Ms Low Yen Ling, People’s Action Party (PAP) Member of Parliament for Choa Chu Kang GRC, published a Facebook post on 8 January responding to allegations by the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) that their members and volunteers were harassed during an outreach activity on 4 January in Bukit Gombak.
While Low’s post sought to refute these claims, a closer examination reveals several inconsistencies and raises questions about the validity of her account.
Contradictions in Low’s Narrative
Low, who is also Chairperson of the Mayors’ Committee and Mayor of South West District, alleged that PSP twisted the truth regarding the encounter, claiming that PAP volunteers were harassed and even physically assaulted by PSP members. However, evidence available in the form of photos and videos posted by PSP challenges this account.
Low described the individuals involved as PAP volunteers engaged in community outreach.
- Community Outreach Activity:
Low stated that the individuals involved were PAP volunteers conducting regular community outreach at Goodview Gardens estate on 4 January. - Unprovoked Harassment by PSP Members:
She claimed that PAP volunteers were approached and harassed by PSP members, who allegedly initiated confrontations. - Physical Assaults:
Low alleged that one PAP volunteer (Male Volunteer 1) was slapped twice—once in a lift and again in a corridor—and subjected to derogatory insults. - Forced Interactions:
Another PAP volunteer (Male Volunteer 2) was allegedly forcibly pulled by his shirt by PSP members, who also insisted on taking a wefie and video with him. - Taunts and Filming:
According to Low, PSP members taunted the PAP volunteers, took photos of them, and recorded their movements. - Doxxing and Online Harassment:
Low claimed that photos of PAP volunteers, particularly women, were shared online by PSP members, leading to doxxing and emotional distress.
Unclear Identification of PAP Volunteers
However, photos and videos from PSP showed the men in question were not wearing the PAP’s official white uniform or any attire identifying them as part of a PAP outreach team.
Male volunteers that followed PSP volunteers on 4 Jan 2025.
When confronted by PSP members about their actions, these individuals did not identify themselves or clarify their role. This silence is inconsistent with Low’s claims that they were part of a legitimate outreach effort. It also raises questions about how the PSP team could have harassed them specifically for being PAP volunteers, as their affiliation would not have been known.
It was, instead, The Online Citizen that identified these male individuals as members of the PAP. This connection was made by referencing Low’s own photos from the PAP’s 70th anniversary event last year.
Photo of Low Yen Ling with her party activists, including individuals identified following PSP volunteer team on 4 Jan 2025.
Absence of Supporting Evidence from Low
Despite the serious nature of her allegations, Low did not provide any videos or photos to substantiate her account. This contrasts sharply with PSP, which uploaded clear evidence of the interactions.
The photos shared by PSP depicted men, later identified as party activists through Low’s previous public posts, following PSP members and taking videos of them. None of these images supported Low’s narrative of harassment or assault.
Behaviour Captured in Photos and Videos
Photos showed the alleged PAP volunteers posing for photos while PSP members took wefies, appearing unperturbed rather than distressed. If the PSP volunteers’ actions were truly distressing, one would expect the PAP volunteers to turn away or avoid having their photos taken. This directly contradicts Low’s claims that her volunteers were taunted or felt threatened.
PAP volunteers (including the male volunteer not in party colours) posing behind PSP volunteers.
Questions About Alleged Assault and Harassment
Low’s post also mentioned two male PAP volunteers—referred to as Male Volunteer 1 and Male Volunteer 2—who were allegedly slapped, taunted, and forcibly pulled for photos by PSP members.
Yet this claim raises significant doubts:
Lack of a Police Report
Low admitted they considered filing a police report but decided against it, a puzzling decision given the PAP’s history of escalating even minor transgressions into legal action. If her volunteers were truly assaulted, the lack of a police report undermines the seriousness of her allegations.
In contrast, it was a PSP volunteer who filed a police report, standing by her claim of being harassed, including having a phone held directly in front of her face.
Absence of Photographic Evidence
No evidence has been produced to corroborate the claims of physical assault or derogatory language used against PAP volunteers.
Given that the alleged behaviour occurred in public and involved multiple individuals, the absence of documented proof is questionable—particularly since it is evident that these individuals had their own devices and likely recorded the events.
Behaviour of Alleged Volunteers
Videos from PSP showed the individuals, whom Low described as victims, actively following PSP members and recording them. This behaviour appears inconsistent with Low’s portrayal of the PAP team as passive participants in the incident.
Even when questioned, these individuals did not identify themselves or state that the PSP volunteers had engaged in any of the behaviours alleged in Low’s Facebook post.
Furthermore, the PAP volunteer in black was previously spotted following the PSP team in November last year, clearly indicating that this was not a matter of coincidence. Notably, Low made no mention of this in her account, as the male volunteer would likely have spoken up if PSP volunteers had been stalking him instead.
Photo taken on 9 November 2024
Public Reactions and Concerns
Low’s post has drawn criticism, with many questioning the lack of evidence to support her claims.
Some commenters who sought clarification or requested that a police report be filed were reportedly blocked from her Facebook page. This has led to allegations of suppressing dissent and avoiding scrutiny.
Low’s Facebook post appears to misrepresent the events of 4 January, as her allegations are not substantiated by any evidence. In contrast, PSP’s photos and videos, included in this article, directly contradict her claims of harassment and assault.
The evidence shows that the individuals described as PAP volunteers followed PSP members, did not identify themselves when questioned, and displayed behaviour inconsistent with being victims of harassment. Furthermore, photos from a prior incident in November reveal similar behaviour, undermining claims that this was coincidental.
Without credible evidence, Low’s post risks being perceived as an attempt to manipulate public perception and shift the narrative away from PSP’s documented allegations, aided by mainstream media amplifying her baseless claims.
Actions such as deleting critical comments, banning accounts that question her story or request more evidence, and presenting an unsupported narrative further deepen these concerns.
Given the seriousness of her allegations, if Low possesses additional evidence—such as CCTV footage from the lift where she claimed her volunteer was slapped—it is imperative that she produces it. Failure to do so not only weakens her account but also risks undermining her credibility and reputation as a public figure.
