GE2025: Workers' Party chief Pritam Singh says negative politics in PAP's 'DNA', in rebuttal to PM Wong

CNA

29-04-2025

SINGAPORE: Workers' Party (WP) chief Pritam Singh rebutted Prime Minister Lawrence Wong during a rally speech on Tuesday (Apr 29), citing the People's Action Party's (PAP) "crippling" of opposition town councils over the years as an example of how it was the ruling party that had negative politics in its "DNA".
Speaking in East Coast GRC at the WP's fourth rally leading up to the May 3 polls, Mr Singh cited examples such as how opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) are denied access to community centres in their wards, and not invited to attend citizenship ceremonies which are instead presided over by losing PAP candidates.
Earlier in the day, during a walkabout in Punggol, Mr Wong said it was ' rather disappointing ' that the WP had launched 'negative attacks' on Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong and the PAP team in Punggol GRC.
This was after a WP rally on Monday that featured several speakers singling out Mr Gan for criticism.
Mr Wong said: 'Let's reject this kind of negative politics. You should be better than this.'
Countering that in his rally speech on Tuesday night, Mr Singh raised the issue of how Housing Board upgrading plans in opposition-held wards used to be de-prioritised by the government.
He noted that this has changed, with upgrading plans in PAP and opposition wards now being carried out 'at the same time'. In some cases upgrading projects, such as the Home Improvement Programme, are carried out in opposition wards 'earlier', said Mr Singh.
'As far as I can see, priority is based on objective criteria across all town councils, which should have been the case all along."
Mr Singh said the PAP had 'changed its strategy because their bullying sticks and disrespectful carrots did not work', adding that the policy had cost the ruling party votes and 'backlash' in other constituencies in Singapore.
'PAP only listens when it loses vote share and parliamentary seats to the Workers' Party,' he continued, adding that a previous Prime Minister had 'said that he would have to spend his time fixing the opposition if it gains five,10 or 20 seats'.
Mr Singh added: 'He said this when the opposition only had two seats in parliament. This is the PAP DNA. I wonder what Prime Minister Lawrence Wong would say about this. Is this negative politics?'
The opposition leader went on to say that the PAP 'tried other policies designed to cripple town councils and elected town councillors in opposition wards', citing CIPC or Community Improvement Projects Committee funds.
It used to be that CIPC funds had to be sought through constituencies' Citizens' Consultative Committees (CCC), which come under the People's Association. Applications are then endorsed by grassroots advisers - typically the MPs in PAP wards but the defeated PAP candidates in opposition wards.
As early as in 1992, former WP chief Low Thia Khiang had questioned the need for an MP to go through the CCC to apply for funding.
In April 2021, the Ministry of National Development then introduced a key change, allowing town councils to apply for funding directly from CIPC without approval from the CCCs.
Mr Singh said this only came about after 'continuous advocacy by opposition MPs and by Singaporeans as a result of the last General Election'.
'I am sure you can see the pattern now. No political pressure in parliament against the PAP, no results on the ground; no fairness, no justice on the ground."
OPPOSITION MPS NOT GIVEN INFORMATION
Mr Singh then noted how the PA would pass on information about residents to losing PAP candidates who are appointed as grassroots advisers in opposition-held wards, instead of the elected opposition MPs.
'During COVID, the PA gave PA grassroots advisers, including all the unelected ones, information as specific as which resident was recovering from a COVID infection. These advisers were then in a position to deliver care packs to the residents,' said Mr Singh, noting that the WP MPs did not have access to this information.
'We would have loved access to that information, to reach out to Singaporeans as well, and we would love to shake hands of our new citizens at citizenship ceremonies presided over by losing PAP candidates,' he said.
'Democratically elected opposition MPs are kept away when new Singaporeans are welcomed to our community. So let me ask Lawrence Wong again, isn't this a textbook example of negative politics?'
Mr Singh also said that WP MPs have not been given access to the community clubs since 1981, but that PA programmes continued to run, with the PA continuing to be 'generously funded' by taxpayer dollars in Aljunied, Hougang and Sengkang - constituencies where the WP is incumbent.
He was referring to the year Singapore had its first post-independence opposition MP – JB Jeyaretnam from the WP, who won a by-election for the Anson seat.
Mr Singh then invited PAP's candidates for East Coast GRC to clarify which programmes they would stop, should the PAP lose the election in the constituency.
'Be upfront with our people so voters can decide if the PAP really cares about East Coast,' said Mr Singh.
He called on the PAP to clarify if WP MPs would be allowed access to community clubs, for the likes of food donation or distribution drives for low-income households.
'Please say yes or no before polling day. Let me know so I can go and debate with PM Lawrence Wong in parliament what is the real meaning of negative politics.
'But if you say 'no, cannot, you cannot come into the CCs, let's keep things the way they are' - it's okay. The spirit of Hougang lives in our people and the Workers' Party will find a way to help those people in need.'
Ten candidates, including Mr Singh, spoke at the rally held at Bedok Stadium, which started later than scheduled due to the heavy downpour.
Among those who spoke were WP candidates for East Coast GRC: Former Non-Constituency MP Yee Jenn Jong, GE2020 candidate Nathaniel Koh and fresh faces Jasper Kuan, Sufyan Mikhail Putra and Paris V Parameswari.
As the team's anchor, Mr Yee spoke about its commitment to residents of East Coast GRC.
Introducing each candidate in turn, Mr Yee pointed to Mr Sufyan and Ms Paris, who had both quit their jobs to run in the General Election with WP.
Mr Sufyan, for instance, was an associate director in a law firm before he resigned due to his company's non-partisan policy. "He wanted to be your voice," Mr Yee said.
"They say that heroes are ordinary people who have done extraordinary things. I think that they have extraordinary commitment," Mr Yee said of his team members.