Workers’ Party Fan Appeals For Support As Donations Cross $1 Million Mark
A second-generation Workers’ Party (WP) supporter took to Facebook to appeal for help, after Pritam Singh, Sylvia Lim and Low Thia Khiang launched their donation page, In Good Faith.
His heartfelt post included anecdotes about how his father’s relationship with Mr Low Thia Khiang made him into the person he is today.
His love for WP now extends to the next generation, in the form of his young daughter who has been going for rallies since 2011-2016.
Here’s his post in full.
Appeal for help
Calvin Sim began his post by saying that he understood Workers’ Party needed all the support they could get.
As for his family’s ties to WP, he added,
Without them, my girl will not be as what she is now.
Mr Sim had been bringing his daughter to WP rallies from 2011 to 2016.
And that was where his young daughter understood that there are “a lot of people fighting for what is right”.
His daughter has also come to view Sylvia Lim as a role model over the years.
Family of 6 in a 3-room Hougang flat
Growing up as a family of 6 in a 3-room flat in Hougang, Mr Sim and his folks used to be PAP supporters.
Things were simpler then, as he shared that there was no incentive to stir up a fuss about the little things in the neighbourhood.
In his words,
Who will bother the block you stay in algae all over. Who will bother to complain Town Council for it back then.
As long as there was a roof over their heads, they were content.
But his family soon met with a crisis when “1 payment of TC” was delayed, as the 4 children in his family were studying. Mr Sim shared that the TC immediately sent his family a lawyer’s letter to pay without any negotiation.
A fateful meeting with Mr Low
Young Calvin remembers his first encounter with Mr Low Thia Khiang, as he followed his father to a rally held around Block 320’s carpark. He shares that he hasn’t forgotten this moment even after many years.
Calvin’s father volunteered to help Mr Low after he won Hougang, attending events, wakes and looking out for the neighbourhood.
Said Mr Sim,
Mr Low always will take care of everyone in need even you never ask, he will come to ask you first. Putting his fullest effort to make my neighbourhood clean and presentable.
Calvin continued to be greatly inspired by Mr Low’s actions over the years.
Following in his dad’s footsteps
As his father got older, he eventually ended his service for WP. But Calvin shares that Mr Low never stopped “keeping a look out” for his dad.
When the 2006 election came around, Calvin took on the mantle of helping WP as a supporter in Hougang’s campaigning efforts. He even brought his wife and daughter along to meet-ups.
He recalls carrying his “sleeping child in a sarong” to a “temple tour”, to which many uncles and aunties gave him “thumbs up” for his fervent and tireless work ethic.
A touching final send-off
In Feb 2017, Calvin’s father finally passed away. Member of Parliament Png Eng Huat turned up for his wake, with another WP mainstay in tow,
And to my surprise, old friend of my father came too. It’s Mr Low.
Brainwashing his child?
The proud father related that he had to edit his post as naysayers called him out for “brainwash(ing)” his daughter to be a “kid slave” or using his child to pander for WP support.
To add further context, the shirt his child is wearing is on sale for WP supporters.
But Calvin thinks his daughter has chosen to become a third-gen WP fan, all on her own.
According to him, during the 2016 General Election, his daughter shouted “Workers’ Party”, upon seeing PAP candidates and volunteers inside her kindergarten, without any adult instructions to do so.
$1 million raised in 3 days
Thanks to passionate supporters like Mr Sim, the WP trio has now closed the appeal after raising $1,067,210 as of Saturday (27 Oct), at 10PM.
Mr Low, Ms Lim and Mr Singh have thanked the public for their “incredible outpouring of support”, to which they’ve felt extremely “touched”.
Members of the public have been told to hold their contributions for now, as the amount raised “substantially covers the legal fees required”.
In their own words,
We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. The financial support is crucial but the moral support you have given us is incalculable.
– Sylvia, Pritam and Mr Low
Never too young to help
We think it’s great that Calvin’s daughter is developing an interest in politics at a young age, regardless of her affiliation.
As to whom she should support, Calvin says he will leave that choice up to her.
For now, feisty young Caitlyn has told him that she wants “to be like Sylvia and Daddy”, by helping people and making others happy.
When it comes to making a difference, and believing in our future, age is just a number after all.
You’ll never be too young to help.
Featured image from Facebook.
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