Sylvia Lim: Injection of new blood into WP enables us to take on mentoring roles as we prepare for the future

SINGAPORE: In her most recent social media post, Workers’ Party (WP) chair Sylvia Lim appeared to affirm her status as a senior within the party while at the same time celebrating the infusion of younger members to whom the baton can eventually be passed.

On Oct 18 (Sunday), she posted a photo taken while the WP was distributing the Hammer, the party’s newsletter, of herself with former Non-Constituency Member of Parliament Yee Jenn Jong and WP member Gordon Lim, noting that all three of them had been born in 1965, the same year that Singapore gained independence. 

In the caption, she quoted the opening line of the Beatles’ hit song When I’m 64, “When I get older, losing my hair,” and wrote that all three of them are “proud” to continue to be active WP members.

She added, “We are also gratified to see the injection of new blood, which enables us to take on mentoring roles as we prepare for the future.”

Indeed, Ms Lim has long embraced being the WP’s “Mama Bear,” especially, it seems, to the young female leaders in the party, Sengkang MP He Ting Ru, 43, and NCMP Eileen Chong, 34, as well as Alexis Dang and Alia Mattar, both of whom were fielded by the WP as candidates in last year’s General Election.

She has shone a light on the latest generation of female leaders in the WP, underlining how important representation is even in this day and age.

In another post from earlier this year, she wrote “Renewal is a potent force,” in the caption, adding, “长江后浪推前浪!” This translates to “the rear waves of the Yangtze River drive on those before,” an idiomatic expression about constant evolution, specifically how the new constantly replaces the old, or how each new generation is better than the previous one.

Ms Lim appears to be following the example set by the well-respected former WP chief, Low Thia Khiang, who turned 70 last month.

Mr Low had underlined the importance of leadership renewal, and in 2018, was succeeded by the much younger Pritam Singh as secretary-general. In 2020, after having served as a Member of Parliament for 29 years, he announced he would not be seeking reelection, saying that it was time for the next generation to step up.

However, he also remains active in the party and has stayed on in its Central Executive Committee, the WP’s top decision-making body. /TISG

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