Eric Low Siak Meng (; 1948 – 3 January 2023) was a Singaporean politician who was a member of the
People's Action Party
The People's Action Party ( abbreviation: PAP) is a major conservative centre-right political party in Singapore and is one of the three contemporary political parties represented in Parliament, alongside the opposition Workers' Party (WP) a ...
(PAP). He was also a general manager. He contested the
Hougang Single Member Constituency
The Hougang Single Member Constituency is a single member constituency (SMC) located in the north-eastern area of Singapore. Its current Member of Parliament is Dennis Tan Lip Fong of the Workers' Party (WP).
History
The constituency was f ...
(Hougang SMC) in both the
2001 Singapore general election
General elections were held in Singapore on 3 November 2001. President S.R. Nathan dissolved parliament on 18 October 2001 on the advice of Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong. The ruling People's Action Party (PAP) won 82 of the 84 elected seats i ...
and the
2006 general election, losing both times to
Low Thia Khiang
Low Thia Khiang (; born 5 September 1956) is a Singaporean former politician who served as Secretary-General of the Workers' Party (WP) between 2001 and 2018. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Hougang SMC between 1991 and 2011 and Alju ...
from
Workers' Party.
Political career
Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong
Goh Chok Tong (; born 20 May 1941) is a Singaporean former politician who served as Prime Minister of Singapore between 1990 and 2004, and Secretary-General of the People's Action Party between 1992 and 2004. He was the Member of Parliament (MP ...
was tasked with the "special assignment" of helping Low win Hougang in the 2006 general elections, along with
Sitoh Yih Pin
Sitoh Yih Pin ( zh, s=司徒宇斌, p=Sītú Yǔbīn; born 1963) is a Singaporean politician. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) representing Potong Pasir SMC since 2011.
An account ...
, the PAP candidate for opposition-held
Potong Pasir Single Member Constituency
The Potong Pasir Single Member Constituency is a Single Member Constituency (SMC) in the central region of Singapore. The current Member of Parliament of the constituency is Sitoh Yih Pin of the People's Action Party
The People's Action ...
. Low and Sitoh were promised more latitude in the Parliament and freedom from being subjected to the
party whip
A whip is an official of a political party whose task is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. This means ensuring that members of the party vote according to the party platform, rather than according to their own individual ideolog ...
if he won Hougang SMC. Despite this boost from the ruling party, Low still failed to secure a win in the general election.
In 2011, Low announced that he would not contest
Hougang SMC
The Hougang Single Member Constituency is a single member constituency (SMC) located in the north-eastern area of Singapore. Its current Member of Parliament is Dennis Tan Lip Fong of the Workers' Party (WP).
History
The constituency was fi ...
in the coming general election.
Awards
Low was awarded the
Pingat Bakti Masyarakat
The Pingat Bakti Masyarakat (English: Public Service Medal) is a Singaporean national honour. It was instituted in 1973. The medal may be awarded to any person who has rendered commendable public service in Singapore
Singapore (), offic ...
(Public Service Medal),
Bintang Bakti Masyarakat
The Bintang Bakti Masyarakat (English: Public Service Star) is a Singaporean orders and decorations, Singaporean decoration instituted in 1963, is awarded to any person who has rendered valuable public service to the people of Singapore, or who h ...
(Public Service Star) and
Bintang Bakti Masyarakat
The Bintang Bakti Masyarakat (English: Public Service Star) is a Singaporean orders and decorations, Singaporean decoration instituted in 1963, is awarded to any person who has rendered valuable public service to the people of Singapore, or who h ...
(Public Service Star) - Bar over the years.
Death
Low died from natural causes on 3 January 2023 at the age of 74,
he would have been 75 at that year.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Low, Eric Siak Meng
1948 births
2023 deaths
People's Action Party politicians
Singaporean people of Teochew descent
Recipients of the Pingat Bakti Masyarakat
Recipients of the Bintang Bakti Masyarakat