Workers’ Party (WP) chief Pritam Singh clarified on 26 April, 2025, that the party did not reach any agreement with Islamic religious teacher Noor Deros in return for political support. He stressed that the WP would not succeed as a political party if it “played the race and religion card”.
Singh’s remarks came after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Elections Department (ELD) revealed that foreigners had posted online election advertisements urging Singaporeans to vote along religious lines and blocked some Facebook posts.
Noor had made Facebook posts mixing religion and politics, claiming that only the WP responded to a list of demands he had issued to political parties. He mentioned that the WP had met him and some fellow asatizah, or religious teachers.
Prior to a WP walkabout in Kovan, Singh was asked by reporters to address the matter.
He explained that the meeting was initially intended for a discussion between former Aljunied GRC MP Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap and senior Malay-Muslim religious leaders.
“There was no indication that Mr Noor would be attending or presenting demands,” Singh stated. He reiterated that the WP made no agreement with Noor.
“I’m sorry – we don’t work politics like that in Singapore. We don’t work politics like that in the Workers’ Party,” Singh said firmly.
He noted that engaging with various religious groups is part of political and governmental outreach, but advocacy efforts should not be misconstrued as political deals.
The WP issued a statement on Saturday, stressing that it does not control the actions of foreigners who support its candidates. “Any imputation of the same is wholly inaccurate,” the statement read.
It added that religious leaders of all faiths hold diverse opinions on public life in Singapore, and the WP listens to a broad range of views.
Singh was also questioned about the implications of these developments on the candidacy of Faisal in Tampines GRC. He emphasised that Faisal, like all WP candidates, represents all Singaporeans, not only specific communities.
“This is Singapore. It’s a multi-racial society, so every candidate has to represent all Singaporeans equally and fairly and beyond that,” he explained.
He urged voters to evaluate the WP based on its manifesto, parliamentary performance, and proposals for Singapore’s future, rather than along racial or religious lines.
Singh warned that politicising race and religion would create unnecessary divisions in Singapore’s public space, which would be detrimental to both national unity and minority communities.
Reporters also raised concerns about WP candidate Alia Mattar’s remarks on Gaza during a recent rally. In response, Singh explained that Ms Alia’s comments reflected the party’s humanitarian stance, aligned with WP’s manifesto supporting a two-state solution for peace.
He acknowledged that such sensitive issues are prone to scrutiny but stressed that the party must be prepared for political challenges. “We have to be ready for it,” he said.
The WP chief affirmed that the party’s politics are “pan-Singaporean”, focusing on fairness, inclusivity, and thoughtful engagement across communities.
“We cannot be a successful political party if we play the race and religion card,” Singh concluded, reinforcing the WP’s commitment to representing Singaporeans of all backgrounds.
In a Facebook post early Saturday morning, Noor clarified that his earlier comments had been misinterpreted. Writing in Malay, he confirmed that the WP had not made any promises to him.
The Workers’ Party is scheduled to hold its second rally for the General Election at Temasek Junior College on Saturday evening.
Singaporeans will head to the polls on 3 May.
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