Attendees at WP's Sengkang rally show off #NotWhite shoes as mark of solidarity , Singapore News
Despite the less-than-ideal conditions at Anchorvale Crescent, thousands of rally-goers showed up for the event. Some even began trudging onto the field nearly two hours before the first speaker, WP veteran and East Coast GRC candidate Yee Jenn Jong, took to the stage.
Instead of bemoaning the fact that their shoes were caked in mud, supporters appeared to embrace it as a symbol of solidarity.
In a Facebook album published by the party on April 25, they wrote: "Our shoes are #NotWhite. Show us your proud trophies!"
The series of photos showed shoes in all colours and sizes covered in dirt and grime.
In one image, a supporter flaunted their white Feiyue sneakers which were half brown.
One supporter also snapped a photo of themself standing alongside others in a patch of muddy grass.
At one point, the crowd — numbering in the thousands — spilled onto the pavements beyond the field.
After police announced that only residents will be allowed entry into Anchorvale Crescent, WP secretary-general Pritam Singh requested the crowd to not block the roads nearby and stay inside the field.
During the rally, Singh said that Singaporeans cannot be passive citizens and must be active participants in the country's democracy.
The 48-year-old used the "fighters" of Hougang as an example to make his point and said: "They did not become fighters by choice, they had the iron in their spine to vote for the Workers' Party."
For our GE2025 microsite, visit here.
melissateo@asiaone.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Forum: Mutual trust between Ukraine and Singapore developed through shared beliefs and values
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox On Aug 24, Ukraine observes its Independence Day – the date when we celebrate the values of freedom, resilience and enduring spirit. For some, it could have been just another narrative in a history textbook. For Ukrainians, independence is a living reality, where despite all odds we continue to stand for the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and international law. These fundamentals are still cherished by many in the increasingly uncertain world as the only viable foundations for just peace and comprehensive security. Solidarity of like-minded partners is vital in this endeavour. Ukraine highly appreciates Singapore's strong voice in the international fora and its unwavering commitment to upholding the principles that matter to all nations – large and small alike. We are grateful for this consistency, as well as for the humanitarian assistance from the Singapore Government, Singapore Red Cross and Singaporeans, which provided help where it was needed the most. These connections – from various project collaborations to people-to-people contacts – reflect the spirit of mutual respect and friendly relations between nations. Our partnership is a good example of how mutual trust and understanding between nations can develop not only through geographical proximity, but also through shared beliefs and values. We are divided by seas and oceans, but united by our joint aspiration for a just and secure international system – where the rights of nations are respected, dialogue and cooperation prevail over rivalry and aggression, and where people stay connected heart to heart. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Courier tip-off leads to HSA seizure of Kpods, drugs in Tampines and Grange Road raids Singapore Large flocks of parakeets a spectacle in Choa Chu Kang, but they may affect native species Singapore Singapore students shine in Paris with record medal haul at history Olympiad Singapore Teacher charged over allegedly making student undress in video call, sending her his nude photo Singapore Painting by police NSF presented to Shanmugam to commemorate 50 years of Police National Service Business 8 more active ETFs by JPMorgan Asset Management available to Singapore investors Business Changi Travel Services cuts 30 staff amid market shifts Asia HK water scandal: How distrust over China bottled water sparked a probe into govt contract Naturally, there is no security without prosperity. Ukraine's technological creativity and cutting-edge innovations, including cyberspace and defence, have significant added value for our own resilience, and we are glad to share this experience with our friends. On top of that, amid the war, Ukraine remains reliable and one of the major agricultural suppliers for the world, including our relief for the most vulnerable people overseas. Knowing the value of freedom and valuing human lives above all, we thank daily our defenders, medical workers, first responders, caregivers and volunteers as our superheroes. As Ukraine turns 34, we reaffirm our unfaltering commitment to peace and prosperity, as well as reiterate our sincere gratitude for support and assistance provided by like-minded countries that share our aspirations for a more secure and just future. Thank you, friends! Slava Ukraini! Kateryna Zelenko Ambassador of Ukraine to Singapore
AsiaOne
15 hours ago
- AsiaOne
Who's sitting where: Singapore Parliament releases seating arrangements, Singapore News
The seating plan for the 15th term of Parliament, set to convene on Sept 5, has been revealed. As per tradition, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong takes the middle spot of the first row on the right side of the Speaker. He will be flanked by Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong and Coordinating Minister for National Security K Shanmugam. In the previous term of Parliament, PM Wong was seated between Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong and then-Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat. Meanwhile, the remaining 14 Cabinet ministers fill out the rest of the row. Leader of the House Indranee Rajah, who is the Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, takes up her usual spot next to the Speaker. Behind the Cabinet ministers are the senior ministers of state, followed by the ministers of state and senior parliamentary secretaries. The remaining seats on the right side of the Speaker will be filled up by several first-term MPs. With the Singapore Parliament's layout modelled after the Westminster system, Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh sits directly across from PM Wong. The Workers' Party (WP) chief is joined by the chairpersons of the Government parliamentary committees. They are 12 groups made up of People's Action Party (PAP) backbenchers which scrutinise various ministries' legislation and programmes. The new heads of the government parliamentary committees were named in July. Labour chief Ng Chee Meng is also in the row, while the rest of the PAP and WP MPs fill out the left side of the House. Following the May 3 General Election, the 15th Parliament has 99 MPs, an increase from the 95 in the previous term. The PAP has 87 seats, with the rest filled by the WP. The opposition party's team of 12 is its largest-ever in Parliament. It has 10 elected MPs and gained two Non-Constituency MPs in Eileen Chong and Andre Low. There will be a total of 29 first-time MPs sworn — 24 from the PAP and five from the WP. The incumbent, Seah Kian Peng, will be nominated for re-election as Speaker. President Tharman Shanmugaratnam will then deliver his opening address, where he will outline the priorities, policies and programmes of the Government. Debates on the President's Address will subsequently occur between Sept 22 and 26. [[nid:719076]] chingshijie@
Straits Times
20 hours ago
- Straits Times
North Korea reportedly has secret missile base near China
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox This discovery signals that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's nuclear ambitions are both growing and increasingly difficult to deter. SEOUL – North Korea has quietly built and operated a sprawling long-range missile base near the Chinese border that stores Mr Kim Jong Un's most advanced strategic weapons, demonstrating the regime's ongoing efforts to advance its nuclear strike capabilities, a think tank said. The base in Sinpung, North Pyongan Province, located 27km from the border with China, likely houses a brigade-sized unit equipped with six to nine nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles and their mobile launchers, a report by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies showed on Aug 20. 'These missiles pose a potential nuclear threat to East Asia and the continental United States,' the report said. 'Current assessments are that during times of crisis or war, these launchers and missiles will exit the base, meet special warhead storage, transportation units, and conduct launch operations from dispersed pre-surveyed sites,' the report said, citing satellite imagery. Construction of the base began around 2004 and facilities were mostly built and operational by 2014, the report said, adding that the complex appears to have been continuously developed since. South Korea's Defence Ministry did not immediately respond to a Bloomberg News request seeking comment on the reported base. The newly revealed missile base highlights the regime's escalating nuclear threat and strategic intent. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore 3 people taken to hospital after fire in Bukit Merah flat Singapore 3 Sengkang Green Primary pupils suspended for bullying classmate, with 1 of them caned: MOE World Israel says it has taken first steps of military operation in Gaza City Singapore 18 persons nabbed and 82 vapes seized in HSA ops in Raffles Place and Haji Lane Life Why should we bear the burden of budget meals and app discounts, some hawkers ask Business Chinese brands like Pop Mart, BYD, Joocyee expanding into S'pore as gateway to Asean market Singapore Religion growing in importance for Singaporeans: IPS study Asia 'Disastrous, useless': New Zealand to overhaul high school qualification to lift falling standards It also underscores a stark reality that North Korea's nuclear arsenal is larger, more dispersed, and more survivable than many outside assessments assume. It signals Pyongyang's shift toward rapid-launch capabilities that complicate US preemptive strike options. Its location near China's border further shields it from attack, raising geopolitical stakes for Washington and Beijing alike. With construction continuing and North Korea emboldened by real-world weapons experience in Ukraine, this discovery signals that Mr Kim's nuclear ambitions are both growing and increasingly difficult to deter. The revelation comes just days after Mr Kim called for the 'rapid expansion' of his country's nuclear weapons programme, ramping up tensions just as the US and South Korea began joint military drills that Pyongyang views as a prelude to war. US President Donald Trump and Mr Kim met in person three times during the US president's first term, but those interactions failed to convince Mr Kim to curb the development of his nuclear weapons programme. North Korea has since rebuffed the idea of sitting down with the US again and has emerged as a key ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, supporting his war on Ukraine. Mr Kim said earlier this week the only way to defend the country's security is to 'make enemies afraid' of North Korea and that its capabilities will be 'expressed through practical actions.' BLOOMBERG
