Political observers are not surprised at the decision and believe the party has selected the right person to be its candidate.
Former Nominated MP Siew Kum Hong said, “I always thought that the Workers' Party should go with Li Lian, to maintain continuity with their choice for GE2011 and demonstrate their faith in and commitment to her as a candidate.”
When asked if Giam may have been a better choice considering his experience in Parliament and higher media profile as an NCMP, Siew said Giam may have better exposure in a short-term tactical sense but noted that “his Parliamentary record also opens him up to potential attack, for instance in relation to his performance during the Ministerial salaries debate.”
“From a longer-term macro perspective, I think Li Lian was the better choice, because it gives better positioning to the Workers’ Party as a party,” said Siew, who also noted Lee’s experience in contesting the Punggol East ward in 2011. Full story
