GE2025: WP’s Andre Low says he offers ‘something different’ to Jalan Kayu voters
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WP's candidate for Jalan Kayu Andre Low says he has a breadth of experience from his career in the private sector.
ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
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SINGAPORE - WP candidate Andre Low hopes to rely on the breadth of experience he has gathered across different industries to serve Jalan Kayu residents and Singaporeans.
Referring to labour chief Ng Chee Meng, a former lieutenant-general who is the PAP candidate for Jalan Kayu SMC, he said: “I think I have, in many ways, much more to offer than he does. He comes with his military background. He’s been in the labour movement. I offer something different. I worked in the private sector my entire career.”
In each of his career paths in law, technology and consulting, he has worked at the largest companies, he said. He started as a disputes lawyer with Drew & Napier, then moved on to the technology sector with Amazon Web Services, before he joined the Boston Consulting Group.
He holds a Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours) from University College London and a Master of Business Administration from Insead.
The only child of two teachers, he joined WP in 2020 and was appointed secretarial assistant to Sengkang GRC MP Louis Chua
Speaking to The Straits Times under a block of flats at Fernvale Link on April 28, the 33-year-old tech professional with a global fintech company said he is a unique proposition that differs from many current parliamentarians.
Mr Low, who had previously referred to himself as the underdog in this contest, added: “I may be young, but that means I have a long runway ahead of me. If I have the privilege of being their MP, I hope to serve them for many, many years to come.”
For the residents, he will be continuing the good work that has been done in terms of the estate’s cleanliness and maintenance, he said.
“I want to reassure residents that there will be continuity. If there’s any kind of ongoing projects that have been funded already, we’ll keep those going. And I think residents can be assured that the WP now has a very solid, long track record of running, managing town councils.”
Besides addressing their needs, he hopes to focus on four main thrusts in Parliament if elected: cost of living, housing affordability and access, education reforms to encourage creative thinking, diverse skill sets and exploratory mindsets, as well as future-ready jobs and skills.
Mr Low, who is married with a baby on the way, was initially walking the ground in Tampines.
However, the party leadership had made it clear that as electoral boundaries and strategic considerations change, the team might change too.
Mr Low said he told WP chief Pritam Singh he would like to be fielded in Jalan Kayu if the party was contesting the single seat, adding that there were already “rumours” then about who his opponent would be.
While WP had been engaging Jalan Kayu residents after the EBRC report was issued in March, Mr Low started doing so daily over two weeks ago.
He noted that this was due to the party’s strategic considerations to keep its cards close to its chest.
“I seek the residents’ forgiveness for not being able to engage on the ground at an earlier stage,” he said.
On WP’s foray into the newly minted ward, he said that it is an extension slightly west of Sengkang, which would bring the single-member constituency into the Sengkang family. The WP wrested Sengkang GRC
He said: “I think it will be close. It’ll be a tough fight. It will swing either side on very fine margins.”
Even if he loses, he said he would still fully commit himself to Jalan Kayu residents, but would defer to the WP leadership’s decision.
Noting that the former Joo Chiat SMC was absorbed into a GRC after fellow WP member Yee Jenn Jong narrowly lost the contest in 2011
Correction note: An earlier version of this story said WP chief Pritam Singh asked Mr Andre Low to contest in Jalan Kayu SMC. Mr Low has clarified that Mr Singh asked if he would like to contest in an SMC, and he volunteered to contest in Jalan Kayu.
Chin Soo Fang is senior correspondent at The Straits Times covering topics such as community, politics, social issues, consumer, culture and heritage.
