26-04-2025
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.
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'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.'
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