Low Thia Khiang

Low Thia Khiang (刘程强, 劉程強, Liú Chéng Qiáng; Lâu Thiâⁿ-kiàng; born 5 September 1956) is a Singaporean politician and businessman. He was the leader of the Workers' Party (WP) and the leader of the opposition in Singapore's Parliament. He had been a Member of Parliament (MP) since 1991, representing the Single Member Constituency (SMC) of Hougang SMC from 1991 to 2011, and the Aljunied GRC since 2011. He is the MP responsible for the Bedok Reservoir–Punggol Division within Aljunied GRC.

Low is one of six elected opposition MPs in Singapore's 13th Parliament.

Background

Low was educated at Lik Teck Primary School and Chung Cheng High School, before going on to study at 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.

Political career

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

Low Thia Khiang is well known for his speeches in Teochew, which have won the attraction and strong support from residents of the Hougang Constituency, who are mainly Teochew people.

In the 2016 Workers' Party Central Executive Committee (CEC) elections, Low faced a surprise contest for the position of Secretary-General 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.

Low announced at his party's 60th anniversary dinner that he would not be contesting for the post of Secretary General for 2018 party elections and would step down to renew leadership in WP after being at its helm for 17 years. Low formally stepped down as WP chief on 8 April. Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing 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 "(w)hile (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.

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, where he engaged the late Ong Teng Cheong and Lee Hsien Loong (who would later become 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.

1991 General Election

In 1991, Low, as the Workers' Party's Assistant Secretary-General, won the Hougang constituency in the 1991 Singapore General Elections and entered Parliament. In 1992, Low was appointed by Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong to be 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.

1997 General Election

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

2001 General Election

On 27 May 2001, he 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.

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 is 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.

2011 General Election

Between 1997 and 2011, Low and Chiam were the only elected opposition Members of Parliament (MP) in Singapore's Parliament. At the 2011 General Election, both Low and Chiam left their seats in Hougang and Potong Pasir SMC respectively to contest in Aljunied GRC and Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC respectively, risking that there will be no elected opposition MPs in parliament. Low's gamble pays off as he led the Workers' Party to a historic breakthrough in the 2011 Singapore general elections, with a victory in Aljunied GRC. The win marked the first time ever that an opposition party had won a GRC, bringing an additional five Workers' Party MPs into Parliament. His previous seat in Hougang SMC was retained by his party member, Yaw Shin Leong.

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% (2626 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 (4 in Hougang SMC and 2 in Aljunied GRC). He has been one of few elected opposition MPs to successfully defend a GRC.

Electoral record

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Personal life

Low is married with two sons and a daughter. He is a Buddhist.