General Election 2025

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GE2025: PPP takes aim at WP, government policies in first rally​

PPP secretary-general Goh Meng Seng said WP and its chief Pritam Singh had betrayed voters in Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC by not contesting there.ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR
Aqil Hamzah and Harith Mustaffa
Apr 25, 2025

SINGAPORE - The People’s Power Party (PPP) took aim at Singapore’s main opposition party WP and several government policies, including the national Covid-19 vaccination drive, at its rally for the general election.

At Temasek Junior College in Tampines, PPP secretary-general Goh Meng Seng said WP and its chief Pritam Singh had betrayed voters in Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC by not contesting there, resulting in a walkover for the PAP.

“I was very angry… because they have abandoned 130,000 voters in Marine Parade. On what good grounds? To come to Tampines for a four-cornered fight?”

Denouncing the WP’s move as one that “no one in his right mind” would find strategic, Mr Goh was of the view that WP decided to instead contest Tampines GRC to stop the PPP from entering Parliament and raising the issue of vaccine safety.

Tampines GRC will see a four-cornered contest in the May 3 election, with the PAP defending the five-member constituency against WP, PPP and the National Solidarity Party (NSP).

WP and PPP are first-time challengers in the constituency.

Mr Goh had first criticised WP’s move not to contest Marine Parade-Braddell Heights on Nomination Day on April 23.

Responding to Mr Goh’s comments on the morning of April 24, Mr Singh, WP’s secretary-general, said: “Mr Goh should focus on the campaign in Tampines.”

Mr Goh said later at the rally on April 24 that he was moving on to talk about policies.

“Don’t ask me about Pritam Singh again. I’m not interested in him, I’m not gay.” His comment drew laughter from spectators.


Clad in the party’s light purple, all 10 of the PPP’s candidates contesting Tampines and Ang Mo Kio GRCs attended the rally, although only eight of them spoke.

Aside from criticising the national Covid-19 vaccination drive, other issues they raised included job insecurity and Singapore’s immigration policy.

Mr Heng Zheng Dao, 24, PPP’s candidate in Ang Mo Kio GRC and the youngest candidate in this election, made the point about people his age being overlooked for jobs as they have to compete with foreigners.

The proliferation of artificial intelligence was another worry, he said, citing how self-driving cars might affect the livelihoods of private-hire car drivers and food-delivery riders.

Speaking after him were his Ang Mo Kio GRC teammates Thaddeus Thomas, 43, who touched on the cost of living, and Mr William Lim, 47, who spoke about public housing, the India-Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement and other issues.

PPP chairman Derrick Sim, 44, who later rose to speak, said he decided to run as a candidate because he felt there were issues with government policies, such as the Infectious Diseases Act, that needed to be addressed.

Mr Sim, a former police officer who is standing in Tampines GRC, said many of his friends had told him that the PPP team would lose its election deposit going up against the WP.

But he said he was not “here for the winning or losing”.

“I do not have political aspirations. I’m here to bring the truth. I serve with only one heart, and to bring this vaccine issue to all of you,” he told the crowd.

Mr Sim’s Tampines GRC teammate, Madam Arbaah Haroun, said she would champion causes such as the high cost of living, the needs of families and job security.

Shortly after speaking in English, the entrepreneur switched to Malay, saying that she has known WP vice-chair Faisal Manap for some time and has done charity work with him.

Mr Faisal, an incumbent of Aljunied GRC, is leading a WP team to contest Tampines GRC at this election. Despite having to compete against each other, Madam Arbaah and Mr Faisal remain friends, with the competition centred on building Singapore, said Mr Goh.

During her speech, Madam Arbaah recited a Malay poem, which she wrote, that took jabs at Social and Family Development Minister Masagos Zulkifli, the anchor minister of the PAP’s Tampines GRC team.

Landscaping executive Vere Nathan, 26, who is part of PPP’s Tampines GRC slate, said the party would speak the truth if elected.

“It’s about… making sure the people hold the power,” he added.

Rounding off the rally, Mr Goh challenged Mr Masagos, Mr Faisal and NSP president Reno Fong, who is leading the party’s Tampines GRC slate, to a roundtable debate about their respective policies.

“We will debate about our policies and this, I promise you, I will do best,” he said.

Thanking those who turned up for their time, Mr Goh said the party will not lose its election deposit and could even win at the ballot box.

 

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GE2025: WP has been stress-tested and is a ‘force for good’ in times of crisis, says Pritam Singh​

A Parliament with “more rational, respectable and responsive” WP MPs will not hamper Singapore, said party chief Pritam Singh.ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO

Nadine Chua
Apr 25, 2025

SINGAPORE - Despite the uncertain economic climate, Singaporeans should vote the WP into Parliament, as the party has shown that it can be a “force for good” in times of crisis, said party chief Pritam Singh.

Speaking at a rally in Sengkang on April 24, Mr Singh devoted much of his speech to addressing why global uncertainty triggered by the trade war between the US and China should not discourage voters from backing the WP.

A Parliament with “more rational, respectable and responsive” WP MPs will not hamper Singapore, he said.

“The Workers’ Party has been stress-tested when Singapore was in crisis,” he added, citing the party’s actions during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Even the PAP acknowledged how the WP supported the national effort during the pandemic, Mr Singh said.

“The Workers’ Party is a force for good. We coalesce as one people with Singaporeans in the face of danger. The Workers’ Party has proven itself to be a loyal opposition in Parliament, loyal not to the PAP, loyal to Singapore and the people of Singapore,” he added.

Taking the stage at around 9.45pm, Mr Singh was the last to speak, after his fellow WP candidates brought up issues ranging from the cost of living to the importance of having a diversity of views in Parliament.

The WP did the right thing for Singapore in times of crisis like Covid-19, he said, listing several other reasons why Singapore should vote for the party amid uncertain times.

Mr Singh said the WP counters the groupthink of the PAP, and suggests alternative ideas to improve the lives of Singaporeans.

The next few years may provide opportunities to make structural improvements to Singapore’s economy, like less reliance on foreign workers and better protection for workers from retrenchment, he said.

“We have proposed a concrete, realistic vision in our manifesto, and have not resorted to motherhood statements like the PAP,” he added.

The WP, he added, will also continue to pressure the Government in Parliament by being the voice of Singaporeans and raising the concerns of the people.

“We are working towards a balanced political system to check the PAP and prevent it from acting however it wishes,” he said, to cheers from the crowd.

Mr Singh said Singaporeans cannot be passive citizens, but active participants in the country’s democracy.

They have to be fighters, “just like what the people in Hougang have taught us”, he added.

The WP chief also repeated his allegation made in Parliament that the Government turbocharged inflation by raising the GST – a claim that had been rebutted by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

“The PAP dominates our political scene. It can make such serious errors in judgment and timing and then give out teddy bears, ice cream and toothbrushes,” Mr Singh said, citing some gifts that PAP candidates had given out.

“How do you show that you disagree with the PAP’s poor judgment?” he said. “A vote for the Workers’ Party is your instrument of change.”

He noted that the WP is not even contesting one-third of the seats in Parliament – it is fielding 26 candidates in five GRCs and three SMCs.

There is no way the WP will form the next Government, he said. “So give Singapore a chance to build, to grow a more balanced political system. It is the best insurance for the future.”

Mr Singh said the WP will continue to be a loyal opposition as Singapore navigates the long transition to a new world order.

The WP, he said, will “always be on the lookout to improve the lives of all Singaporeans”.

“The reality is this: When you have a position in Parliament, your alternative voice, your views, are heard by the Government,” Mr Singh said.

“There is pressure, real pressure, on the PAP to act, particularly if the views advanced by the Workers’ Party are shared by all Singaporeans.”

 

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GE2025: Authorities investigating social media accounts targeting political parties​

MDDI is urging the public to be discerning consumers of information, in an advisory that addressed a series of new social media accounts targeting political parties.ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
Ang Qing and Aqil Hamzah
Apr 25, 2025

SINGAPORE - Internet users who come across online accounts that appear to target different political parties need to be discerning in the kind of information they consume, said the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI)

The authorities, on their part, will continue to keep an eye on the online space to ensure there is no meddling from foreigners.

In response to queries, an MDDI spokesman said: “We will continue to monitor the online space for foreign interference... (We) urge the public to be discerning consumers of information.”

The Government will also take action if online content runs afoul of the law.

MDDI said: “We will act on content that is in breach of our laws.”

Foreign interference includes “attempts by foreign actors to manipulate domestic politics through covert and deceptive means, which undermines political sovereignty and harms social cohesion”, said the Elections Department (ELD) on its website.

“Singapore’s politics should be decided by Singaporeans alone,” it added.

The government advisory addresses a series of social media accounts created shortly before Nomination Day, which appear to target different political parties.

MDDI said the social media accounts are under probe. The Straits Times found several were linked to Singaporean phone numbers, while others were created with US ones.

The content hosted by these accounts portray a candidate in bad light – often falsely, and target a range of political parties in Singapore.

Often, the accounts feature fake images created using artificial intelligence, to pass off as accounts belonging to Singaporeans.

Checks by ST found at least 20 such accounts, on platforms such as Instagram and Facebook.

Law professor Benjamin Ong, who teaches at the Singapore Management University, said these accounts are unacceptable for any democracy, regardless of the political stripes of the persons or parties targeted.

He said: “The phenomenon of ‘fake engagement’, including creating multiple accounts to make comments or ‘like’ posts, involves somebody trying to paint a false impression of what people’s views are and how popular they are... There is clearly some intent to deceive, and perhaps, to distort public sentiment.”

Professor Edson C. Tandoc Jr, who monitors fake accounts on social media as part of his research at the Nanyang Technological University, said orchestrated political attacks using inauthentic accounts to stir negative sentiment have long operated in other countries.

He said: “These posts may not contain outright falsehoods, placing them outside the scope of anti-fake news initiatives.”

 

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GE2025: WP candidates warn against monopoly, call for competition and diversity at Sengkang rally​

Another theme of the night was how active WP representatives had been in Parliament.ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
Ang Qing and Kok Yufeng
Apr 25, 2025

SINGAPORE - The importance of political competition and diversity of thought was a theme running through the WP’s first rally in a decade on April 24.

Four-time election veteran Gerald Giam stressed that political competition is good because it means that all parties will raise their game.

Pointing out how the end of Singtel’s monopoly over mobile services resulted in lower prices, the incumbent Aljunied GRC MP said: “That’s how we keep improving Singapore, not by keeping the status quo, but by making space for better ideas and greater accountability.

“This all leads to better outcomes for you and your families,” added the 47-year-old co-founder of a tech start-up, whose seniority was acknowledged with the crowd’s cries of “lao jiao” (“old bird” in Hokkien).

Four-time election veteran Gerald Giam stressed that political competition is good because it means that all parties will raise their game.ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
Indeed, listeners braving the m&d-filled field in Anchorvale Crescent, in Sengkang, cheered as each of the 13 newcomers and veterans spoke in English, Mandarin, Malay, Teochew and Cantonese.

The boisterous crowd had to be reminded repeatedly by Tampines GRC candidate Eileen Chong, and even WP chief Pritam Singh at one point, to stay within the field.

Former Non-Constituency MP Yee Jenn Jong kicked off the rally by warning of the dangers of a monopoly.

“The Government believes that in business, monopoly is bad. And therefore they have anti-monopoly laws.

“But when it comes to politics, they want it all,” said Mr Yee, who will helm the team contesting East Coast GRC.

The 60-year-old was met with shouts of approval from the crowd, whose cries of “Workers’ Party” was the constant refrain of the night.

Former Non-Constituency MP Yee Jenn Jong kicked off the rally by warning of the dangers of a monopoly.ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
Hougang incumbent Dennis Tan said the global uncertainties and challenges have made it even more important for a diversity of ideas in Parliament, rather than one team “singing the same song”.

“No one political party can claim a monopoly on the best ideas,” said Mr Tan, 54.

Hougang incumbent Dennis Tan said the global uncertainties and challenges have made it even more important for a diversity of ideas in Parliament.ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
The WP, in its 122-page manifesto, has asserted that government policies had been adopted from its previous proposals.

Political newcomers made their rally debuts in quick succession, starting with the slate that will take on the PAP’s team anchored by Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong in Punggol GRC.

The group’s youngest member, Mr Jackson Au, 35, took aim at the ruling party’s response to the growing cost of living, which earned mentions from many candidates including Team Sengkang’s Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik.

The corporate affairs senior manager ended his wide-ranging speech by explaining his decision to join the opposition, even though he had been a little scared to do so.

Quoting hit series Game of Thrones, Mr Au said: “Can a man still be brave if he is afraid?

“That is the only time a man can be brave.”

Teammate Alia Mattar, 43, spoke about the Education Ministry’s lessons on the Israel-Palestine conflict as she underscored the need for healthy discourse to take place.

Following pushback from parents on the handling of the ministry’s lessons on the conflict, lessons had been amended to cater to different age groups, with more sensitivity and inclusion of diverse views.

The lawyer said: “My personal vision for Singapore is one where the voices of all Singaporeans are heard, our concerns are noted and proposals put forth that will improve the life of every Singaporean and the generations to come.”

Advertising tech firm senior director Alexis Dang, 39, pointing to her childhood growing up in both Taiwan and Singapore, said: “Diversity of thought is not a threat, it’s a strength.”

Capping off the slate, senior counsel Harpreet Singh, in his call for change, said the WP was not a party that tears down what has worked.

“We are here to build on it, to take the best of what Singapore has achieved, and make it better for everyone, not just for today, but for generations to come,” the 59-year-old said.

Global fintech manager Andre Low, 33, whose fiery remarks earned a standing ovation from over 20 WP candidates sitting behind him, is squaring off with NTUC chief Ng Chee Meng for the single-seat Jalan Kayu.

He cited how emergency legislation had been needed to block the Income-Allianz deal as an example of why there is a need for strong opposition voices in Parliament.

The hotly debated deal between German insurer Allianz and Income Insurance was called off by the Government in October 2024 over concerns about the deal structure and the ability of the local insurer to continue its social mission.

Global fintech manager Andre Low’s fiery remarks earned a standing ovation from WP candidates sitting behind him.ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
Mr Low, who promised to ask hard questions if elected, said: “This is why we need strong opposition voices in Parliament, because without proper checks and balances, these kinds of decisions get taken behind closed doors.”

Another theme of the night was how active WP representatives had been in Parliament.

Associate Professor Jamus Lim contrasted the volume of questions asked by both sides of the aisle in Parliament over the past five years, as reported by The Straits Times.

The 49-year-old said: “We are proud of our record, and we want to keep working for you.”

Associate Professor Jamus Lim contrasted the volume of questions asked by both sides of the aisle in Parliament over the past five years, as reported by ST.ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
While others dropped phrases in Teochew, financial analyst Louis Chua delivered his entire speech in the dialect, in the tradition of WP veteran Low Thia Khiang.

Financial analyst Louis Chua delivered his entire speech in the dialect, in the tradition of WP veteran Low Thia Khiang.ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
Meanwhile, legal counsel He Ting Ru, who chairs the Sengkang Town Council, reflected on what had changed in the decade since the WP’s last rally, including the expanded Goods and Services Tax.

Legal counsel He Ting Ru reflected on what had changed in the decade since the WP’s last rally.ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
The 41-year-old concluded: “This future is not only the PAP, the Workers’ Party or any political party, it is one that is shaped by you.

“You have the power to be bold, to step up and vote for a better Singapore.”

 

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GE2025: PAP does not give up any constituency, says SM Teo at Aljunied GRC walkabout​

Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean and PAP's Aljunied GRC candidates interact with residents at Bedok 538 Market and Food Centre on April 25.ST PHOTO: ISABELLE LIEW
Isabelle Liew
Apr 25, 2025

SINGAPORE - The PAP has fielded candidates in all constituencies across Singapore to make sure that every voter has a choice, said Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean on April 25 at a walkabout in Aljunied GRC.

To this end, the party has sent a young, strong team to the constituency, he added.

The minister, who will not be contesting in the 2025 General Election, was with the PAP team for a walkabout in the WP-held constituency at the Bedok 538 Market and Food Centre.

At the close of Nomination Day, a walkover was declared in Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, which the WP had decided not to contest, sparking unhappiness among some voters who were looking forward to voting.

Without referring to this, he said at a doorstop interview with the media: “We field candidates in every constituency in Singapore, good credible candidates… to make sure that every voter has a choice. We don’t give up any constituency.”

Later, when asked directly about the walkover, he said: “On Nomination Day, we want to make sure that we offer candidates in every constituency, so that every Singaporean can have the opportunity to vote for a PAP candidate.”

The PAP team in Aljunied GRC comprises second-time candidate Chan Hui Yuh, 48, and four new faces – dental surgeon Faisal Abdul Aziz, 37; company director Adrian Ang, 42; urban planning consultancy chief Daniel Liu, 40; and trade unionist Jagathishwaran Rajo, 37.

They are up against the WP’s team of party chief Pritam Singh, 48, party chair Sylvia Lim, 60, and Mr Gerald Giam, 47, who will be joined by new face Kenneth Tiong, 36, and Mr Fadli Fawzi, 44, who had contested Marine Parade GRC under the WP banner in 2020.

SM Teo said the new PAP team will bring new expertise, experience and energy to the PAP’s slate in this election.

“This is a strong team, a refreshed team, and we hope that you give them your support here. They want to represent you (in) Parliament, they want to propose constructive ideas – not just to oppose – and they are ready to do so.”

He said the candidates want to maintain the towns better and make sure that residents have local initiatives that go beyond what is covered by national schemes.

They will also make sure that there is truth, accountability and transparency from all MPs, he added.

Asked for his thoughts about going up against the incumbent WP, Mr Jagathishwaran said: “We came to Aljunied GRC with open eyes because we have the heart to serve the people. This is not a popularity contest.”

Dr Faisal was asked about the PAP-branded toothbrushes he was distributing, which had been mentioned by Mr Singh in the opposition party’s rally in Sengkang on April 24.

Mr Singh had pointed to PAP merchandise such as teddy bears and toothbrushes, and said it was a “serious error of judgement in timing”, given rising inflation.

Dr Faisal said that, as a dentist, he decided to give voters something practical and useful, adding that they also serve as good conversation starters.

“I’m glad that there’s a lot of interest in my toothbrushes,” he said.

“I hope we can focus on our campaign and issues that matter because elections are serious,” Dr Faisal added.

SM Teo, who entered politics in 1992 and was anchor minister for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, is among 20 PAP MPs are stepping down, including Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat.

Asked why he is retiring, SM Teo said he believes that self-renewal is important for stability in any country.

“This is the process PAP has gone through for several generations, and (we) will do the same thing to help the new generation come forward,” he said.

Experienced politicians will share with newcomers their experiences, but put them in the driving seat so that “they can lead Singapore forward with new energy”, he added.

The PAP is expected to have a tough fight in Aljunied GRC against the WP, which had a near 10-point swing to win with 59.95 per cent of the votes in the Covid-19 polls in 2020.

This is despite changes to the WP slate after WP vice-chairman Faisal Manap made a surprise switch to contest in Tampines GRC in this election.

The boundaries for Aljunied GRC remain largely unchanged in this election, though three polling districts in Tampines West – comprising 3,834 voters – have been moved to the PAP-held Tampines GRC.

Aljunied GRC has 144,298 registered electors as at April 18.

 

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GE2025: Compare WP’s slate against PAP backbench team, says Pritam Singh to voters​

(From left) WP's Jasper Kuan, Paris V. Parameswari, Pritam Singh, Sylvia Lim, Yee Jenn Jong, Sufyan Mikhail Putra and Nathaniel Koh during a doorstop at 85 Fengshan Centre on April 25.ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
Wong Pei Ting
Apr 25, 2025

SINGAPORE – WP chief Pritam Singh urged voters to compare the opposition party’s slate against that of PAP backbenchers, as it is not contesting enough seats to form the next government.

“My proposition to voters to consider is to understand that backbencher-for-backbencher, you’ve got a serious choice there,” he told reporters alongside party chair Sylvia Lim at Bedok 85 Fengshan Hawker Centre, where WP’s East Coast GRC team was on a walkabout.

“The Workers’ Party has put forward a serious slate of individuals, so that Singaporeans can consider their choice carefully. And I respect whatever choice Singaporeans make,” he added.

Mr Singh was responding to Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s remarks made in a rally speech on April 24 evening that there was already a sizeable opposition in Parliament. WP won 10 out of 93 seats in the 2020 general election.

PM Wong had urged voters to not give the opposition a free pass, adding: “Apply the same standards to them as you do to the PAP, in terms of integrity, competence and readiness to serve.”

Asked to react to PM Wong’s comments, Mr Singh said he can understand why the Prime Minister would have that view as he wants as many PAP MPs in Parliament as possible.

But WP’s vision – that at least one-third of parliamentary seats should be filled by opposition MPs – differs from PM Wong’s, said Mr Singh.

“We have a difference of opinion there as to what are sufficient MPs at this point in time, in terms of the evolution of our political systems,” he said.

Mr Singh was also asked why he could not have deployed the party’s reserve candidates to Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, resulting in a walkover for the PAP team after nominations closed on April 23.

The walkover triggered unhappiness in some quarters of the opposition camp and among some residents in the constituency.

He said WP will not have any spare candidates left if they were put in another team. “Spare candidates are there, so that if there’s something that happens to the main teams in the run-up to the election, there’s a prospect of them potentially replacing an original slate,” he said.

If he had fielded spare candidates in Marine Parade-Braddell Heights, the party would “have to live with the reality of being incredibly overstretched”, he said. “I don’t think that’s wise from a small party’s point of view.”

WP is contesting 26 out of 97 seats this time round across five group representation constituencies – Aljunied, Sengkang, East Coast, Punggol and Tampines – and the single seats of Hougang, Tampines Changkat and Jalan Kayu.

Mr Singh also said he does not see the adverse reaction from other opposition parties as “so much of a backlash”.

“I see more understanding as the days go on, and I think that reflects the sophistication of Singapore voters,” he added.

Mr Singh also weighed in on People’s Power Party chief Goh Meng Seng’s remarks on April 24 that WP had stepped away from Marine Parade-Braddell Heights to contest Tampines GRC to stop the PPP from entering Parliament and raising the issue of vaccine safety.

“Mr Goh Meng Seng is Mr Goh Meng Seng. Nothing is going to change, so I’ll leave it at that,” he said.

On the strength of WP’s East Coast slate, Mr Singh said former Non-Constituency MP Yee Jenn Jong, 60, who is heading the team there, is a party heavyweight.

“He lost by 388 votes in Joo Chiat SMC. And what happened after that? Joo Chiat SMC is gone. So I’ve got somebody with a load of experience leading the team.”

In 2011, Mr Yee went up against PAP veteran Charles Chong in Joo Chiat SMC in a close fight. Mr Chong prevailed with 51.02 per cent of the vote, and Mr Yee was appointed an NCMP as the “best loser” in that election.

Referring to a political observer’s comment that all WP teams this time round are strong teams, he said: “I would share that view – that all the teams that are on the Workers’ Party’s slate in East Coast, Punggol and Tampines are all very strong, notwithstanding, of course, the ones where we are incumbent.”

Other than Mr Yee, an education entrepreneur who is a fourth-time candidate, WP’s East Coast candidates are IT professional Nathaniel Koh, 41, and three new faces. They are former US Navy security administrator Paris V. Parameswari, 51, lawyer Sufyan Mikhail Putra, 33, and payment expert Jasper Kuan, 46.

WP East Coast candidate Jasper Kuan (left, standing) greeting residents during a walkabout at 85 Fengshan Centre on April 25.ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
Earlier in the day, the PAP’s East Coast slate conducted a walkabout at the same market.

Both teams stopped for a brief conversation.

The PAP slate, led by Culture, Community and Youth Minister Edwin Tong, 55, includes incumbents Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How, 47, and Ms Jessica Tan, 58. Joining the team are new faces, Madam Hazlina Abdul Halim, 40, senior vice-president at advisory firm Teneo, and Mr Dinesh Vasu Dash, 50, former chief executive at the Agency for Integrated Care.

When shaking hands with Mr Tong, Mr Yee was heard saying he is back to contest “one last time”.

When asked by the media later about his return as a candidate in this election despite earlier announcing his retirement from “active politics”, Mr Yee said he has remained active in the party.

He noted that the late US general Douglas MacArthur, who served in World Wars I and II, and the Korean War, had retired twice.

General MacArthur retired from the US Army in 1937, but was recalled to active duty in 1941 when the US was dragged into war again.

Mr Yee said: “In a way, I felt that I can contribute here (in East Coast), because I know this place very well.”

In 2015, Joo Chiat SMC, where he had contested, got absorbed into Marine Parade GRC, which has been renamed Marine Parade-Braddell Heights at this election with some boundary changes.

Mr Yee contested Marine Parade GRC in both the 2015 and 2020 elections. He and his team lost, with WP garnering 35.93 per cent of the vote in 2015 and 42.26 per cent in 2020.

Mr Yee said some 40,000 residents from Joo Chiat and Chai Chee have been moved into East Coast GRC ahead of the 2025 election. These areas came under the former Marine Parade GRC, where WP had “worked very hard”.

“I will contribute whatever I can to the team, because I feel that they are a very good team that deserves a chance,” he added.

​

 

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GE2025: ‘Views must be grounded in reality’ – PAP’s Alex Yam on opposition proposals to reduce GST​

PAP candidate for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC Alex Yam speaking to the media after a walkabout in Yew Tee on April 25.ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI

Lee Li Ying
Apr 25, 2025

SINGAPORE - While the opposition is free to offer counter narratives and alternative proposals to combat the rising cost of living, many parties do not address how future needs may be funded, said PAP candidate for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC Alex Yam in response to calls by opposition parties to roll back the goods and services tax hike.

Mr Yam was speaking to the media on April 25, after a two-hour walkabout with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in the vicinity of Yew Tee MRT station where the duo visited nearby malls and a senior care centre.

At rallies on April 24, opposition parties had criticised the Government’s decision to raise GST rates from 7 per cent to 9 per cent in two stages in 2023 and 2024, despite inflationary pressures.

The Workers’ Party, Progress Singapore Party (PSP) and Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) had said that the tax increase has impacted cost of living, with PSP and SDP calling for a reduction in GST rates.

Mr Yam said that while the Government hears a lot of demands from the opposition, they don’t hear enough of how much the alternative proposals would cost.

“Very often, even when they provide some sort of alternative, it does not come with actual numbers and calculations that make sense,” said the North West District mayor.

“The Government has always been prepared to listen to other views and take them on board, but they must be grounded in reality, not made purely (made) as political statements.”

Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC will see a face-off between a PAP team led by PM Wong, and a SDP team led by party organising secretary Mr Jufri Salim. The PAP team is an unchanged slate from the 2020 elections comprising Mr Yam, Senior Minister of State for Defence and Manpower Zaqy Mohamad and Ms Hany Soh.

The SDP line-up comprises alternative news site founder Mr Ariffin Sha, theatre director Alec Tok and former entrepreneur Gigene Wong.

Mr Yam also weighed in on SDP secretary-general Dr Chee Soon Juan’s decision to contest in Sembawang West SMC against Ms Poh Li San from the PAP, instead of Bukit Batok, where he had contested in the 2020 General Election and 2016 by-election.

At the PAP rally on April 24, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said Dr Chee had not given Bukit Batok residents a good reason for why they were “abandoned” and cautioned voters to be careful of politicians who are not honest about their intentions.

Countering that, SDP chairman Paul Tambyah drew a parallel to significant slate changes made at the last minute to the PAP’s Punggol and Chua Chu Kang GRC teams. Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong was deployed to Punggol GRC in a surprise last-minute switch on Nomination Day, while Manpower Minister Tan See Leng was moved from Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC to lead the PAP team in Chua Chu Kang.

In response, Mr Yam said the PAP had explained why the slate changes were made, as Punggol needed a good heavyweight minister like DPM Gan who can carry the ground there.

“The difference is that Dr Chee made a public pledge not to abandon Bukit Batok,” he said.

“Here you have an individual who made a promise, but yet changed his mind. That’s the point Mr Ong (Ye Kung) was trying to make,” added Mr Yam.

He was referring to Dr Chee’s pledge to contest in Bukit Batok SMC in the upcoming polls, which he declared in a Facebook video in mid-February before the release of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee Report. It was later announced that Bukit Batok SMC would be absorbed by Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC.

On the SDP’s ‘northern strategy’ in this election, Mr Yam added that the PAP does not “have a choice of a northern campaign, or a southern campaign or a central campaign.”

“Our responsibility is to every Singaporean. We run (for) every single seat with the hope of being able to secure representation in Parliament so we can do our best for Singaporeans.”

Mr Yam also addressed an assertion by Mr Sha a smaller margin of victory for the PAP would push the ruling party to work harder. Mr Sha had said that a PAP that wins with 80 per cent of the vote is very different from a PAP that wins by 60 per cent of the vote.

Mr Yam said the PAP has always worked on the basis that every vote counts.

“After the election results are out, regardless of the margin, if we have the opportunity to become the Government, we must make sure that we deliver on our promises,” said Mr Yam.

Describing this election as a watershed one in light of the global climate, Mr Yam added that the PAP’s Marsiling-Yew Tee team has received lot of support and encouragement from residents.

“This is, of course, a good sign but we shouldn’t rest on our laurels. It does mean that we must continue to work hard to secure every vote, not just in our GRC, but across Singapore,” he said.

 

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GE2025: NSP says it’s a constructive opposition party that will champion responsible policies​

NSP chief Spencer Ng (far right) with party members during a walkabout on April 25.ST PHOTO: TAY HONG YI

Tay Hong Yi
Apr 25, 2025

SINGAPORE – Voters in Sembawang GRC who want a constructive opposition that will champion responsible policies should vote for the National Solidarity Party (NSP), said its chief Spencer Ng.

He made this pitch to voters during a walkabout at Woodlands North Plaza and Block 780C Woodlands Crescent on April 25 with the rest of the NSP slate for Sembawang GRC.

The NSP is in a three-cornered fight with the PAP and Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) for the five-member constituency.

Aside from Mr Ng, the NSP team comprises business owner Yadzeth Hairis, 62; lecturer Verina Ong, 46; swimming coach Raiyian Chia, 46; and associate lecturer Lee Wei, 50.

Mr Ng, 45, was responding to a question from The Straits Times on how an April 24 rally speech by Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, who is leading the PAP slate in Sembawang GRC, centred on the SDP without mention of the NSP campaign.

Mr Ng said the speech is a “subtle acknowledgement” from the PAP that the NSP is a responsible opposition party.

At the walkabout, residents who approached the NSP to express support raised concerns on housing affordability, cost of living and the difficulty of navigating government processes.

In a media interview after the walkabout, Mr Ng also said that voters need to recognise that opposition unity is becoming a fantasy, as “various political leaders” do not buy into the idea of avoiding three-cornered fights.

The NSP had earlier stepped aside from Sembawang West SMC, paving the way for a straight contest between Ms Poh Li San of the PAP and SDP chief Chee Soon Juan, but intends to contest the SMC in the next general election.

Mr Ng said the NSP has a good working relationship with the PAP, Ms Poh and Mr Ong.

He added that the party would be keen to work with Dr Chee if it secures a win in Sembawang GRC and Dr Chee wins Sembawang West SMC, but this would depend on Dr Chee’s willingness to cooperate with the NSP.

Mr Ng said the NSP has been walking the ground and engaging residents at least once a week in the Sembawang area, even outside election season, over the last decade.

This includes helping residents to send in requests and queries to the right public agencies, as well as arranging meetings with party volunteers who are social workers.

Mr Lee, a political newcomer whose candidacy was revealed only on Nomination Day on April 23, said that cost-of-living concerns featured prominently among residents.

Earlier on Nomination Day, Mr Lee had also highlighted the struggles faced by students juggling jobs and tertiary studies, whom he had met while lecturing at a local polytechnic as well as at private education institutes.

 

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GE2025: Voters concerned about cost of living, but debates should focus on solutions, says Vivian​

Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan greets residents at Ghim Moh Market and Food Centre on April 25.ST PHOTO: TARYN NG

Christine Tan
Apr 25, 2025

SINGAPORE - Cost of living and economic concerns are understandably at the top of voters’ minds this general election, but discussions should focus on solutions, not just debating points, said Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan on April 25.

Speaking to The Straits Times after a walkabout near Holland-Bukit Timah GRC where he is an incumbent PAP MP, Dr Balakrishnan said these are real issues, but not unique to Singapore. Singapore needs to remain united and strong to navigate these challenges, he added.

Asked for his take on the points raised by opposition parties on the rising costs of living, the economy and housing during the rallies on April 24, Dr Balakrishnan said that it was a “completely reasonable assessment” for parties to assume that these were issues of concern for voters.

But debates should focus on solutions, he said.

“We need to expand economic opportunities for Singapore companies and Singaporeans. We need not only to deal with the current uncertainties, but we also need to deal with the medium- to long-term challenges,” said Dr Balakrishnan, adding that there are both risks and opportunities on the horizon.

The primary risk is that Singapore becomes uncompetitive or irrelevant to the world, said the minister, who has helmed the Foreign Affairs portfolio for almost a decade.


He added: “Opportunities (arise) because in this kind of uncertain, turbulent world, actually a safe haven, a reliable place, a confident, united people, is all the more necessary, and all the more attractive to investors around the world.

“We mustn’t be paralysed by fear. We mustn’t be divided by anger.”

During their rallies on April 24 – the first ones held on the campaign trail – parties such as the WP, Progress Singapore Party (PSP) and Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) also called for more opposition voices in Parliament to act as a check to the Government.

Responding to their views, Dr Balakrishnan said: “My view is that the opposition is here to stay. There will be (alternative) voices in Parliament.”

The central question this election is not whether there will be opposition voices, he said.

“The fundamental question (is) who is going to be the prime minister of Singapore? Who is going to be available to be part of his team? Who is going to be generating the solutions, and negotiating the agreements and opening up new business and opportunities?” he added.

In this election, Dr Balakrishnan is leading an unchanged slate comprising Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and National Development Sim Ann, Mr Christopher de Souza and Mr Edward Chia.

The team will have to defend their seats against opposition party Red Dot United (RDU), which is making their first attempt to contest a constituency that the SDP tried to wrest from PAP in the last three elections.

The RDU team consists financial consultant Fazli Talip, music teacher Emily Woo, assistant engineer Sharad Kumar, and operations manager Nizar Subair.

On the third day of hustings, Dr Balakrishnan and the incumbent MPs was seen greeting the breakfast crowd at Ghim Moh Road Market and Food Centre on a joint walkabout.

Accompanied by Dr Balakrishnan’s wife, Mrs Joy Balakrishnan, and about 20 volunteers, the Holland-Bukit Timah GRC PAP team gave out flyers and canvassed for residents’ support.

After the walkabout and a round of house visits at Bukit Panjang, Dr Balakrishnan boarded the LRT to Bangkit to greet residents at the Al-Iman Mosque before their Friday prayers.

Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan on the LRT from Bukit Panjang to Bangkit to get to the Al-Iman Mosque on April 25.ST PHOTO: TARYN NG
The area is under Bukit Panjang SMC, where incumbent MP Liang Eng Hwa is facing his same opponent from the 2020 election – SDP chairman Paul Tambyah.

During the last election, the Holland-Bukit Timah PAP candidates showed their support for Mr Liang, and in some instances threw their weight behind him as they campaigned as a team.

When asked for his thoughts on his campaign in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC so far, Dr Balakrishnan – who has been in the constituency for two decades – smiled and said: “I’m on home ground.”

He said he believes in building relationships and trust with residents on the ground, and what counts in the end is being available and committed to residents.

“(As) Foreign Minister, I have been travelling a lot. But I would like to believe that my residents know me, and they know that I am always available to the best of my abilities,” he said.

 

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GE2025: 9 election rallies to be held on April 26​

The rallies are scheduled from 7pm to 10pm on April 26.ST PHOTOS: MARK CHEONG, KEVIN LIM

Elaine Lee
Apr 25, 2025


SINGAPORE - Nine election rallies will take place on April 26, with large crowds expected at the venues.

Police said on April 25 that permits were issued to seven parties: People’s Power Party (PPP), Progress Singapore Party (PSP), People’s Action Party (PAP), People’s Alliance for Reform (PAR), Workers’ Party (WP), Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) and Red Dot United (RDU).

The rallies are scheduled from 7pm to 10pm on April 26.

The PPP, which is contesting seats in Ang Mo Kio GRC, will hold a rally at Yio Chu Kang Stadium; the PSP (Bukit Gombak SMC) at Bukit Gombak Stadium; WP (Tampines GRC) at Temasek Junior College; RDU (Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC) at Bukit View Secondary School, PAR (Jalan Besar GRC) at Northlight School and SDP (Sembawang West SMC) at Evergreen Primary School.

The PAP will be holding three rallies for Chua Chu Kang GRC, East Coast GRC and Punggol GRC at a hard court along Choa Chu Kang Avenue 4 beside Concord Primary School, Bedok Stadium and Yusof Ishak Secondary School, respectively.

In an earlier release on April 24, police said attendees are strongly encouraged to take public transport, owing to large crowds expected at the rallies.


They should also be prepared for traffic diversions, lane closures and slower traffic in general that may likewise affect the pick-up and drop-off points for ride-hailing services.

Police said the use of carparks near the election rally sites has been restricted to season parking holders.

 

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Access to public housing requires long-term planning, not just about changing policies: Desmond Lee​

Michelle Ng
Apr 25, 2025

SINGAPORE – Ensuring access to public housing in Singapore requires long-term planning to address needs and is not just about changing policies, said National Development Minister Desmond Lee on April 25.

Government policies to ensure that every Singaporean has access to an affordable home may appear incremental, but they have been “progressive” and “headed in the right direction”, said Mr Lee, who is anchoring the PAP team contesting West Coast-Jurong West GRC.

“But we have to be upfront with Singaporeans about the supply that we have, about the land that we have, and when and how we’ll be able to address needs over time,” said Mr Lee.

“There is no point making a promise, no point (in) changing the policy but not being able to deliver on the ground.”

He was speaking to the media at a press briefing in Boon Lay to outline the PAP’s plans for the group representation constituency.

Access to public housing and the cost of HDB flats are among the issues that have been raised by various parties on the campaign trail.


On housing, some opposition parties had in their campaign manifestos proposed alternative policies.

For example, the Workers’ Party has long called for the eligibility age for single Singaporeans to apply for a BTO flat to be set at 28 years old, down from the current 35.

The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) proposed lowering HDB flats prices by only including the cost of construction and administration and not land cost, while Red Dot United (RDU) proposed that all HDB flats should also be eligible for redevelopment so that older ones can retain their value, instead of experiencing lease decay.

Mr Lee pointed to how the Covid-19 pandemic had disrupted the housing market, due to supply chain disruptions and pandemic control measures that caused labour shortages in the construction sector.

The Government sought to tackle these issues and has since brought down the BTO application rates for first-timers to pre-pandemic levels, and rolled out a significant proportion of new flats with shorter waiting times of less than three years.

But before these announcements could be made, there was a lot of behind the scenes work to be done, Mr Lee said, pointing to the time taken for construction and land preparation.

On April 24, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong had in a PAP rally speech at Woodlands Stadium said that the housing market is stabilising as the Government has ramped up the supply of flats.

PM Wong said once the market has stabilised, it will review policies – including the income ceiling cap and singles’ eligibility to buy Build-To-Order flats – to ensure more Singaporeans can buy affordable homes.

Mr Lee, who is also the Minister-in-charge of Social Services Integration, said that the Government is determined to help more Singaporeans – be it couples, singles, seniors or persons with disabilities – have more access to housing.

He said the PAP had, through its manifesto, committed to seeing how it can better support higher-income Singaporeans as well as giving greater housing access to singles.

“Let’s go through this general election and in the next term of government, we should expect more enhancement to our schemes, more reviews and implementation of changes to our housing policies,” he said.

Such enhancement is not just to give greater access to Singaporeans, but also to position public housing in the future for a new generation to continue to support families and seniors, he added.

He noted that a new Family Care Scheme that is slated to kick in from mid-2025 is meant to bolster intergenerational support among families, as parents and their children – regardless of marital status – will have priority access when they apply for new flats under the scheme.

Changes made in the last five years, which include a new flat classification, is not just about affordability but also ensuring cohesion and social mixing across Singapore, said Mr Lee, noting that these are in line with PM Wong’s Forward Singapore agenda.

Said Mr Lee: “It’s to make sure that we don’t follow the trajectories of some mature, successful cosmopolitan cities around the world in terms of stratification (based on) where you live.”

 

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More, better support schemes on the cards if PAP team elected in West Coast-Jurong West: Desmond Lee​

Minister for National Development Desmond Lee (far left), Mr Shawn Huang (in pink) and Dr Hamid Razak (centre) greeting residents at the Community Shop @ Boon Lay on April 25.ST PHOTO: HARIZ BAHARUDIN

Hariz Baharudin
Apr 25, 2025

SINGAPORE – The PAP team in West Coast–Jurong West GRC will improve on its grassroots networks to strengthen and expand schemes that help residents with cost of living and job security if elected, said National Development Minister Desmond Lee.

This is on top of legislative duties, in debating policies and working with the government of the day to improve them, he said in a media session on April 25.

Mr Lee also addressed opposition criticism that the PAP risks groupthink, as well as calls for the GST to be reduced to 7 per cent. He pointed to the diversity of the PAP’s slate, and stressed that the Government must manage public finances in a way that ensures long-term stability.

Making his pitch for the slate he is leading in the constituency, Mr Lee said that efforts to help residents with cost of living and job security issues are already in place in the constituency, along with support schemes for groups such as lower-income families. And they are producing results.

For example, Mr Lee, who is also Minister-in-Charge of Social Services Integration, noted that about 25,000 households in West Coast and Jurong West have benefited over the past five years from local support schemes aimed at easing financial pressures.

Among the initiatives is the Community Shop in Boon Lay run by charity Food from the Heart, which Mr Lee visited earlier that day with fellow slate members Shawn Huang, the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Finance and Education, and Dr Hamid Razak. The shop provides monthly food support to over 1,000 lower-income families, offering a selection of essentials, including fresh produce, canned food, sauces and beverages.


Asked whether the PAP shows compassion in the policies it designs, a concern raised by the PSP during its rally on April 24, Mr Lee said that the walkabouts and community events he attends are opportunities to build trust, understand concerns on the ground, and hear residents’ views directly.

He added: “When we say we walk the community, when we serve in the community – five years, 10 years, 15 years – it’s not political walkabouts, it’s not house visits to push our political cause. It is principally about serving the community.”

Dr Hamid held up the role that volunteers play, noting how they are good listening points, given the deep relationships they have with the residents and beneficiaries they serve. The feedback can then translate into programmes that tackle the residents’ issues, such as job searches.

On the employment front, Mr Lee said close to 10,000 residents in the GRC have received help with job matching or skills upgrading through government programmes in the last five years. The latest initiative was an April 20 job fair at Boon Lay Community Club, which he also attended.

If elected, the PAP candidates will work closely with their partners to address employment opportunities for seniors and individuals with special needs, said Mr Huang.

He noted that as Singapore’s population ages, there is a need to create flexible “micro jobs” for seniors that allow them to stay active while maintaining time for their families and interests. Also, more work can be done to help those with special needs learn skills, and with companies to redesign jobs.

Opposition comments on GST, PAP slate​

Mr Lee was asked about opposition calls to roll back the recent GST hike, which was a key proposal raised by PSP, which is also contesting in West Coast-Jurong West, and the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), during their April 24 rallies.

The Government must have enough resources to support Singaporeans through future challenges, and it must be able to fund its programmes without compromising long-term fiscal stability, said Mr Lee in response.

More money will need to be spent on support for seniors, on healthcare and on other forms of support, he noted.

“We certainly recognise that the finance ministry, the government of the day, needs to be able to say, ‘Well, I want to do more. I hear you.’ But we must also be able to fund these programmes responsibly and sustainably,” said Mr Lee.

He added that the GST increase has been accompanied by a comprehensive package of support measures. These include permanent schemes such as the GST Voucher programme, as well as additional payouts. When taken together, these measures provide significant support to help middle- and lower-income households offset cost-of-living pressures.

(From left) Mr Shawn Huang, Minister for National Development Desmond Lee and Dr Hamid Razak at their branch office at Boon Lay Place on April 25.ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
This approach, he said, helps blunt the impact of the tax increase on ordinary Singaporeans while still allowing the Government to collect more revenue from higher-income individuals, tourists and large enterprises.

At the PSP’s rally, the party’s founder and chairman, Dr Tan Cheng Bock, spoke about the importance of having an opposition presence in Parliament to avoid groupthink, especially when the ruling party’s candidates are largely drawn from the civil service and armed forces.

Dr Tan is part of the PSP slate in West Coast-Jurong West, which also includes party secretary-general Leong Mun Wai and vice-chairperson Hazel Poa.

Mr Lee responded by pointing out the diversity in the PAP’s slate, which Prime Minister Lawrence Wong had assembled. It, he noted, includes individuals from the public and uniformed services, private sector, professions like law and medicine, and those from non-governmental organisations and advocacy work.

He noted that many of those chosen by PM Wong, who is the PAP secretary-general, have served as grassroots volunteers or in community organisations, and bring a range of life experiences.

“Let’s look at the slate of candidates that our secretary-general has assembled, as well as the other incumbents who are standing and seeking a re-election to serve Singaporeans. They are a diverse group in terms of age, gender, background, life journey,” he said.

 

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GE2025: Calls for universal minimum wage more political than practical, says PAP’s Jeffrey Siow​

PAP candidate for Choa Chu Kang GRC Jeffrey Siow (left) interacting with a passer-by outside Lot One shopping mall on April 23.ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO

Osmond Chia
Apr 25, 2025

SINGAPORE - Calls by the PSP for Singapore to have a minimum wage of $2,250 are more a political than a practical solution, candidates from the PAP’s Chua Chu Kang GRC said on April 25.

Instead of a universal minimum wage, the PAP Government’s approach is much more precise and aimed at sectors where workers need to be uplifted, said Mr Jeffrey Siow, who was formerly permanent secretary at the trade and industry and manpower ministries.

Manpower Minister Tan See Leng also said on April 25 that there is no straightforward solution to lifting wages for lower-income workers, and the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) has worked as it a collaborative effort that involves the tripartite partners: employers, unions and the Government.

During a walkabout at Chua Chu Kang’s Brickland ward, Mr Siow responded to proposals put up by his PSP opponents, including Mr Lawrence Pek, for a universal minimum wage.

Mr Siow, who is contesting his first general election, said such a policy has only two outcomes.

If the bar is set below the current market wage, then there is no actual impact and is “just a political announcement”. But if it is higher than the market wage, it would force wages at the bottom up, and there would be additional costs that businesses would have to bear.


Mr Siow said Mr Pek’s views on a minimum wage are “curious”, given that Mr Pek was previously the secretary-general of the Singapore Manufacturing Federation, which advocates for manufacturing firms here.

“He appears to be pro-business and to be pro-minimum wage; I don’t know if that squares,” he said.

Mr Siow also responded to Mr Pek’s comments at PSP’s rally on April 24.

Mr Pek had spoken about his time running a factory in China, and that the minimum wage policy there had protected workers from “often extremely unscrupulous employers”.

Said Mr Siow: “The minimum (monthly) wage in China is $300.”

In China, minimum wages vary according to each province, with the highest being 2,690 yuan (S$485) in Shanghai.

“If Mr Pek is advocating a minimum wage of $300 here in Singapore… he can happily do so (as) the market wage is already above $300,” he said.

Mr Siow added: “The universal minimum wage, most economists will tell you, is a political tool and not an economic tool. The way we have done it is to be very targeted through the progressive wage system.”

Introduced in 2012, the PWM sets wage ladders according to specific sectors, like security officers, maintenance workers and other occupations, to keep wage growth sustainable.

Dr Tan said during the debate on his ministry’s budget in March that the PWM – including the Local Qualifying Salary (LQS) and Progressive Wage Mark accreditation scheme for companies that pay their workers progressive wages – now benefits up to nine out of 10 full-time lower-wage workers.

PAP candidate for Choa Chu Kang GRC Tan See Leng greeting commuters at Choa Chu Kang Bus Interchange on April 23.ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
The LQS, which firms must pay in order to qualify to hire foreign workers, is $1,600.

Earlier in the day, Dr Tan also addressed the PSP’s call for a minimum wage. At a walkabout in Teck Whye, he said that the PWM has ensured that a range of workers today – including security officers, lift maintenance and landscape workers – all have their own base wages, and also a salary ladder they can climb as they upgrade themselves.

Dr Tan said the PSP should “keep up closely” with how the PAP has been continuously tweaking its policies to improve Singaporeans’ lives, rather than just claiming that the ruling party had lost its way.

This was in reference to a remark by PSP secretary-general Leong Mun Wai at his party’s April 24 rally. He said Singapore’s fourth-generation leadership had lost its way, citing a lack of compassion in the Government’s socio-economic policies.

Mr Siow said the PAP has kept its ears on the ground for many years, through weekly home visits, Meet-the-People Sessions and other initiatives. “We have a strong sense about what the ground feels about things, whether it’s government policies or other issues.”

On the eleventh hour swop on Nomination Day that saw Dr Tan go to Chua Chu Kang while Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong was moved to Punggol, Mr Siow noted that the new team had hit the ground from the first day of the campaign.

He said many residents had read the news, and understood Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s point that this was about a more balanced distribution of senior leadership across the island.

On his part, Dr Tan told The Straits Times he had been in a race to get up to speed on the needs of Chua Chu Kang residents, given that he is now leading the team, which consists of newcomers Choo Pei Ling and Mr Siow, and incumbent Keat Hong MP Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim.

Dr Tan said he intends to see through existing plans, such as new MRT stations to improve the area’s connectivity and some $212 million worth of neighbourhood enhancements under the town council’s five-year plan.

He also plans to port over programmes he had introduced in Marine Parade, such as initiatives to support caregivers and at-risk children, once he is more familiar with local needs.

He shared that many residents had asked him why DPM Gan had left.

Ambulance driver Mara Kottaisamy, 53, told ST that DPM Gan was well-loved in Chua Chu Kang, but was unsure of the reception he would receive in Punggol GRC, with its younger profile of voters.

Said Dr Tan: “(Many residents) have expressed to me their regret that DPM Gan has gone off.

“So I said that… I’ve got very big shoes to fill, and I will do my very best.”

Dr Tan said he does not consider his team to be “new”, and credited Mr Zhulkarnain’s work in Keat Hong and Mr Siow’s work in several Government ministries.

“I’m certainly not new in terms of being within the Government,” said Dr Tan. “So in terms of representation on national issues, policy issues and so on, I hope to be a voice for the residents here in Chua Chu Kang.”

 

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GE2025: RDU’s Ravi Philemon says PAP strategy to field four new faces in Nee Soon is ‘puzzling’​

(From left)The Red Dot United Nee Soon GRC team consisting of Mr Pang Heng Chuan, Dr Syed Alwi Ahmad, RDU secretary-general Ravi Philemon, Mr David Foo and Ms Sharon Lin speak to the media before their walkabout on April 25.ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR
Deepanraj Ganesan and Michelle Ng
Apr 25, 2025

SINGAPORE– The secretary-general of the opposition Red Dot United (RDU) Ravi Philemon on April 25 said it is “puzzling” that the PAP is fielding four new faces in its contest for Nee Soon GRC.

A refreshed PAP slate led by Law and Home Affairs Minister K.Shanmugam, 66, and four new faces are taking on a team from RDU led by Mr Philemon, 56, at the upcoming polls.

The four political newcomers for PAP in Nee Soon GRC are Mr Jackson Lam, 40, the head of a pest control and cleaning company, former nominated MP Syed Harun Alhabsyi, 40; Ms Lee Hui Ying, 36, director of communications at Temasek Foundation; and Ms Goh Hanyan, 39, a former director at the Ministry of Digital Development and Information.

First-term MPs Derrick Goh and Ms Carrie Tan, have stepped down. Two-term MP Louis Ng, who has been an MP in the area since 2015, is also retiring from politics.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, who was an MP for Nee Soon GRC since 2011, has been moved to Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC.

“It’s puzzling to us to see that (the PAP’s manifesto) is Residents First,” said Mr Philemon, referencing the title of PAP’s manifesto for Nee Soon GRC. The PAP’s manifesto for the area was launched by Mr Shanmugam and his team on April 24.


“There were two first-term MPs who the people barely got to know in the past five years, who have been taken out,” he added. He was speaking to the media outside Springleaf MRT station just before he led walkabout around the area.

On April 21, Mr Shanmugam had introduced the line-up for the PAP team contesting Nee Soon GRC at a press briefing. During that event, he said that the new team brings with them a range of experiences, and includes in their midst potential office-holders and candidates with plenty of grassroots experience.

But Mr Philemon said that the people of Nee Soon “do not know” who the four new faces are.

“We see…four new faces coming in, and nobody knows (them) well, some of them claim that they have grassroots experience, and they have walked the ground and so on and so forth,” he said.

“We do acknowledge that grassroots experience is very important, but still they are fresh faces. The people do not know who they are. They have not shown who they are. And so it’s a tough call for the people to make,” Mr Philemon added.

Noting that it is unclear if Mr Shanmugam will retire when the GE2030 comes, Mr Philemon added: “When he has to retire...the slate of four (new faces) they have in Nee Soon, would anyone of them be able to step into his shoes? These are important questions to ask.”

RDU secretary-general Ravi Philemon, alongside the Nee Soon GRC team during a walkabout at Springleaf establishments on April 25.ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR
The RDU slate for Nee Soon GRC is led by Mr Philemon and includes party chairman David Foo, 60, and three first-timers – Dr Syed Alwi Ahmad, a 57-year-old private school teacher who is RDU’s head of policy and its Malay bureau; Mr Pang Heng Chuan, 56, a tech start-up business director; and Ms Sharon Lin, 40, a senior consultant in the IT sector.

Meanwhile, the RDU team contesting Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC also went on a walkabout on April 25.

Entrepreneur Liyana Dhamirah, 38, said the party wants voters to know that RDU is a responsible opposition party that has a plan for managing a town council should they be elected.

Speaking to the media after a coffeeshop visit at 282A Toh Guan Road, she added: “If we’re elected, for town council management we would like to propose it to be one team… together with Jurong Central SMC.”

The RDU’s Jurong East-Bukit Batok slate comprises marketing agency director Marcus Neo, 33, director of a waste management company Osman Sulaiman, 50, contemporary artist Ben Puah, 48 and principal software engineer Harish Mohanadas, 39.

RDU is fielding former SAF officer Kala Manickam in the neighbouring Jurong Central SMC.

Asked what the party’s plan is if RDU manages to win either the GRC or the SMC, Ms Liyana said: “That will happen when the time comes, and we’ll have the necessary conversations as well.”

Mr Neo said the party will put Singaporeans first and will work with the PAP, or any other party, to get the town council running.

“We’re not here for adversarial politics, right? Our secretary-general Ravi Philemon has made it very clear to the press as well, we will work together with the PAP, or whatever party, to get the town council running for the betterment of Singaporeans,” he said.

 

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S’pore blocks FB posts by 2 Malaysian politicians, ex-ISA detainee that attempt to influence election​

(From left) Sukri Omar, Zulfikar Mohamad Shariff and Malaysian politician Iskandar Abdul Samad.PHOTOS: MOHAMED SUKRI OMAR/FACEBOOK, FACEBOOK, ISKANDAR ABDUL SAMAD/FACEBOOK
Hariz Baharudin and Harith Mustaffa
Apr 25, 2025

SINGAPORE - Singapore has moved to block access for users here to several Facebook posts belonging to several foreigners, for attempting to interfere in the ongoing general election.

Acting as Assistant Returning Officer, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) has directed Meta, which owns Facebook, to take action - just over a week before Singaporeans head to the polls on May 3.

A joint statement by IMDA and the Elections Department (ELD) on April 25 said that the government has identified a number of foreigners attempting to influence this general election.

The posts belong to Mr Iskandar Abdul Samad, the national treasurer of the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) and the party’s Selangor Youth Chief Mohamed Sukri Omar. The third person identified is Facebook user “Zai Nal”, identified as Zulfikar bin Mohamad Shariff, an Australian citizen who renounced his Singapore citizenship in 2020.

“Foreigners must not direct, fund or in any way influence Singapore’s elections,” ELD and IMDA warned.

The statement added: “Singapore’s politics must be for Singaporeans alone to decide.”

Under the Parliamentary Elections Act (PEA), it is an offence for foreigners to participate in elections activity or publish online election advertising.

MHA and ELD said how in his post, Zulfikar had accused several Malay-Muslim MPs of failing to represent the interests of the Muslim community, and asserted that the local Muslim community did not need another Malay MP who did not reflect their concerns.

Checks by The Straits Times found that on April 24, he had posted about the tudung issue, referring to how in 2021, the Government lifted former restrictions on the headgear for Muslim staff in healthcare settings.

Among other things, Zulfikar alleged that Malay-Muslim MPs had been silent on the matter and had not pushed for change.

Zulfikar was previously detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) in 2016 for promoting terrorism and glorifying the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). His actions had contributed to the radicalisation of at least two other Singaporeans.

The authorities noted how Zulfikar had also called on Muslims to reject the constitutional, secular, democratic state in favour of an Islamic state governed by Syariah law. He also believed that violence should be used to achieve this goal if necessary.

In the case of Mr Sukri, the authorities said that he had reposted Zufikar’s post.

As for Mr Iskandar, authorities said that he had expressed support for a candidate in GE2025.

ST checks also found that Mr Iskandar has been posting about Singapore politics. On April 24, he uploaded a post saying that he would be sad if a candidate did not win the election.

He said in the post: “Sad if Faisal lose after all the good work since 2011. Raised many issues especially the tudung issue and have the courage to explain to Parliament that in Islam religion must not be separated from politics. Hope he will be successful once again though tough.”

These posts have been targeted at Singaporeans and they interfere with Singapore’s domestic politics, which are reserved for its citizens, said the authorities.

“They also urge Singaporeans to vote on racial and religious lines, and have led to more social media postings of a similar nature.”

The two agencies also warned that the posts have the potential to fracture the multi-racial and multi-religious harmony that is the bedrock of Singapore.

They underscored that Singapore is a secular state, and that all public institutions are designed to serve Singaporeans equally, regardless of race or religion.

“We must not mix religion and politics. Singapore is a secular state. Our institutions serve Singaporeans equally. Bringing religion into politics will undermine social cohesion and harmony, as we have seen in other countries with race- or religion-based politics,” the statement said.

At the same time, the Government acknowledged that public policy may sometimes involve matters of religious concern.

It stressed that it would continue to engage a broad range of stakeholders, including religious groups, to ensure their views are heard and considered in policymaking.

“We urge all political parties and their candidates, as well as religious organisations, leaders and members of the public to do our part to safeguard the precious harmony we have in Singapore today,” the authorities said.

 

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GE2025: PSP’s Leong Mun Wai says MPs are not estate managers interested only in local policies​

PSP chief Leong Mun Wai (centre) passing a supporter a PSP leaflet during a walkabout with Sani Ismail (far left) at Lakeside MRT on April 25.ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG

Ng Wei Kai
Apr 25, 2025

SINGAPORE – The main role of an MP is to debate national policies, and not be estate managers who are interested only in local issues, said PSP chief Leong Mun Wai on April 25.

He was responding to a comment by National Development Minister and incumbent West Coast GRC MP Desmond Lee that residents should ask contesting parties about their plans for the constituency.

The PAP team, led by Mr Lee, had earlier unveiled their plans for the newly renamed West Coast-Jurong West GRC ahead of Polling Day on May 3.

The plans include helping households cope with the cost of living by supplementing national programmes with local support schemes, ensuring good jobs for job seekers by organising more career and skills fairs in the community.

Mr Leong, who is one of five PSP candidates contesting the constituency, said: “Of course, we have to understand the needs of the residents, in terms of how that will translate into policies that we will debate at the national level.

“We have walked the ground in West Coast for the past few years…We have raised some of those problems in Parliament already, and will continue to do so if we are in Parliament the next round.”

PSP members Leong Mun Wai (centre) and Sani Ismail (left) interacting with a commuter near Lakeside MRT on April 25.ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG
He added that many of the policies put up by the PAP team are “part and parcel of the job of the Government.”

He added: “Since we are not the government, we will not be able to put up a comprehensive plan like what the PAP team has put up.”

Mr Leong also said the biggest challenge for the opposition party is to engage residents from the Taman Jurong ward within the constituency.

Taman Jurong was one of the areas drawn into the new West Coast-Jurong West GRC after changes to Singapore’s electoral boundaries announced in March. The ward, which had previously been part of Jurong GRC, is considered to be a PAP stronghold.

Mr Leong said the party has only been engaging residents there since the new boundaries were announced, unlike in other wards in the constituency where the party has been on the ground over the past few years.

He said: “We hope the residents of Taman Jurong have confidence in us that we can actually deliver what we promise.”

The constituency, under its old boundaries, saw the closest contest at the last election, with the PAP winning with 51.68 per cent of the vote against the PSP.


This result sent Mr Leong and Ms Hazel Poa into Parliament as NCMPs.

Both teams have returned with renewed slates, setting up a rematch.

Mr Leong, along with party chairman Tan Cheng Bock and Ms Poa are contesting again, along with new faces Sani Ismail and Sumarleki Amjah.

The PAP team is anchored by Mr Lee. Mr Ang Wei Neng returns, and the pair is joined by Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Finance and Education Shawn Huang, and new faces Hamid Razak and Cassandra Lee.

 

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GE2025: SDP candidates rebut Ong Ye Kung’s claim that Chee Soon Juan abandoned Bukit Batok​

SDP chief Chee Soon Juan at the rally for Bukit Panjang SMC at Beacon Primary School on April 25.ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
Andrew Wong
Apr 26, 2025

SINGAPORE - Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) chief Chee Soon Juan spent years walking the ground in Bukit Batok, only to have the single-member constituency removed in the latest review of the electoral boundaries, his party’s candidates said on April 25.

At SDP’s second election rally, candidates banded together to defend Dr Chee, after Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said at a PAP rally the day before that Dr Chee had “abandoned Bukit Batok to come to Sembawang West”.

The Bukit Batok single seat was absorbed into the new Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC with the release of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee report on March 11, and Dr Chee announced later that month his intention to contest the Sembawang West SMC in this election.

The veteran opposition politician previously contested and lost in the now-defunct ward twice, the latest in GE2020 in which he garnered 45.2 per cent of the vote against PAP’s Mr Murali Pillai, who notched 54.8 per cent.

“You simply erase the hard work of Dr Chee for the last 10 years, winning the hearts and minds of Bukit Batok residents by resorting to tactics of a playground bully,” said SDP’s Sembawang GRC candidate Damanhuri Abas at Beacon Primary School in Bukit Panjang.

“Sadly, we are still dealing with a reality that allows the PAP to maintain an uneven political playing field where they can move the goal post,” he added.


Several other speakers, including fellow SDP Sembawang GRC candidate James Gomez, noted that Mr Ong also moved to Sembawang for the 2015 election after being part of the losing PAP team in Aljunied in 2011.

Party chairman Paul Tambyah said he listened to Mr Ong’s speech again on April 25 and could not believe Mr Ong “actually accused the candidate of abandoning his residents to go to a constituency for political agenda”.

He then added that he was not sure if Mr Ong was referring to Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong or Dr Tan See Leng, who moved on Nomination Day to head the PAP’s slates for Punggol and Chua Chu Kang GRCs, respectively.

Party chairman Paul Tambyah speaking at the SDP rally for Bukit Panjang SMC at Beacon Primary School on April 25.ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
“Although he kept referring to Dr Chee in his speech, it was quite obvious that somebody who abandoned their residents one hour before Nomination Day was far more questionable,” Prof Tambyah said.

When asked about the PAP moves, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong explained on Nomination Day that it was to ensure a better spread of the party’s senior leadership, given the retirement of Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean.

Despite the rebuttals by his fellow candidates, Dr Chee himself did not address Mr Ong’s comments in his speech, saying only that he would address them at the party’s next rally on April 26.

Instead, Dr Chee, who was the last speaker of the night, spoke at length against PAP’s immigration policies, which he said have resulted in issues such as overcrowding and increased cost of living here.

“If foreigners are here to put the icing on the cake, to help us excel in a certain industry or sector – in other words, supplement our economy – it wouldn’t be so hard to swallow,” he said.

But he added that it was “very hard to accept” that Singaporeans “don’t have the ability, the smarts, the drive to take our own country forward”.

He pointed out that the SDP is not against foreigners, but “it is the irrational, the irresponsible immigration policy of the PAP that we are questioning”.

Dr Chee noted that Singapore’s population has crossed the six-million mark and that the Republic is the third most densely populated country in the world, with the growth “fuelled by the increase in foreigners”.

“We have an existential problem in our country and if we continue to allow the PAP to bring in more and more foreigners, our problems of mental health, cost of living, overcrowding, environmental degradation and overall quality of life are all going to worsen,” he said.

Supporters at the SDP rally for Bukit Panjang SMC at Beacon Primary School on April 25.ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
He also called on PM Wong to articulate what he sees as an optimal population size for Singapore, adding that he would expand on SDP’s vision for immigration in the coming days.

Meanwhile, Prof Tambyah, a senior consultant in the division of infectious diseases at the National University Hospital, said Singapore is facing huge challenges in its public healthcare system.

“I’ve said many times we have some of the world’s best doctors, nurses and allied health professionals. We also have good healthcare administrators, but the problem is the political environment under which they operate,” he said.

In SDP’s manifesto launched on April 20, the party proposed that maternal and paediatric services should be largely free and funded by the government from taxes.

The proposal also includes a “risk pooling system” that would cover primary services and treatment for chronic illnesses.

“The bottom line is that healthcare policy needs to focus primarily on getting people well. The SDP healthcare plan involves small co-payments which are kept and operates on the basis that no one chooses to get cancer or a heart attack,” added Prof Tambyah.

 

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News analysis​

GE2025: How are hustings shaping up with a week to Polling Day?​

Linette Lai

What has surfaced three days into the hustings is robust debate over rising costs, Singapore’s economic trajectory and the value of having more opposition voices in Parliament.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
Apr 26, 2025

SINGAPORE – Where will the battle lines be drawn in the May 3 general election?

With more than half of the nine-day campaign to go, it is perhaps too early to say which issues will catch fire, and which will fall flat.

What has surfaced three days into the hustings is robust debate over rising costs, Singapore’s economic trajectory and the value of having more opposition voices in Parliament. Evergreen bread-and-butter concerns – inflation, housing and job security – have been aired in several opposition rallies so far.

There is also the threat of foreign interference made real. On April 25, the authorities took action to block social media posts by three foreigners – among them Malaysian politicians – who sought to sway the decisions of Singaporean voters.

All this is taking place against a backdrop of global economic and political instability, precipitated by the capricious behaviour of US President Donald Trump.

Singapore in an unpredictable world​

One theme that has emerged in the last few months is that Singapore is a small, trade-reliant nation at the mercy of an unpredictable world.


Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has sought to draw voters’ attention to these circumstances and what is at stake.

“Global demand is weakening. Market confidence has fallen. Our exports will be hit,” he said in a televised party political broadcast on April 25.

“Our bigger fear is this: this is not just a short-term downturn. The world is shifting beneath our feet. Tensions are rising between the major powers. The rules of international trade and cooperation are breaking down.”

The PAP’s message to voters is that it is the best party to see Singapore through these uncertain times, and will need a strong mandate to do so effectively.

“Given that they have their years as a ruling party to back this claim, I think many voters do take that into account,” said Institute of Policy Studies Social Lab research fellow Teo Kay Key. “But concerns about the cost of living are quite prevalent on the ground, and they will really need to provide assurances for this.”

Opposition politicians have zeroed in on such issues.

In its first rally on April 24, the PSP said rising costs, stagnant wages and underemployment are key problems to solve. It proposed solutions such as a minimum wage and tighter rules on hiring foreign professionals.

Others, such as the Singapore Democratic Party and Red Dot United, have drawn attention to the cost of healthcare and public housing in their party political broadcasts.

“These are the realities that people are facing and things that the opposition parties have picked up on to speak about,” Dr Teo said.

In response, PM Wong has highlighted the PAP’s work in recent years to help Singaporeans with these and other concerns. More help will be given if it is needed, he said during his party’s broadcast.

He added: “Even as we help Singaporeans cope with the immediate economic concerns, the PAP Government will always look ahead, to plan for and prepare Singaporeans for the future.”

The PAP vs the opposition?​

In the first three days of the campaign, political parties have also sought to win people over to their views on this question: Does Singapore need a stronger opposition presence in Parliament?

The PAP’s view is that it is not about the number of opposition MPs in the House, but what they bring to the table.

In the party’s first rally on April 24, PM Wong called on voters to judge all candidates by the same yardstick.

“Don’t give the opposition a free pass,” he said. “Apply the same standards to them as you do to the PAP, in terms of integrity, competence and readiness to serve.”

It was his answer to the WP’s 2020 rallying cry of “no blank cheque”, with which it sought to persuade voters to send more opposition MPs into Parliament. That year, the party won its second group representation constituency – Sengkang.

Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh, the WP chief, hit back a day later, saying voters should compare its slate against the PAP’s backbenchers, rather than its core leadership team. This is because the WP is not contesting enough seats to form the next government, he said.

“My proposition to voters to consider is to understand that backbencher-for-backbencher, you’ve got a serious choice there,” he added.

In his party’s political broadcast, Mr Singh said that opposition MPs “can ask any question, especially the difficult questions which are necessary in the public interest”. When voting in Parliament, they do not need to toe the PAP’s party line, he said.

This view was echoed by PSP chairman Tan Cheng Bock, who called on Singaporeans to vote for a “more balanced Parliament that represents the diverse views of Singaporeans”.

What Singapore needs is more MPs from the “loyal opposition”, who speak up and propose constructive alternative policies, he said.

Associate Professor Eugene Tan, a political analyst and law don at the Singapore Management University, said: “For the opposition, particularly the WP, it is that Singapore’s interests will be better served by a more balanced political system rather than a one-party dominant system.”

But in his party’s broadcast, PM Wong sought to reframe the issue. After the dust from the election campaign settles, it will not be PAP versus the opposition, but Singapore versus the world, he said.

“The outcome of the election will determine how effective your government will be in serving you, and how ready we are to forge a new path forward together in these uncertain times.”

Foreign meddling in local politics​

Before the hustings began, the Elections Department (ELD) also cautioned against foreign interference, saying: “The outcome of Singapore’s elections must be for Singaporeans alone to decide.” It reiterated this warning on April 25, after the Government moved to block access to Facebook posts made by foreigners who were attempting to influence the election.

In a joint statement, the Ministry of Home Affairs and ELD said the posts were targeted at Singaporeans and had the potential to fracture racial and religious harmony here.

“We must not mix religion and politics. Singapore is a secular state. Our institutions serve Singaporeans equally,” they added.

PM Wong had also addressed the issue – albeit obliquely – during the PAP’s rally on the second day of the hustings.

“In the heat of an election campaign, it is easy for issues to get stirred up,” he said. “I say to all political parties in this election, let’s make sure that in everything we do, we always uphold multiracial politics. Do not inflame sensitive issues.”

How political parties and voters respond as this issue plays out over the next six days could change the course of the campaign.

 

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GE2025: Voters must choose if they want weaker govt with more opposition, or strong mandate for PAP, says ESM Goh​

Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong (right) meeting newly elected MP Goh Pei Ming on April 25.PHOTO: MPARADER/FACEBOOK

Ng Keng Gene
Apr 26, 2025

SINGAPORE – Voters must decide if they want more opposition in Parliament and a weaker government, or to give Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and the PAP a strong mandate to govern Singapore, said Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.

In a Facebook post on April 25, ESM Goh noted that many voters want the PAP to form the government and “understandably, also want to return more opposition candidates to Parliament”.

“This is like wanting to spend more today and save more for a rainy day at the same time. The reality is voters cannot have both,” wrote Mr Goh, 83, who was Singapore’s second prime minister.

Citing his personal experience, ESM Goh said the prime minister of a small country needs “both quality and quantity of MPs in Parliament to have political strength and stature to lead Singapore, especially at a critical juncture of geopolitical rivalry, tension, and disruptive challenges”.

He likened political contests to a boxing competition.

“There can be only one winner,” he said. “No boxer steps into the ring declaring that he only wants to check his opponent or be his sparring partner forever. He is out to knock out the other fellow, if not now, then in future contests.”

“Similarly, no political party should be satisfied with being a loyal opposition forever,” said ESM Goh, who served as prime minister from November 1990 to August 2004.

Citing remarks by PM Wong, he said that opposition candidates and their parties must therefore be judged by the same yardstick as voters would judge the PAP and its candidates – “as a potential ruling party”.

The outcome of a political battle is more consequential than that of a boxing competition, ESM Goh said.

“Fortunately, we voters are not just spectators at the ringside. We decide the outcome through our vote. How we vote will determine our lives now and beyond this electoral cycle,” he added.

“We must reflect on how we want to secure our future: a stronger opposition and a weakened government or a strong, good government and a politically stable Parliament as in the last one.”

ESM Goh, who was an MP in Marine Parade for 44 years before stepping down in 2020, also said in his post that he had met newly elected MP Goh Pei Ming on April 25.

Mr Goh Pei Ming, 43, is part of the PAP team in Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC that was elected unopposed on Nomination Day after a walkover. He has taken over the Marine Parade ward that ESM Goh oversaw.

On meeting ESM Goh, Mr Goh Pei Ming said he is “humbled to walk the same path he once took in Marine Parade and inspired by his words to ‘keep Singapore going’”.

 

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S’pore religious teacher says he had talks with WP, urged party to prioritise rights of Malay/Muslim community​

Mr Noor Deros claimed he had spoken to all the Malay candidates from the Workers' Party.PHOTO: BERITA HARIAN FILE

Hariz Baharudin
Apr 26, 2025

SINGAPORE - A Singaporean religious teacher based in Malaysia has said that he has spoken with WP candidates contesting the upcoming election and urged the opposition party to prioritise the rights and concerns of the Malay/Muslim community in Singapore.

Malay-language newspaper Berita Harian reported on April 26 that in a series of Facebook posts, Mr Noor Deros claimed he had spoken to all the Malay candidates from the WP. He also claimed that the party had agreed to take up the concerns raised by the asatizah, or religious teachers, regarding the Malay/Muslim community in Singapore.

According to the BH report, he said the WP had taken seriously his call for the party to raise in Parliament issues surrounding the control and regulation of Islam’s practice in Singapore, citing the Administration of Muslim Law Act and institutions such as the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore.

Mr Noor also claimed that he had urged WP and other election candidates to reject the normalisation of LGBTQ+ issues, take a strong stance against Israel, and recognise the state of Palestine.

In another post, Mr Noor criticised Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli, accusing him of failing to defend the rights and aspirations of the Malay/Muslim community.

He compared Mr Masagos with WP vice-chairman Faisal Manap, pointing to Mr Faisal’s efforts in raising the tudung (headscarf) issue in Parliament – referring to how in 2021, the Government lifted former restrictions on the headgear for Muslim staff in healthcare settings.

Mr Noor called on his followers, particularly those in Tampines GRC, to vote for Mr Faisal, who is contesting the constituency, in the May 3 general election.

Mr Noor’s posts are among a number of online messages by Singaporeans that have surfaced during the election period, which the authorities said contained racial and religious undertones.

On April 25, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Elections Department issued a statement warning that foreigners must not direct, fund or in any way influence Singapore’s elections.

The statement said: “Singapore’s politics must be for Singaporeans alone to decide.”

This was after three foreigners, including a former Internal Security Act (ISA) detainee, were found to be attempting to interfere in the election.

One of them is a Facebook user under the name of “Zai Nal”. He had shared Mr Noor’s posts and accused Malay/Muslim MPs of failing to represent the interests of the Muslim community. He said the community did not need “another Malay MP who does not represent their views”.

The user was identified as Zulfikar Mohamad Shariff, an Australian citizen who renounced his Singapore citizenship in 2020. Zulfikar was previously detained under the ISA in 2016 for promoting terrorism and praising militant group ISIS online.

He had also posted criticisms of Malay/Muslim MPs regarding the tudung issue. His posts were subsequently reshared by Mr Mohamed Sukri Omar, the Selangor Youth chief of Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS).

The other two foreigners identified are Mr Mohamed Sukri Omar and Mr Iskandar Abdul Samad, national treasurer of PAS.

On April 25, the Infocomm Media Development Authority issued a correction direction to Meta, requiring the tech giant to disable access for Singapore users to several of these Facebook posts. The posts have since been blocked.

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