Our constitution

The Workers' Party constitution

Our constitution

  1. Name
  2. The Party is a Political Party known as WORKERS’ PARTY.

  3. Principles
  4. The Party’s guiding Principles are:-

    1. Merdeka

    2. Parliamentary Democracy

    3. Socialism.

  5. Aims
    1. The elimination of man’s exploitation of man.

    2. The general recognition in practice of the basic equality of all human beings.

    3. Equalisation of opportunities for the individual for full and free development within the framework of respect for the rights of all.

    4. Racial equality in practice in all spheres of public activity and equal respect in law for all racial cultures.

  6. Objects
    1. To organise and maintain a political party to give effect to the three-fold principle of Merdeka, Parliamentary Democracy and Socialism.

    2. To prevent the exploitation of Singapore and its people.

    3. To protect and defend Singapore’s sovereignty and independence.

    4. To secure and maintain in Singapore the establishment of a Government based on Parliamentary Democracy and Socialism.

    5. To promote the political, social and economic emancipation of the people of Singapore and particularly workers.

    6. To improve the quality of life of the people to a standard compatible with human dignity and the exceptional wealth of Singapore.

    7. To co-operate with all and every lawful association where practicable for joint political and other action towards the achievement of the Party’s aims and objects including organisations in other countries and international organisations and associations, and to seek in common with such organisations the promotion of peace and establishment and defence of basic human rights and the radical readjustment of existing social and economic standards on equitable human principles.

  7. Membership
  8. Membership in the Party shall be confined to Singapore citizens only above the age of 18 years who are not members of any other political party in Singapore and who subscribe to the principles, aims and objects of the Party.

  9. No member of the Party shall be a member of any other political party in Singapore, and every member shall abide by the principles, the Constitution, the policies and the directions of the Party.

  10. Every applicant for membership must be proposed by a member of the Party and the Central Executive Committee may in its absolute discretion accept or reject or adjourn consideration of each application by simple majority of those present.

  11. Subscriptions
  12. Every member shall pay an annual subscription of $10 and shall be deemed to be in good standing if he is not in arrears of subscription.

  13. Cadre Members
  14. The Central Executive Committee may by simple majority of those present appoint any member of the Party who, in the opinion of the Central Executive Committee, is a fit and proper person, to be a Cadre Member.

  15. Only Cadre Members may elect, or be members of, the Central Executive Committee.

  16. Organisation
  17. The Cadre Members’ Conference of the Party shall be the authority of the Party empowered to elect the Central Executive Committee and by simple majority to deal with all matters of policy, administration, membership, amendments of Constitution, and every other cognate matter affecting the Party. The decisions of the Cadre Members’ Conference are binding on all Party members.

  18. The Central Executive Committee shall have all the powers and authority of the Cadre Members’ Conference within the framework of directives received therefrom, including the power to amend the Constitution.

  19. The Members’ Forum shall comprise all members of the Party in good standing.

  20. Cadre Members' Conference
    1. The Cadre Members’ Conference shall be held at least once in two years.

    2. The Chair, the Central Executive Committee, or 10% of the Cadre Membership or at least 20 Cadre Members of the Party (whichever is higher), may at any time call a Special Cadre Members’ Conference for specific purposes to be indicated.

    3. Only Cadre Members shall be entitled to be present at Cadre Members’ Conferences and vote.

  21. Every Cadre Members’ Conference, other than a Special Conference, shall

    1. receive from the Central Executive Committee the Report and Accounts of the work of the Party;

    2. being guided by the need for diverse representation, elect a Central Executive Committee of:

      One Chair, One Secretary-General and 12 other members of the Central Executive Committee to serve until the next Cadre Members’ Conference;

    3. decide on any Resolutions which may be submitted or approved for consideration by the Central Executive Committee.

  22. Convening of Conferences
  23. One month before the day fixed for a Cadre Members’ Conference (whether Ordinary or Special) the Secretary-General shall in writing send notices to all Cadre Members of the Party in good standing, informing them of the date, time and place fixed for the meeting, and thereafter, as soon as practicable he shall communicate to the said members a copy of the Agenda of the proposed meeting, including all resolutions tabled for discussion.

  24. Central Executive Committee
  25. The Central Executive Committee of the Party shall be elected by the Cadre Members’ Conference including the Chair and Secretary-General, and shall consist in all of 14 members and may itself co-opt not more than 7 Cadre Members.

  26. The Central Executive Committee shall elect from its members one or more Vice-Chairman, Treasurer and such other officials as it deems necessary.

  27. The Central Executive Committee may nominate persons from the Cadre Membership of the Party to fill vacancies within its body whether amongst the elected or co-opted members.

    1. The Central Executive Committee, if satisfied that the conduct of any member is contrary to the principles or aims or objects of the Party or prejudicial to the welfare of the Party, may suspend or expel such member from any post in the Party, and demote him to the status of ordinary member if a Cadre Member, and expel him from membership of the Party.

    2. The Central Executive Committee, if satisfied that any Cadre Member is in arrears of subscription and has not attended 2 consecutive meetings of the Cadre Members’ Conference, may demote him to the status of Ordinary Member.

    3. Such member may at the next CadreMembers’ Conference attend exclusively for purposes of submitting a resolutionseeking to revoke the decision to suspend or demote or expel him, and theConference may by simple majority of those present and voting either pass orreject that motion without debate. If passed, such member shall be re-instatedas of the date of expulsion. If the motion is lost, such person shall at notime thereafter be admitted as a member of the Party.

  28. The Central Executive Committee may appoint and dismiss Committees whether standing or ad hoc with such terms of reference and regulations as it may direct, including the power to co-opt but without the power of delegation.

    1. The Central Executive Committee shall have power, on behalf of the Party, to purchase, take on lease or in exchange, licence, hire or otherwise, acquire, movable or immovable property of any kind, or build, construct, improve, develop and maintain any property in furtherance of the objectives of the Party, on such terms and in such manner or mode as is allowed by law (including but not limited to such property being held by way of a trust or by a company which shares are held on trust for the Party) and also to sell, exchange, lease, license or otherwise dispose of any movable or immovable property or interest thereon.

    2. For the purposes of Article 21, the Central Executive Committee shall have the following powers:

      1. to appoint at least two (2) and not more than four (4) members of the Party or a trust corporation as trustees of the Party to hold any property on trust for the Party and to direct such trustees or trust corporation to do all such acts and things as they are empowered under Article 21;

      2. to incorporate any company on such terms andin such manner and mode as allowed by law for the purpose of acquiring anyproperty;

      3. to appoint members of the Party to bedirectors of any company which is beneficially owned by the Party;

      4. to appoint at least two (2) and not more than four (4) members of the Party as trustees to hold the shares of any company ontrust for the Party;

      5. to direct such members of the Party who areappointed directors or shareholders of any company which is beneficially ownedby the Party to do all such acts and things as they are empowered under Article21;

      6. to borrow for the purposes of Article 21 suchamount of money either at one time or from time to time and at such rate ofinterest and in such form and manner and upon such security as shall bespecified in any resolution passed by the Central Executive Committee to borrowmoney, and thereupon the Central Executive Committee shall direct any Partymember, trustee or the directors of any company which is beneficially owned bythe Party, to enter into such agreements for the above purpose and to give suchsecurity as may be necessary;

      7. to sign and execute all deeds, documents andother instruments or pass all resolutions for the purposes of Article 21;

      8. to accept, undertake or execute any trust orgift which may be deemed to be in accordance with or which may further orbenefit any of the objectives of the Party; and

      9. to discharge the trustees, the trustcorporation and the directors of any company beneficially owned by the Partyand to wind up any company incorporated under Article 21.

    3. For purposes of Article 21, the trustees, trust corporation and directors of any company beneficially owned by the Party so appointed shall hold office for such period as may be decided by the Central Executive Committee or until such time as such appointment is terminated by the Central Executive Committee by notice in writing to the trustees, trust corporation or directors concerned. Where by reason of the above, it shall appear necessary to the Central Executive Committee to appoint a new trustee or trustees, trust corporation or directors, the Central Executive Committee shall by resolution nominate the person or persons or trust corporation to be appointed the new trustee or trustees or directors. For the purpose of giving effect to such nomination, the Chairman or Secretary-General of the Party is hereby authorised as the person to formally appoint new trustees of the Party for the purposes of the Trustees Act (Cap. 40) and he shall by deed duly appoint the person or persons or trust corporation so nominated by the Central Executive Committee as the new trustee or trustees of the Party and the provisions of the Trustees Act (Cap. 40) shall apply to any such appointment.

    4. The trustees or trust corporation or the directors of any company beneficially owned by the Party shall be indemnified by the Party against any costs and expenses incurred or damages suffered in the proper or reasonable discharge of their duties.

  29. Any member of the Central Executive Committee who has absented himself from three consecutive Central Executive Committee meetings without being excused by the Central Executive Committee, should be deemed to have resigned and shall fall to cease to be a member thereof, but without loss of any other privileges of the membership of the Party.

  30. Members' Forum
    1. The Members’ Forum shall be convened, preferably annually, and at such times as the Central Executive Committee deems necessary.

    2. The Agenda of the Members’ Forum shall include Reports on significant matters affecting the Party and such other matters the Central Executive Committee considers appropriate.

    3. One month before the date fixed for the Members’ Forum, the Chair shall sendnotices to all members of the Party in good standing, informing them of thedate, time and place fixed for the meeting.

  31. Branches
    1. The Party may establish a Headquarters Branch, and not more than one main Branch, and as many subsidiary Branches as may be advisable in every electoral division in Singapore.

    2. The Central Executive Committee shall draw up regulations for the establishment, management, and all other matters in connection with the Branches.

    3. All members shall be deemed to be attached to the Headquarters Branch if not attached to any existing Branch.

  32. General
  33. A member shall be deemed to have resigned from the Party the moment a notice of his resignation in writing is received by the Secretary-General.

  34. Only such persons as may be specifically authorized thereto by the Central Executive Committee may issue Statements in the name of the Party and give interviews to the media. The Central Executive Committee may decide on specific exemptions.

  35. The ruling of the Chair of the meeting as to the construction of this Constitution and every part thereof and as to the procedure to be adopted where provision is not made therefore shall be final and shall not be open to challenge.

  36. Any person acting as Chair, Secretary-General, Treasurer or any other post created by the Central Executive Committee, shall have all the powers of the substantive holder of the post.

  37. Elections
  38. The Party may nominate members as candidates for election to public office, and each nominee shall be required to take a solemn oath or affirmation to support the three-fold principle of the Party, and to comply with Party discipline in major decisions of policy, and to be honest and frank in all his dealings with the Party and the people of Singapore.

  39. Standing Orders of the Party
  40. The Central Executive Committee may formulate, revoke or amend Standing Orders and Regulations for any appropriate purpose.

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