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As a new day breaks, a small town comes to life.
Like any other town in Singapore, the early morning rush for fresh produce begins to gather
pace at the marketplace.
A cleaner arrived on schedule, and begins the daily routine, as this little town in
the heart of Singapore wakes up to another beautiful day.
[Interlude]
We work closely with voluntary welfare organisations to help ensure needy residents of the estate
do not go hungry.
The heartbeat of this town was felt throughout the year, as residents from all works of life
celebrate the diversity of culture and religion.
The joy and laughter of the children never cease to warm our hearts every time.
We work with kind-hearted and generous Singaporeans to help needy students and the elderly cope
with the rising cost of living.
[Interlude]
Committed and passionate volunteers work hard to keep the community spirit thriving in this
town.
Young or old, each and every one of them served the community wholeheartedly, receiving no
special benefits or rewards.
Welcome to Hougang, where the resident matters, and the same goes to every Singaporean, because
we are the Workers’ Party.
The Workers’ Party was founded by Mr. David Marshall in 1957. It won its first Assembly
seat in pre-independence Singapore in 1961.
It created a historic breakthrough in 1981 when the Secretary-General Mr J. B. Jeyaratnam
won the Anson by-election to become the first opposition member in Parliament since independence.
That momentous chapter in Workers’ Party history came to an abrupt end in 1986 when
Mr. Jeyaratnam was removed from Parliament after he was fined and imprisoned.
Against all odds, the Workers’ Party bounced back and achieved another victorious breakthrough
in the 1991 general election, when its Organising Secretary, Mr. Low Thia Kiang, took over the
Hougang constituency. Rising to the challenge to build the Hougang Town Council from scratch,
MP Low and the party overcame daunting obstacles and won the trust of the residents.
To this day, the Hougang constituency has remained in the care of the Workers’ Party
for the past 19 years.
[Interlude]
Our Members of Parliament speak on behalf of Singaporeans on many issues.
The Workers’ Party has evolved over the years to stay relevant. It has constantly
renewed its leadership and manifesto to meet the challenges of serving Singaporeans.
Low Thia Kiang: We must bring in new blood. Build an organisation, a team; rather than
an individual.
Rejuvenated with new blood in 2001, the Workers’ Party begin to build upon the legacy of its
founding members to transform and grow with the party.
It has become a progressive party that promotes the organisational culture and teamwork, constructive
engagement of the ruling party, and more importantly, constant communication with the people.
The Workers’ Party has consistently engaged Singaporeans on important issues affecting
the destiny of our nation.
We put together a team of dedicated professionals and people from all walks of life to meet
the challenges of serving Singaporeans.
We constantly engage and challenge the ruling party and research on alternative policies
to make Singapore a better place for all. We constantly remind the ruling party in Parliament
that it is accountable to all Singaporeans.
[Interlude]
We share your vision for a better Singapore. We want our children call our island, home.
We believe that public housing should be affordable for all Singaporeans.
We want more education opportunities for our children in our schools, colleges, polytechnics
and universities.
[Interlude]
We believe all citizens should be provided with quality basic healthcare services, regardless
of their income. We want healthcare for Singaporeans to be affordable.
We want our elderly to feel appreciated in their twilight years.
We believe that economic growth should not only benefit the few, and that the fruits
of the economy should be shared fairly.
We believe the limited resources of our country should be allocated to its citizens first.
And we should not be made to feel like strangers in our own backyard.
[Interlude]
We love Singapore. We believe a citizen has the right to decent standard of living, work
and a wealth of choices and opportunities without discrimination.
This is our home.
We share your joy and laughter, sorrow and pain.
We believe, in no uncertain terms, it is a privilege to be born a Singaporean. And the
Workers’ Party is here to ensure no one can take your rights and freedom for granted.
You have the right to choose a caring voice that truly represents Singaporeans.
You have the freedom to choose a compassionate voice that fights for social justice.
Low Thia Kiang: It is important for each of us to play our part to safeguard the rights
and dignity of Singaporeans; to ensure Singapore has a bright future for you and me and our
You have the power to elect a credible voice that truly protects and strengthens our delicate
democracy for this generation and beyond.
The destiny of our nation is in your hands.
You have a choice.
Sylvia Lim: You have to decide whether you want a Parliament where the ruling party dictates
the role opposition can play, or you decide that.
Let’s not have a Parliament where there is tokenism, where the ruling party is really
a hundred percent in control.
A First World Parliament should be about opposition MPs having a mandate to speak for you, because
they were elected to do so.
Your best check against abuse is to make the ruling party pay attention, because they fear
losing power.
Make a First World Parliament, vote for the Workers’ Party.
[End credits]