WP's slate of new candidates similar in terms of qualifications, diverse in experiences

That the party is able to attract younger candidates is key to its renewal, say analysts

- Tham Yuen-C

When Workers' Party chief Pritam Singh unveiled his party's new faces for the upcoming election, he had described them as "a broad range of individuals from different walks of life, different age groups, different backgrounds and different experiences".

Looking at the WP's slate of 14 new candidates, some will certainly take the same view.

The 14 include Dr Ong Lue Ping, 48, a senior clinical psychologist from the Institute of Mental Health; start-up founder Michael Thng, 37; media professional Jackson Au, 35; former diplomat Eileen Chong, 33; and Ms Paris V. Parameswari, 51, a former US Navy security administrator.

Even among the legally trained candidates, career trajectories have diverged - there is Mr Harpreet Singh Nehal, 59, senior counsel and managing partner of his own law firm.

Mr Andre Low, 34, is a disputes lawyer turned staff project manager at a global fintech company, while Mr Sufyan Mikhail Putra Mohd Kamil, 33, is a former coast guard officer turned lawyer.

Ms Siti Alia Abdul Rahim Mattar, 43, a former legal service officer, is now a legal counsel in a multinational corporation.

The slate is also diverse in terms of gender and ethnicity. There are four women and 10 men, with three Malay candidates and two Indian candidates.

Said Mr Pritam Singh on April 20 when introducing the last batch of new faces: "Insofar as what the Workers' Party has put forward to Singaporeans for this election... everybody brings something to the table."

DIVERSE OR SIMILAR?

Other commentators have observed that the candidates also seem to have been picked based on their qualifications and credentials.