General Election 2025

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GE2025: Bread-and-butter issues take centre stage in RDU’s first election rally​

RDU secretary-general Ravi Philemon speaking during the party's first election rally at Bukit View Secondary School in Bukit Batok on April 26.ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO

Michelle Ng
Apr 27, 2025

SINGAPORE – Red Dot United (RDU) candidates zeroed in on bread-and-butter issues, such as public housing affordability and the cost of living, in their first election rally on April 26.

Examples raised by the 15 candidates at Bukit View Secondary School in Bukit Batok include how some Singaporeans are relying on government vouchers to help pay for daily essentials, rising housing prices that have forced some to move to Malaysia, and MRT breakdowns.

Some candidates portrayed the PAP ruling party as being out of touch with the issues Singaporeans are facing.

Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC candidate Harish Mohanadas said he met residents during his walkabouts who “felt a losing sense of control over their lives and livelihoods”.

Some are concerned about the price of Housing Board flats and whether their children can afford to buy homes in the future, he said, adding: “This concern is very, very common. I believe that Singaporeans deserve better.”

RDU secretary-general Ravi Philemon, who is contesting Nee Soon GRC, said his party has presented Singaporeans a slate of candidates that includes PhD holders, captains of industries, entrepreneurs and people from all walks of life.


In contrast, the PAP’s candidates are “linked to the establishment, cut from the same cloth, live in ivory towers and align more with the billionaire class”, said Mr Philemon.

“Do you think they will make life better for you?”

RDU is contesting four constituencies this election: Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC, Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, Nee Soon GRC and Jurong Central SMC.

Some candidates spoke about their personal setbacks and how they still see Singaporeans suffering from the same predicaments now.

Jurong East-Bukit Batok candidate Liyana Dhamirah, who shared her story of experiencing homelessness, said that it “breaks my heart” that what she experienced 15 years ago is still happening today.

She said she met a resident who cancelled a medical appointment to use the money to buy groceries. “Imagine that in a country as wealthy as ours, people are still having to choose between food and medicine,” she said.

“We hear about government voucher support schemes, but how dignified is it to have to depend on handouts just to survive?”


Jurong Central candidate Kala Manickam said opposition parties are needed in Parliament so that they can speak up for regular Singaporeans.

Saying that opposition parties are like “insurance for the country”, Madam Kala said: “We need a backup in times of crisis… You hope you don’t need it.

“But when problems happen – bad policies, mistakes – there’s someone there to speak up for you in Parliament.”

Several RDU candidates outlined proposals in the party’s manifesto that would reshape the social compact here, where Singaporeans would be treated as “first-class”.

Mr Sharad Kumar, the party’s youngest candidate and contesting Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, questioned why singles have to wait till 35 years old to buy a Build-To-Order flat.

“Young people shouldn’t have to wait for permission to start their lives. They need support and options. They need hope,” said the 25-year-old.

As an alternative, he pointed to his party’s proposed rent-to-own scheme, which allows either lower-income earners or young, single Singaporeans to lease first, with the rent going towards owning the flat.

Said Mr Sharad: “Singapore must be a place, if you work hard, you can stand tall, where no one is made to feel small.”

Jurong East-Bukit Batok candidate Osman Sulaiman said his party takes town council management very seriously and asked residents to vote RDU into Parliament.

“If Hougang residents are called warriors for voting the opposition party, then on May 3, 2025, Jurong East-Bukit Batok voters will be the Paladins of the West,” he said.

 

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GE2025: PPP raises concerns over rising cost of living, job insecurities in rally​

PPP party secretary-general Goh Meng Seng urged people to stand up against what he termed the politics of fear.ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI

Kimberly Kwek
Apr 27, 2025

SINGAPORE – The rising cost of living, affordability of healthcare and job insecurities were among the concerns that candidates of the People’s Power Party (PPP) raised during its second rally on April 26.

Kicking off the 2½-hour rally, party secretary-general Goh Meng Seng urged people to stand up against what he termed the politics of fear, which he said has made it difficult for the PPP to rope in volunteers.

The PPP is contesting Ang Mo Kio and Tampines GRCs in the upcoming election. Its 10 candidates took the stage, criticising the PAP government on topics ranging from the national Covid-19 vaccination drive to Singapore’s immigration policy.

“It is not that we are xenophobic... But if we do not give our children, our youngsters the opportunity to have a meaningful job to train, to upgrade and access experiences, how are they going to be the top in the world?

“I see so many youngsters are so demoralised because they can’t see a future in their job,” said Mr Goh, 55.

During his speech, Mr William Lim, who is leading the PPP’s five-member slate in Ang Mo Kio, said he wants to help residents deal with issues like the rising cost of daily expenses.

Mr Lim, a limousine service provider, 47, also said he understands the struggles of the average Singaporean. “You work hard to give your family a good life, but no matter how hard you work, it is just enough to make ends meet, or in some cases, things don’t get easier.”

Fellow political newcomers, retired civil servant Martinn Ho, 64; safety coordinator Thaddeus Thomas, 43; former information technology engineer Samuel Lee, 33; and horticulturist Heng Zheng Dao, 24, are also part of the PPP’s Ang Mo Kio team. They are up against the incumbent PAP team, led by Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, and Singapore United Party in a three-cornered contest.

Party chairman Derrick Lim, who is contesting Tampines GRC, suggested that GST for basic goods be removed to tackle the cost of living.

The PPP is involved in another multi-cornered fight in Tampines GRC, with its team led by Mr Goh going up against the PAP, the WP and the National Solidarity Party.

During the rally, PPP’s Tampines candidate Arbaah Haroun, 50, proposed several family-related policies, including monthly support for children, and “heavily subsidised” in-vitro fertilisation treatment for couples. She said: “Our birth rates are low, but our hopes are not... Starting a family shouldn’t feel like climbing Mount Everest.”

Several of the candidates also took issue with the national Covid-19 vaccination drive.

During the rally, Mr Samuel Lee also raised the issue of graduates facing problems finding stable jobs.

Mr Samuel Lee raised the issue of graduates facing problems finding stable jobs.ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
Mr Lee had gone viral on social media after singing an adapted version of the classic Chinese song A Tiny Bird with English lyrics lamenting the struggles faced by Singaporeans in securing a job.

Mr Lee also came under the spotlight earlier this week after it emerged that he was convicted in 2022 over a road rage incident.

Mr Goh said Mr Lee had been cyberbullied because of the news.

“I actually had to beg him to stand for elections... He knew what he was going to face, cyberbullying and reputational damage,” said Mr Goh, adding that Mr Lee has not been able to find a job.

“Hopefully, he can find a job in Parliament.”

 

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GE2025: Edwin Tong likened to Messi as PAP veterans lend East Coast GRC team support​

(From left) Former Cabinet minister Lim Swee Say, DPM Heng Swee Keat and ex-Potong Pasir MP Sitoh Yih Pin took the stage to urge voters to back the PAP's East Coast GRC team.ST PHOTOS: GAVIN FOO
Joyce Lim and Esther Loi
Apr 27, 2025

SINGAPORE – Three party veterans returned to the election stage to rally support for the PAP team in East Coast GRC on April 26.

Speaking at the PAP’s first East Coast GRC rally, former Cabinet minister Lim Swee Say, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat and outgoing Potong Pasir MP Sitoh Yih Pin took the stage at Bedok Stadium to urge voters to back the five-member team, vouching for the leadership of anchor minister Edwin Tong, 55.

The PAP team in East Coast GRC includes incumbents Tan Kiat How, 47, and Jessica Tan, 58, and new faces Hazlina Abdul Halim, 40, and Dinesh Vasu Dash, 50.

During his speech in Mandarin, Mr Lim, who retired from politics in 2020, said he had made few public appearances since stepping down. But when Mr Tong, the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, asked him to speak at the rally, he agreed without hesitation.

“I felt strongly about this,” Mr Lim said.

Five years ago, Singapore faced the pandemic, he said. Today, the world faces new uncertainties, the latest being the economic turbulence in the US. In such times, he said, Singapore must have strong leadership.


Mr Lim, a former anchor minister for East Coast GRC, also urged Singaporeans to support the fourth generation of PAP leaders, to “walk and run together” and keep moving Singapore forward.

“The more you support them, the more effectively they can serve Singapore,” he added.

Mr Sitoh, who entered Parliament in 2011 alongside Mr Tong, said he has been living in Siglap for over 30 years. He praised Mr Tong’s commitment and ability to get things done, citing how he secured a sponsorship for kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder, who went on to win Singapore’s first Olympic sailing medal at the Paris Olympics in 2024.

“That’s the magic of Edwin Tong. When he wants to do something, he goes right down the line,” Mr Sitoh said, adding that Mr Tong had also gone out of his way to help the Singapore Lions at the Asean Mitsubishi Electric Cup.

Mr Sitoh, who is retiring from politics, rounded off his speech by likening Mr Tong to Argentine footballer Lionel Messi: “Do you think Argentina would have won the World Cup without Messi? I don’t think so. Edwin Tong doesn’t play football like Messi, but I think he is as important a member of the team as Messi is to Argentina.”


DPM Heng, who led East Coast GRC in the last election before announcing his retirement on Nomination Day on April 23, reinforced the importance of choosing MPs who can both listen and act.

Rebutting what opposition parties said about PAP MPs being “si ban”, or rigid in Chinese, DPM Heng recalled how MP Denise Phua strongly advocated for special needs children, and how others pushed for changes in the education system.

“When I was in MOE (Ministry of Education), Denise Phua was very fierce. She was in the GPC (government parliamentary committee). She said, ‘Minister, you don’t understand special needs children, you know, I tell you.’ So I spent a lot of time listening... Lim Biow Chuan, my GPC chair, he said, ‘Mr Heng, you don’t understand the stress of our students. Come, I will show you.’ As a result, I almost abolished the PSLE (Primary School Leaving Examination),” said DPM Heng.

He added that he understood how Singaporeans want to do better, and persuaded then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to start two new universities – Singapore Institute of Technology and Singapore University of Social Sciences.


DPM Heng also pointed out how ideas such as the CDC vouchers, which help Singaporeans in coping with cost-of-living pressures, came from PAP MPs.

He then urged Singaporeans to elect “good people” to represent them, not just in Parliament, but also to be ministers.

He also stressed that this election is crucial because Singapore faces an increasingly volatile global environment, with trade, tariff and tech wars escalating.

Despite Singapore’s experience in managing crises like the Asian financial crisis, the global financial crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic, DPM Heng warned that “the future is going to be even harder”, with disrupted trade lines and slowing growth.

Citing the International Monetary Fund’s latest forecast cuts, he pointed to worsening global and local economic outlooks.

“So opposition says rumour-mongering. Actually... I was thinking either they don’t know, they don’t understand, or they know, and they are lying to you. Either way, it’s bad, right?” he said.

“Singaporeans must come together, united, be prepared for a fight,” he added.

 

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GE2025: Global economic uncertainty is no ordinary storm but tidal wave of change, says DPM Gan​

DPM Gan Kim Yong said the uncertainties the nation is facing will have long-term implications for Singapore as a trading hub.ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
Ng Keng Gene and Harith Mustaffa
Apr 27, 2025


SINGAPORE – The global economic uncertainty triggered by the United States’ move to impose tariffs on its trading partners is no ordinary storm but a tidal wave of change, said Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong.

Speaking at a PAP rally at Yusof Ishak Secondary School on April 26, Mr Gan questioned critics who said the ruling party’s reaction to the American tariffs is overblown.

He added that the uncertainties the nation is facing will have long-term implications for Singapore as a trading hub.

He said: “Some have said the PAP’s reaction to the US tariff announcement is overblown, that we are sending a message of fear, and there is no need to worry because Singapore has weathered bigger storms before.

“But really, are you sure this is just another storm? This is no ordinary storm. This is a tidal wave of change.”

Singaporeans are worried, and businesses are feeling the impact of market uncertainties, with some multinational corporations (MNCs) rethinking their investment plans and their presence in the country, he added.

“Supply chains may be further reconfigured. And with these uncertainties, businesses have paused their investments and have also slowed down their hiring,” said Mr Gan, 66, who is also the Trade and Industry Minister.

Many people are wondering about job security, but there is no need to fear, he added. The Government, he said, rolled out a “comprehensive Budget” earlier this year to help Singaporeans face the uncertainties ahead.

For instance, Singaporeans looking for jobs can tap schemes like the SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support scheme and career conversion programmes.

Mr Gan said: “We may not be able to save every job, but we intend to protect every worker. We will uplift you, we will help you bounce back stronger than before.

“As Prime Minister Lawrence Wong promised, we will do more if necessary. The PAP has your back.”

Although it is election season, the work of governing Singapore continues, and the PAP government is clear on what it needs to do, added Mr Gan, who chairs the Singapore Economic Resilience Taskforce that aims to help navigate the uncertainties caused by US tariffs.

Trade talks with his American counterparts are ongoing, he said, and this is possible because of the longstanding ties the PAP government has with the US administration.

“They know us and they trust us, and this mutual trust is most critical in times of crisis, for us to be able to come together, to talk with one another and to negotiate.”

He added that the Americans are prepared to find a way to get Singapore’s critical exports to the US.

He did not provide further details on trade talks because of the need for confidentiality.

Mr Gan made his foray into politics in 2001 and is an incumbent Chua Chu Kang GRC MP. He was moved to helm the PAP team in Punggol on Nomination Day, in a last-minute surprise move.

He was the last speaker at the rally, rounding off a slate that included Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean and members of the PAP team for Punggol – Ms Yeo Wan Ling, Ms Sun Xueling and Dr Janil Puthucheary.

They are facing off against a WP team made up of four first-time candidates. They are: senior counsel Harpreet Singh, advertising tech firm senior director Alexis Dang, legal counsel Alia Mattar, and Mr Jackson Au, senior manager of corporate affairs and marketing with the London Stock Exchange Group.

Speaking to reporters after submitting his nomination papers on April 23, Mr Gan said that although he is new to Punggol, he is a “fast learner”, and will “learn as fast as I can”.

He said at the rally that in the last three days of campaigning, he had met residents from all walks of life to better understand their aspirations, desires and concerns, and observed three things about Punggol.

First, it has many multi-generational families. Second, residents have a strong sense of ownership and connection to the town. Third, Punggol has been designed creatively, allowing residents to work, live and play in it.

“Punggol is a ‘wow’ town,” he said.

The town has, in under two decades, become a shining model for the heartland, and a neighbourhood that many young families can be proud to call home.

He said: “We are a young and growing new town. There is much we have done together, but yet there is much more that we can work and do together, with you, and for you.”

For instance, residents have asked him for more covered linkways, he said.

“I will talk to my good friend, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who is also Finance Minister, to see if we can get more money to build some of these necessary infrastructure,” he said.

The project will involve significant work with various agencies and the town council, he added.


Asking for residents’ support, Mr Gan said Dr Janil, Ms Sun and Ms Yeo have nearly 30 years of combined experience in running a town council, and he brings another 24 years to the mix.

Dr Janil, 52, who is an incumbent Pasir Ris-Punggol MP, said the team does not believe in making unbelievable promises, but has a humble understanding of the hard work and determination to serve the people.

Ms Sun, 45, who has overseen Punggol West since she entered politics in 2015, said there were no facilities in the estate when she became an MP a decade ago.

As she wanted to make sure children in Punggol had as good a start as the other children in the rest of Singapore, she started a container library.

She said: “In Punggol, we spare no effort in galvanising community resources. We want to create conditions for our children to thrive and to flourish.

“Recently, I updated our Punggol parents that we will have a new primary school, a new secondary school and a junior college in Punggol.”

Ms Yeo, 48, who is seeking a second term in Parliament, said she has spoken up for platform workers, many of whom live in Punggol.

She said: “They deserve fair compensation, injury protection and adequate CPF contributions. And these issues aren’t abstract policy matters to me.

“They are about real people in Punggol whose dignity and livelihoods are at stake – that is the perspective I bring to Parliament.”

 

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GE2025: WP policy proposals can help ease cost of living concerns, say candidates at second rally​

WP candidates urged voters to send more of them into Parliament, adding that it would make the WP a more effective check on the Government.ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR

Aqil Hamzah
Apr 27, 2025

SINGAPORE – The rising cost of living is a key concern for Singaporeans both young and old, said Workers’ Party candidates at its second election rally, as they blamed government policies for exacerbating the problem.

Speaking at Temasek Junior College on April 26, they urged voters to send more of them into Parliament, adding that it would make the WP a more effective check on the Government.

“As we have highlighted in our manifesto, our presence in Parliament has undoubtedly made an impact on our public policy, and all this with just 10 elected MPs,” said WP East Coast GRC candidate Sufyan Mikhail Putra, 33.

“Imagine what more can be done if me and my fellow candidates are given the chance to be your voice in Parliament.”

He was among 14 speakers at the rally comprising the party’s candidates in Tampines GRC, Tampines Changkat SMC, Punggol GRC and East Coast GRC, as well as WP chief Pritam Singh and party chairwoman Sylvia Lim, both seeking re-election in Aljunied GRC for a fourth term.

One after another, the candidates took aim at government policies that they said had led to escalating costs, with most of them citing the hike in goods and services tax (GST) during a time of high inflation.


Several candidates suggested exempting GST for essential items, such as cooking oil and rice, while others suggested that the Government could tap more of the investment returns from Singapore’s past reserves instead of raising taxes.

The candidates also spoke about how rising costs had affected the elderly and younger Singaporeans, especially those with children.

Former diplomat Eileen Chong, who is on the party’s Tampines GRC slate, and Ms Lim said more could be done to help older Singaporeans live with financial security and dignity.

Ms Chong, speaking mostly in Mandarin and Hokkien, said that as a former civil servant, she knows and believes that the civil service has good intentions when formulating policies, but intentions are not enough.

“Differences between formulation and implementation usually mean that there are a lot of communities being overlooked,” she said, giving the example of seniors living alone without a support structure.

To that end, she said that MediSave limits should be done away with, because, “our elders should not have to choose between their medicine and their daily meals”.

WP candidate for Tampines GRC Eileen Chong said she believes that the civil service has good intentions when formulating policies, but intentions are not enough.ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
Ms Lim, meanwhile, called for the retirement age to be abolished. That would mean Singaporeans can decide when they want to stop working, she said.

“So long as you wish to work, and you are able to perform, you should decide when to stop.

“Is it really the case that we suddenly become less able to do our jobs once we reach our 63rd birthday?

“If you look at the Government, are there not PAP ministers who are already past the statutory retirement age?”

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On the concerns of younger Singaporeans, Punggol GRC candidate Alia Mattar said they are increasingly apprehensive of having children due to the multitude of costs associated with parenting.

She was among six WP candidates at the rally who said they had joined politics as they were worried about their children’s future and wanted to build a better Singapore.

Referencing the young couples she met during house visits, Ms Alia said a number have held back from starting families while waiting for their Build-To-Order (BTO) flats to be completed.

She said, to cheers from the crowd, rather than regarding HDB flats as a tool to accumulate wealth, they should be “affordable homes for Singaporeans to live in”.

She said BTO flats should be priced according to the median income level of new home owners rather than the national household median income, adding that this will help ensure prices do not increase indefinitely.

WP candidate for Punggol GRC Alia Mattar said she met a number of couples who held back from starting families while waiting for BTO flats to be completed.ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
Many of the proposals cited are in the WP’s manifesto, the candidates said.

Hammering home the need for voters to choose WP at the polls, Mr Michael Thng, a Tampines GRC candidate, said that since WP members were elected into Parliament, they have “dragged issues that used to sit on the margins and brought them into the political mainstream”.

The PAP has begun to acknowledge this, he added, citing how Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong said last week that neither the Government nor the opposition has a monopoly on good ideas.

“If so, why should they have a monopoly in Parliament,” he asked in his maiden rally speech, before calling for the crowd to vote WP in to build a “better... more inclusive Singapore, where your voices are given equal weight in the policymaking process”.

 

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GE2025: Pritam says PAP candidates with NTUC ties can continue helping workers even if not elected​

WP chief Pritam Singh called the labour movement a “guaranteed trampoline” for losing PAP candidates.ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

Kok Yufeng
Apr 27, 2025


SINGAPORE - Labour chief Ng Chee Meng and NTUC assistant secretary-general Desmond Choo, who are contesting single seats at the general election, can continue helping workers even if they are not elected, WP chief Pritam Singh said on April 26.

Taking aim at NTUC’s close relationship with the PAP, Mr Singh urged voters to vote for WP’s Jalan Kayu candidate Andre Low and its Tampines Changkat candidate Kenneth Foo instead.

Mr Low will square off against the PAP’s Mr Ng in Jalan Kayu at the May 3 polls, while Mr Foo will go up against Mr Choo from the ruling party in Tampines Changkat.

Mr Singh said at WP’s second election rally, held at Temasek Junior College in Tampines, that Mr Ng and Mr Choo will probably continue working in the labour movement if they do not get elected.

If so, the two PAP candidates will continue serving workers with the help of “rank-and-file unionists and workers who are truly the backbone of NTUC”.

Calling the labour movement a “guaranteed trampoline” for losing PAP candidates, the Leader of the Opposition said Mr Ng and Mr Choo can still lobby the Government because of the “symbiotic relationship” between NTUC and the PAP.


“It is the safest trampoline for a politician anywhere in Singapore, and maybe anywhere in the world, but you must be a PAP candidate to earn the right to bounce on it,” said Mr Singh in a speech rounding off the rally, which lasted nearly three hours.

Union work is not easy, he added, and rank-and-file unionists push hard for better workers’ rights because of their passion for workers.

“I thank them for that,” he said. “So, Singapore, let us help the PAP candidates in Jalan Kayu and Tampines Changkat, who are the top leaders in the NTUC, to be full-time NTUC union leaders.”

This, he said, would save them from spending time in Parliament and managing town councils.

“We need to give the PAP candidates more time for their NTUC work, so they can come up with new ideas, or maybe even implement WP ideas,” he added.

Earlier, Mr Singh took a swipe at a social media site that touted Mr Ng’s role in driving the launch of the new SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support scheme – a policy on which the WP said it has also made a difference.

The scheme gives payouts to lower- and middle-income adult Singaporeans who have lost their jobs due to reasons such as retrenchment and business closure.

Mr Singh also hit out at what he said was a lack of substance and specifics in the PAP’s 2025 election manifesto.

For example, he cited the lack of details about proposals to tackle housing affordability, the decaying lease of HDB flats, and the roll-out of the Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (Vers), which will give owners of older flats a chance at “going en bloc” before their leases run out.

Mr Singh said many families are buying resale flats with 60 or 70 years left on the lease, at prices nearing or even surpassing $1 million. “These families need more details about Vers before their resale flats start to lose value... What does the PAP manifesto say about this concern? Nothing at all.”

He said WP, in comparison, has advanced many practical proposals in its manifesto that deal with issues such as high rental costs for businesses and more flexibility for seniors using MediSave, the national medical savings scheme.

“Singapore is a far more complex society (now), and it will always need fresh thinking. Yet we have a PAP manifesto without specific policy ideas. I believe it is because PAP wants Singaporeans to sign a blank cheque,” he said.

Mr Singh said Parliament needs rational, responsible and respectable debate, and “not a rubber stamp”, arguing that voting in PAP candidates with ties to NTUC would not make a difference.

He cited the proposed $2.2 billion sale of home-grown insurer Income Insurance to German multinational Allianz, which was called off after the deal came under public scrutiny.

He noted that no PAP labour MP filed questions or spoke during the debate in Parliament when the issue surfaced.

“Elected PAP MPs who champion NTUC... should fight hard in Parliament when NTUC issues are raised, particularly issues that Singaporeans are concerned about.”

Mr Singh said WP’s candidates, if elected, will work hard on the ground and look after the town councils in the constituencies they are contesting.

He added: “Tampines wins, Tampines Changkat wins, Jalan Kayu wins, Singapore wins, everybody wins.”

At the end of his speech, Mr Singh responded to Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s comments at a press conference earlier in the day that delved into Facebook posts by two Malaysian politicians and a former ISA detainee.

The posts were blocked for attempting to interfere in Singapore’s election.

They – along with a Malaysia-based Singaporean religious teacher Noor Deros – had spotlighted several opposition politicians in social media posts. These politicians include WP vice-chair Faisal Manap, who is leading the party’s Tampines GRC team.

Mr Singh said: “My colleagues and I categorically reject the involvement of any foreign element whatsoever in our domestic politics. Singapore is our business. Nobody else’s.”

He added: “I passionately believe in a race-neutral Singapore, where we are judged not by our race or the colour of our skin, but by our deeds and our common humanity.”

Mr Faisal, who was moved from Aljunied GRC, made a similar pledge to voters. “I am a minority candidate, a Malay/Muslim. Regardless, I will serve the residents of Tampines GRC – regardless of race, language or religion – equally and to the best of my ability,” he said in his rally speech.

 

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GE2025: More support for labour MPs means greater mandate to speak for workers, says Chan Chun Sing​

Education Minister Chan Chun Sing during a walkabout at Blk 85 Redhill Lane on April 27.ST PHOTO: HESTER TAN

Lim Min Zhang
Apr 27, 2025,

SINGAPORE - The stronger the support given to the labour chief and MPs, the greater their mandate and confidence to speak for workers beyond NTUC, said Education Minister Chan Chun Sing.

Furthermore, Singaporeans should choose the strongest team to represent them on the world stage in the upcoming polls. This is important as others would want to know they are negotiating with leaders who have the backing of its people, said Mr Chan, who helms the PAP team contesting Tanjong Pagar GRC.

“Otherwise, it would not be so easy for us to get the best package or deal for fellow Singaporeans when we are facing tough negotiations,” he said during a walkabout at Redhill Market on April 27.

Mr Chan was responding to Mr Pritam Singh’s rally speech on April 26, where the WP leader suggested there was no need to elect PAP’s labour movement candidates, as they can continue helping workers even if they do not enter Parliament.

The WP is challenging NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng in Jalan Kayu SMC, and NTUC assistant secretary-general Desmond Choo in Tampines Changkat SMC.

Mr Singh also took aim at NTUC’s close relationship with the PAP, noting that labour MPs had been silent on the Allianz-Income saga in August 2024, when the issue was first aired in Parliament.

Multiple opposition parties have raised the issue during the hustings. The proposed deal by the German insurer to buy a majority stake in Singapore’s Income Insurance fell through later in 2024.

Asked about Mr Singh’s remarks, Mr Chan, who was labour chief from 2015 to 2018, said it is not merely about what PAP labour MPs say in Parliament, but what they do behind the scenes.

“It’s a lot of hard work. Each and every NTUC officer, including labour MPs, have to work closely with the companies and tripartite partners in order to achieve what they can for our workers.

“So I think if people say anything that is different from this, perhaps they don’t fully understand how our tripartite system works.”

As for the Allianz-Income deal, Mr Chan said PAP MPs had raised this issue, among others, “both internally and externally”.

“That shows the diversity of views that they bring to the table. That shows how they are fighting for the workers to have better jobs and wage growth,” he said.

Mr Chan was accompanied by other members of the PAP slate, which is facing the People’s Alliance for Reform (PAR) in the May 3 polls.

The PAP’s candidates for Radin Mas SMC, Mr Melvin Yong, and for Queenstown SMC, Mr Eric Chua, were also present.

Mr Yong, the incumbent for Radin Mas, spoke about two community initiatives involving hawkers. One was launched in 2021 during the pandemic, for customers to buy free meals and drinks for others. Since then, more than 100,000 free meals and drinks have been given away, he said.

Another is a programme where vouchers are distributed to residents for them to enjoy food discounts. This started in August 2024 with 40 participating stalls, and there are now more than 70 across the constituency.

At the midway point of the GE2025 campaign, Mr Chan urged voters to choose people who will get things done for them, and not “people who will ask other people who will get things done for them”.

He said potential MPs must not only take care of residents in the local community and represent them at the national level, but also represent Singaporeans on the international stage.

On the PAR’s proposals for free education, school meals and healthcare for Singaporean children – which the opposition party spoke about at a rally a day earlier – Mr Chan said voters should assess them based on several criteria.

For instance, how such proposals would be paid for and whether they would help attract more investment and create better jobs.

Another question to ask is whether these suggestions would help companies earn more to pay workers better wages, he said. That is because the best way to take care of workers and residents is for them to have a good job and for the income to keep growing, said Mr Chan.

“That is the best way to counter any cost of living concerns,” he said, adding that the government will continue to help where it can by redistributing the fruits of growth.

Asked what value labour MPs bring to the table, if elected, Mr Chan said workers and unionists want their interests to be represented in Parliament and in the Cabinet.

“So when they get strong support, (and) they say something in Parliament and Cabinet, people there will sit up and take them very seriously because they know that they are not speaking as individuals, but... on behalf of workers and unionists,” said Mr Chan.

 

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GE2025: PAP’s Denise Phua defends relevance of mayors amid criticism of the role​

PAP Jalan Besar candidates Shawn Loh. ;Josephine Teo, Denise Phua and Wan Rizal taking a wefie with Ms Tan Leng Hong, 60 during the Walkabout at Upper Boon Keng Market on April 27, 2025 . ST Photo : Desmond Wee.The Straits Times

Judith Tan
Apr 27, 2025

SINGAPORE - PAP candidate for Jalan Besar GRC Denise Phua said the roles of mayors and the Community Development Councils (CDCs) continue to be important as they serve regional roles that are separate from those of MPs or grassroot advisors.

While most people know the CDC as the lead agency to come up with the CDC vouchers, the CDCs actually do a lot more than that, said Ms Phua, noting that many of the programmes are also led by the five mayors in charge of the five districts.

“We operate as a regional office that does not take over the role of the MP or the grassroot advisors, but really looking at the entire district so that CDCs and the mayors are able to aggregate the needs of the district, find some common areas,” she told reporters during a media doorstop interview at Upper Boon Keng Market and Food Centre on April 27.

For example, in her district, the CDC runs more than 50 programmes to address the needs of residents.

Ms Phua has served as the Mayor of Central Singapore District since 2014. She was responding to questions about the role of mayors, which was raised by opposition parties like the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) and the People’s Alliance for Reform (PAR).

In rallies on April 26, both parties had called for the abolishing of such mayor positions should they be elected.

Referring to the CDCs as an “ideas bank”, Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo, who is helming the PAP’s Jalan Besar GRC team, said that many programmes in her constituency that are targeted at vulnerable families, mid-career workers and the youth have benefited from the support of the CDC.


“The profiles of our residents have changed from time to time, and when you have new resident groups moving in, it takes time to learn about their needs, understand their aspirations, and then design programmes that they will find useful,” she said.

“The CDCs have often stepped in to share best practices in other constituencies, so that shortens the learning curve, and allows us to learn from others what works, what does not work, and how we can actually innovate in a way that serves the residents,” added Mrs Teo.

Fellow Jalan Besar candidates Dr Wan Rizal Wan Zakariah and Mr Shawn Loh also joined Mrs Teo and Ms Phua at the April 27 media doorstop. The incumbent PAP team will go head-to-head with the PAR in a battle for Jalan Besar GRC in the May 3 polls.

Dr Wan Rizal also told the media that racial and religious harmony in Singapore has come a long way, and its related challenges cannot be taken lightly.

PAP Jalan Besar candidate Wan Rizal said his approach had always been to serve both the Malay/Muslim community and the broader community.The Straits Times
The Singapore government had, on April 25, moved to block Singapore users’ access to several instances of online election advertising (OEA) posted on Facebook by foreigners.

These posts were made by two Malaysian politicians and a former Internal Security Act (ISA) detainee who is now an Australian citizen, who criticised the Singapore government’s handling of sensitive religious issues, and urged Singaporeans to vote along religious lines.

They, along with a Singaporean self-styled religious teacher based in Malaysia known as Mr Noor Deros, had spotlighted several opposition politicians in social media posts, including incumbent Aljunied MP Faisal Manap, who is contesting Tampines GRC this year under the WP banner.

When asked for his views on recent reports over attempted foreign interference in Singapore’s general election, Dr Wan Rizal emphasised that the party “outrightly rejects such interferences”.

“I think it’s our responsibility, as good politicians, to make sure that this does not affect our politics here in Singapore. We truly believe that at the end of the day … Singaporeans must be our focus and attention as we go forward,” he said.

As a former mosque leader for 10 years, Dr Wan Rizal also said that his approach has always been to serve both the Malay/Muslim community and the broader community.

“I think that is how we should view religion in Singapore, it is actually a way to uplift and help one another in Singapore, and we should see it in that context rather than just a very myopic way of just focusing on one community over the other,” he added.

Building on that, Ms Phua said that the five-year Jalan Besar Masterplan that they hope to implement is a plan “for all”, and includes both public and private residents.

“When we say we have plans for Jalan Besar GRC, we are looking at a Jalan Besar for all, regardless of age, abilities, home - whether in public or private estates - and backgrounds. We are excited about being given a chance to build an even more vibrant, sustainable town, and definitely a more caring community for all,” she said.

Political newcomer Mr Loh also shared his experience on the ground, saying that “every single handshake, every smile, every word of encouragement, every word of support” is important.

“I think it’s a reflection of the good work that the team has done in the past, and it’s a reflection of the good work that we will continue to do if we get elected into Parliament,” he said.

 

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GE2025: PAP’s Lee Hong Chuang banks on decades of grassroots experience in bid to enter Parliament​

PAP's Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC candidate Lee Hong Chuang on a walkabout at a coffee shop in Bukit Batok on April 26.ST PHOTO: MICHELLE NG

Michelle Ng
Apr 27, 2025,

SINGAPORE – He may become a first-time MP at age 55 after this general election, but Mr Lee Hong Chuang said he is not a novice in helping residents solve their problems.

He said he has decades of volunteering experience and has been a PAP activist since 2004. Mr Lee also contested, and lost, in the last two general elections as the PAP candidate for the Hougang single seat.

The former national gymnast is part of the ruling party’s Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC team in this election, representing the Hong Kah North ward. The PAP team is headed by Sustainability and the Environment Minister Grace Fu and includes ministers of state Murali Pillai and Rahayu Mahzam, as well as newcomer David Hoe.

Asked about the move from Hougang to the group representation constituency, Mr Lee said: “I think the party would actually deploy us to whichever area that best suits us, to position us to (where) we can help the community the most. That is my thinking.”

While he may be a new face in the GRC for now, Mr Lee said he brings with him 30 years of community volunteering experience to help residents resolve their issues.

“I may not have ‘official political experience’, but whatever I am doing, other than not going to Parliament, I am doing it as if I am one of (the elected MPs),” he said before an evening walkabout in Bukit Batok on April 26.


He said he is able to “go into deeper conversations” with residents on the issues they face when he walks the ground, because he prefers to go on walkabouts alone. The absence of an entourage of volunteers, he believes, would put residents more at ease.

When he comes across issues that he feels require immediate attention, Mr Lee said, he would want to act on them immediately. “They must be able to know that there are people who really care for them, and there are things that they can look forward to, and not like ‘I told you something and I don’t hear from you’,” said Mr Lee, who works for an information technology multinational corporation.

He added that he takes time to explain to residents why some requests, such as for infrastructural upgrades, may take time, or why they should participate in national schemes such as SkillsFuture.

Mr Lee said the nine days of election campaigning are “a crash course” and he has been walking the ground, even visiting the same coffee shop at different times of the day to catch different crowds.

He is among only a handful of non-incumbent PAP candidates in this election who are 50 or older, with the majority in their 30s or 40s. If elected, he believes that being in the “50s is a good time to start” as an MP, as “everything has stabilised”.

Mr Lee noted that people in their 20s may need to focus on building their careers, while those in their 30s may also need to juggle their families, children and duties as an elected representative.

“My kids are grown up and in their 20s, so I don’t have to be too worried about them, and I have the privilege of having more time to focus on the community,” he said.

 

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GE2025: Fullerton rally among six election rallies to be held on April 28​

One rally will take place from 12pm to 3pm, while the rest are scheduled from 7pm to 10pm.ST PHOTOS: MARK CHEONG

Eileen Ng
Apr 27, 2025


SINGAPORE - Six election rallies will be happening on April 28, as political parties enter the last week of hustings before the general election on May 3.

A Fullerton rally will take place from noon to 3pm, while the rest of the events are scheduled in the heartland from 7pm to 10pm.

Their details are as follows:


In an earlier release on April 24, police said attendees are strongly encouraged to take public transport as large crowds are 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. Vehicles found illegally parked or causing obstruction may be towed away.


Attendees are warned not to bring items that are disallowed at rallies, such as laser pointers, canned drinks, night sticks, fireworks and firecrackers.

Other banned items include parts of firearms, live and blank bullets, spear guns, air pistols and handcuffs.

 

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GE2025: PPP calls on Singaporeans to vote other opposition parties into Parliament, not just WP​

People's Power Party secretary-general Goh Meng Seng (right) and his fellow Tampines GRC candidate Peter Soh on a walkabout in Tampines Street 81 on April 27.ST PHOTO: DAVID SUN

David Sun
Apr 27, 2025

SINGAPORE – The People’s Power Party (PPP) hopes that come May 3, more opposition parties will be voted into Parliament.

Speaking to the media on April 27 after a walkabout at Block 826A Tampines Street 81, party secretary-general Goh Meng Seng said he hopes both the PSP and Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) are voted in.

Mentioning PSP’s Mr Leong Mun Wai and SDP’s Dr Chee Soon Juan and Professor Paul Tambyah by name, Mr Goh said he and they may not agree on everything, but that their diversity would result in robust debate in Parliament.

“They are all my good friends,” he said. “They are people of conviction, although we share different views and policy ideals and values.”

He added that he hopes Tampines residents will vote for the PPP, so there can be more debates than between just the PAP and WP.

The PPP team contesting in Tampines GRC consists of Mr Goh and party chairman Derrick Sim, as well as landscaping executive Vere Nathan, green tech firm founder Peter Soh and entrepreneur Arbaah Haroun.


During the walkabout, Mr Goh was overheard using a crass word to make his case to residents on why they should vote for opposition parties that are not the WP.

Asked about the word, which alludes to rape and violence, he said it was “local language” and that what he meant was that he wanted more diversity in Parliament, not just the PAP and WP.

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

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

Mr Goh said later at the PPP rally the same day: “Don’t ask me about Pritam Singh again. I’m not interested in him, I’m not gay.” His comment drew laughter from spectators.


The next day, on April 25, Mr Singh told the media: “Mr Goh Meng Seng is Mr Goh Meng Seng. Nothing’s going to change.”


Mr Goh in turn told the media on April 27: “If Mr Goh Meng Seng is not Mr Goh Meng Seng, I may as well go and hide somewhere. But Pritam Singh will always be Pritam Singh.”

Both he and Mr Sim also commented about Mr Sim’s Facebook account being suddenly disabled on April 25.

Mr Sim said he has reported the issue to Meta, which owns Facebook, and has changed his security settings.

Mr Goh chimed in, saying the party intends to report the incident to the police, believing it to be caused by “black forces” and “powers that be”.

“This is real interference of a fair contest,” he said. “This should not be taken lightly. We have to get to the bottom of this.”

 

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PSP’s Kebun Baru and Marymount candidates pledge community initiatives, minimum wage​

PSP's Kebun Baru candidate Tony Tan (left) and party chairman Tan Cheng Bock greeting residents during a walkabout at Mayflower Market and Food Centre on April 27.ST PHOTO: TARYN NG

Elisha Tushara
Apr 27, 2025

SINGAPORE – If elected to Parliament, PSP’s candidate for Kebun Baru SMC, Mr Tony Tan, says he will be a “full-time MP”.

These were among the campaign promises that Mr Tan made as he spoke to the media during a walkabout at Mayflower Market and Food Centre on April 27.

“The first thing that I want to pledge (to do) is that if given this opportunity to serve, I’ll be doing this full time,” said Mr Tan, co-founder of a private education and gaming firm.

His opponent in the single seat, incumbent PAP MP Henry Kwek, runs an investment firm.

Mr Tan, is a former Singapore Armed Forces scholarship holder with a background in engineering. He is married to Ms Hazel Poa, who is the party’s first vice-chairperson.

As part of his manifesto for Kebun Baru, Mr Tan also proposed several initiatives for the area, including a programme in the morning for elderly residents that involves home visits, especially for those living alone, and activities in the evening to foster community spirit, such as table tennis sessions.


While walking the ground, Mr Tan said, he has noticed that more can be done in terms of cleanliness, taking note of Block 115 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4 – in the Kebun Baru ward – which houses assisted living facilities, in particular.

“I would like to know when was the last time (Mr Kwek) visited block 115... Has he actually interacted with the residents there, and has he checked the cleanliness of 115?” asked Mr Tan.

Mr Tan also repeated the PSP’s call to debate policies with opponents, adding that he hoped to at least get a reply from Mr Kwek on the proposed debate and discussion on policies.

Accompanying him on the walkabout was PSP founder and chairman Tan Cheng Bock, who will be contesting the redrawn West Coast-Jurong West GRC against the PAP team anchored by National Development Minister Desmond Lee.

Dr Tan also spent the earlier part of the morning walking the ground with PSP candidate for Marymount Jeffrey Khoo.

Mr Khoo, chief executive of a regional risk consulting firm, was part of the PSP A-team that was fielded in the 2020 polls in West Coast GRC.

The PSP team then lost with 48.32 per cent of the vote against the PAP team’s 51.68 per cent – making it the narrowest win for the ruling party in the 2020 election.

Addressing the media at a walkabout at Shunfu Mart wet market and hawker centre in Marymount SMC, Dr Tan took aim at the Government’s foreign talent policy, adding that more needed to be done to put the interests of Singaporeans first.

On April 26, Mr Khoo’s opponent, the PAP’s incumbent MP Gan Siow Huang, had said that the PSP’s call for “Singaporean-first policies” failed to take into account factors like the country’s size and lack of natural resources. She had also criticised the PSP proposal for a $2,250 minimum monthly wage, calling it “the easy way out”.

Mr Khoo said: “To be very clear, PSP is not against foreign talent, but the key word must be talent. We definitely need some to come in. But no matter what happens, we have to take care of our own first.”

If elected, Mr Khoo said he plans to hold regular town hall meetings to give residents more platforms for feedback.

He also proposed mentorship programmes to link younger people with senior residents.

​

 

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GE2025: Festival streets among 19 proposals by Sengkang PAP candidates​

The PAP's Sengkang GRC candidates (from left) Elmie Nekmat, Lam Pin Min, Bernadette Giam and Theodora Lai greeting residents during a walkabout at Buangkok Hawker Centre on April 27.PHOTO: LAM PIN MIN/FACEBOOK

Ang Qing
Apr 27, 2025

SINGAPORE - Festival streets in Sengkang where different generations can mingle are among 19 proposals that PAP candidates for the GRC have put up, hoping they will sway the minds of residents there.

Apart from being more responsive to feedback about the estate, the team wants to make the amenities in the town more meaningful and purposeful, academic Elmie Nekmat told the media on April 27 before a walkabout at Buangkok Hawker Centre.

The PAP Sengkang GRC manifesto describes a festival street as one that has green initiatives, local art, food and music.

The 43-year-old National University of Singapore (NUS) associate professor said the idea of a festival street is to bring together youth, local culture, local food and local experiences, and where people of different generations could share their experiences and help shape spaces in Sengkang.

The 24-page manifesto was released online on Nomination Day after the team confirmed its candidacy, detailing plans ranging from improving connectivity of bus routes to discounts for essential household items.

Prof Elmie is one of three political newcomers in the team led by eye surgeon Lam Pin Min, the only candidate retained from the PAP’s previous slate that lost Sengkang GRC to the WP in the 2020 General Election.


Also part of the team are director of local food and beverage enterprise Creative Eateries Bernadette Giam, 38, and Ms Theodora Lai, 39, co-founder of deep tech venture capital firm Moringa Ventures.

They are going up against WP’s team comprising incumbent Sengkang MPs Louis Chua, He Ting Ru and Jamus Lim, and political newbie Abdul Muhaimin.

The WP-run Sengkang Town Council launched its own five-year masterplan on April 5, where it promised amenities including a new rooftop butterfly garden in Anchorvale, an edible garden in Buangkok and a dog run in Rivervale.

Asked about the WP’s pitch of acting as a check and balance in Parliament, Dr Lam said the PAP candidates believe they can provide something better for residents.

“It’s not just about voting for the opposition, but voting for the right person who will be able to voice out for you in Parliament as well as to look after you and your families in the estate,” he said.

Responding to one of WP’s proposals to extend childcare leave on a per-child basis up to the age of 12, Mrs Giam said some time should be afforded to the industry and employers to respond to the proposal.

“Because after all, the business community must be able to support all the employment that is actually being offered to the citizens of Singapore in order for us to move forward as a nation,” she added.

Dr Lam remarked that the campaign has been “very intense”.

He said: “We have spoken to many people in the coffee shops, in the hawker centre, and that actually reminds us why we are doing this.

“It’s about Sengkang residents, and I hope that Sengkang residents can see our determination and our sincerity and give us a chance.”

Ms Lai said: “We knew from the start that it would be a strong contest, but our mission remains clear and that is to connect with one heart and one family at a time.”

 

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GE2025: Incumbent WP MPs in Sengkang pledge to push for educational reform, childcare leave​

The WP's Sengkang GRC candidates He Ting Ru, Jamus Lim, Louis Chua and Abdul Muhaimin posing for photos with residents during a walkabout at Rivervale Plaza on April 27.ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
Ang Qing and Isabelle Liew
Apr 27, 2025

SINGAPORE – Educational reform remains one of the biggest priorities of the WP’s Sengkang team, which is working on behalf of a constituency largely made up of young families, said Associate Professor Jamus Lim.

These changes range from smaller class sizes – which the team has argued for in Parliament – to later school start times, because of the huge difference such policies can make to children’s learning, said Prof Lim.

He was speaking to The Straits Times together with teammates He Ting Ru, Louis Chua and Abdul Muhaimin, after a busy morning walkabout at Rivervale Plaza where at one point, a line of people formed to take photos with the WP candidates.

Prof Lim, 49, added: “We also recognise that young parents as caregivers really feel pressure as well, so one of the things that we are pushing for not just on behalf of Sengkang residents, but for all young parents here, is the idea to have childcare leave that is catered to every child that they have.

“And that in turn will help us with our goals as a nation in helping to boost fertility.”

Over the past four days, the team has been busy with house visits, market and coffee-shop walks, and attending WP rallies on two nights.


Reflecting on the campaign trail, political newbie Muhaimin, who described his first rally speech as “nerve-racking”, said: “So far the response is great, so we hope this translates into votes.”

Also targeting the breakfast crowd on April 27 were WP candidates for Aljunied GRC Pritam Singh, Sylvia Lim, Gerald Giam and Kenneth Tiong, who were at 630 Bedok Reservoir Road Market and Food Centre. Mr Singh’s wife, Ms Loveleen Kaur Walia, was also at the walkabout.

They were met by a group of residents, who had pooled together $800 to buy 200 brightly coloured plastic hammers for diners at the hawker centre.

A resident who wanted to be known only as Madam Lee, 76, said she has been a WP supporter since she was 21. She bought the hammers to “spread the WP spirit”.

Around noon, WP’s Punggol GRC candidates Harpreet Singh, Alia Mattar, Alexis Dang and Jackson Au were spotted handing out fliers outside Waterway Point shopping mall.

Long queues formed as people wanted to take photos with the candidates.

A Punggol resident, who wanted to be known only as Hanisha, said she is excited that the opposition party is running in her constituency.

The 23-year-old first-time voter had queued up to take a photo with Mr Singh and Ms Alia.

“The candidates resonate with me,” she said.

Mr Singh told ST that Punggol residents recognise that the WP had put forward a “solid team” to contest the group representation constituency.

“They’ve been waiting for a group to come forward with credibility and speak up for them about the issues that matter, and that is why you’re seeing queues forming,” he said.

Ms Alia said the residents seem to resonate with the policies that the WP is proposing, but added that it will be a tough fight.

Ms Dang added: “The response has been very positive, and we are very overwhelmed by the warmth of the people here.”

 

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GE2025: SDP chief Chee Soon Juan apologises for candidate Gigene Wong’s racial slur at rally​

The SDP's Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC candidate Gigene Wong speaking next to party chief Chee Soon Juan at a rally in Sembawang on April 27.ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG

Shabana Begum
Apr 27, 2025

SINGAPORE – Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) chief Chee Soon Juan apologised to Singaporeans on April 27, after the party’s Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC candidate Gigene Wong used a racial slur on her teammate Ariffin Sha.

At the start of the party’s rally at the field next to Sun Plaza in Sembawang, Dr Chee said: “There are no ifs, no ands, no buts. The term that Gigene used was offensive and hurtful. And we are deeply sorry that she used it.

He added that Dr Wong had expressed deep remorse, and the party had also given her a “stern warning and expressed in no uncertain terms that the SDP does not tolerate such behaviour”.

At the party’s rally on April 26, Dr Wong, speaking in Mandarin, Hokkien and English, had referred to her teammate Ariffin Sha as “keling kia”, a derogatory term historically used to demean people of Indian descent.

She also mispronounced his name several times, calling him “elephant” instead of “Ariffin”.

Her remarks and faux pas at the rally at Evergreen Primary School had caused an uproar on social media over the weekend, leading her to issue two public apologies on Facebook.

In his first remarks since the episode, Mr Ariffin, a legal executive, said he was shocked and at a loss for words when Dr Wong appallingly used the “k-word”.

He said he had sent a clip of the speech to a friend who could understand Hokkien to check if it might have been a “misquote” but that it was not.

Many people, including his mother, had messaged him after watching the rally, he added.

“The honest truth is that such remarks are not new. And no, it is not casual racism, because there’s nothing casual about racism,” he said.

“I can accept that there was no malice (by Dr Wong), but intention is irrelevant when it comes to such matters…Honestly, it stings like hell, especially from someone close to you. What happened yesterday has no place in Singapore, let alone a rally stage” added Mr Ariffin, who is also the founder of alternative news site Wake Up Singapore.

Dr Chee had explained that Dr Wong – a former businesswoman and now a full-time caregiver – did not know of the racially offensive term’s negative connotation.

“This is, however, no excuse, and we want to express how deeply sorry we are, and we recognise the pain this episode has caused,” he added, saying sorry especially to those from the Indian community.

SDP candidates took a bow in apology at the party’s rally in Sembawang on April 27.ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG
Addressing the crowd after Dr Chee, Dr Wong described the episode as a “difficult and necessary learning experience”, adding that the offensive phrase was not in the original speech she had prepared.

“Although I honestly was not aware of the term and (how derogatory it is), this does not change the fact that using it was extremely disrespectful and harmful.

“I have been counseled by my party colleagues, and I’m deeply sorry for what I have said, and the pain and the anger that have caused. I humbly seek your forgiveness on this matter, and hope to be given another chance to make amends,” said Dr Wong.

She said she had also apologised privately to Mr Ariffin.


Acknowledging this, Mr Arffin said his running mate was under the impression that “it was a neutral term that Hokkien speakers use to refer to Indians”.

But he added that he was not going to justify her behavior or make any excuses for her. “I just want to state that there is no room for racism in Singapore, intentional or otherwise,” he said.

He also thanked Dr Chee, SDP chairman Paul Tambyah and the party’s communications team for allowing him to address the issue directly, adding he was glad they did not ask him to “laugh it off or shrug it off”.

Taking the stage at the end of this segment, Dr Tambyah said the bottomline was that a mistake was made but that responsibility had been taken.

“These are the values of the SDP, we do not throw anyone under the bus. When we make a mistake we admit it, we admit we’re wrong and we take the consequences,” he said.

All SDP candidates at the rally then went on stage – including Dr Chee, Professor Tambyah and Dr Wong – and took a bow in apology.

 

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GE2025: PAP’s solutions are grounded in the present, but with steady eye on the future: Desmond Lee​

Christine Tan and Syarafana Shafeeq
Apr 27, 2025

SINGAPORE - Many opposition parties have suggested that the ruling PAP is taking Singapore in the wrong direction, but the party has always planned to help the country overcome present-day challenges while keeping an eye on the future.

Minister for National Development Desmond Lee, who is the anchor minister for the PAP team contesting West Coast-Jurong West GRC, said this during a rally on April 27, pointing to various initiatives that have been rolled out to address current concerns on cost of living and housing.

He said: “The message that you hear from the opposition is that we are moving in the wrong direction. And the PAP is doing wrong by Singaporeans. That is not true.”

The minister added: “The PAP has always planned for you and our future generations in mind. We may not have all the answers all the time, but we are staying on course and charting our new way forward.”

But in his address to the crowd at Jurong West Stadium, Mr Lee also said the PAP is also looking out for future challenges. “We have come up with solutions grounded in the present, with a steady eye on the future,” he said.

Mr Lee cited plans to develop the Greater Southern Waterfront, which would make Singapore “an even better place to live, work and play”, and pointed to how the country is taking steps to protect its coastline from climate change and rising sea-levels.

“That is how we have built a better Singapore, and that is how we will continue to secure our future together. We will never stop doing so,” he added.

Mr Lee said the PAP has the ability to take the long-term view, and the discipline to follow through with implementation.

He outlined the party’s future plans for the young and old, including more public housing options for higher-income young couples and singles, and new models of housing and care for seniors who wish to age in place.

Nevertheless, he acknowledged his team has heard voters’ concerns about issues including employment, housing and the rising cost of living.

“We must also look ahead, and prepare our workers and businesses to do well in a very different world,” said Mr Lee, adding that he was working on this in the new Singapore Economic Resilience Taskforce that aims to help navigate the uncertainties caused by US tariffs.

He further noted that the Government has finally completed building all the homes that had been delayed due to the pandemic, and significantly ramped up the supply of new housing so they are “confident that the market will stabilise”.

Mr Lee was the final speaker during the rally, which kicked off with speeches from party volunteers in the two constituencies who shared their experiences with the incumbent MPs and drummed up support for them.

The PAP’s four other candidates for West Coast-Jurong West GRC, as well as its candidate for Pioneer SMC, took turns to speak at the rally, which also saw political heavyweight Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean attending in support.

Mr Teo gave his endorsement of Mr Lee, telling residents: “You know how hard working he is. He’s dedicated to our residents. He works tirelessly for you, night and day.”

Mr Teo added that Mr Lee is a “core part of Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s 4G team”, who is now at the forefront of dealing with the tariff crisis as a member of the Singapore’s Economic Resilience Taskforce. “Even in the middle of this GE, this team has been hard at work dealing with this crisis,” SM Teo added.

One of the night’s hosts was local comedienne Irene Ang, who revealed she was a resident of Jurong West during the 80s to 90s and rallied the crowd by leading them in a “Jurong Wave”.

West Coast-Jurong West GRC is one of the key constituencies to watch this election, as PAP faces a rematch with a PSP A-team comprising former PAP stalwart Tan Cheng Bock, party chief Leong Mun Wai and vice-chair Hazel Poa.

In the 2020 election, the PAP won the constituency in its previous form - West Coast GRC - with 51.68 per cent of the vote against a PSP team led by Dr Tan. It was the narrowest win for the ruling party in that election.

Besides Mr Lee, the PAP slate includes Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Finance and Education Shawn Huang, three-term MP Ang Wei Neng, and two new faces - orthopaedic surgeon Hamid Razak and lawyer Cassandra Lee.

The other two candidates in PSP’s team are head of packaged food and business development Sumarleki Amjah and in-house legal counsel Sani Ismail.

On issues related to the West Coast-Jurong West GRC, Mr Lee reiterated the constituency’s five-year plan, which includes helping households with the rising cost of living, assisting job seekers and revitalising the neighbourhood.

Earlier, the team had also promised new sports and fitness facilities will be built, including the redevelopment of Clementi Stadium and former West Coast Recreation Centre.

Mr Lee said Mr Huang would focus on education and work with Mr Tay to bring “good jobs” to residents, while Ms Lee will look out for young families. Dr Hamid, he added, “feels strongly about seniors and healthcare”.

Calling Mr Ang their “Mr Infrastructure”, Mr Lee said he will revitalise the neighbourhood and lead efforts to support those with special needs or mental health concerns.

In his first rally speech, Dr Hamid said while some may clamour for “brand new policies” every day, not every problem can be solved by policy alone.

His remarks seemed to address comments made earlier by PSP’s Mr Leong, who said the main role of an MP is to debate national policies, and not be estate managers who are interested only in local issues.

Mr Leong was, in turn, responding to an earlier comment by Mr Lee during the launch of PAP’s five-year plan for the GRC that residents should ask contesting parties about their plans for the constituency.

Dr Hamid said that good policies are needed to address concerns faced by residents on the ground, but these policies can be improved. For instance, the doctor said if given the chance, he would want to champion more flexibility in utilising Medisave for chronic problems, and to fight for employment benefits.

He added: “There is also a need for local programmes and ground-up initiatives to complement this community.”

Dr Hamid, who addressed the crowd in all four languages, said: “Our community cannot rely on policies or programmes alone. It is made alive by us... by residents, volunteers and neighbours who look out for one another.

“If we start dividing and giving up on one another, there is no policy or programme that can save us. All it takes is one tree to uproot and the entire forest will crumble.”

The PAP’s other candidates for the two constituencies also highlighted the ways they hope to contribute.

Incumbent MP Mr Ang said he would expand support for caregivers of those with special needs, while Mr Huang described the Singapore spirit to uplift others. Newcomer Ms Lee promised to invest in families.

PAP’s labour unionist Mr Tay, who represented Pioneer SMC and will face off against former lawyer and PSP newcomer Stephanie Tan, promised to lobby for measures to ensure better wages and job prospects.

 

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GE2025: Ong Ye Kung challenges opposition to offer not just buzzwords, but specifics of policy proposals​

Osmond Chia
Apr 27, 2025

SINGAPORE - Opposition parties should go beyond generalities and buzzwords in their policy ideas, as policies are the basis by which Singaporeans will decide how they vote, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung.

Speaking to reporters at a walkabout in Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre on April 26, Mr Ong said it was time to move past the excitement of Nomination Day to focus on the policy ideas of the different political parties.

“We’ve heard many things across different political parties, especially the opposition, as well as their policy ideas, but I would say we are now at the stage where the policy ideas are very general,” he said.

“It’s probably a good time to start scrutinising some of these ideas.”

Mr Ong, who is leading the PAP’s Sembawang GRC team in a three-cornered fight with the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) and National Solidarity Party (NSP), said many opposition parties are campaigning to cut the goods and services tax (GST) as a way to deal with the rising cost of living.

Many, including the WP, PSP and SDP, have advocated against the increase in GST and called for essential items to be exempted from GST.

In its election manifesto, the WP had proposed “less regressive revenue options” that included an increase in the Net Investment Returns Contribution (NIRC) from the current 50 per cent to 60 per cent, and for the first nine years of land sales to be included in the Government’s Budget.


However, Mr Ong said that the GST increase is needed purely to be able to subsidise healthcare for an ageing population. He noted that the Government’s healthcare expenditure was up to $9 billion in 2015, around $23 billion a decade later, and expected to reach $30 billion in 2030.

Even as they called for the GST to be cut, Mr Ong said the opposition has asked for government spending to rise in many other areas.

“Singaporeans and voters need to know: how do you bridge this gap (when) you are spending more and collecting less?” he said. “And I think the question will be: are you thinking of spending the reserves?”

Parties should explain if they plan to do so, he added.

Public housing policy is another popular topic for the opposition, said Mr Ong, who added that among the ideas thrown up is for land cost to be removed or reduced in the pricing of Build-To-Order (BTO) flats, so as to make these cheaper.

The PSP and SDP are among the opposition parties which have made such proposals.

Referring to these proposals, Mr Ong said the question remains as to whether these flats can then be resold on the resale market after reaching their minimum occupancy period.

If they can be resold, the resale price will still be the same given that the resale market will not change, which means that the gains from selling will be much more, he noted.

“It will really be like striking a big lottery. That must surely attract a lot more people to apply for BTO flats and really (increase) the queue and wait times for flats,” he added.

The SDP has also suggested a non-open market scheme, where flats will not have a land cost component but can be resold only to the Housing Board at a lower price than what they were bought for.

Mr Ong said such a proposal would be a fundamental change to Singapore’s home ownership system.

“Only people who breach HDB rules, or defaulters of mortgages, will sell back to HDB at a lower price. Are they therefore really suggesting to treat everybody like HDB defaulters, making this a mainstream system?”

On foreign talent, Mr Ong said the Government has been balancing trade-offs, such as regulating their entry to the extent that businesses often struggle to fill vacancies, particularly for blue-collar jobs.

Yet opposition parties have called for further restrictions, he noted.

For instance, the SDP has suggested vetting foreign professionals before they may work in Singapore. It is also among opposition parties that have proposed that firms seeking to hire foreigners must first show that they cannot find such talent locally.

The PSP has in turn proposed lengthening the duration that employers must advertise jobs on the MyCareersFuture portal before they can apply for Employment Passes to hire foreign talent.

Mr Ong said businesses will find it even more difficult if such proposals were implemented.

He said: “Some may have to close down. Foreign investment may slow down, which means we cannot create as many jobs as possible as we formerly can for Singaporeans.”

As for healthcare, the Health Minister noted that opposition parties like the SDP have proposed a “single-payer system”, but that most Singaporeans do not know what this means.

Mr Ong explained that a hospital bill is currently paid in three ways. First, the government will pay a subsidy. Second, MediShield Life, which is the National Health Insurance Scheme, kicks in and pays for the next part of the bill, and the remainder is paid for by MediSave.

A single-payer system “basically means either you use only subsidy and abolish MediShield Life, or you purely rely on national health insurance and no more subsidy”, he said.

SDP, for instance, has proposed a health insurance system without multiple schemes like Medishield Life or Careshield, channelling the savings straight to supporting primary care.

Mr Ong said: “When the opposition proposed a single payer system, they need to explain to Singaporeans what it means and which part you want to get rid of - the subsidy or Medishield Life?”

He noted that these four topics - cost of living, foreign talent, housing and healthcare - have been the key ones that he had been hearing about in the last few days.

“It’s time, I think, for Singaporeans and voters to scrutinise these policies and compare the policies across political parties,” he said.

 

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GE2025: What is the Fullerton Rally?​

Then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong speaking at the PAP's lunchtime rally in Boat Quay on Sept 8, 2015.PHOTO: ST FILE

Fatimah Mujibah
Apr 27, 2025

SINGAPORE - A lunchtime election rally will be held on April 28 during GE2025, the first to take place at UOB Plaza’s promenade in 10 years.

The rally, which in the past has attracted thousands of white-collared workers, is known as the Fullerton Rally because of its venue close to Fullerton Square, where Singapore’s founding prime minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, gave many election campaign speeches from the 1950s to the 1980s.

This year’s lunchtime rally, from noon to 3pm, will see Prime Minister Lawrence Wong take the stage to address the crowd for the first time in his new role, along with other PAP candidates.

When and where did the first lunchtime rally happen?​

Mr Lee held the first rally in 1959 at Fullerton Square, near the old General Post Office, when the Republic became a self-governing state. He used the platform to reach out to the English-educated office crowd and thus bypass the media, which he thought portrayed the PAP then as “extremists”.

From the 1950s to the 1980s, the rally was a fixture that attracted a large lunchtime crowd, with people huddled together, shoulder to shoulder, to hear Mr Lee speak.

The Straits Times’ archives show that rallies such as this drew large crowds in the past, as the only way for voters to hear and see the candidates in person.

Then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew (third from right) with his fellow PAP members (from left) S. Jayakumar, Lee Hsien Loong, Yeo Ning Hong, Goh Chok Tong and George Yeo at a rally at Fullerton Square during the 1988 General Election.PHOTO: ST FILE
In 1980, despite a drizzle, a crowd gathered to hear Mr Lee speak on the hot topic of succession. On that occasion, he endorsed the second generation leaders and urged citizens to help him test them.

Since 1996, the Fullerton Rally has been held at the UOB Plaza promenade in Boat Quay, a short walk from its original location.

Has the lunchtime rally been missed or postponed before?​

In 1984, Fullerton Square was nearly abandoned as a rally site, as many more buildings had sprung up around it, reducing the standing space. But attempts to find an alternative site were unsuccessful.

It was retained as a rally site just days before the election in December 1984.

The first time the rally was skipped was in 1991, when Fullerton Square was not on the list of approved rally sites by the police.

The area had been landscaped, with a small park and circular road replacing the old carpark rally site.

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The rally was also halted in October 2001, due to security concerns following the Sept 11 terrorist attacks in the United States that year.

Most recently, the Covid-19 pandemic put paid to in-person rallies, with then-prime minister Lee Hsien Loong holding a virtual lunchtime rally instead, in 2020.

When was the last lunchtime rally held?​

The last Fullerton Rally was held in 2015, five years before the pandemic curtailed all in-person campaign events.

It turned out to be the last as prime minister for Mr Lee, who is now Senior Minister, after having served as PM from 2004 to 2024.

Then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong greeting supporters at the PAP’s lunchtime rally in Boat Quay on Sept 8, 2015.PHOTO: BERITA HARIAN FILE

Does the rally only happen during the General Election? Who is allowed to speak at the rally?​

Yes, it is only held every four or five years during campaigning for the election.

The site has seen some of the biggest election rallies over the decades, held by both the PAP and opposition parties on different days.

This includes the 1997 General Election, when the focus was on Cheng San GRC, which was contested by the PAP and WP.

The WP slate included new candidate Tang Liang Hong, a man the PAP labelled a “dangerous Chinese chauvinist”. In an unexpected turn of events, to stop Mr Tang from entering Parliament, then-Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong said at the Fullerton Rally that he would be contesting Cheng San GRC.

 

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GE2025: Reject racial, religious identity politics, uphold multi-racial unity, says SM Lee​

Singaporeans need to understand that such things have been happening, and they need to realise the dangers of such developments, said Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

Samuel Devaraj
Apr 27, 2025

SINGAPORE - Singaporeans need to stand up and reject racial and religious identity politics forcefully and affirm their unity, regardless of race, language or religion, said Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Speaking at a PAP rally in Fern Green Primary School on April 27, SM Lee said political posts linked to race and religion have been circulating online recently, in which MPs and candidates were being attacked for not championing the causes of their own racial or religious group stridently enough.

Also, a foreign political party had asked Singaporeans to vote for this or that Malay/Muslim candidate on the basis of how staunch a Muslim he or she might be, he added.

Singaporeans, SM Lee said, need to understand that such things have been happening, and they need to realise the dangers of such developments.

Now, the other political parties have declared that they agree with the stance taken against identity politics, but only after the PAP government took action.

SM Lee said: “The Government came out very strongly on this. It’s a very sensitive matter. This is the middle of a very hot election campaign, but the matter came up, we had to raise it, we could not wait.

“Because foreigners have no business interfering in Singapore politics, and whether foreigner or Singaporean, race and religion have to be kept separate from politics.”

On April 26, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong reiterated the need to keep race and religion out of politics. A day earlier, the authorities blocked Facebook posts by two Malaysian politicians and a former Internal Security Act detainee who were attempting to influence the election.

Speaking in Mandarin earlier, SM Lee touched on how the Government took action to block foreign interference because Singapore politics is for Singaporeans alone to decide, and foreigners have no right to interfere.

There are many Singaporeans who are convinced that values like multiracialism, give-and-take, and meritocracy are the right ways for the country, from even before Singapore gained its independence, he added.

Said SM Lee: “Because there were people like this, we got kicked out of Malaysia and because the people were like this after we were kicked out from Malaysia, we stood and we built today’s Singapore.

“And even today, I make this appeal to Singaporeans of all races and all religions, stand with that ideal. It serves us well. It’s good for the minority communities, it is good for the majority community, too.”

Mr Lee also talked about Tang Liang Hong, a 1997 general election candidate “who stirred Chinese chauvinism sentiments” before the government took a decisive stance and fought hard against him.

Tang contested Cheng San GRC with the WP in 1997 losing to his PAP opponents, after garnering 45.18 per cent of the vote. During the hustings, the PAP accused Tang of being an anti-Christian Chinese chauvinist and later filed multiple defamation lawsuits against him.

Tang eventually left the country and was found liable for defamation by the courts.

In his Malay speech, SM Lee said he had served as prime minister for two decades, and in that time, he appreciated working closely with the Malay/Muslim community to achieve its aspirations. This has continued under the leadership of Mr Wong, he said.

Singapore, he added, must remain a nation where all communities practise give-and take and mutual accommodation, instead of each one pushing and fighting for its own interests over national interests or at the expense of others.

This is how Singapore and its multiracial policies have enabled all communities to progress together all these years.

He said: “I am especially grateful that the Malay Muslim community has supported this multiracial approach and the Government’s multiracial policies.

“This has allowed the Malay/Muslim community to make progress and achieve success – not just in the secular aspects like education, jobs, and income, but also in terms of the space that you have to practice your faith.”