Singapore GE: Ex-Workers' Party chief Low Thia Khiang recovering and in good spirits, says Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin

Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin said he had kept in touch with Mr Low Thia Khiang since his fall. PHOTO: TAN CHUAN-JIN/FACEBOOK

SINGAPORE - Former Workers' Party (WP) chief Low Thia Khiang is in good spirits and is recovering well, said Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin on Tuesday (June 23).

Mr Tan made the remarks in a Facebook post that also featured a photo of the two men, both wearing face masks.

Mr Low, 63, injured his head in a fall on April 30. He was admitted to the intensive care unit of Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, and discharged after 21 days.

Mr Tan, in his post, said he had kept in touch with Mr Low since his fall.

He said: "Glad to see Mr Low again. Have kept in touch with him since his fall and am glad to see him in good spirits and recovering. Had a nice long chat on a range of topics."

Mr Tan also thanked Mr Low for tea and bak chang or rice dumplings. "Hope you like the durian and pears, too," he added.

The veteran politician is the former secretary-general of the WP, and an MP for Aljunied GRC.

The other WP MPs in Aljunied GRC have been covering Mr Low's constituency duties after his fall, with help from former Non-Constituency MP Gerald Giam.

Mr Low is the longest-serving opposition MP in Singapore. He entered politics in 1988, and stood for election as a WP candidate in Tiong Bahru GRC but did not win.

In 1991, he won the Hougang single-member seat, and has been an MP since.

Mr Low took over as secretary-general of the WP from Mr J.B. Jeyaretnam in 2001 and led the party for 17 years before stepping down two years ago. His successor is Aljunied GRC MP Pritam Singh.

Mr Low is credited with being the first opposition leader to win a GRC after he led the WP team to victory in Aljunied GRC in 2011.

It is unclear if Mr Low will stand for election again in the upcoming polls, which will be held on July 10. The WP said he is on the mend but party sources said he was thinking about retirement even before he got injured.

Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.