Former Workers’ Party (WP) chief Low Thia Khiang has confirmed that he will not participate in Singapore’s next general election, reaffirming his retirement from electoral politics.
The announcement was made on 7 December 2024 in a video posted on WP’s Instagram account.
While distributing the party’s Hammer newsletter during outreach activities in Tampines, a resident asked Low whether he was “retired” or planning to stand in the next election, which must be held by November 2025.
Low replied, “I’m already retired. I’m not participating in the election,” adding, “We got a younger generation that can move the party forward. They can do much better than me.” Singapore’s next general election must be held by November 2025.
Low Thia Khiang, 68, stepped down as WP Secretary-General in 2018 after 17 years in the role, passing leadership to Pritam Singh. He had announced his intention to step down in 2017, stating that leadership renewal was essential for the party’s growth.
In the 2020 General Election (GE2020), Low, along with senior WP members Chen Show Mao and Png Eng Huat, chose not to stand for election. At the time, Low stated he felt his “work was done” and expressed confidence in WP’s leadership renewal efforts.
Although retired from electoral politics, Low has remained an active presence within WP. In the lead-up to GE2020 and in the years since, he has participated in walkabouts, outreach activities, and other party efforts, often engaging warmly with residents.
His continued visibility sparked speculation about a potential political comeback, which he has now definitively refuted.
