As a courtroom drama unfolds in Singapore that may affect the future of its largest opposition party, a documentary film is being released that recalls its glorious past.
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On Sunday, the Workers’ Party released 后港 Hougang: The Documentary on its YouTube channel, tracing the history of its bastion of power, the single-seat constituency of the same name that it has held since 1991, and its renowned ex-leader Low Thia Khiang.
The party controls eight seats in parliament and its current secretary general, Pritam Singh, is facing two charges of lying under oath during a parliamentary committee hearing involving lies former MP Raeesah Khan told in parliament. Low, who retired from active politics in 2020, was among the witnesses called to appear before the court.
Singh could be fined up to S$7,000 (US$5,300), jailed up to three years, or both per charge. If he is fined at least S$10,000, he could lose his seat as an MP and be disqualified from standing in elections for five years.
While Low had been keeping a low profile, the trial harked back to a time when he was in the limelight and crossing swords with the ruling party.
The story of Hougang as captured in the documentary is the story of the rise of the Workers’ Party under Low’s leadership and how it became the seat of opposition expansion, allowing the party to project itself into neighbouring constituencies.
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