Singapore — Workers’ Party legend Low Thia Khang was seen accompanying Workers’ Party MP Jamus Lim (Sengkang GRC) during a recent estate walk.
Prof Lim wrote in a Facebook post on Tuesday (Jan 25) that for this year’s Lunar New Year all-estate walk, he had the “honor of being joined by” Mr Low, whom he called “the pioneer of the practice”.
Mr Low was Singapore’s longest-serving opposition Member of Parliament (1991 to 2020) and the unofficial Leader of the Opposition from 2006 to 2018.
Prof Lim said they take the all-estate walk to “ensure that as many outstanding municipal issues as possible are resolved in advance of the holiday.”
This year’s walk took longer than usual as the area he is responsible has grown since late last year after former fellow Sengkang GRC MP Raeesah Khan stepped down.
Mr Low came along for the second half-day of the walk, and the MP wrote that he learned much from the former WP chief.
“During our walk, I was able to learn more tricks of the trade (along all dimensions). I was able to also stumble on some wonderful and quirky sights and sounds around the estate, and be reminded of the beauty of Sengkang in general (and #Anchorvale in particular, although I am, admittedly, biased). As stewards of the town, I see it as my job to help keep it that way.”
The MP acknowledged the hard work that the estate team in the area has put in, thanking “both the professional property officers, managers, and various support staff that ensure that things run as they should, along with the conservancy operators that make it all happen on a day-to-day basis”.
But he did note this drawback to making the rounds with Mr Low: “Postscript: My only qualm about walking with Mr Low is that – given his celebrity status – we get stopped all the time to chat with residents!”
Mr Low, 65, had announced before the 2020 General Election that he would not stand for election, but would remain active in politics. He had been hospitalised following a bad fall at home that April.
A WP member since 1982, he became secretary-general in 2001, before handing the reins to Pritam Singh in 2018. Mr Low represented Hougang SMC from 1991 to 2011, then led the WP to a first Opposition win of a Group Representation Constituency when it took Aljunied GRC from the PAP in 2011. /TISG
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Low Thia Khiang no longer heads WP but he remains ever present