Executive Council
Chairman
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Sylvia Lim Swee Lian林瑞莲sylvia@wp.sg |
- Chairman, Workers’ Party - Chairman, North-Eastern Area Committee, WP - Town Councillor, Hougang Town Council |
Background:
Sylvia holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) degree from the National University of Singapore and obtained a Master of Laws degree in 1989 from the University of London. She was called to the Singapore Bar in 1991. She also obtained a Cambridge Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA) in 2005.
In 1991, she joined the Singapore Police Force as a Police Inspector where she served for three years; she was active in investigation work (including supervision) at the Central Police Division HQ and thereafter was staff officer to the Director of the Criminal Investigation Department.
In 1994, she returned to practise law in the private sector, with M/s Lim & Lim. From 1994 to 1998, she was active in both civil and criminal litigation and handled a variety of cases in the High Court, Subordinate Courts and Juvenile Court.
In 1998 she joined Temasek Polytechnic as a law lecturer, a post she still holds today. She is concurrently Manager of Professional Development at the Polytechnic’s Business School. Her preferred areas of teaching are in civil and criminal procedure, criminal justice and private security.
In May 2009, she commenced postgraduate studies in security management with Michigan State University’s School of Criminal Justice.
Sylvia became a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) after leading a Workers’ Party team to contest Aljunied GRC in the 2006 General Elections and securing 43.9% of the votes cast.
Philosophy:
During the 2001 General Elections when two-thirds of seats were uncontested and the ruling party won 75% of the contested votes, Sylvia was very concerned that unless credible people came forward, the fate of alternative parties in Singapore hung in the balance. She believes strongly that alternative parties have a role in scrutinising government policy constructively and asking for justifications for any laws which will affect the people.
Sylvia loves running outdoors but, due to injury, has also turned to swimming. She also enjoys music in many genres from classical to jazz, and is a supporter of the local arts scene.
Vice Chairman
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Mohammed Rahizan bin Yaacobrahizan@wp.sg |
- Vice-Chairman, Workers’ Party |
Background:
Rahizan was born into a politically conscious family. His grandfather, Ahmad Shah, was a community leader during the British colonial times and consistently attended to the needs of the people. Rahizan’s father, Yaacob Shah, was a politician who struggled for Singapore’s independence from the British colonialists.
Rahizan was inspired to carry on their footsteps. Since 1984, at the age of 28, Rahizan was already politically-motivated. He feels that the PAP government’s policies, such as the past discriminative policies against non-graduate mothers, are not in the interest of the people; he is also concerned about the high cost of living in Singapore.
Rahizan has played a meaningful role to foster the opposition’s cohesiveness and unity and to avoid three-cornered contests during the general elections. He has also proposed that Parliament should be proportionally represented – that is, the number of members from each party in Parliament should be based on the percentage of votes achieved by the party at the general elections. Currently, although the PAP achieved only 66.6% of the votes in GE 2006, the party is represented by 97.6% of the members in Parliament.
Philosophy:
Rahizan believes that one should not engage in politics only for the sake of achieving power. Rather, politics should be seen as the means to pursue the development of socio-economic justice and social equality for the country. That is, politics should have a moral base.
Rahizan sees his participation in politics as an investment in the youths of Singapore, as they are the ones who will inherit Singapore. He aims to help the Workers’ Party to engage the youths of Singapore and to educate them politically.
He is optimistic that the political landscape of Singapore will change for the better in the near future. Rahizan is also thankful for his family’s support as he believes that a nation must have the touch of a family, in order to be a compassionate nation.
Secretary-General
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Low Thia Khiang刘程强ltk@wp.sg |
- Secretary-General, Workers’ Party - Chairman, Hougang Constituency Committee, WP - Chairman, Hougang Town Council |
Background:
Low Thia Khiang has been the Member of Parliament for Hougang constituency since 1991.He had his early education at Lik Teck Primary School and Chung Cheng High School (Main). In 1980 he graduated from Nanyang University with a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in Chinese Language & Literature, and Government & Public Administration. The following year, he read Chinese Studies at the National University of Singapore and graduated with a BA (Honours) degree.In 1981, Thia Khiang enrolled at the Institute of Education and graduated the next year with a Diploma in Education. Thereafter, he was a teacher for a few years before venturing into his own business.
Fired by a desire to help promote democracy in Singapore, Thia Khiang joined Workers’ Party in 1982 and was subsequently appointed its Organising Secretary. In 1984, he was J. B. Jeyaretnam’s election agent for Anson constituency. In 1988, he represented Workers’ Party in a television debate with the PAP government where he engaged Ong Teng Cheong and Lee Hsien Loong on the issue of the Elected Presidency. In the General Elections that year, together with Gopalan Nair and Lim Lye Soon, he contested in Tiong Bahru GRC and the team obtained 43.3% of the votes.
In 1991, Thia Khiang, as Workers’ Party’s Assistant Secretary-General, won the hearts of the people in Hougang constituency and was elected into Parliament. He was re-elected as the Member of Parliament of Hougang in the 1997 General Elections. He became the Secretary-General of the Workers’ Party in 2001 and the people of Hougang again gave their endorsement and re-elected him in the 2001 and then the 2006 General Elections, which saw him winning 62.7% of the valid votes, his best results to date.
Philosophy:
His principle in life is to act with a clear conscience. Says Thia Khiang, “Since we cannot please every body, we should just strive to do our best.”
Thia Khiang is married with two sons and a daughter.
Treasurer
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Eric Tan Heng Chong陈恩忠eric@wp.sg |
- Treasurer, Workers’ Party - Chairman, Eastern Area Committee, WP |
Background:
Eric grew up in his family home in Duku Road. His father was an accountant and his mother was a nursing officer. His impressive career history, spanning some 30 years and about a dozen management positions in various financial institutions, speaks of his wealth of knowledge experience, especially in the financial and management fields.
He started off working in MINDEF as a Project Engineer in Defence Science Organisation, rising to the post of Head of the Ordnance Electronics Branch. He then left to pursue his MBA in the USA, and upon returning, he joined Continental Bank where he was an Associate Director in the Capital Markets Group.
Subsequently, Eric then joined the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC), where over the next 12 years, he held various positions, including Head of Institutional Banking & Custody and Clearing. He then moved to the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) where he was the business Head of client services in Asia for RBC’s global custody and financial institutions businesses.
Subsequently, he was transferred to RBC Dexia Investor Services Trust, where he assumed the post of General Manager. Eric then became the Executive Director of a food manufacturing company in Malaysia, and helped to turn around the company at that time. He is currently a consultant working with a private equity fund which invests in companies and property development projects.
Eric served his military service in the Republic of Singapore Navy as a Lieutenant, and was promoted to Captain before being released from his reservist obligations.
He campaigned for the independent candidate Chia Shih Teck in GE 1997, and the WP candidate Dr Poh Lee Guan in GE 2001. He then stood as a WP candidate in East Coast GRC in GE 2006.
Philosophy:
Eric joined the Workers’ Party because he was unhappy with the government’s detention without trial of the 16 social activists in 1987. To him, it was an indication that we cannot have too much political and economic power concentrated in the hands of one party such that it like the PAP is bigger than Singapore. He believes that there must another party in Singapore to offer not only checks and balances, but also alternative policy ideas. “It is not healthy for the PAP to be holding 82 of the 84 seats in Parliament,” he explains.
Eric likens Singapore to a 6-star hotel run by the PAP. Their aim is to attract wealthy foreigners and guests, at the expense of the majority of Singaporeans who are the workers in the hotel. “This hotel, although a good one, is home to no one. There is no soul of a nation in a hotel. We have to change this model and take ownership of our nation,” he emphasises.
Deputy Treasurer
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Lee Li Lian李丽连lilian@wp.sg |
- Deputy Treasurer, Workers’ Party |
Background:
Lilian is currently a Trainer with a private institution. She has been actively involved in both industrial and financial sales for the past 6 years. She graduated from Ngee Ann Polytechnic in 1999 where she majored in Business Studies and went on to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree with Curtin University of Technology in Australia majoring in Sales & Marketing. From her years of sales experience, she had gained good communication, interpersonal and persuasive skills.She was both Polling and Counting Agent for the party during GE 2006, subsequently she joined as a member in June that year. In August 2006, was elected into the WPYW as an Executive Council.
In her first 25 years, she was staying in the Marine Parade GRC, and having shifted to the Ang Mo Kio GRC 3 years ago, she finally got a chance to cast her first vote. She helped out as a volunteer during the General Elections 2006. During the process of contributing her service, she realized the lack of information and wrong perception the public have with regards to the opposition party in Singapore. She believes that these need to be corrected and she also wants to create awareness and generate greater political interest among the women in Singapore.
Philosophy:
Lilian recognizes that women are receiving higher education and are playing more vital role in the country’s economic growth. Therefore, their voices, concerns and ideas should be heard and recognized. Therefore, she aims to encourage more women to come forward. The message that she wants to bring across to everyone is: “Until you spread your wings, you’ll have no idea how far you can fly.”
Lilian enjoys singing and making DIY fashion accessories in her past time. She is also a faithful supporter of the ‘REDS’, Liverpool Football club, since the early 90s.
Organising Secretary
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Yaw Shin Leong饶欣龙yawsl@wp.sg |
- Organising Secretary, Workers’ Party - Chairman, Central Area Committee, WP |
Background:
In GE2006, Yaw Shin Leong led a WP youth team to contest Ang Mo Kio GRC team under PM Lee Hsien Loong. Together, the team secured more than one-third of the votes.
Shin Leong is a Managing Partner of Easto Global LLP. He is also a Business Lecturer at a private college. He holds an MBA from the University of Western Sydney and a BA (Merit) degree in Political Science and Sociology from the National University of Singapore.
His Teochew father passed away when he was 13. His widowed mother then struggled to bring up both his younger sister and himself, supporting them through tertiary education.
Shin Leong was an active student leader who held various leadership appointments. His student activism led to his involvement in political activism. From May 1999 to April 2000, he helped out with various grassroots activities in the opposition ward of Potong Pasir. From July 2000 to May 2001, he was a Partner and Project Director of the political-civil group, The Think Centre.
He joined The Workers’ Party in June 2001 and has held various appointments throughout the years, including:
- Legislative Assistant to Low Thia Khiang, MP of Hougang SMC (2001 – 05)
- Town Councillor of Hougang Town Council (2001 – 05)
- Secretary of Hougang Constituency Committee (2001 – 05)
- Secretary of GRC Area Committee (2003 – 05)
- Secretary of Northern Area Committee (2005 – 06)
- Co-Secretary of Eastern Area Committee (2005 – 06)
- Deputy Organising Secretary of Central Executive Council (2002 – 05)
- Chairman of Youth Action Committee (2001 – 05)
- Exco Member of WP Youth Wing (2005 – 06)
- WP Webmaster (2001 – 04)
Philosophy:
Shin Leong is a staunch believer in National Defence & served as a company combat medic in his NS battalion. He is currently with the Singapore Armed Forces’ ROVERS (Reservist On Voluntary Extended Reserve Service) program. He believes in the importance of volunteerism in community organizations and is currently serving his Teochew clan association – Nanyang Pho Leng Hui Kuan as an Auditor of the 50th Working Committee (2009/2010). Shin Leong is against political hegemony and is a dedicated activist for the development of Singapore’s Political Defense via the establishment of a credible alternative presence in Parliament.
As a Christian, he subscribes to Proverbs 31: 8-9. He lives in Bukit Panjang and does hiking, swimming and reading in his leisure time. He also keeps pets. Shin Leong is blessedly married to a fellow church mate.
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Ng Swee Bee黄瑞美sweebee@wp.sg |
- Organising Secretary, Workers’ Party - Vice President, WP Youth Wing - Treasurer, Hougang Constituency Committee, WP - Vice Chairman, Welfare Committee, WP |
Background:
Swee Bee works as an Executive Assistant in a local company and was formerly a pre-school teacher. She holds Diploma in Psychology and a Diploma in Pre-School Education (Teaching). As an Hougang resident under a Workers’ Party Member of Parliament, she saw for herself that the quality of a constituency under a non-PAP MP is not necessarily worse off. Swee Bee joined the Workers’ Party in 2003, hoping to be more involved in social activities through HGCC activities. Later on Swee Bee became more involved in other areas. Swee Bee realise that although there is a very thin line between politics and social activism as both aim to serve and benefit the populace as a whole, political action is necessary to effect political changes and policies.
In the 2006 General Elections, Swee Bee was the election agent for Hougang candidate and Secretary-General Low Thia Khiang.
Philosophy:
Swee Bee feels that a political party, especially an opposition political party in Singapore, should not be looked upon with the suspicion that the party is out to politicise everything in order to gain political capital for itself. She maintains that the Workers’ Party, for one, genuinely has the welfare of the people of Singapore at heart. She sees the Workers’ Party as playing a pro-society and community role, one that helps the people on the ground.
She also believes that renewal is an essential and critical process for any successful organisation. Similarly for Workers’ Party to continue working for our vision for Singapore, it is important that Workers’ Party brings in good people who will be our future leaders.
Webmaster & President, WP Youth Wing
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Koh Choong Yong许俊荣choongyong@wp.sg |
- Webmaster, Workers’ Party - President, WP Youth Wing - Vice Chairman, Northern Area Committee, WP |
Background:
Choong Yong grew up in Toa Payoh and Bishan. His father, a fish-monger at a Toa Payoh wet market, was the sole breadwinner, while his mother helped out at the stall. The hard work of his parents brought the family from the humble beginnings of a 1-room rented flat in Kim Keat Ave to another 2-room rented flat in Toa Payoh. Eventually they saved enough to purchase a 4-room flat in Bishan. Choong Yong now lives in Sengkang with his wife and two wonderful boys.
During his years as a student, his passion for the Chinese language and culture enabled him to build up strong bilingual skills. Upon graduation from NUS, he worked as an IT Analyst at a multi-national corporation, Andersen Consulting (now known as Accenture), for 2 years before joining a local start-up, Aretae Pte Ltd for the next 5 years.
In 2004, when Choong Yong’s first child was born, he felt that he should no longer work the infamously long hours that is a norm in IT firms, and decided to start his own IT venture, ARCWorks, so as to be able to take a more active role in the growing-up process of his child.
A WP rally in Yishun in 2006 was the first one that Choong Yong attended. That was when he was politically enlightened. He compared his observation at the rallies with the reports in the mainstream media and discovered that the truth is not always what the media makes it out to be.
Choong Yong joined the Workers’ Party as a member after the GE 2006, and was elected as a Youth Wing Executive Committee member in 2006, and subsequently as the Youth Wing Vice President in 2007. Choong Yong was also elected into the Workers’ Party Central Executive Committee (CEC) in 2008, and currently holds the post of Webmaster.
Philosophy:
Just as there is no sense in an auditing company auditing itself, Choong Yong does not believe that there is such a thing as a “self-checking government”. Choong Yong feels that, for a better Singapore, there needs to be a strong opposition presence in Parliament. He believes that more transparency needs to be in place, so that decisions made by the government can be checked. The current plea by the government for us to simply trust their judgment will not hold water with an increasingly educated population.
Choong Yong also believes that while renewable energy may be relatively expensive now, Singapore should find feasible ways to tap on renewable energy sources, so as not to fall prey to high oil prices. Choong Yong maintains a personal blog (www.choongyong.com).
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Png Eng Huat方荣发png@wp.sg |
- Deputy Webmaster, Workers’ Party |
Background:
Png graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science in Radio-TV-Film. His work experience encompasses public service TV production, multimedia designing & programming, data broadcasting, and business development.
Currently, Png is managing some own and partnership businesses. He also helps out in the Hougang Constituency Committee organising and participating in some grassroots activities from time to time.
Philosophy:
Png believes political diversity is one of the key building blocks of any vibrant first world country. Singapore is no exception. He hopes to contribute his part in growing the opposition voice and in building a diverse, mature, and vibrant political landscape in Singapore.
Png’s hobbies include art, music, social work and family time.
Assistant Webmaster
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Gerald Giam Yean Song严燕松gerald.giam@wp.sg |
Background:
Gerald has been a prolific writer about issues concerning Singapore for several years. His blog, geraldgiam.sg, is one of the more recognisable political blogs in Singapore. He is the author of the book, Singapore version 2.0: Alternative proposals for a better Singapore (published in 2010).
Gerald is currently a senior consultant with a global IT consulting company. He previously served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a Foreign Service Officer (political and economic). Gerald obtained his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (Computers) from the University of Southern California.
He is married with one daughter.
Philosophy:
Gerald believes that it is important to build up a strong and credible alternative political party that can properly represent the concerns and aspirations of Singaporeans. He strongly supports social justice for the less privileged in society and believes that it is the duty of the Government to protect the weaker members of society. He also believes that because righteousness exalts a nation, our prosperity and progress as a nation depends on upright and moral leadership in the Government.
Council Member
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Frieda Chan Sio Phing曾小玶friedachan@wp.sg |
- ExCo member, Workers’ Party Youth Wing |
Background:
Frieda graduated from the National University of Singapore (NUS) with double majors in Social Work and Sociology in 2000. During her undergraduate years, she joined the Democratic Socialist Club (DSC), a campus socio-political awareness group, where she was elected the Assistant Organising Secretary. She also represented Singapore at the Korea-ASEAN Future-Oriented Cooperation Youth Exchange Programme in 1998/1999. In 1999, she went on an exchange programme to Hong Kong University (HKU) with a team to observe the development of social service structure and support.
Her meeting with Dr. C.K Law (associate professor of the HKU Department Social Work and Social Administration and a Legislative Council member) sparked off her interest in appreciating the relationships between policy making and livelihood issues.
Recoginising the dire need for the community to develop and multiply resources for self-help, she founded Life! Community Development Ltd (LCD), a registered charity and VWO, with a group of experienced community development workers in 2004.
Philosophy:
Frieda believes in having “Unity in Diversity – Each piece of the jigsaw is unique and equally valuable to the construction of the picture. It is the same with nation-building.”, she reinforced.
She is also excited in developing young people in becoming Servant Leaders.
Council Member
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Glenda Han Su May韩苏美glenda@wp.sg |
- Vice Chairman, Central Area Committee, WP |
Background:
Glenda Han is an entrepreneur. She graduated from the National University of Singapore in 1999 where she majored in Economics and Japanese Studies.
Immediately after graduation, Glenda founded Ig’s Heaven, a shop retailing in giftware and homeware, which quickly expanded into a chain by 2001. In 2002, she decided to sell Ig’s Heaven off and took off to travel around before settling down in Paris, France, for the next two years. Her observations of the political scene in Paris first sparked off her interest in the governance of a country.
Glenda returned to Singapore in 2004 and in the same year, set up a cocktail bar, Les Chameaux, at Robertson Quay. It was subsequently sold off in 2007 after she decided to leave for Hong Kong in 2006 to take up a job as a money broker. She is still based in Hong Kong but has since left the corporate world and established her own line of body care products, Baan, which are currently distributed both in Hong Kong and Singapore.
Glenda joined Workers’ Party in 2004 and was elected as Deputy Secretary of the Party’s Youth Wing which was set up in 2005. The following year, she contested her maiden General Elections in Ang Mo Kio GRC in which the team won 33.9% of the votes against the Prime Minister’s PAP team.
Philosophy:
During her stint in Paris, Glenda noticed that the people were very much heard and participative in national matters whereas the contrary can be seen happening in Singapore. “Times are changing; we cannot grow the same way we have grown for the past 40 years, waiting to be told by a few men what is good and what is not.”
She believes in travelling as much as possible so as to widen one’s horizons while building up one’s character at the same time. To date, she has been to 24 countries.
Council Member
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Jane Leong龙秀金jane@wp.sg |
- Editorial Co-ordinator, “The Hammer”, WP |
Background:
Jane is the Managing Director of a local small-medium enterprise (SME).
Philosophy:
She hopes to get things done at the background, which she sees roles as important as the “frontline”.
Council Member
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Muhammad Faisal bin Abdul Manapfaisal@wp.sg |
Background:
Faisal graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in psychology, from Monash University. He currently works as a counsellor with a Voluntary Welfare Organisation.
Apart from a BSc, Faisal also possesses a Civil & Structural Engineering diploma from Singapore Polytechnic. In 1998, upon completion of his National Service, Faisal joined the Housing Development Board as a technical officer and served the board for 4 years. In 2002, he decided to quit HDB to pursue a Science Degree at Monash University.
Faisal joined the Workers’ Party in early 2006 and was the Election Agent for Rahizan Yacob, the Workers’ Party’s candidate for Aljunied GRC in the 2006 General Elections.
Council Member
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Dr John Yam Poh Nam任保南博士john.yam@wp.sg |
- Chairman, Northern Area Committee, WP |
Background:
Dr Yam graduated from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering in 1987, and obtained his Master in Business Administration from the University of Strathclyde in 1994. He then went on to pursue his doctorate at the University of South Australia and obtained his Ph.D. in 2002.
Dr Yam’s job experience spans more than 23 years. He had served in the Singapore Police Force as Police Inspector, and also held various management positions, working for foreign multinational companies including Intel and ECI Telecom. His experience in both the technical and business development realm has given him in-depth exposure and knowledge of various industries in the Asia Pacific region as well as business management know-how.
He has also supervised various doctoral research projects, such as:
• “Degree of market-orientation – a conceptual framework, with empirical and case study of Malaysian business enterprises” by Dr Seah Soo Aun
• ”Antecedents of and effectiveness of strategic management in achieving desired organisational performance – a study of Malaysian public listed companies” by Dr Ooi Hun Pin
Dr. Yam is the founder and Director of NGeNetic Telecom Pte Ltd, a consulting company providing network design and consulting services to regional telecommunication and mobile operators in the Asia Pacific region. He also serves as consultant to a number of start-up companies in North America, Europe and Israel.
Philosophy:
Dr Yam believes major changes are needed in our current education system as the current approach of aggressive streaming, branding and ranking of schools promotes elitism and does not produce creative Singaporeans who can think independently. He also believes in improving our present and next generations through inculcating strong family and religious values so as to build a more caring and compassionate society.
He advocates striking a balance between work and family time, as that would improve our quality of life and productivity, which will in turn help to promote the sustainable growth of our country.
Dr Yam enjoys running the marathon and has participated in the Standard Chartered annual marathon race (42km). He is married with a son and a daughter.
Photos
50th Anniversary Commemorative Book
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