SINGAPORE: After the slate from the Workers’ Party (WP) lost at Punggol Group Representation Constituency (GRC), candidate Harpreet Singh Nehal, a senior counsel with the Supreme Court of Singapore, put up a post that left supporters hopeful that he would stay in the political arena.
Mr Singh, 59, is considerably older than many of the other new candidates and will be in his early 60s by the time the next General Election rolls around.
The battle at Punggol between the WP and the slate from the People’s Action Party (PAP), led by Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, was among the most closely watched ones. The PAP won 55.17% of the votes compared to 44.83% for the WP.
In a post on Sunday (May 4), Mr Singh took an optimistic tone, writing, “We may not have won the Punggol seat last night, but we won something deeper. Hope. Trust. A step forward.”
He noted, with “nearly half of Punggol” standing with the WP, and added, “That alone tells us: something is shifting. This wasn’t just a campaign. It was a spark of belief, of courage, of hope. We may not have crossed the finish line this time, but that’s no reason to give up hope. Because when enough of us believe in change, and act on it, change comes”.
Mr Singh went on to thank not only the residents of Punggol but also all Singaporeans “for your encouragement, for opening up your hearts to us, for embracing us on this journey. You’ve all been incredible. Let’s keep walking. Let’s keep believing”.
His post was shared on r/Singapore on Monday morning, with the heading “It appears that Harpreet Singh may continue his journey in politics.”
“Harpreet is only 59 and full of vitality. These days, being in your 60s is only the start of your 3rd season in life and still young. He basically has between 5 to 15 years more if he plans to stay in politics long term, depending on his appetite,” one wrote.
“His post has so much hope and light,” another observed.
“This is great. He is one with a lot of potential, and I truly hope he runs for 2030,” chimed in a Reddit user, while another wrote, “Yes, please, the groundwork for next election has to start ASAP.”
“Hope he continues building on this election experience and keeps up the momentum. Will be looking at his political progression with great interest,” a commenter wrote.
On Facebook, many commenters offered their support.
One wrote, “Dear Mr Singh and Team Punggol, you guys are a gem. You gave 44+% of us hope for a different voice, one that truly speaks for us common folks. You made my “X” really priceless this time round, though the results were otherwise. From now on, you are not strangers to Punggol, as you are most welcome to walk and talk to us. For a mightier Team WP Punggol in 2030.” /TISG
Read also: WP candidate Harpreet Singh’s two nicknames: A tale of ‘Happy’ and ‘Harpoon’