Chairman
Sylvia Lim Swee Lian
Age 40

Other posts in Workers' Party:
· Chairman, North-Eastern Area Committee
· Town Councillor, Hougang Town Council

Background:
Sylvia became a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) after leading a Workers' Party team to contest Aljunied GRC in the 2006 General Elections and securing 43.9% of the votes cast.

She is currently a lecturer at Temasek Polytechnic, which she joined in 1998. She is also the Manager of Continuing Education & Training at the Polytechnic's Business School. Her main areas of teaching and research are in civil and criminal procedure, criminal justice and private security.

Sylvia contributed to the volume on Criminal Procedure for Halsbury's Laws of Singapore (2003), a legal practitioners' reference series, and has also collected and published primary research on private security in Singapore.

She holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) degree from the National University of Singapore and obtained a Master of Laws degree in 1989 from the University of London. She was called to the Singapore Bar in 1991. In November 2005, she successfully completed the Cambridge Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA) conducted by the British Council, Singapore.

During her undergraduate and postgraduate studies, she did volunteer work with the Spastic Children's Association, Salvation Army Home for the Aged and the University College Hospital (London). She thereafter did editorial work on a voluntary basis for the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme of the Law Society.

In 1991, she joined the Singapore Police Force as a Police Inspector where she served for three years; she was active in investigation work (including supervision) at the Central Police Division HQ and thereafter was staff officer to the Director of the Criminal Investigation Department.

In 1994, she returned to practise law in the private sector, with M/s Lim & Lim. From 1994 to 1998, she was active in both civil and criminal litigation and handled a variety of cases in the High Court, Subordinate Courts and Juvenile Court.

Philosophy:
With the ruling party securing 75% of votes at the 2001 General Elections, Sylvia is concerned that unless credible people come forward, the fate of alternative parties in Singapore hangs in the balance. Alternative parties have a role in scrutinising government policy constructively and asking for justifications for any laws which will affect the people.

Sylvia loves running outdoors but, due to injury, has also turned to swimming. She also enjoys music in many genres from classical to jazz, and is a supporter of the local arts scene.

Vice Chairman
Mohammed Rahizan bin Yaacob
Age 49

Background:
A businessman, Rahizan holds a Certificate in Islamic Studies and a Certificate in Organisational Management & Administration from the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). He began his education in St. Patrick's Sec School.

Rahizan sees his father, Yaacob Shah, as the greatest source of inspiration to his decision to enter politics. The latter was a long-time party activist in the Singapore UMNO and later PKMS.

At the age of 28, Rahizan joined PKMS in 1984 and the following year, he became a member of its Supreme Council. In 1998, he was elected its Secretary-General. During the 2001 General Elections, he stood as a SDA candidate in his maiden contest in Jalan Besar GRC.

In 2003, Rahizan left PKMS and in 2004, he decided to join Workers' Party.

Philosophy:
Rahizan sees his participation as a political investment on the youths of Singapore. Singapore politics, he feels, is an outfit for the young because they are the ones who will "inherit" society and Rahizan hopes they can inherit a better Singapore.

He aims to help Workers' Party engage the youths of Singapore and reach out to them with political education. He personally predicts change will come in 2015 and beyond.

Rahizan takes pleasure that his family is both supportive and proud of his participation in Singapore politics, especially his daughter who often says, "My father dares to stand up for what he believes in!"

Secretary-General
Low Thia Khiang
Age 49

Other posts in Workers' Party:
· Chairman, Hougang Constituency Committee
· Chairman, Hougang Town Council

Background:
Low Thia Khiang has been the Member of Parliament for Hougang constituency since 1991.

He had his early education at Lik Teck Primary School and Chung Cheng High School (Main). In 1980 he graduated from Nanyang University with a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in Chinese Language & Literature, and Government & Public Administration. The following year, he read Chinese Studies at the National University of Singapore and graduated with a BA (Honours) degree.

In 1981, Thia Khiang enrolled at the Institute of Education and graduated the next year with a Diploma in Education. Thereafter, he was a teacher for a few years before venturing into his own business.

Fired by a desire to help promote democracy in Singapore, Thia Khiang joined Workers' Party in 1982 and was subsequently appointed its Organising Secretary. In 1984, he was J. B. Jeyaretnam's election agent for Anson constituency. In 1988, he represented Workers' Party in a television debate with the PAP government where he engaged Ong Teng Cheong and Lee Hsien Loong on the issue of the Elected Presidency. In the General Elections that year, together with Gopalan Nair and Lim Lye Soon, he contested in Tiong Bahru GRC and the team obtained 43.3% of the votes.

In 1991, Thia Khiang, as Workers' Party's Assistant Secretary-General, won the hearts of the people in Hougang constituency and was elected into Parliament. He was re-elected as the Member of Parliament of Hougang in the 1997 General Elections. He became the Secretary-General of the Workers' Party in 2001 and the people of Hougang again gave their endorsement and re-elected him in the 2001 and then the 2006 General Elections, which saw him winning 62.7% of the valid votes, his best results to date.

Philosophy:
His principle in life is to act with a clear conscience. Says Thia Khiang, "Since we cannot please every body, we should just strive to do our best."

Thia Khiang is married with two sons and a daughter.

Treasurer
Eric Tan Heng Chong
Age 50

Other posts in Workers' Party:
· Vice Chairman, Eastern Area Committee

Background:
Eric was a candidate for the East Coast GRC in the General Election 2006.

Eric is currently the General Manager of RBC Dexia Investor Services Trust global custody client services for Asia. Prior to his transfer to this joint venture, Eric was with Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) where he had been since 2003. At RBC, he was in charge of client services in Asia for RBC's global custody business. He was also in charge of the sales and relationship management of RBC's correspondent bank clients in Greater China, ASEAN and India.

Before joining Royal Bank of Canada, he was with the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC), Singapore for 12 years. He started his career with HSBC as a Business Development Manager in Corporate Banking and held various portfolios over the years. In i998 Eric was appointed Head of Institutional Banking & Custody and Clearing , a position he held until he left the bank in 2003.

After completing a Masters of Business Administration (Distinction) (in 1985) from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor U.S.A, Eric worked in Singapore for the Continental Illinois Bank of Chicago. He left the bank as an Associate Director in the Capital Markets Group.

Eric joined the Ministry of Defence as a Project Engineer in the Defence Science Organisation after graduating from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering in 1981. His last position in Mindef was Head of Ordnance Electronics Branch with Materials Management Organisation.

Eric served his military service in the Republic of Singapore Navy as a Lieutenant and held the rank of Captain before he was released from National Service Reservist liability.

Philosophy:
What makes Eric join Workers' Party?

"Many feel that the current political structure is not healthy. Singapore has to have an alternative political platform or choice. This means Singaporeans must be willing to come forward to serve their country and provide effective competition to the elected government. Singaporeans must be prepared to invest towards building this balanced structure. This competition will result in better policies which will make Singapore a great place to live in for all," says Eric.

Eric is happily married with 3 children.

Deputy Treasurer
Ng Swee Bee
Age 26

Other posts in Workers' Party:
· Treasurer, Hougang Constituency Committee

Background:
Swee Bee is a course co-ordinator in a private educational institution and was formerly a pre-school teacher. She holds a Certificate in Early Childhood and is currently pursuing a Diploma in Psychology.

An Hougang resident since birth, she lived there throughout the entire period under a Workers' Party Member of Parliament. She saw for herself that the quality of a constituency under a non-PAP MP is not necessarily worse off.

In 2003, she joined HGCC with the aim of helping needy people and families in Hougang. She hoped to be more actively involved in social work through HGCC activities. Her activitism in Hougang later spiralled onto the platform of the Workers' Party as she feels there is very thin line between politics and social work - both aim to serve and benefit the populace as a whole.

In the recent 2006 General Elections, Swee Bee was the election agent for Hougang candidate and Secretary-General Low Thia Khiang.

Philosophy:

Swee Bee feels that a political party, especially a Singapore opposition party, should not always be looked upon with suspicion of one that politicises everything to gain political capital. She sees Workers' Party playing a pro-society and community role albeit not being a welfare organisation.

She is married and her hobbies are cycling and swimming.

Organising Secretary
Yaw Shin Leong
Age 30

Other posts in Workers' Party:
· Chairman, Central Area Committee

Background:
In GE2006, Yaw Shin Leong was candidate and leader of the Party's Ang Mo Kio GRC team that secured more than one-third of the votes against PAP's team headed by PM Lee Hsien Loong.

Shin Leong is an E-Business Analyst with Acemark Consultants Private Limited. Concurrently he is a Managing Partner of EDC @ Beach Road Limited Liability Partnership. He graduated with a MBA from the University of Western Sydney and also holds a BA (Merit) degree in Political Science and Sociology from the National University of Singapore. He was an
active student leader and held various leadership appointments, including:

• Singapore Fellow of SIF-ASEAN Students Fellowship (1999)
• 35th President of NUS Democratic Socialist Club (1998 - 99)
• 34th Organising Secretary of NUS Democratic Socialist Club (1997 - 98)
• 13th Committee Chairman of Jurong Junior College's Student Council (1993 - 94)
• Student Councillor of Bukit Panjang Government High School Student Council (1991 - 92)

His student activism inducted him into political activism. From May 1999 to April 2000, he helped out with various grassroots activities in the opposition ward of Potong Pasir. From July 2000 to May 2001, he was Partner and Project Director of the civil group, The Think Centre. Shin Leong joined The Workers' Party in June 2001 and held several appointments between November 2001 & June 2006, including:

• Legislative Assistant to Low Thia Khiang, MP of Hougang SMC (2001 - 05)
• Town Councillor of Hougang Town Council (2001 - 05)
• Secretary of Hougang Constituency Committee (2001 - 05)
• Secretary of GRC Area Committee (2003 - 05)
• Secretary of Northern Area Committee (2005 - 06)
• Co-Secretary of Eastern Area Committee (2005 - 06)
• Deputy Organising Secretary of Central Executive Council (2002 - 05)
• Chairman of Youth Action Committee (2001 - 05)
• Exco Member of WP Youth Wing (2005 - 06)
• WP Webmaster (2001 - 04)

Philosophy:
Shin Leong is a staunch believer in National Defence & serves as a company combat medic in his NS battalion. A Christian, he subscribes to "Speaking up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. To speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." Proverbs 31: 8-9. He lives in Bukit Panjang and does mountain biking, swimming, reading and pets keeping for leisure.

President, WP Youth Wing
Perry Tong Tzee Kwang
Age 35

Background:
Perry graduated with a B. A. in Political Science (Hons) from the University of California (Berkeley, USA).

A management consultant with a US based MNC since 2001 Perry assesses the financial and business situations of his clients through analysis of their financial data and conducting of extensive organisational interviews. He then works with these companies to identify and develop appropriate tactics and strategies to optimise their business processes and working capital. As an agent of change, his position demands interaction at all levels of a firm and across a variety of industries and cultures.

Philosophy:
Convinced that the Workers' Party is a suitable platform where ideals for a new Singapore can be effectively formulated and implemented, Perry aspires to work towards a Singapore which has an effective mechanism for political checks and balances in the spirit of ex aequo et bono. He feels that this is a crucial foundation for Singapore to move forward to political maturity.

Perry hopes that his extensive work experience, which requires him to analyse and develop strategies, will help him to critically formulate recommendations and to implement ideas that will establish and support a vibrant and more engaging political culture in Singapore. His recent contest in GE 2006 in East Coast GRC puts him in good standing to be help cultivate and groom potential candidates for future elections.

Perry enjoys traveling and instructs scuba diving for leisure.

Webmaster
Brandon Siow Wei Min
Age 31

Background:
Brandon graduated from the National University of Singapore (NUS) with an Honours degree in Political Science.

He served on the Executive Committee of the NUS Students' Union (NUSSU) for three years. In 1998, he was elected President of NUSSU and in this capacity, he strove to forge a more cohesive working relationship between the various student groups on campus. As President, Brandon also sat on the committee overseeing the disbursement of bursaries and book grants to undergraduates through the NUS Students' Fund.

Since leaving NUS, Brandon has been working in the transport logistics industry. Initially joining PSA Corp as a Management Associate, he worked there for four years in corporate planning and operations roles, both in Singapore and overseas.

Today, Brandon is a Key Account Manager in Singapore Airlines Cargo and is involved in organizing the company's ommunity development project in Calcutta, India.

Upon building his career, Brandon felt it was the right time to enter politics. He joined Workers' Party in 2005 and contested the 2006 General Elections as a candidate for East Coast GRC. His team obtained a respectable 36.1% of the votes.

Philosophy:
Brandon believes that Singapore's political scene has matured sufficiently for the establishment of a credible second independent political party - one that seeks to express the views of Singaporeans, engages Singaporeans in the building of the nation, moves towards a gentler style of government, and takes special care of Singaporeans who have been left behind along the road to progress.

Brandon believes that a more open society, with the free exchange of ideas, is necessary for Singapore’s continued prosperity.

Deputy Webmaster
Glenda Han Su May
Age 30

Other posts in Workers' Party:
· Deputy Secretary, The WP Youth Wing

Background:
Glenda Han is an entrepreneur. She graduated from the National University of Singapore in 1999 where she majored in Economics and Japanese Studies.

Immediately after graduation, Glenda founded Ig's Heaven, a shop retailing in giftware and homeware, which quickly expanded into a chain by 2001. In 2002, she decided to sell Ig's Heaven off and took off to travel around before settling down in Paris, France, for the next two years. Her observations of the political scene in Paris first sparked off her interest in the governance of a country.

Glenda returned to Singapore in 2004 and in the same year, set up a cocktail bar at Robertson Quay, which she currently runs.

Glenda joined Workers' Party in 2004 and was elected as Deputy Secretary of the Party's Youth Wing which was set up in 2005. The following year, she contested her maiden General Elections in Ang Mo Kio GRC in which the team won 33.9% of the votes against the Prime Minister's PAP team.

Philosophy:
During her stint in Paris, Glenda noticed that the people were very much heard and participative in national matters whereas the contrary can be seen happening in Singapore. "Times are changing; we cannot grow the same way we have grown for the past 40 years, waiting to be told by a few men what is good and what is not."

She believes in travelling as much as possible so as to widen one's horizons while building up one's character at the same time. To date, she has been to 24 countries.

Council Member
Dr Poh Lee Guan
Age 44

Other posts in Workers' Party:
· Chairman, Northern Area Committee
· Vice Chairman, Hougang Constituency Committee
· Town Councillor, Hougang Town Council

Background:
Dr Poh Lee Guan is currently a Senior Lecturer with a private college. He lectures on management and related subjects for under-graduate and master programs.

In total, Dr Poh had more than 20 years of work experience with both foreign and local companies. He started his career with Olivetti in 1983 and subsequently worked with AT&T and Lucent Technologies from 1988 to 2001. He has held positions in IT, technical support, sales, customer service, operations, and training & development.

In the 2001 General Elections, Dr Poh stood as Workers' Party candidate for Nee Soon East constituency and secured 26.3% of the valid votes. In the 2006 General Elections, he improved his score to 31.3% in the same constituency against the same PAP opponent.

Dr Poh studied in Ahmad Ibrahim Secondary School from 1974 to 1977 and completed his Technician Diploma from the Singapore Polytechnic in 1981. While working, he continued to study part-time and completed the following programmes:

· Diploma in Management Studies (DMS) - Singapore Institute of Management (SIM), 1990
· Bachelor of Business (BBus) - RMIT University (Australia) / SIM, 1992
· Master of Business Administration (MBA) - University of Dubuque (USA), 1995
· Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) - University of Southern Queensland (Australia), 2001

Philosophy:
Dr Poh strongly believes that constructive and responsible competition and diversity in our political system will create a more vibrant Singapore - politically, economically, and socially.

Poh enjoys swimming, basketball, tennis, cycling, reading, and classical music.

Council Member
Jane Leong
Age 45

Other posts in Workers' Party:
· Editorial Co-ordinator, "The Hammer"

Background:
Jane is the Managing Director of a local small-medium enterprise (SME).

Philosophy:
She hopes to get things done at the background, which she sees roles as important as the "frontline".

Council Member
Lee Wai Leng
Age 26

Other posts in Workers' Party:
· Assistant Secretary, Welfare Committee

Background:
Wai Leng holds a Bachelor of Arts (with Merit) degree, majoring in Sociology, from the National University of Singapore, from which she graduated in 2001 with a major in Sociology and minor in Chinese Language and Chinese Studies.

Her varsity days saw her actively involved in various student societies, including the Democratic Socialist Club (DSC), a society that seeks to promote current affairs awareness among undergraduates.

The horizons which she was exposed to in her varsity years, coupled with her rich store of subsequent working experiences in the editorial field, predisposed her to think critically about the social environment we are in.

An Editorial & Translation Executive at present, Wai Leng also sits in the Hougang Constituency Committee where she is in charge of spearheading welfare projects that benefits residents and the underprivileged group in Hougang constituency.

Wai Leng has been a familiar face in the Party's Hougang grassroots movement since she joined Workers' Party in 2002. She believes that politics stems from the mission to care for our people and she hopes to use the grassroots approach to reach out to residents, so as to understand their issues, aspirations and concerns.

Philosophy:
Wai Leng feels that a truly gracious society must not only be driven by humanitarian concerns but also by checks and balances in the political system to ensure that the interests of everyone are equally represented and protected. It is with this in mind that she joined Workers' Party. She hopes to play her part to contribute towards the cause of political maturity in Singapore.

Council Member
Abdul Salim bin Harun
Age 25

Background:
Salim, a sales personnel, was educated at Si Ling Primary School and Woodlands Secondary School before graduating from ITE East (Yishun), specialising in Wafer Fabrication.

During his secondary school days, Salim was active as a member of the National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) and held the rank of Staff Sergeant. After completing his 'O' levels, he continued to serve the NPCC at ITE East, holding the rank of Cadet Inspector from 1998 to 2002.

He was then enlisted for National Service in the Singapore Civil Defence Force, where he served in the pioneer unit of the Special Rescue Company (since renamed Special Rescue Battalion).

An active member of the Students' Council of ITE East (Yishun), he was appointed as a Welfare Officer from 2000 to 2001. He also participated in a residential course for student leaders of the Institute of Technical Education conducted by the National Community Leadership Institute (NACLI).

Salim was the youngest candidate in Workers' Party and second-youngest candidate in the 2006 General Elections when he was fielded in Ang Mo Kio GRC helmed by the Prime Minister. His team secured 33.9% of the votes cast.

Philosophy:
Having become disillusioned with the ruling party over the casino issue, he decided to join Workers' Party as he believes in the Party's motto, "Power to the People".

He strongly believes that it is time to have a two-party system in Singapore. He hopes that Singaporeans would stand up to participate actively in political activities and to fight for their rights as citizens.

View Executive Councils over the years >>