Workers’ Party Drops Trailer For Hougang Documentary, Dives Deep Into Neighbourhood’s History

Workers’ Party Drops Trailer For Hougang Documentary To Commemorate 65th Year

The Hougang estate has long been The Worker’s Party’s bastion in Singapore’s history.

To commemorate its 65th anniversary, the opposition party has released a trailer for a documentary detailing the history of one of its longest-held constituencies, Hougang.

The film will explore the past and present of the northeastern neighbourhood and feature personal recollections of what it’s like growing up in Hougang, residents’ sentiments and the political journey of the community.

For now, the film has no release date, but the Worker’s Party has teased that it would be out in the “next few months”.

Hougang documentary explores Teochew roots

According to a press release, the documentary traces the journey of the early Teochew immigrants from China to the Riau Islands, then to Pulau Ubin in Singapore and finally to Hougang.

In the three-minute trailer, the documentary draws the Teochew connection between the inhabitants of Hougang and Low Thia Khiang, who gave rallies in the dialect back in the day.

This linguistic choice was seen as a form of defiance amid a nationwide Speak Mandarin campaign in the late 70s.

The trailer also expounds on the relocation of residents from kampung settlements to HDB flats and Mr Low’s win in Hougang in 1991.

From there, the documentary is set to feature Mr Low’s struggles in setting up a new town council from scratch.

Interviews with local and international historians will also discuss the spirit of residents in Hougang, something so affectionately shared by many.

Documentary will feature 6 chapters

The documentary, divided into six chapters, will be told in English, Mandarin, Teochew and Hokkien.

They are namely:

• Au Kang – details the early journey of Teochew immigrants and how Hougang got its name as “The Harbour in the Back”
• Hougang New Town – focuses on the personal responses of the Hougang people to state-led urbanisation, land acquisition and relocation in the 1980s
• Hougang Politics – delves into the contestation of Hougang by Low Thia Khiang in the 1991 General Elections
• Managing A Town – shares the difficulties in the town council transition process from PAP to WP in 1991.
• People of Hougang – spotlights the kampung spirit evident in everyday interactions among residents
• Hougang Spirit – tells the story of the Hougang Constituency Education Trust, a community initiative that gives out annual bursaries to children from needy families

Leon Perera, Media Chair of The Worker’s Party, describes the story of Hougang as “synonymous with the Singapore story”.

He also detailed what it means to have the “Hougang spirit”, meaning the “courage to stand up for your beliefs, a responsibility towards the less fortunate, a quiet resilience, a can-do attitude, the kampung spirit.”

The Workers’ Party plans to show the film at public screenings in the next few months.

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Featured image adapted from The Workers’ Party on YouTube.