GE2025: PAR proposes shrinking ‘bloated' civil service to fund free education

Business Times

27-04-2025

[SINGAPORE] – Opposition coalition People's Alliance for Reform (PAR) will push for free education, school meals and healthcare for Singaporean children if elected, secretary-general Lim Tean said on April 26.
Speaking at PAR's first rally of this general election at Northlight School in Towner Road, Mr Lim said this could improve Singapore's 'disastrous' total fertility rate of 0.97.
These free programmes can be funded without taxing citizens further or dipping into the reserves, Mr Lim claimed, by using the interest the Government earns from investing Singaporeans' CPF money.
Mr Lim added that he will cut down on 'wasteful expenses' such as the Founders Memorial and what he described as 'a bloated civil service'.
He suggested that providing free education, school meals and healthcare could lower the cost of living and encourage Singaporeans to have more children, which would make Singapore less reliant on foreigners.
'It is disgraceful that a so-called First World nation cannot afford free education and free healthcare for its people,' said Mr Lim, who is contesting Potong Pasir SMC.
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He also took aim at Singapore's immigration policies and foreign workforce.
'Continuous net immigration' has grave consequences for cohesion, he added, calling it a 'pseudo solution' by the ruling party, whose policies 'have driven the cost of living through the roof'.
He criticised the India-Singapore free trade agreement, saying that it should be abolished and claiming that it has taken jobs away from Singaporeans.
Mr Lim also said the first thing he would do if elected on May 3 is 'cut the Prime Minister's pay by 70 per cent and abolish the mayors' positions'.
A mayor's job is 'the most unconscionable job in the whole of Singapore, because, like many of you, I really do not know what a mayor does', Mr Lim said.
Ms Han Hui Hui, a human rights fellow at a foreign university who has contested in previous general elections, also spoke at the rally.
She is a candidate for Tanjong Pagar GRC, which she acknowledged is a PAP stronghold.
'If we don't take the first step, who will?' she said to cheers from spectators.
Among the issues raised by Ms Han, a mother of three, was the six-day childcare leave entitlement of employees.
'How can you increase the birth rate, the (total) fertility rate, when you are only giving (six days of childcare leave) for the whole family, rather than per child?' she said.
PAR, an alliance of three parties, is contesting 13 seats in two GRCs and four SMCs this general election.
Its Jalan Besar team comprises four political newcomers.
They are freelance private tutor Chiu Shin Kong, nurse Sarina Abu Hassan, early childhood educator Vigneswari V. Ramachandran, and the party's treasurer Mohamad Hamim Aliyas.
The PAR team in Tanjong Pagar comprises commercial banker Prabu Ramachandran; Mr Nadarajan Selvamani, a director of a private school; Mr Rickson Giauw, a site safety adviser and officer; Ms Han; and senior logistics assistant Soh Lian Chye.
Mr Mahaboob Batcha, an oil and gas company director, is contesting Queenstown SMC, while businessman Mr Kumar Appavoo is running in Radin Mas SMC.
Dr Michael Fang, a health sciences lecturer at a private college, is contesting Yio Chu Kang SMC.