GE2025: WP can't be successful if it plays race and religion card and Noor Deros was 'sadly mistaken', says Pritam Singh

SINGAPORE: Workers’ Party (WP) chief Pritam Singh on Saturday (Apr 26) said the party cannot be a successful political party if they “play the race and religion card” and that Islamic religious teacher Noor Deros was "sadly mistaken", as there was no agreement in return for his political support. 

Mr Singh's comments came the morning after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Elections Department (ELD) revealed that several online election advertisements had been posted by foreigners urging Singaporeans to vote along religious lines.

Mr Noor had in recent days made several Facebook posts mixing religion and politics. He had made a list of demands for political parties and claimed that the WP was the only one that responded to him – adding in a separate post that “so far only WP is taking that matter seriously by having a meeting with me and some asatizah friends”. 

Mr Singh was asked by reporters prior to a walkabout in Kovan with other Aljunied GRC candidates to clarify the details of that meeting.

The WP chief said that the meeting that WP had where Mr Noor attended was arranged after a Muslim community member at one of the mosques in Aljunied wanted to speak to former Aljunied GRC MP Mr Faisal Manap and WP Malay members of the party.

“The meeting was supposed to take place with some senior Malay-Muslim religious leaders. There was no indication that this individual would be joining the meeting,” he said.

Mr Singh added that there was no situation where the WP had agreed to his list of demands.

“I'm sorry – we don't work politics like that in Singapore. We don't work politics like that in the Workers' Party.”

“People have views. I think government officials, even ministers, meet with various members of religious groups in Singapore – so do we. 

“And if this gentleman thinks that his advocacy will lead to the issues being brought up by the Workers' Party. I think he's sadly mistaken.”

EVERY CANDIDATE HAS TO REPRESENT ALL SINGAPOREANS EQUALLY

Mr Singh was speaking to the media several hours after the party released a statement saying that it "does not have control” over foreigners supporting its candidates.

“Any imputation of the same is wholly inaccurate,” the statement read. 

The statement also mentioned that religious leaders of all faiths “share varied views and opinions on public life in Singapore”. 

On Saturday, Mr Singh was also asked by reporters how WP intends to straddle the line between religion and politics, as well as whether the latest developments would affect Tampines GRC candidate Mr Faisal’s chances. 

Mr Singh noted that while Mr Faisal is a representative of the Malay-Muslim community, neither he nor any of the other WP candidates will represent only their communities.

“This is Singapore. It's a multi-racial society, so every candidate has to represent all Singaporeans equally and fairly and beyond that.”

He urged voters "regardless of race, language, or religion" to judge the WP on its manifesto and proposals and what the party can do in parliament for all Singaporeans, not specific communities only. 

"I think once we go down that road, you're going to have an unnecessary politicisation of the public space and we don't want that. That's not healthy for Singapore, that's not healthy for our minority communities as well," he said. 

The WP chief was also asked to address potential concerns from voters after Ms Alia Mattar, a new face for WP who is contesting in Punggol GRC, had brought up the issue of Gaza in her rally speech on Thursday. 

In response, Mr Singh said that Ms Alia’s comments were not solely her view, and noted that the party had advanced a view in their manifesto about the two-state solution and how peace should come to that region. 

“Many Singaporeans, regardless of race and religion, are very sensitive to that issue, and our approach is more of a humanitarian concern,” he said. 

He added that he was not surprised and it was "par for the political battle" that people would "pick on certain of our candidates". 

"We have to be ready for it," he said.  

Mr Singh then said that the WP’s approach to politics is “pan-Singaporean”, encompassing all races and religions. 

“We cannot be a successful political party if we play the race and religion card.”

He added that the party will be fair to everybody and listen to everybody's views. 

“There's a diversity of views in Singapore now – always has been, more so now with social media. 

“But if we are committed to handle it thoughtfully, sensitively and within the context of our multi-racial society, we'll be okay.” 

The Workers’ Party are scheduled to have their second rally of this General Election on Saturday evening at Temasek Junior College.

Singaporeans will head to the polls on May 3.