SMU Associate Professor of Law Eugene Tan said since people think that the Chinese make up the majority of Workers’ Party (WP) members, WP is trying to address this. Also, in the coming election, the majority of the electorate will be in their 40s and 50s and so might be drawn to candidates in the same age group. Associate Prof Tan added that the two new candidates – Leon Perera and Firuz Khan – are highly educated business owners. As such, WP is showing that it has no lack of talents and its members are able. Associate Prof Tan, who was Mr Perera’s classmate in junior college, said he was not surprised to learn of the latter’s political involvement. Adding that it was a natural transition for Mr Perera as an activist, he said: “Leon has always been politically conscious and has very strong ideas about government and politics in Singapore.”