GE2025: Ong Ye Kung took co-driver analogy too far, distorting constructive opposition idea: Chee Soon Juan

Straits Times

01-05-2025

SDP chief Chee Soon Juan urged Singaporeans to vote into Parliament a meaningful opposition that can 'hold the Government's feet to the fire'. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
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SINGAPORE - Health Minister Ong Ye Kung should take a good look at the 10 alternative policy papers on topics from healthcare to housing and the economy that the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) has put up before criticising the opposition, said its party chief Chee Soon Juan.
On the sidelines of a walkabout at Woodlands Mart on May 1, Dr Chee was asked for his response to Mr Ong's comments that a stronger opposition presence in Parliament could lead to paralysis in the Government.
Citing the opposition as co-driver analogy first used in 2011, Mr Ong had said at a rally on April 30 that if the co-driver also wanted to steer the car, along with the ruling party in the driver's seat, this might result in a crash.
In response, Dr Chee said the minister, who is leading the PAP team in Sembawang GRC, was taking the analogy too far and distorting and misrepresenting the idea of a constructive opposition.
Mr Ong had said that instead of having a strong opposition, a strong PAP government with a constructive opposition as a check and balance would be more effective.
Dr Chee said 'it was very disappointing' that Mr Ong would say things that are 'patently untrue (when) constructive opposition is what we're talking about all this time'.
He urged Singaporeans to vote into Parliament a meaningful opposition that can 'hold the Government's feet to the fire' and not let up until they start getting more responsive, and tell the people how they are going to lower the cost of living and address issues like under-employment.
Dr Chee added: 'There's no point… in these nine days, when you come and make yourself seen and heard at the hawker centre, and just go through the motions of having a bowl of noodles. And then after the election, you disappear again, and the people are left with this high cost of living.'
He proposed removing the Goods and Services Tax (GST) from basic necessities such as food, medication and education supplies, while raising the GST on luxury goods to 13 or 14 per cent to compensate for the loss in revenue.
At the Fullerton Rally on April 28, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong noted that foreigners, tourists and higher-income families pay the entire 9 per cent of GST, while GST vouchers ensure that the lower- and middle-income Singaporeans pay less than the headline GST rate.
Dr Chee said what PM Wong pointed out reinforced the SDP's point on further raising the GST on luxury goods.
'If you increase the GST for luxury items – Gucci handbags, Bentleys and Rolex watches – they can still afford it. I don't think they will have a problem,' he added.
He cautioned that Singapore's income disparity is going to widen if further support is not given to those earning $1,300 to $1,500 a month.
'Even those people who are making tons of money right now, (when) you destabilise society, you test society with this widening gap, you're looking for trouble.'
Dr Chee also responded to the criticism levelled against the SDP's healthcare proposals by Mr Ong at the April 30 rally for Sembawang West SMC, where Dr Chee is standing as a candidate against the PAP's Ms Poh Li San.
Mr Ong had questioned the viability of the SDP's healthcare proposal on switching to a national health insurance 'single-payer' system for hospital bills.
Today, a hospital bill is paid in three parts – namely a government subsidy, a health insurance claim through MediShield Life and then MediSave. Switching to SDP's proposal would lead to 'super high' insurance premiums, Mr Ong had said.
In response, Dr Chee said the 3Ms – MediSave, MediShield and MediFund – are very hard to administer, and should be streamlined.
He added that Singapore's current healthcare system is based on the United States system, which he found to be 'so appallingly complicated and unaffordable'.
The SDP is also contesting Sembawang GRC, Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC and Bukit Panjang SMC.
While the SDP chief is new to Sembawang West SMC, he said he and his team have been doing the legwork over the past nine days to 'make sure residents know them and their message'.
Dr Chee and his PAP opponent, Ms Poh, were both at the Woodlands Mart foodcourt to interact with residents on the morning of May 1, but kept a distance from each other.
At the foodcourt, several people approached Dr Chee for wefies and to sign on his authored books.
He reiterated that if elected, he will conduct town-hall meetings to hear about residents' concerns, in addition to holding Meet-the-People sessions.
He said: 'I do worry that with the present set of PAP folks, we're not going to get very far if we keep continuing to do the same thing over and over again, have the same few people sitting in the Cabinet and then not have meaningful opposition.'
Shabana Begum is a correspondent, with a focus on environment and science, at The Straits Times.
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