- Joined
- Aug 20, 2022
- Messages
- 25,210
- Points
- 113
This is from a few sources within WP.
The WP now is not the WP of Low Thia Kiang.
Low's WP was a very Chinese WP. Teochew base, many his diehard followers in Hougang.
This old guard has been pushed aside by a new group of English-educated cadres. Recent recruitment has also bolstered this.
This old guard has been slowly pushed aside by a new group of English-educated cadres. Recent recruitment has also bolstered this.
Nobody likes being pushed aside and a few civil wars have already been waged. First when Chen Show Mao launched a leadership bid against Low Thia Kiang in 2016. The result was not a foregone conclusion, with Mr Low defeating Mr Chen 61-45. But in that first battle the old guard who was against the succession direction of WP lost.
Teochew speaking Daniel Goh was passed over in favour of Pritam Singh , even though he was the favourite of the Chinese-speaking cadres. Eventually, Goh was expelled from the WP for publicly criticising the leadership over the Raeesah Khan affair.
This core group of old-guard WP cadres remain deeply unhappy.
The new WP leaders are all English-educated and ‘Westernised’ , many not fluent in Mandarin, not to say Teochew. Old guards feel that the WP has lost its roots and its soul in courting votes.
In 2020, Pritam Singh was forced to apologise for not sending a representative to the Chinese debate. This came after deep anger from the Chinese cadres.
The source says that the same/allied group of cadres are the ones who pushed for the special meeting to force a vote for Pritam Singh’s resignation.
Party sources had confirmed to The Straits Times that more than 20 cadres signed and submitted a letter calling for a special conference to be held in February. There are only about a 100 cadre members.
The WP has convened a panel to investigate the issue of whether Mr Singh has contravened the WP codes, but sources say this panel are mostly allies of Pritam Singh and Sylvia Lim.
What is more certain is that the Parliamentary Workers’ Party ( the members of Parliament) are solidly behind Mr. Singh. (Although questions have been asked why Peking University graduate NCMP Eileen Chong was absent during the debate on the LO. )
The LO’s removal has given the disgruntled cadres more ammunition, especially after the PM has offered the LO position to any other MP not implicated in the Raeesah affair. (Which is the same allied group)
They are arguing that the party is bigger than one man, the LO position is important , but more likely it’s an attempt for this faction to strike back at the “Ang Mo Pai” WP faction.
However , given the composition of the investigation panel, and the WP CEC, and the recruitment of more and more English-speaking type cadres , the WP Old Guard is likely to lose again. Even if they are pressuring their old comrade Mr Low to swing to their side, it’s more likely he stands by his protege Pritam Singh.
The plot thickens.
