Latest news with #MichaelThng
Online Citizen
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Online Citizen
Eileen Chong may be WP's best choice for NCMP, not Michael Thng
Following the 2025 General Election, the Workers' Party (WP) secured 10 elected seats in Parliament. In addition to these, WP has also been offered two Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) seats. This offer stems from the WP's narrow defeats in Jalan Kayu SMC and Tampines GRC — two contests where WP recorded the highest vote percentages among the losing opposition candidates. In Jalan Kayu SMC, WP's Andre Low garnered 48.53% of the vote, falling short by just 806 votes. In Tampines GRC, the WP team comprising Faisal Manap, Michael Thng, Ong Lue Ping, Eileen Chong, and Jimmy Tan secured 47.37% of the vote — the second-closest result for a losing team. Under Singapore's electoral framework, the NCMP scheme ensures that up to 12 opposition voices are present in Parliament, even if they are not directly elected. The scheme allows the 'best-performing' losing candidates from opposition parties to take up these seats. With WP having already filled its elected seats and coming closest in these two contests, the party is entitled to both of the available NCMP slots. It is expected that Andre Low will be offered one NCMP seat. The question now turns to who from the Tampines slate will take the other. Much attention has been focused on Michael Thng. Thng, 37, drew praise during the campaign after representing WP in Mediacorp's English-language live political roundtable, where he spoke confidently without notes. His educational background and polished delivery have made him a perceived frontrunner. However, there is a compelling argument for Eileen Chong to be considered instead. Chong, 33, represented WP in the Mandarin-language political debate — a platform WP could not participate in during the 2020 election due to the lack of Mandarin-proficient representatives. Her inclusion this year not only filled that gap but also underscored her strength in engaging Mandarin-speaking audiences. This matters deeply for WP, which already has a number of capable English-speaking MPs, including Jamus Lim, Gerald Giam, and its Secretary-General himself, Pritam Singh. What the party currently lacks is a parliamentary figure who is articulate in Mandarin — an increasingly vital skill in reaching both older Chinese voters and new citizens from China, who often consume Mandarin media. Chong's language skills are complemented by a cheerful, relatable personality and her prior experience in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Her seven years of service as a diplomat suggest she is more than capable of engaging with policy matters and international affairs, qualities that would enrich parliamentary debate. Additionally, her selection would support WP's efforts toward gender diversity. At present, the WP has only two female MPs among its 10 elected seats — Sylvia Lim and He Ting Ru. Lim, speaking at a rally on 28 April, openly highlighted the need for more female representation, especially in the opposition. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Workers' Party, Singapore (@wpsgp) Adding Chong as an NCMP would be a concrete move in that direction. While Thng is undoubtedly competent and well-spoken, WP's long-term interests may be better served by broadening its demographic reach. Chong offers a rare combination: linguistic agility, policy experience, and the ability to resonate with a key voter base that WP must court more seriously if it hopes to expand beyond its current electoral strongholds. Choosing Thng would reflect a safe, conventional move. Opting for Chong, on the other hand, would show a party thinking strategically — one that understands that elections are not won solely through eloquent English debates, but by connecting meaningfully with every segment of the electorate. In the next general election, the ability to speak to Chinese-speaking voters in their preferred language — and with sincerity — could prove decisive in a tight race. Chong is uniquely equipped to do exactly that.
Straits Times
30-04-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
GE2025: WP's Michael Thng wants to focus on Singapore's future in final days of campaign
Workers' Party candidate Michael Thng said he hopes voters can look at the need for a more diverse Parliament. ST PHOTO: HESTER TAN GE2025: WP's Michael Thng wants to focus on Singapore's future in final days of campaign Follow our live coverage here. SINGAPORE - Candidates from various political parties may be throwing snipes and jabs over the last few days of the hustings, but WP candidate Michael Thng remains steadfast in wanting to focus on one thing – what he believes Singapore can be. At times, there may be a need to call attention to missteps or issues in the past, he said. But in his view, the coming general election is about the 'system we want to build for Singapore, going forward'. The 37-year-old said his two speeches so far – his maiden rally speech at Temasek Junior College on April 26, and his appearance at MediaCorp's roundtable discussion alongside candidates from four other parties the next day – have focused on the same issue. 'I think Singaporeans want to know where we are headed, and want to know why (the) Workers' Party is part of that journey, and that is what I am going to focus on,' he said. Mr Thng's message to voters is simple – that policies will go through more scrutiny and deliberation with 'more balance in Parliament'. 'It needs to happen with a different party as part of that process, not with a reliance on an 'ownself check ownself' kind of mechanism, which we have seen has gaps. That is what I hope the electorate can focus on,' he said. Speaking to The Straits Times at a void deck in Tampines Street 91 on April 30, the chief operating officer and co-founder of tech start-up Showdrop was all smiles, fresh off a series of home visits in the vicinity. Throughout the interview, passers-by approached to shake the political newcomer's hand and wish him luck. While Mr Thng may be new to WP's team of candidates contesting Tampines GRC, he has volunteered with the opposition party since 2011. Tampines is touted as one of the most hotly contested constituencies, with four parties – the PAP, WP, National Solidarity Party (NSP) and People's Power Party (PPP) – vying for it. Mr Thng said he was tapped to help out with the party's outreach there in the lead-up to the polls. The WP has been walking the ground in Tampines GRC since at least 2016, but did not contest it in the 2020 General Election. Mr Michael Thng interacting with residents at 915 Tampines Street 91 on April 30. ST PHOTO: HESTER TAN Having had time to familiarise himself with the area, Mr Thng said he has developed a lot of affinity for it, with the sense of community being one example he brought up. As residents in the area come from all walks of life, Mr Thng said his approach to people is to 'adopt a listening posture' when seeking to understand them. Asked how he relates to people who may have different circumstances in life, he said: 'No single individual will have the full spectrum of experiences... I think as long as we develop this listening posture, we will be able to at least empathise and have that curiosity to really understand what is going on, and then (have a) desire to fix it.' On the competition, he said his team has bumped into the PAP team almost every other day, and their interactions are cordial. He recounted an incident that took place earlier that morning, when he saw Mr Baey Yam Keng, who checked in with the WP team to find out how they were doing. An elderly resident that Mr Thng was speaking to then quipped that 'you are all so friendly', he said with a laugh. 'We were joking (that) it shouldn't be war right? That is basically the way in which we interact with them (other parties). It is professional, it is cordial.' He added that his team has bumped into the NSP candidates once or twice during campaigning, but has yet to run into the PPP team. Mr Thng was quick to dismiss the idea that the contest for Tampines GRC is between WP's Mr Faisal Manap and the PAP's Mr Masagos Zulkifli. Echoing what Mr Faisal had said in an interview on April 28, he said that it was a competition between both teams. Besides Mr Faisal, the incumbent MP for Aljunied GRC, and Mr Thng, the WP team also features Mr Jimmy Tan, the co-founder of industrial equipment supply firm Immanuel Engineering; Institute of Mental Health senior principal clinical psychologist Ong Lue Ping; and former diplomat Eileen Chong, who now works at Singapore-based charity Asia Philanthropy Circle. Mr Thng said: 'It is important that we look at the team as a whole, because I think particularly for us, we each bring a very unique, very different perspective. 'I hope folks will recognise that and... think that it is worth voting for.' Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
CNA
27-04-2025
- Politics
- CNA
Singapore Votes 2025: The Roundtable
Five political parties took part in Singapore Votes 2025: The Roundtable hosted by Mediacorp. The 90-minute question-and-answer programme was broadcast live on Sunday (Apr 27) at 8pm. The parties that accepted the invitation to take part were the People's Action Party, Workers' Party, Red Dot United, People's Alliance for Reform and Progress Singapore Party. The participants representing each party were Chee Hong Tat (PAP), Michael Thng (WP), Ravi Philemon (RDU), Lim Tean (PAR) and Stephanie Tan (PSP).
CNA
27-04-2025
- Politics
- CNA
GE2025: Singapore Votes
Five political parties will take part in Singapore Votes 2025: The Roundtable hosted by Mediacorp. The 90-minute question-and-answer programme will be broadcast live on Sunday (Apr 27) at 8pm. The parties that accepted the invitation to take part are the People's Action Party, Workers' Party, Red Dot United, People's Alliance for Reform and Progress Singapore Party. The participants representing each party are Chee Hong Tat (PAP), Michael Thng (WP), Ravi Philemon (RDU), Lim Tean (PAR) and Stephanie Tan (PSP). Mediacorp said in a media release that, similar to GE2020, it intended to invite participants from the four political parties fielding the largest number of candidates to the roundtables. However, since there was a tie between two parties for the fourth spot, five parties were invited.
Business Times
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Business Times
GE2025: Once wary of being spotted as a Workers' Party volunteer, Tampines GRC candidate Michael Thng now champions political diversity
[SINGAPORE] When Michael Thng began volunteering with the Workers' Party (WP) in 2011, he was so wary of being identified that he instinctively avoided cameras, afraid of being seen in a 'blue shirt'. Fourteen years later, he wears the shirt proudly as part of WP's team for one of the most closely watched contests of General Election 2025. The 37 year old is part of WP's slate for Tampines GRC , which faces the People's Action Party (PAP), National Solidarity Party and People's Power Party in GE2025's only four-way contest. In the 2000s and early 2010s, when Thng was growing up, the political climate felt different – with a sense that supporting the opposition could have consequences, he told The Business Times in an interview on Apr 22. 'I think I was very much shaped by (this) memory,' said the chief operating officer and co-founder of tech startup Showdrop. But his mindset shifted during the 2011 watershed election when the WP won Aljunied GRC, marking the first time an opposition party took a Group Representation Constituency from the PAP. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 8.30 am Asean Business Business insights centering on South-east Asia's fast-growing economies. Sign Up Sign Up 'That was kind of a pinpoint moment,' said Thng, crediting it with paving the way for more WP supporters – including himself – to step forward and contribute to the party. After years of volunteering, he took the plunge to run in this election 'in no small part' thanks to encouragement from Sengkang GRC MP He Ting Ru, with whom he had worked on grassroots and policy efforts. She helped demystify what being a Member of Parliament (MP) entails, turning what once felt like an 'amorphous concept' into something more tangible, he said. 'All I knew before this was that you go to Parliament, stand there, and talk about things.' Now, having seen the role up close, he understands that it involves much more – from managing town council matters to organising events and gathering feedback from residents. If elected, he added, he will prioritise his responsibilities as an MP over his current role at Showdrop. Political curiosity Even before GE2011, Thng had had an interest in politics. He first stepped into Parliament in his early 20s, not as an aspiring politician but as a curious observer in the public gallery, eager to understand the full picture behind policy debates. 'I always had an interest and a curiosity around policymaking… there was no other way I could watch an unedited version of what happened (then).' His interest in policymaking led him to pursue a Master in Public Policy at Harvard University after his undergraduate studies. Now, he hopes to combine that policy grounding with his real-world experience – including as a former consultant at Boston Consulting Group – to push for change. Pushing for clarity Echoing the views of fellow WP newcomer and startup founder Kenneth Tiong , Thng said his startup experience has shaped his understanding of entrepreneurs' challenges and the need for stronger early-stage support. Although Singapore offers substantial support for businesses, early-stage startups often fall through the cracks, with help typically available only after a company has gained traction. 'I think there may be a little bit of a gap for companies in the early stage that need that leg up to get to the next, so I think there's an opportunity there to expand support,' he said. Beyond the startup ecosystem, one employment-related policy he would like to improve is the Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) scheme. Introduced in 2007, WIS helps lower-income workers save for retirement by topping up their salaries. Thng supports its intent, but highlighted one flaw: The scheme is for workers earning no more than S$3,000 in gross monthly income – including overtime pay. This, he said, creates a 'weird dynamic' where working overtime could push someone above the threshold and disqualify them from support. While this issue has been raised before, the government has been hesitant in addressing it, and Thng hopes to push for more clarity. On the social front, Thng hopes to champion causes such as smaller classes in schools and letting younger singles access public housing. Both are among the 125 policy proposals in the WP manifesto . Diversity is better for Parliament Bringing a private-sector lens to political contestation, Thng likened dominant parties to dominant companies – both risk becoming resistant to change. When one party controls the political landscape, there tends to be a 'flight to safety' among its members, with a preference for stability over change, he said. This can stifle innovation within the party, with a focus on preserving the status quo rather than exploring new ideas. 'I believe that if you have a system where there's a little bit more dynamics in the way in which we debate… policy gets better and more people get considered in the process.' Nor should people fear that a multi-party Parliament is worse for Singaporeans. Thng stressed that as long as a party holds more than half the seats, it can still pass regular laws. It is only in the case of constitutional amendments that a two-thirds supermajority is needed. Therefore, even in a more diverse Parliament, governance can still function effectively – as long as a party holds a working majority, he said. As for what impact the WP has made in Parliament, Thng pointed to PAP policies that are aligned with what the WP has long advocated. These include the Jobseeker Support Scheme for the unemployed, and the Local Qualifying Salary framework that, in effect, sets a minimum wage for employers of foreign workers. The goal of opposition parties is not always to have their proposals adopted wholesale, but to help shape policy outcomes through debate and advocacy, he added. '(It) isn't about getting exactly what I want every single time,' he said. 'It's about putting forward a perspective – and if the other side comes closer to it, and people benefit as a result, then I think that's (an) impact.' The key question is not whether there are more parties in Parliament, but whether they act in good faith, he said. 'So long as every party that's participating in democracy is doing it with the right intentions and is doing it with citizenry and with the country in mind… that kind of consensus building is a net positive for the country.' For more election coverage, visit our GE2025 microsite
