Just over a year after consolidating its status as Singapore’s main opposition, the Workers’ Party (WP) is grappling with internal fissures as chief Pritam Singh’s role is being questioned by his own members.
Singh, who has led the WP since 2018, is facing a special conference later this month called by 25 cadre members pushing for him to step down as secretary general for breaching the party constitution, according to local media.
Sources say there is a generational divide in the party, with the old guard in recent years growing sceptical of Singh’s leadership. This faction – who tended to be Chinese-educated with some Malays – comprised about a quarter of the cadre members, as opposed to newer cadres who were typically young professionals.
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Observers warn that while infighting is common in maturing political parties, the conflict could undo the progress the WP has made in recent elections.
“Such divides in parties are normal. Even the WP has had this before with the contest between Low Thia Khiang and Chen Show Mao. However, for Pritam, what he needs is a clear vote in his favour,” said Walid Jumblatt Abdullah, an associate professor of public policy at Nanyang Technological University, referring to the party’s 2016 leadership vote which saw Low edge out fellow MP Chen.
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Singh is not expected to be voted down by his peers, however, with analysts pointing to how the WP held its ground in not appointing a new Leader of the Opposition (LO) after Singh was stripped of the title by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong for his conviction for lying in parliament.
