WP kickstarts GE2025 campaign with slogan ‘Working for Singapore’
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WP chief Pritam Singh at the party's Neighbourhood Conversations event in Bedok Reservoir on April 12.
ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
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SINGAPORE – The WP has released what looks to be its campaign slogan for the 2025 General Election: “Working for Singapore.”
Releasing this shortly after the Writ of Election was issued on April 15,
“The Workers’ Party prides ourselves on contributing to unity in diversity. Our voices aim to represent the diverse Singaporean population, while working towards a First World Parliament,” it said on its social media accounts.
The party urged Singaporeans to “step up” as it continues to work for Singapore. “None of this could have happened without your continuous support. By making your vote count in 2020, we made history by having the highest number of opposition MPs in Parliament,” it said.
“From 2020 to 2025, our ideas were heard and acted upon by the Government. Together, we have shown that constructive opposition leads to better outcomes. But the work is not done. We cannot stop here. We will continue to work for Singapore, and we hope you will step up and do so too.”
The WP followed up with the release of a teaser video with the tagline: “It’s time. #StepUp with us. Together, we’re #WorkingForSingapore.”
The video featured all eight of the party’s elected MPs – Aljunied GRC MPs Pritam Singh, Sylvia Lim, Faisal Manap and Gerald Giam; Hougang SMC MP Dennis Tan; and Sengkang GRC MPs Louis Chua, He Ting Ru and Jamus Lim.
In the video, Mr Giam said it is important to have balance in the political system. “We cannot have one party that is dominating everything in Singapore. There needs to be more diversity,” he said.
Associate Professor Lim said the only way that successful new ideas can come to fruition is through a contest. “That is necessary and healthy for any mature democracy,” he added.
Ms Lim added: “If the PAP fails, what is our Plan B?”
Before the video ended with the “Working for Singapore” tagline, Mr Singh called Singaporeans the “true agents of change”.
“The Workers’ Party is just the platform to bring their voices into Parliament, and the true people who have power are the voters. And they control the future,” he said.
WP chief Pritam Singh (fourth from right) with the party’s other elected MPs (from left) Dennis Tan, He Ting Ru, Faisal Manap, Gerald Giam, Jamus Lim, Sylvia Lim and Louis Chua.
PHOTO: PRITAM SINGH/FACEBOOK
The WP is currently the most successful opposition party in Singapore. Its candidates in the 2020 General Election clinched 10 seats in Parliament after winning two group representation constituencies – Aljunied and Sengkang – and the single-member constituency of Hougang.
Mr Singh, the party secretary-general, was designated Leader of the Opposition after the 2020 polls, making him the first opposition leader to formally hold such an office. The post granted him the right of first response among MPs, more time to speak in Parliament, staff support and resources to carry out the role, double the allowance of an elected MP, and office space at Parliament House.
Up till the writ’s release, the WP has heavily guarded its election plans, including the constituencies it would contest and its slate. The party was explicit only about its medium-term goal to win one-third of the seats in Parliament.
Based on observations at walkabouts and party sources, The Straits Times gathered that the WP is likely to field a bumper crop of at least 30 candidates in eight constituencies
These are: Aljunied, Sengkang, Punggol, East Coast, Marine Parade-Braddell Heights and Tampines GRCs, and the single seats of Hougang and Tampines Changkat.
This would be the WP’s largest slate in an election yet – the party contested 23 seats in 2011, 28 seats in 2015, and 21 seats in 2020.
At least 17 of the WP’s 2025 candidates are expected to be new faces, many of them professionals, including lawyers and management consultants. This would surpass the record 16 newcomers in 2011 and 2015, and almost double the nine fielded in 2020.
ST has identified 14 names so far, with the latest addition to the list being lawyer Sufyan Mikhail Putra, who was spotted in Punggol back in February.
The party put forward Mr Sufyan to be interviewed by Associate Professor Walid Jumblatt Abdullah, a political scientist from Nanyang Technological University, on his podcast on April 17.
The other newcomers identified thus far include Dr Ong Lue Ping, 47, who was IMH’s director of allied health from 2022 to 2024; Mr Michael Thng, 37, a master’s graduate from Harvard Kennedy School; and Mr Kenneth Tiong, 36, the former head quant developer of Brahman Capital.
Wong Pei Ting is a correspondent at The Straits Times. She covers politics and social affairs.