Low Thia Khiang lost his sense of smell after suffering head injuries due to his bad fall

Veteran opposition politician Low Thia Khiang revealed that he lost his sense of smell after his recent accident, in his first interview with the media since he suffered a bad fall in April. Mr Low sustained head injuries in a fall that took place in his home on 30 April.

The Workers’ Party’s (WP) immediate past secretary-general was warded in the intensive care unit at Khoo Teck Puat General Hospital for five days before he was moved to a general ward. He was discharged on 21 May and went on hospitalisation leave.

His accident triggered speculation as to whether he would be fielded as one of the WP’s candidates in the upcoming election, which has been scheduled for 10 July. Last Wednesday (24 June), WP’s current chief Pritam Singh said that Mr Low would not contest in GE2020.

Speaking to the press a day after his exit from electoral politics was announced, Mr Low revealed that he suffered the fall while he was on the way to the bathroom in his home at Upper Thomson. Sharing that the accident left him with a traumatic brain injury, Mr Low said that the damage to his olfactory nerve centre caused him to lose his sense of smell.

Revealing that the loss of his sense of smell has robbed him of the enjoyment he used to get from a hot bowl of laksa, he quipped: “Laksa has many layers to it, now I can only taste that it is spicy and salty.”

On a serious note, he added: “Such a bad fall could have been very very serious, but now I am mostly OK. If I lost my sense of smell, it is a small thing, so be it.”

Mr Low is on medical leave until 15 July – five days after the election – but has been spotted on the campaign trail supporting his party members.

The end of an era: Low Thia Khiang will not contest GE2020, Pritam Singh confirms