many issues in parliament.

He's countering a remark by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Saturday that the opposition did not have strong views and did not raise alternative policies.

Mr Low said the WP has spoken about issues like childcare centres, housing, immigration, foreign manpower and transport.