In the aftermath of the court ruling that fined Pritam Singh $14,000 for two charges of lying in to a Parliamentary committee, he responded to questions about the possibility of stepping down by stating, “Well, I think the need of the hour is for me to step up, not to step down”
Capitalising on Singh’s statement, the Workers’ Party initiated the #StepUp campaign on social media.
The campaign involved:
A simple “#StepUp post by the Workers’ Party that quickly went viral, allowing commenters to express their support for Singh and the party
Photos posted by former WP Non-Constituency Member of Parliament Yee Jenn Jong showing WP members and volunteers on the ground, captioned with “#StepUp #walkingwithyou“
Singh’s “Step Up” same same with disgraced NYC mayor Eric Adams’s “I’m Gonna Step Up” war cry
Outside Singapore, parallels can be drawn to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, whose own call to action—“I’m Gonna Step Up” — once captured headlines, in response to his indictment on federal corruption charges.
Both Singh and Adams employed the phrase “step up” as a rallying cry in periods of crisis.
In Adams’s case, it promised a no-nonsense push for reforms; for Singh, it emerged as a direct response to calls for his resignation.
Casting their leader as defiant rather than defeated, WP members and supporters aim to reshape the story, portraying their leader as resolute, diverting focus from Singh’s conviction.
Dishonesty is still dishonesty
WP’s Step Up campaign raises the perennial question of whether social media activism can overshadow genuine accountability.
While the campaign appears to have resonated with supporters, skeptics warn that flashy online engagement should not eclipse the significance of the charges that precipitated the campaign in the first place – that is dishonesty is still a serious offence.
