The past two weeks of election campaigning has had candidates busy from morning to night, doing walkabouts and door-to-door visits as they speak to residents, knock on doors and canvass for votes. 

This translates to long hours away from home and away from their loved ones. 

And several Workers’ Party (WP) candidates have taken to social media in the aftermath of the election to express their gratitude to their significant others for always having their backs, not just during their campaigning period, but also ever since they entered politics.  

Pritam Singh

In his Instagram post, the WP chief not just thanked his wife for her support during the campaigning period, but expressed his gratitude to her for choosing to stick with him despite his choice to enter politics. 

He wrote that he knew the sacrifices that his wife would have to make and felt it was “asking a lot for a person to make such a commitment, supporting a spouse who would be absent during certain stretches and worse — mentally at work even if he was physically at home”.

“And I have had my fair share of challenges, obstacles and doubts about my chosen party in the intervening years as an MP. But my dear wife walked with me, and did so much more,” he detailed.

He concluded with a touching note to his wife: “There is nobody else who rocks my world, and who has done so much to make me a better person. As our older daughter, and in time, our younger one will say, I love you to the moon and back. Looking forward to the many many more miles to come my love.” 

Kenneth Foo

Together with a picture of him and his wife on their wedding day, Foo thanked his wife for supporting his political beliefs and supporting him ever since he started standing for election. 

While he teased her for her Mandarin ability and highlighted their allegiances to different football clubs (Manchester United for him and Liverpool for her), he also admitted to “having always been smitten by you”.

“Thank you dear. You are my best friend, companion and love of my life.”

Gerald Giam

For Giam, his wife’s support wasn’t just behind the scenes — she also volunteered as a polling agent in Aljunied GRC. 

Calling her “the love of my life”, he wrote: “Through multiple electoral failures and struggles, she stuck with me and kept the faith. 

“Many promising political careers end (or never get off the ground) because of family objections. I'm grateful to God to have always had the support of Elena, my kids and my parents, without which I could not have continued.”

Nathaniel Koh

The first time electoral candidate kept it short and simple, thanking his wife (and mother) for their constant support not just during the campaigning period, but ever since Koh joined the WP 11 years ago. 

Raeesah Khan 

The end of the election period also marked the anniversary for Raeesah and her husband and she took to Instagram with a sweet photo of the two hugging and wrote: “We are equals in every aspect, and I’m grateful to share this journey with the partner of my heart.”

ALSO READ: Pritam Singh's former teacher says that he was a 'quiet' boy with 'non-elitist' background

kailun@asiaone.com

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