Workers' Party has bought a new headquarters in Marine Parade GRC

Four years of planning.

Chan Cheow Pong | September 16, 2017, 07:40 AM

After more than four years of fundraising and planning, the Workers' Party (WP) has purchased a property to be its new headquarters.

Mothership.sg understands that the new WP HQ, which will be officially opened on Sept. 29, is a unit on the fourth floor of the commercial building Teambuild Centre along Geylang Road.

Source: Google Maps

Located near Paya Lebar MRT station, the 110 square metre space has a meeting room and a hall with stage and backdrop for future party meetings, events, receptions and presentations.

A permanent HQ

When the party moved out of its Syed Alwi Road HQ in December 2016, it said that the new property will be a "permanent HQ to better serve Singaporeans"

The party had said in January 2013 that its old premises was too cramped, and would seek to raise S$1.5 million as down-payment for a new HQ at a new location.

It was reported that it had already raised about a third of its target then.

It was also reported that the elected MPs have been contributing part of their monthly salary, while the party has also received donations from well-wishers.

Mothership.sg understands that WP's new HQ in the 16-year-old leasehold unit cost around S$900,000.

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New HQ in Marine Parade GRC

Secretary General Low Thia Khiang had told The Straits Times before that the party hopes to own its new HQ, which would ideally be located in one of the WP's constituencies, Aljunied GRC or Hougang.

The new HQ in Geylang, however, is in Marine Parade GRC.

Nevertheless, it is still located in an area where WP has a track record of contesting -- the eastern and north-eastern part of Singapore.

In GE2015, the WP team fielded in Marine Parade GRC was unable to dislodge the incumbent PAP team, garnering only 35.93 percent share of the votes.

WP celebrates 60th anniversary in November

WP currently has nine members in Parliament, including six elected seats representing Aljunied GRC and Hougang SMC, and also three Non-constituency Members of Parliament (NCMPs).

The party will be celebrating its 60th anniversary this November, albeit under a cloud of uncertainty about its future.

Its key leaders including Low, party chairman Sylvia Lim and assistant secretary-general Pritam Singh, are currently embroiled in a series of lawsuits related to the financial management of WP's town council.

Last May, the party had also weathered a bruising competition for the leadership of the party, which has brought its internal differences to the fore.

At least, the opening of the new HQ should be a piece of good news to the party that has weathered pretty rough challenges in the recent times.

Top photo from WP Facebook page