‘You have to be responsible for residents’: WP’s Ron Tan on best lesson from Low Thia Khiang

Workers' Party member Ron Tan Jun Yen has called it a "bittersweet moment" being the last legislative assistant (LA) to former Workers' Party chief Low Thia Khiang, who announced yesterday (June 25) that he was stepping down from electoral politics.

Tan, 34, was among five Workers' Party candidates who were confirmed by the party to contest in the upcoming general election. 

The other candidates include shipping lawyer and NCMP Dennis Tan, 48, who will be contesting in Hougang single-member constituency (SMC) and Dylan Ng, 45, who works in the finance industry.

Economist Jamus Lim, 44, and social activist Raeesah Khan, 26, are the two new faces who were unveiled at a virtual press conference today. 

Lesson learnt from Low

Said Tan: "It’s a bittersweet moment that I happen to be the last LA working with him (Low), after his recent announcement that he’s stepping down from the upcoming election."

Responding to a question on what is the best lesson he had learnt from Low, Tan replied: "The best lesson I’ve learnt from him is that you have to be responsible for the residents."

Tan explained: "You’re elected to take on the responsibility to look after them, to manage the estate, to be the voice for them in parliament, and to assist them in their day-to-day issues." 

He added that Low would personally deal with a problem faced by a resident, no matter how small it was.

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"It could be something as simple as, ‘eh the lightbulb outside my unit is not working, can you please help me'," and Low would follow up to make sure the issues are fixed, said Tan. 

Tan, who is a senior assistant manager at the National University Health System research office, was a candidate in the 2015 general election for Nee Soon GRC, which was won by the People's Action Party.

He added that he has also walked the ground at WP's Aljunied ward in recent times.

"It’s not easy to walk the home ground, especially when there’s a lot of expectation on us, as the incumbents of the constituency itself."

The Workers' Party has not released full details on which candidates will be fielded in which constituencies, but added that more will candidates, as well as the party's manifesto, will be revealed over the weekend. 

However, party chief Pritam Singh confirmed that Aljunied GRC will be represented by himself, Sylvia Lim, Faisal Manap, Leon Perera and Gerald Giam.

candicecai@asiaone.com