GE2025: Pritam Singh says WP does not engage in negative politics
WP chief Pritam Singh speaking during the party's rally at the Bedok Stadium, on April 29. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
Follow our live coverage here.
SINGAPORE – WP chief Pritam Singh has rejected Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's statement that the opposition party engages in 'negative politics', saying it was the PAP that had done so for years.
Speaking at a rally on April 29, he listed as examples the PAP's initial treatment of residents in opposition wards, and the lack of access for opposition MPs to People's Association resources.
Noting that Hougang and Potong Pasir voters were told in the past that their wards would be last in line for estate upgrades if they voted for the opposition, he said this had left a bad taste in his mouth during his youth.
'My peers and I didn't feel like this was a Singapore we can be proud of. We didn't feel such affinity to a country ruled by people with such small hearts,' he said at the rally in Bedok Stadium, located in East Coast GRC.
For the fifth time, WP is going head-to-head with the PAP in the constituency. It lost narrowly to the ruling party in 2020, with 46.61 per cent of the vote.
At the rally on the seventh day of hustings, the Leader of the Opposition laid out what he considers examples of negative politics by the PAP.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the People's Association had given grassroots advisers – including unelected ones – information on which residents were recovering from the infection, so that they could deliver care packs. But WP MPs did not get such access, he noted.
Elected opposition MPs were also kept away when new citizens were welcomed to the community at citizenship ceremonies, while losing PAP candidates presided over them, Mr Singh said.
'With immigration and integration being such a big part of our social landscape in Singapore, I am taken aback by how the PAP does not walk the talk when it speaks of a united Singapore to deal with the challenges of tomorrow,' he said.
Calling on PM Wong to change this policy, Mr Singh said: 'In the long run, Singapore will lose with such a mentality from PAP political leaders. Even if the PAP cannot, Singapore can do much better than that.'
The Prime Minister earlier rebuked WP for its negative tone and attacks on Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong and his team. 'Let's reject this kind of negative politics. You should be better than this,' said PM Wong.
During his 20-minute speech, Mr Singh asked the PAP if it would allow elected WP MPs to use community clubs for 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,' said Mr Singh.
'But if you say 'no, cannot – you cannot come into the CCs, let things be the way they are', it is OK. The spirit of Hougang lives in our people, and the Workers' Party will find a way to help those people in need.'
Mr Singh said WP MPs have not been given access to use community clubs since 1981.
He also invited PAP's East Coast GRC candidates to clarify which programmes they would halt, should they lose the electoral contest.
'Be upfront with our people, so voters can decide if the PAP really cares about East Coast or if there is no 'together' in their East Coast Plan,' he said.
Mr Singh argued that the PAP changed strategy over the years by allowing opposition-held estates to get public housing upgrades at the same time as, or in some cases earlier than, PAP-run estates, because the ruling party realised that its 'bullying sticks and disrespectful carrots' did not work.
He said this changed because the policy lost votes for the PAP, and that the ruling party 'only listens when it loses vote share and parliamentary seats to the Workers' Party'.
'Why do you think Lee Hsien Loong and Lawrence Wong are going to Tampines, going to Punggol?' he asked.
On April 29, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong joined the party's Tampines GRC team on a walkabout in the town, while PM Wong did the same with the PAP's team in Punggol GRC.
The WP is contesting these constituencies.
Added Mr Singh: 'No political pressure in Parliament against the PAP, no results on the ground, no fairness, no justice on the ground.'
Mr Singh also said: 'A previous prime minister said that he would have to spend his time fixing the opposition if it gains five, 10 or 20 seats. And 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?'
Mr Singh, meanwhile, said that if WP wins East Coast GRC, it will not label its banners with words like 'WP-run town council' – what the PAP has done with its town council banners in the last few years.
'Communities and towns are about the people who live in them,' he said, adding that the green ratings of WP town councils speak for themselves.
Town councils here are rated green, amber or red based on their estate cleanliness, estate maintenance, lift performance, management of service and conservancy charge arrears, and corporate governance. Green is the highest score.
Ultimately, Mr Singh appealed to East Coast GRC residents to vote with this in mind: 'Our little red dot will shine bright when our hearts are large.'
New way forward for East Coast
Several speakers at the rally also spoke about how East Coast voters have been let down by the PAP.
Mr Yee Jenn Jong, who helms the WP's East Coast GRC team, and incumbent Hougang MP Dennis Tan pointed to how constituencies had disappeared whenever the PAP did not do well.
Describing the boundary changes in East Coast as repeated instances of gerrymandering, Mr Tan urged voters to put a stop to them by voting in the WP.
Echoing the sentiment, Mr Sufyan Mikhail Putra, an East Coast GRC candidate, said: 'Maybe this is our final chance to turn East Coast blue.'
Meanwhile, his teammate Nathaniel Koh reminded voters of the 'promise' made in the 2020 General Election when Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat was moved from Tampines GRC to helm East Coast GRC.
'Five years ago, you were promised a future prime minister. Some of you might have voted for them because of that promise. But what happened? It became an empty promise,' said Mr Koh, asking voters to 'choose another way forward'.
The WP East Coast GRC candidates also took aim at their PAP opponents, led by Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong.
Noting that Mr Tong had called for policy suggestions to go beyond rhetoric and sound bites at a rally, Mr Yee said: 'Mr Edwin Tong must have a very practical and sensible plan to bring Singapore to the World Cup finals in 2034.'
He was referring to the goal for the Lions to play in the 2034 World Cup, which has drawn comparisons with the original aim to do so by 2010.
'Afterall, Mr Sitoh Yih Pin... said that we are so lucky to have (Mr Tong) because he's like the Lionel Messi of Singapore,' he added.
Mr Sitoh, the incumbent MP for Potong Pasir who is retiring from politics, had said at a rally that Mr Tong was as important to Singapore as the Argentinian footballer is to his national team.
Mr Sufyan, meanwhile, noted that PAP East Coast GRC candidate Hazlina Abdul Halim had apologised at an April 26 rally about life having become tougher for some young people.
Citing this, he said: 'Do you want your MP to apologise to you because your lives are tougher or do you want your MP to find solutions to make your lives better?'
Ms Paris V. Parameswari, also on the East Coast slate, spoke about how the Government had 'lost touch', citing the mishandling of private data when NRIC data was leaked on the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority website, among other things.
She also called for Thaipusam to be reinstated as a public holiday, noting that the festival has become a 'spiritually significant affair for many Hindus in Singapore'.
Promising to do her best if elected, she said: 'I can be caring and passionate, like Mother Teresa. But if the need arises to be a voice in Parliament, to ask questions fearlessly, I can be like Margaret Thatcher, the Iron Lady.'
Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
International Business Times
8 hours ago
- International Business Times
Jodie Sweetin: Popular 80s Sitcom Star Spotted in Mask, Ski Goggles and Baseball Cap Marching Among LA ICE Protesters
Eighties sitcom star Jodie Sweetin was seen walking among protesters at the Los Angeles riots this week as the situation spiraled out of control this week. The "Full House" actress was identified by several fans even though she was dressed in all black, wearing a baseball cap, ski goggles, and a face covering similar to those worn during the Covid-19 pandemic. A bystander filmed a 13-second video of her walking with protesters and holding a megaphone, later posting the clip on TikTok. The fan shouted to Sweetin to draw her attention, and she responded with, "Hey man, what's up?" while flashing a thumbs-up before turning back to join the crowd. Joining the Protest Sweetin later confirmed that she was indeed the masked figure "on the front lines in LA," replying to a fan's Instagram post that praised the former child actress for using her "platform to speak against these illegal ICE kidnappings." "Thank youuuuuu!! Much love," Sweetin said. Sweetin, 43, who identifies as an activist, is frequently seen at progressive protests across California. She has participated in marches supporting causes such as transgender rights and access to abortion. She made headlines in June 2022 when a video emerged showing LAPD officers forcefully pushing her to the ground during an abortion rights rally. Sweetin was part of a large group of demonstrators who marched onto a freeway during the summer protests sparked by the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Videos from the incident showed police officers pushing her back into the crowd, as she lost balance and fell over a curb onto the freeway, where other protesters helped break her fall. She has also been actively posting about the LA riots on Instagram, including sharing donation opportunities for various social justice organizations connected to the cause. The protests are aimed at opposing President Donald Trump's immigration policies, which critics say are tearing migrant families apart. Unrest Continues in LA Born in Los Angeles, Sweetin is best known for playing Stephanie Tanner on the ABC sitcom "Full House" and its Netflix sequel series, "Fuller House." The unrest in LA began on Friday, June 6, following widespread immigration raids carried out by ICE agents throughout the city. While the protests initially started off peacefully, they soon descended into chaos, with some protesters setting vehicles ablaze and looting businesses. The protests kicked off outside a factory where ICE officers were reportedly detaining two full truckloads of people. A crowd gathered in an effort to block the trucks from leaving, including one person who laid down in front of the vehicles, though the attempt was ultimately unsuccessful. Later that same day, a large group assembled in front of the U.S. Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles, calling for an end to the immigration raids in the city. Videos show protesters damaging the building and hurling objects at police officers, who used shields to protect themselves from the incoming projectiles. By 10 p.m. on Friday, the LAPD declared the protest an "unlawful assembly" and ordered the crowd to disperse. However, in the days that followed, the protests swelled in size and turned more violent.
Straits Times
15 hours ago
- Straits Times
Kennedy replaces fired US CDC panel members, includes anti-vaccine proponents
US Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr alleged that the prior panel members had conflicts of interest. PHOTO: REUTERS WASHINGTON - US Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr named eight members to serve on a key panel of vaccine advisers on June 11, including several who have advocated against vaccines, after abruptly firing all 17 members of the independent committee of experts. They will sit on the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee for Immunisation Practices, which advises the agency on who should get the shots after they are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. The group of eight - the minimum number allowed by the ACIP founding charter - includes four who have previously worked on committees associated with either the CDC, the Food and Drug Administration, or both. Others have published papers, posted on social media, or written online biographies with anti-vaccine views, including against the mRNA vaccine technology used in some of the newest immunizations such as the Covid-19 vaccine. Among them is Mr Robert Malone, one of the most prominent voices opposing mRNA vaccines. He is aligned with Mr Kennedy's Make America Healthy Again movement. The group also includes Mr Joseph Hibbeln, Mr Martin Kulldorff, Mr Retsef Levi, Mr Cody Meissner, Mr James Pagano, Mr Vicky Pebsworth and Mr Michael Ross. Mr Kennedy, who has long questioned the safety of vaccines contrary to scientific evidence, alleged that the prior panel members, many of whom were appointed by President Joe Biden, had conflicts of interest, without providing evidence of specific members' conflicts. He said the move was necessary 'to re-establish public confidence in vaccine science'. Committee members said their ACIP work follows rigorous vetting of their financial ties and that they must abstain from votes on any vaccine for which they have a conflict. Mr Kennedy said on X that the panel would attend the committee's June 25 meeting. Advisers had been expected to deliberate and vote on who should receive a number of vaccines, including the flu shot and 2025-26 Covid-19 vaccine boosters, and the meeting had been slated for June 25-27. No agenda has been published yet. Shares of vaccine makers Moderna and Pfizer, which both produced mRNA Covid vaccines, fell marginally while those of Novavax, which did not utilise mRNA in its vaccine, rose marginally in after-hours trading. New members It is unclear how new members of the panel have been vetted for conflicts of interest, or when the vetting process began. Mr Meissner and Mr Pebsworth have served on the FDA's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, and Mr Meissner also previously served on ACIP. Mr Pebsworth is now associated with the National Vaccine Information Centre, a group that advocates for vaccine exemptions and educates about vaccine injury. Mr Kulldorff is an architect of the Great Barrington Declaration, which called for a lighter public health response to Covid-19 in October 2020, and previously served on an ACIP vaccine safety subgroup. Mr Levi has in the past said mRNA vaccines can cause serious harm and death, especially among children, and called for their immediate withdrawal. Mr Ross, a professor at George Washington University, is an operating partner of Havencrest Capital Management, a firm focused on healthcare investments, according to its website. The FDA has found that the mRNA Covid-19 vaccines are generally safe and effective, but Commissioner Marty Makary has questioned the benefit of repeated annual shots for healthy, younger Americans. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Business Times
18 hours ago
- Business Times
Harvard crackdown: Can Singapore become its own intellectual leader?
THE US has long been a global science leader, with this best exemplified by its scientists creating a Covid-19 vaccine – amid a pandemic no less – within a year. Given that vaccine developments typically take a decade or more, this is nothing short of a feat, and something that has been decades in the making – a result of generous state funding for research and an openness to talent, among other factors. This is why US President Donald Trump's crusade against Harvard University and other top American institutions should give us pause, even if the fate of Ivy League colleges an ocean away may not seem, at first, to have major repercussions for Singapore. Alongside the on-and-off-again tariffs, immigration crackdown and slashing of government budgets, some observers may regard Trump's first 140 days as part of a natural ebb and flow in American politics. After all, the country has seen its fair share of upheavals in the last 249 years, having survived a civil war in the mid-19th century and, over 100 years later, lived through a particularly turbulent 1968 punctuated by two assassinations, heightened social unrest over the Vietnam War and issues related to values and race. Yet, even Americans appear spooked themselves. Experts and ordinary people, regardless of political leanings, are voicing concern that American democracy is being eroded and possibly sliding into autocracy, multiple surveys have shown. In particular, the administration's clampdown on its universities could have far-reaching consequences. America's embrace of diversity had long been part of its DNA, a trait that has drawn the world's brightest minds who, in turn, have kept its universities at the forefront of research and innovation that have resulted in life-saving drugs and key inventions. Some of these foreign talents remain in the country in pursuit of the American dream; others, equipped with new knowledge and skills, return home for the betterment of their motherland. Singapore too, has benefited from the return of US-trained scholars who have gone on to helm senior positions in government and the private sector. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up But all that is now in peril under the Trump administration, which has threatened to cut funding and foreign student quotas – actions that portend a brain drain and a possible curtailment of its research capabilities. The question is how long this crusade would last, and whether the damage wrought would be permanent. Meanwhile, foreign students and postgraduates have been targets of an immigration crackdown. Some have had their visas revoked, and others fear they would not be able to re-enter if they leave. Prospective students are naturally reconsidering their choice, given the uncertainty and apparent lack of transparency. Even researchers are hesitating to visit; a French scientist was denied entry in March because he had criticised the administration in a text message. In 2022 and 2023, Singapore sent about a quarter of its Public Service Commission scholarship recipients to the US, and many more students went at their own expense. But the latest developments raise the question whether the city-state should reconsider its reliance on the US for intellectual leadership. The imbroglio should also prompt Singapore to look afield at Europe and China, which are now seizing the opportunity to woo students and researchers seeking alternatives. A small but growing number of Singapore students have headed for European and Chinese universities over the years. And not least, Singapore might also take a leaf out of their playbook and do the same, since having a strong talent mix is what would augment its universities' standing. Rather than looking mainly to the West for intellectual leadership, Singapore has now an opportunity to build up its own for the region.
