Reform Party draws flak for statement on Low Thia Khiang's hospitalisation

Local politicians from all sides rushed to offer their well-wishes in the wake of former Workers' Party (WP) chief Low Thia Khiang's recent hospitalisation from a fall. But one message in particular has drawn some flak.

Netizens have accused Reform Party (RP) of "politicising" Low's accident after the party released a statement on May 3 comparing it to the death of former Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) secretary Danny Loh.

In a statement on Facebook, the party, which is led by Kenneth Jeyaretnam, wished Low a "swift recovery".

However, it went on to add: "This fall bears a troubling resemblance to the circumstances in which Danny Loh, who was the managing agent of Aljunied Town Council passed away. We wonder whether stress caused by Gov investigations has been a factor."

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Loh died in 2015 after an accidental fall in Japan.

He was also managing director of estate management company FM Solutions and Services (FMSS), and was involved in the AHPETC saga in which the town council was accused of making improper payments to FMSS between 2011 and 2015.

The long-drawn legal tussle resulted in the Ministry of National Development (MND) ordering the town council to restrict MPs Low and Sylvia Lim's power over financial matters in January this year.

Low and Lim were found liable by the High Court for the misuse of the town council's funds in October 2019.

Low, 63, is conscious and being monitored in the intensive care unit after a fall at home on April 30, WP said on May 3.

RP's ominous mention of Loh's death and the AHPETC saga in their statement certainly rubbed some netizens the wrong way and set off accusations that RP was politicising the accident.

On the other side of the coin, the bevy of social media well-wishes from other local politicians was decidedly more appropriate.

A number of People's Action Party members extended their thoughts and prayers to Low and his family, including Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin and Tampines MP Cheng Li Hui.

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Opposition leaders including Progress Singapore Party's Tan Cheng Bock and Singapore Democratic Party's Chee Soon Juan also took to Facebook to wish for Low's speedy recovery.

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kimberlylim@asiaone.com