Low Thia Khiang

Low Thia Khiang (simplified Chinese: 刘程强; traditional Chinese: 劉程強; pinyin: Liú Chéngqiáng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Lâu Thiâⁿ-kiàng; born 5 September 1956) is a businessman and Singaporean politician.

The Honourable Low Thia Khiang
刘程强
Low Thia Khiang in 2011
9th Leader of the Opposition (de facto)
In office 2 November 2006 – 8 April 2018
Prime Minister	Lee Hsien Loong (PAP)
Preceded by	Chiam See Tong (SDA)
Succeeded by	Pritam Singh (WP)
Constituency	Aljunied GRC Hougang SMC
9th Secretary-General of the Workers' Party of Singapore
In office 27 May 2001 – 8 April 2018
Chairman	Sylvia Lim
Assistant	Pritam Singh
Preceded by	Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam
Succeeded by	Pritam Singh
Constituency	Aljunied GRC Hougang SMC
Member of the Singapore Parliament for Aljunied GRC (Bedok Reservoir–Punggol)
In office 7 May 2011 – 23 June 2020
Preceded by	George Yeo (PAP)
Succeeded by	Gerald Giam (WP)
Majority	2,626 (1.92%)
Member of the Singapore Parliament for Hougang SMC
In office 31 August 1991 – 6 May 2011
Preceded by	Tang Guan Seng (PAP)
Succeeded by	Yaw Shin Leong (WP)
Majority	5,681 (25.40%)
Personal details
Born	Low Thia Khiang 5 September 1956 (age 64) Singapore
Citizenship	Singapore
Nationality	Singaporean
Political party	Workers' Party of Singapore (1991–present)
Spouse(s)	Han Mui Keow ​ (m. 1982)​
Children	3
Alma mater	Nanyang University National University of Singapore
Profession	Politician, businessman, teacher

Low Thia Khiang
Traditional Chinese	劉程強
Simplified Chinese	刘程强
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Liú Chéngqiáng Southern Min Hokkien POJ Lâu Thiâⁿ-kiàng

He was first elected as a Member of Parliament of Hougang SMC during the 1991 general election and became secretary-general of the Workers' Party (WP) on 27 May 2001. He served as one of two opposition MPs alongside Singapore People's Party's Chiam See Tong between 2001 and 2011 and was the unofficial opposition leader from 2 November 2006 to 8 April 2018.[1][2]

During the 2011 general election, he led the party to a historic breakthrough when his team captured the first group representation constituency from the ruling People's Action Party. He became one of five elected opposition MPs of Aljunied GRC in the 13th Parliament and represented the Bedok Reservoir–Punggol division from 7 May 2011 to 23 June 2020.

As part of a leadership renewal, Low was succeeded by Pritam Singh as secretary general in 2018, and also stepped down as an MP prior to the 2020 general election, making him Singapore's longest serving opposition Member of Parliament with 29 years in service.[3][4] He has indicated his desire to remain active in politics.[5]

Early life

Low studied at Lik Teck Primary School and Chung Cheng High School before he attended Nanyang University, where he majored in Chinese language and literature, and government and public administration. In 1981, he completed a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Chinese studies at the National University of Singapore. In 1982, he completed a diploma in education. He worked as a teacher for a few years before starting his own business.[6]

Political career

Low joined the Workers' Party (WP) in 1982, and was subsequently appointed as its Organising Secretary. At the 1984 general election, he was the election agent for the party's secretary-general, J. B. Jeyaretnam, in his successful campaign to win Anson constituency.

Low is well known for giving speeches in Teochew,[7] which have won him much support from a large number of Teochew-speaking residents in Hougang Single Member Constituency.[8]

In the 2016 Workers' Party Central Executive Committee (CEC) elections, Low's position of secretary-general was contended by fellow Aljunied MP Chen Show Mao. This was the first time Low was challenged for the post since he took it up in 2001. Low retained his seat with 61 votes, to Chen's 45. Chen remains in the CEC as a member.[9]

Low announced at his party's 60th anniversary dinner that he would not be contesting for the post of secretary-general for the 2018 party elections and would step down to renew leadership in WP after being at its helm for 17 years.[10] Low formally stepped down as WP chief on 8 April 2018. Chan Chun Sing, the Minister for Trade and Industry, subsequently praised Low at a Parliament sitting on 15 May 2018 for the role he played in Parliament, acknowledging him as "a fellow Singaporean and very much part of Team Singapore", and that while the PAP may not always agree with Low's perspectives or methods, the PAP nevertheless appreciate(d) his efforts to work together to build a better Singapore.[11]

1988 General Election

In 1988, Low represented the WP in a televised debate with the PAP government on proposals to create an elected Presidency for Singapore, during which he engaged Ong Teng Cheong and Lee Hsien Loong, who later became the President and Prime Minister of Singapore respectively. In the general election later that year, Low, together with Gopalan Nair and Lim Lye Soon, contested the Group Representation Constituency (GRC) of Tiong Bahru against only the PAP and finished second with 42.2% of the vote.[12]

1991 General Election

In 1991, Low, as the Workers' Party's assistant secretary-general, won the single-member constituency (SMC) of Hougang in the 1991 general election and entered Parliament. In 1992, Low was appointed by Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong as a member of the Cost Review Committee. After a year of intensive study, Low decided to produce his own independent report as he had a different perspective from the other members of the committee.[13]

1997 General Election

Low was re-elected as the MP for Hougang SMC at the 1997 general election, his second election victory in Hougang.[14]

2001 General Election

On 27 May 2001, Low became the secretary-general of the Workers' Party, replacing J. B. Jeyaretnam. He was re-elected again as the MP for Hougang at the 2001 general election.[15]

2006 General Election

At the 2006 general elections, Low won his fourth straight term for the Hougang constituency. He received 13,987 of the votes cast, a 62.74 per cent victory margin which was an increase of 7.74% from the last general election in November 2001. His opponent from the People's Action Party, Eric Low, received 8,306 votes.[16]

2011 General Election

Low Thia Khiang at a Workers' Party general election rally, Sengkang, Singapore

Low Thia Khiang at a Workers' Party general election rally, Bedok Stadium, Singapore.

Between 1997 and 2011, Low and Chiam See Tong were the only elected opposition Members of Parliament (MP) in Parliament.

During the 2011 general election, Low and Chiam left their respective strongholds in Hougang and Potong Pasir SMC to challenge the ruling PAP in Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs). Low would challenge the ruling PAP in Aljunied GRC, while Chiam would contest the Bishan–Toa Payoh GRC. In so doing, Low and Chiam risked a situation where there would be no elected opposition MPs in Parliament had they lost.[17]

Low's gambit paid off as he led the Workers' Party to a historic breakthrough in the election, with a victory in Aljunied GRC.[18] The win marked the first time that an opposition party won a GRC. As a result of the victory, the Workers' Party had a total of six elected MPs in Parliament, including the seat in Hougang SMC (which was retained by Low's party member, Yaw Shin Leong).[19][20]

2015 General Election

At the 2015 general election, Low and his team won and retained their seats in Aljunied GRC. However, the team's votes share decreased to 50.96%, a drop of 3.76%, with a narrow margin of 1.9% (2,626 votes). As the margin was within the 2% range, there was a recount. This was Low's sixth continuous win as an elected opposition MP (four in Hougang SMC and two in Aljunied GRC). He is one of few elected opposition MPs to successfully defend a GRC as an incumbent; he also tied with Chiam for electing the most number of times for an opposition candidate, with six terms.[21]

2020: Post-political career

On 30 April 2020, Low was hospitalised at an intensive care unit in Khoo Teck Puat Hospital as a result of a head injury.[22] On 4 May, Low was transferred to the general ward,[23] and remained until he was discharged on 21 May. [24] The fall affected his olfactory nerve centre, robbing him his sense of smell.[25] While still recuperating, Workers' Party announced that Low, along with Chen Show Mao and Png Eng Huat would not contest in the 2020 Singaporean general election in a move to " to broaden its leadership base and also remain in touch with the ground as Singapore’s population changes".[26]

In interviews following the decision not to contest, Low stated that it is be unlikely he would make a political comeback in the future.[27] Low felt that he had achieved his goals of securing a group representation constituency, which he did with the 2011 Singaporean general election, and to renew the party leadership.[28] Low would remain involved with the party in a mentoring role, advising the present leadership when asked.[27]

Electoral record

General Election 1988: Tiong Bahru GRC[29]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	PAP	Ch'ng Jit Koon Chng Hee Kok S Vasoo	31,732	57.8	N/A
	WP	Lim Lye Soon Low Thia Khiang Gopalan Nair Pallichadath	23,132	42.2	N/A
Turnout			55,663	94.5%	N/A
	PAP win (new seat)

General Election 1991: Hougang

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	WP	Low Thia Khiang	10,621	52.8	+11.8
	PAP	Tang Guan Seng	9,487	47.2	-11.8
Majority			1,134	5.6	+23.6
Turnout			20,566	95.8	-0.4
	WP gain from PAP		Swing	+11.8

General Election 1997: Hougang

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	WP	Low Thia Khiang	13,458	58.0	+5.2
	PAP	Heng Chee How	9,736	42.0	-5.2
Majority			3,722	16.0	+10.4
Turnout			23,505	96.2	+0.4
	WP hold		Swing	+5.2

General Election 2001: Hougang

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	WP	Low Thia Khiang	12,070	55.0	-3.0
	PAP	Eric Low Siak Meng	9,882	45.0	+3.0
Majority			2,188	10.0	-6.0
Turnout			22,247	95.4	-0.8
	WP hold		Swing	-3.0

General Election 2006: Hougang

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	WP	Low Thia Khiang	13,989	62.7	+7.7
	PAP	Eric Low Siak Meng	8,308	37.3	-7.7
Majority			5,681	25.4	+15.4
Turnout			22,574	95.0	-0.4
	WP hold		Swing	+7.7

General Election 2011: Aljunied GRC

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	WP	Chen Show Mao Sylvia Lim Swee Lian Low Thia Khiang Muhamad Faisal Manap Pritam Singh	72,289	54.72	+10.81
	PAP	Lim Hwee Hua Ong Ye Kung Cynthia Phua George Yong-Boon Yeo Zainul Abidin Bin Mohamed Rasheed	59,829	45.28	-10.81
Majority			12,460	9.4
Turnout			133,906	93.5	-0.1
	WP gain from PAP		Swing	+10.8

General Election 2015: Aljunied GRC

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	WP	Chen Show Mao Sylvia Lim Low Thia Khiang Muhamad Faisal bin Abdul Manap Pritam Singh	70,050	50.96	-3.76
	PAP	Chua Eng Leong K Muralidharan Pillai Lye Thiam Fatt Joseph Victor Shamsul Kamar bin Mohamed Razali Yeo Guat Kwang	67,424	49.04	+3.76
Majority			2,626	1.9	-7.5
Turnout			138,474	93.8	+0.3
	WP hold		Swing	-3.76

Personal life

Low first met Han Mui Keow while they were students at Chung Cheng High School in 1973. They were married in 1982 and had two sons and a daughter. He is a Buddhist.

On 30 April 2020, he suffered a head injury from a fall at his home and was hospitalised at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.[30] He was discharged on 21 May.[31]

References

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