[GE2025] The Workers' Party (WP) Discussion Thread

[krikering]

From the results, it is very difficult to flip a GRC - we saw that both WP and PAP improved on their margins in SK and EC respectively. Now that Punggol and Tampines have become hotly contested GRCs, I expect it to be harder for WP next GE than this. Yes they have 5 years to walk the ground, but PAP also has 5 years to pour in resources to improve their standings.

SDP lost 2 SMCs in 1997, and went downhill ever since then. Ling How Doong and Cheo Chai Chen were not good in managing TC, from what have heard.

Before they rejuvenated in 2015 with Paul Tambyah and then subsequently CSJ increased his online presence until this GE, where he bucked the trend of opposition losing vote shares outside of the East.




Depends on how well PSP and SDP conducts their party renewal process then. If they handled it well, they still can divert some resources away from East.

In 2020, PSP nearly won WC GRC. Think PAP shocked also. After that then they gerrymander the entire area.

PSP and SDP need to strategies over next 5 years and continue to push out high-calibre candidates.

PS only 49 years old this year, that is why WP still stable.

 

[culepico]

Some statistics about the WP's performances in the last 2 GE.

GE2020:
Constituencies won (against contested): 3/6
Seats won (against seats contested): 10/21
Total vote share (in all constituencies contested): 50.49%

GE2025:
Constituencies won (against contested): 3/8
Seats won (against seats contested): 10/26
Total vote share (in all constituencies contested): 50.10%

Vote share in the constituencies that they contested in for the first time in GE2025:
Tampines Changkat: 43.83%
Punggol GRC: 44.83%
Tampines GRC: 47.37%
Jalan Kayu SMC: 48.53%

They have gotten >50% of total vote share against the PAP in the constituencies that they have contested in for the past 2 GE. They fared quite well for all the constituencies that they contested in for the first time in GE2025.

Looks like Singaporeans only trust 1 opposition party, which is the WP. Many are waiting for them to contest in the constituency that they lived in. If WP is able to field candidates all over Singapore, they might actually get the >1/3 of the seats in parliament that they hoped for.

 

[curahee]

WP unsuccessful candidates should start walk the ground n built good rapport with residents....
But, boundaries will be adjusted again to their favour.

Looking at the map now. All the contested grc and smc is situated next to wp territory towards the east direction. The only odd one out is the pasir ris changi grc that wp never contest before. It's gonna be interesting looking at how are they gg to gerrymandering this east side since the voters here is almost half half

 

[fxssg12345]

The only beef I have with WP GE2025 strategy is they spread the team too evenly. it seem to me WP was hoping to win in both Tampines and Punngol.

To win a GRC is a very tough challenge in SG. Considee the hype about Harpreet before GE, I would have put Harpreet into Tampines team, together with Faisal, Eileen, Dr Ong and Michael.

Focus on Tampines since you are sending Faisal over. Aim to win 1 GRC at a time. I told this to my friends right after nomination day that WP too ambitious in their line up strategy.

btw, if Leon and Nicole had controlled themselves, Sylvia should have moved to Punngol, team up with Alexis, Kenneth and Siti Alia

I think WP strategy and its outcome this GE the best this since 2011 (which is suicide do or die).

You can’t throw all stars into 1 team as election is long term.You also need a leader, or anchor to lead. For example, if put LW, GKY and LHL to contest Aljunied, PAP will win? No guarantee as voters will qns how long all can stay to serve them beyond 1 term? (swing) Voters will also think they just want to win back and claim all rather than sincerely serving, resulting in losing more swingers vote. Further, base voters will still vote for them no matter who the party send.

With Harpreet and Faisal leading, now WP have the opportunity to walk the ground for the next 5 years and growth both teams members. Come GE30, both teams will be ready knowing PAP can’t do much with the boundary.

 

[misterGomez]

on hindsight, i wonder if they could win if put in Tampines grc: Faisal, Harpreet, Alexis, Michael , Dr Ong
oppo is really tough, need "S" team to win one grc compare to pap one minster hard carry 4 newbies also can win
Spreading a S team into 2 A teams does not seem to work.
Punggol majority rejects it.
Maybe just 1 new GRC in one GE, too ambitious to try 2 GRC in one GE
miw make the rules of the game damn unfair. dont dare to play fair

yes that is correct, well TBH Shan is not just a mere minister. He have the weight of 2 into 1 so won't be surprised if he won it easily. It is not a fair fight at all. WP/ Oppo need to set up a S tier team to fight for it as you mentioned.

 

[nujiln]

SDP lost 2 SMCs in 1997, and went downhill ever since then. Ling How Doong and Cheo Chai Chen were not good in managing TC, from what have heard.


Depends on how well PSP and SDP conducts their party renewal process then. If they handled it well, they still can divert some resources away from East.

In 2020, PSP nearly won WC GRC. Think PAP shocked also. After that then they gerrymander the entire area.

PSP and SDP need to strategies over next 5 years and continue to push out high-calibre candidates.

PS only 49 years old this year, that is why WP still stable.

Was surprised by PSP's results; the % swing in WC seems too much to be attributed to the change in boundaries alone. They also fared worse in CCK even though GKY, who is a popular figure in CCK, went Punggol. Looks like PSP's performance in Parliament didn't translate to more votes. Was staying in Gombak when it was under SDP, then PAP. SDP did a bad job at running the TC back then.

 

[krikering]

Was surprised by PSP's results; the % swing in WC seems too much to be attributed to the change in boundaries alone. They also fared worse in CCK even though GKY, who is a popular figure in CCK, went Punggol. Looks like PSP's performance in Parliament didn't translate to more votes. Was staying in Gombak when it was under SDP, then PAP. SDP did a bad job at running the TC back then.

I heard actually Potong Pasir in the last few years before CST lost the seat, alot of residents complaining due to no lifts already but they just voted CST due to loyalty.

And Lina Chiam when they interacted with her, did Not really leave a good impression on them thus when CST stepped away from PP they just voted PAP.

I am more surprised at how LTK can manage Hougang so well since 1991 until he left in 2011 eventually.

For 34 years still so loyal to WP, heard LTK found a group of well-off volunteers and is adept at managing resources so they used own money to carry on with programmes.

Hougang was still maintained quite well despite PAP trying to withhold lift-upgrading programmes, etc.

Up till now, WP still can get more than 60% there speaks volume.

 

[TopGun]

Looking at the map now. All the contested grc and smc is situated next to wp territory towards the east direction. The only odd one out is the pasir ris changi grc that wp never contest before. It's gonna be interesting looking at how are they gg to gerrymandering this east side since the voters here is almost half half

SDA got about 33% in Pasir-ris which is a little surprising. Did relatively well.

Having covered the northeast/east..... this mitigates the effects of redrawing the boundaries.

 

[dqwong]

Agree. WP has to attract more people to join them and I think no just in the comms field. Sustained engagement is resource intensive in terms of manpower and financial. And that's why the smaller parties find it hard in this regard.

I am not sure if regular podcasts is a good idea. My own sense is that with more MPs in parliament now, that on its own should create news and WP would benefit from that.

I think WP now already has quite good manpower in place to run a good election campaign, of course the more manpower the merrier. What I am thinking is that their social media side of things still need serious improvements from the current slate, which although is much more polished than before, still lacks a superior world class level strategical approach.

Not regular, but rather seasonal podcast featuring their current unelected candidates in rotation. So that Singaporeans have more time to be familiar with them rather than until 2030 election season then to hear from them.

 

[nujiln]

I heard actually Potong Pasir in the last few years before CST lost the seat, alot of residents complaining due to no lifts already but they just voted CST due to loyalty.

And Lina Chiam when they interacted with her, did Not really leave a good impression on them thus when CST stepped away from PP they just voted PAP.

I am more surprised at how LTK can manage Hougang so well since 1991 until he left in 2011 eventually.

For 34 years still so loyal to WP, heard LTK found a group of well-off volunteers and is adept at managing resources so they used own money to carry on with programmes.

Hougang was still maintained quite well despite PAP trying to withhold lift-upgrading programmes, etc.

Up till now, WP still can get more than 60% there speaks volume.

Not every resident will follow the news or what's being debated in parliament, but every resident will know if their estate is maintained well or not. Have never stayed in WP wards, but I presume the estates are run well enough. Which is why I think it's hard to unseat an incumbent as long as the MP(s) get their basics right.

 

[fortunecat]

Don't forget the silent majority (or at least a big chunk of the population) who are politically apathetic and all the info they get during campaigning are the PAP materials that they receive at home and in the mail. It's not difficult to imagine these people voting PAP just because they are more 'present' and they have no idea who the Opp are.

And then there is this group of educated Singaporeans who have bought into the PAP's elitist mindset. They themselves are not yet at the elite level but they ASPIRE to be elitist. They hope that by supporting and voting PAP, they will be considered elite themselves by association.

These 2 groups are present in every GE no matter the issues of that time and I believe that's why Opp will always have a hard time gaining ground.

It can't be the silent majority only live outside WP contested areas. It's more like most of them will only support really credible (to them) opposition parties rather than simply to vote anyone except PAP, as evident in this election.

So the future of oppositions is really for WP to expand enough to rival PAP in numbers, I dun see there are other ways for now.

 

[yperic]

 

[Boiaukin]

Linda Low was completely absent during the election period. Was she disappointed and upset that the WP gave up this GRC, especially after the time she spent campaigning there?

 

[yang314]

Lawrence Wong and LHL go Aljunied sure flip back to PAP

Do you think they want to take this risk? So fast want 5th generation pm?

 

[krikering]

It can't be the silent majority only live outside WP contested areas. It's more like most of them will only support really credible (to them) opposition parties rather than simply to vote anyone except PAP, as evident in this election.

So the future of oppositions is really for WP to expand enough to rival PAP in numbers, I dun see there are other ways for now.

The fact that WP can consistently get more than 40% for the seats they contesting, despite the extensive gerrymandering and chicken wing gestures, etc. speaks volume.

I just hope they can strike a deal withy SDA Desmond if possible in the Pasir Ris area so that perhaps can contest in a coalition or an alliance. SDA's groundwork + WP's TC management experience can be a good selling point.

Like that, WP will have cover grounds for a reasonable part of East to push back against the gerrymandering.

Hopefully can capture another GRC in 2030.

 

[krikering]

Linda Low was completely absent during the election period. Was she disappointed and upset that the WP gave up this GRC, especially after the time she spent campaigning there?

The moment the electoral boundaries were revealed, WP already knew it was an uphill task.

LW/PAP were Banking on the best-case scenario where WP sent PS/SL to MP-BH so as to disrupt WP's entrenchment plans.

 

[atamavision]

SDA got about 33% in Pasir-ris which is a little surprising. Did relatively well.

Having covered the northeast/east..... this mitigates the effects of redrawing the boundaries.

SDA is da bu si de xiao qiang
very persistent in Parsi Ris GRC
I think some voters there might have considered this and decided to vote for SDA despite the qualit concern

 

[Balian]

Stopped WP from gaining any new seats?

WP to get two NCMP seats in the next Parliament, on top of 10 elected MPs​

https://www.straitstimes.com/singap...-the-next-parliament-on-top-of-10-elected-mps

LMW and Hazel were the previous ncmp, look where they are now.

ncmp are not the same as mp because they do not have any constituency. No constituency means no MPS, no residents will feel that they are working for them.

its a scheme created by MIW to pacify singaporeans about opposition representation in parliament, which is working effectively seeing how people are happy about wp winning ‘2 seats’

 

[BohemianSG]

Have. but it was the first time WP filed a party to contest the area after part of old Marina Parade GRC, which are their stronghold, was curved out and merged into the new Tampines GRC.

Dun anyhow tell false story lah.. Simi Stronghold when no one was living there.

The area that was carved out from Aljunied was empty land and were building new BTOs before this election. Before this election, no one stay there one lah. Now is just new BTOs.

Yet another WP supporter who dun stay in the area.

 

[BohemianSG]

Stopped WP from gaining any new seats?

WP to get two NCMP seats in the next Parliament, on top of 10 elected MPs​

https://www.straitstimes.com/singap...-the-next-parliament-on-top-of-10-elected-mps

WP % of elected MPs actually drop in 2025. What a total win for PAP. As for NCMP, WP ownself say it is worthless. and only elected opposition MPs can effectively pressure the government. Show some spine and reject it lah.

https://www.straitstimes.com/singap...can-pressure-the-government-says-pritam-singh