The Workers' Party is the preeminent opposition political party in Singapore.

The People's Action Party is the preponderant dominant ruling political party here.

Despite their lopsided numerical asymmetry in Parliament, that doesn't mean both sides cannot close ranks when the time calls for it to represent Singapore on the international front.

Indonesia visit

Because close ranks they sure did, as Low Thia Khiang, former leader of the Workers' Party and the longest-serving opposition Member of Parliament in Singapore's history, recently joined his PAP counterparts on a trip to Jakarta, Indonesia to meet politicians there.

The PAP was represented by Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin and his colleagues Joan Pereira, Saktiandi Supaat, Gan Thiam Poh, Henry Kwek, and Murali Pillai.

Photos of the group of Singaporean representatives was shared on Facebook by Tan, where they were seen having drinks and meeting the Indonesians over formal and informal settings:

The Singapore delegation met with H.E. Bambang Soesatyo, Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly in Indonesia.

Tan wrote that linkages between governments and forming relationships among individuals was important.

He wrote:

It’s been a long day here in Jakarta! We caught up for some drinks in the lobby, chatted and shared stories...wonderful company! We had just finished dinner with some of our Indonesia politicians from the DPR (House of Representatives) Commission I. It’s somewhat like our GPC Govt Parliamentary Committees covering foreign relations and security.

Government to government links remain important. This is where the cabinet ministers meet, alongside the civil servants from both sides. What we Parliamentarians do is the same except that we develop the friendship and relationships at the Parliament and Parliamentarian levels. It is similarly important to do this so that we have multiple tracks and channels in this important relationship.

It was a very pleasant dinner. I chatted with Meutya Viada Hafid who chairs the committee. She used to study in Crescent Girls Secondary School and lived in Telok Kurau! We also had two young politicians aged 23+ and 25 respectively. I wonder if we’d have politicians at this age in Singapore?

It was a meaningful gathering amongst friends.

Looking forward to tomorrow...another full day! Especially looking forward to meet our Singaporeans who are here in Jakarta!

Singapore above party politics

But the issue of subsuming individual party affiliation and party politics under Singapore's interests was previously articulated by current Workers' Party secretary-general, Pritam Singh.

Pritam had also joined PAP MPs on an overseas trip in late August to Bangkok, Thailand as part of the Singapore delegation at the Asean Inter-Parliamentary Assembly.

Pritam reiterated his party’s long-standing position that opposition MPs also want Singapore to succeed, even if they may disagree with the government’s approach, philosophies or policies.

This makes representing Singapore overseas possible, even when both parties sit on different sides in Parliament.

Pritam wrote: “Our parliamentary democracy gives us the platform to have different views represented in Parliament and to debate and criticise ideas and policies.”

“But once we leave our shores, a broadly united front amongst all MPs is consistent with the better future we in the WP seek for Singapore.”

He addressed this topic as he said he had been asked on more than one occasion about how it was possible for opposition MPs to work with PAP MPs in a bipartisan manner.