logo
GE2025: Pritam Singh says WP does not engage in negative politics

GE2025: Pritam Singh says WP does not engage in negative politics

Straits Times29-04-2025

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.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Man fined $6,000 for posting TikTok video claiming minister made offensive remarks about Malays in Ch 8 interview
Man fined $6,000 for posting TikTok video claiming minister made offensive remarks about Malays in Ch 8 interview

Straits Times

timea day ago

  • Straits Times

Man fined $6,000 for posting TikTok video claiming minister made offensive remarks about Malays in Ch 8 interview

Nadine Chua The Straits Times June 6, 2025 A blogger was fined $6,000 after he posted a TikTok video falsely claiming that Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo had made offensive remarks against Malays. Manmeet Singh Bahadar Singh, 57, pleaded guilty on June 6 to knowingly committing an act that promoted disharmony between different racial groups. Singh had uploaded a video on TikTok on Aug 12, 2024, after receiving a link to a WordPress blog post via WhatsApp from an unknown person. The blog post claimed that Mrs Teo made an offensive remark against Malays when asked about racial progress during an interview with the Chinese media about Singapore's development since 1965. Singh felt offended and posted a TikTok video bearing the words "Minister Josephine Teo blurted 'Malays are i*****' in a Chinese interview", without verifying the authenticity of the claims. He repeated the blog post's allegations in his video and told his viewers to "go look it up". Singh added: "I have been voicing out for, you know, against racial discrimination in Singapore. And look what happened now? My prediction's right!" At the end of the video, he also uttered the phrase "bring them down". His TikTok account had over 9,000 followers when he uploaded the video, which was online long enough for Mrs Teo's colleagues and a reporter to ask the minister about it. About four hours after the video was uploaded, Mrs Teo informed her press secretary, who downloaded a copy of the video and made a police report. Suspecting that his claims were false, Singh removed the TikTok video later that day. He subsequently posted another video apologising to Mrs Teo, admitting that his claims were false. Mrs Teo took to various social media platforms to clarify that the allegations were false. Singh was arrested on Feb 4 and released on bail the next day. For promoting racial disharmony, an offender can be jailed for up to three years, fined, or both. In response to media queries, Mrs Teo said: "Growing up in the 1970s, I have seen for myself how precious - and fragile - racial and religious harmony is in our diverse society. It is why I do not take for granted the many friendships with schoolmates, colleagues and community leaders of different faiths or races." She added that the accusation made by Singh against her was serious and cast a shadow on these friendships. "Besides feeling personally hurt, I was concerned about the hurt to my friends if things were not put right," she said, adding that this was why her press secretary had made a police report. "With the sentencing passed, I hope to put this episode behind me. Our world threatens to fall apart because of all kinds of hatred and conflicts. I hope this episode reminds us all to be careful not to sow discord but instead to spread peace," said Mrs Teo. Click here to contribute a story or submit it to our WhatsApp Get more of Stomp's latest updates by following us on:

Trump pressures Fed's Powell to cut rates by ‘a full point'
Trump pressures Fed's Powell to cut rates by ‘a full point'

Straits Times

timea day ago

  • Straits Times

Trump pressures Fed's Powell to cut rates by ‘a full point'

Jerome Powell, chairman of the US Federal Reserve, speaks during the Federal Reserve IF 75TH Anniversary Conference in Washington, DC on June 2. PHOTO: BLOOMBERG – President Donald Trump urged the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates by a full percentage point, intensifying his pressure campaign against Chair Jerome Powell. ''Too Late' at the Fed is a disaster!' Mr Trump posted June 6 on social media, using a derisive nickname for Mr Powell. 'Despite him, our country is doing great. Go for a full point, rocket fuel!' While the size of Mr Trump's rate-cut demand – a full percentage point – was unusual, his call for the central bank to lower rates is not new. The president, who first nominated Mr Powell to the job in 2017, has regularly complained that the Fed chief has been too reluctant to cut borrowing costs. Mr Trump pushed Mr Powell to lower rates in a White House meeting last month. Mr Trump said later June 6 that he has considered successors for Mr Powell, whose term as chair ends in May 2026. 'It's coming out very soon,' he told reporters on Air Force One, without naming any potential candidates. 'I have a pretty good idea who,' Mr Trump added. After Mr Trump was specifically asked about Kevin Warsh, a former Fed governor considered among the potential successors to Mr Powell, he responded: 'He's very highly thought of.' Fed officials are scheduled to meet June 17-18 in Washington and are widely expected to leave their benchmark rate unchanged, as they have done all year. Many policymakers have said they want to wait for more clarity over how Mr Trump's policies on trade, immigration and taxation will affect the economy before they alter rates. It would be highly unusual for the Fed to lower its benchmark rate by a full percentage point at one meeting outside of a severe economic downturn or financial crisis. Officials last cut rates by a full point in March 2020, when the US economy was cratering as the Covid-19 pandemic prompted widespread shutdowns and layoffs, triggering a deep recession. The Fed targets 2 per cent inflation over time, and adjusts interest rates with the goal of maintaining both stable prices and maximum employment – the two responsibilities assigned to it by Congress. Lowering rates too quickly could stoke inflationary pressures, while holding them at high levels for too long could restrain the economy more than desired. Mr Trump posted his call on social media after new data showed US job growth moderated in May, but was still better than expected, and the unemployment rate held at a low 4.2 per cent. In a separate statement, the White House touted the 'booming economy,' including job gains, increasing wages and tame inflation. Fed policymakers in recent weeks have described the labour market as on stable footing, which they've said provides further cause for them to keep borrowing costs steady for now – especially with inflation still above their target. Mr Trump, in a subsequent message, accused Mr Powell of 'costing our country a fortune' by keeping rates at their current level, saying they have increased borrowing costs for the federal government that should be 'much lower'. BLOOMBERG Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

Hear Me Out: Has the swing against elitism gone too far?
Hear Me Out: Has the swing against elitism gone too far?

Straits Times

time2 days ago

  • Straits Times

Hear Me Out: Has the swing against elitism gone too far?

An art installation at the Padang. Vocal naysayers recently accused the Government's SG Culture Pass initiative of being the very thing it counteracted: elitism. PHOTO: ST FILE Hear Me Out: Has the swing against elitism gone too far? SINGAPORE – At a time when most people understand that the personal is political, individual views have become a battleground of virtue – equality, good; hierarchy, bad. Elitism? The worst possible kind of social evil. Yet, take a step back from this instinctive repulsion and there might be benefits to muddying the waters. Elitism, the belief that an elite group, however defined, should be entitled to the reins of power has been the norm throughout much of history. Whether it is the clergy, kings with their divine right, the Confucian scholar or today's fintech bros, there have been groups in each time period that societies tend to value and reward. It was only with increasing democratisation, and a growing disenfranchisement at the chasm between the top and the rest, that elitism has become a byword for undeserved privilege and gross injustice. This brief trip back in time is not to rehabilitate elitism, but to show that the current period against it – or at least one that pays lip service to not believing in an elite class – may be an aberrant one. In the West, this has been taken to extremes, manifesting in a debilitating disregard fo r e xperts and fatal results during the Covid-19 pandemic against the advice of doctors to vaccinate. In Singapore, it is the elite schools that are targeted, in the idealistic slogan that every school is a good school. Though, for perplexing reasons, this scepticism has not yet been extended to the natural reverence the majority of Singaporeans harbour for lawyers and doctors. Their expertise is assumed to be universally applicable – a mentality that has narrowed parents and students' conception of what success looks like. In any case, the ills of elitism have been thoroughly aired, including the type of entitled, discompassionate divas that it ends up producing. The very consensus of who deserves to be elite has also fractured. I wonder, though, if this enmity has led to some unexpected side effects. This is a train of thought sparked by recent reactions to the Government's SG Culture Pass initiative set out during the Budget statement in 2025. Self-sabotage Under the scheme, $100 would be given t o Si ngaporeans aged 18 and above for the consumption of the local arts, redeemable from September. One would expect rejoicing, but there was uproar from a group of vocal naysayers. They accused the credits of being the very thing it counteracted: elitism. Why? Because the money could be better spent on support for groceries. This, I thought, was a case of anti-elitism as self-sabotage. Central to this worldview was that the arts is an elitist activity patronised only by the rich and the hyper-educated aesthete, when one type of activity for the elite and one for the others is exactly the sort of segregation and self-limiting mentality that perpetuates divides. There was no sense that this $100 in credits was a way of making the perceived barrier more permeable. To put it in context, the Government also announced $800 in CDC vouchers. This was bread for all, and roses too. Yet another potentially problematic by-product is that the word 'elite' has since been tainted by association. No one dares lay claim to the word 'elite', or acknowledge that someone else may be elite in his or her field. The rare exemption is perhaps in sports, where athletes accept the cut-throat nature of their competition, and where non-athletes are so tangibly outside their league that there is no point in pretending otherwise. This is not in itself a problem – elite is after all just a word – though I find no easy replacement term that can immediately convey excellence to the same degree. But it incidentally comes at a time when there is a general reluctance to impose any kind of objective standard, supplemented by that compassionate but useless invention: the consolation prize. This applies to things: Is no one taste now better than another? As well as people, where so many takes on social media are considered equally valid, measured just by virality. It is the kind of ChatGPT mentality where how often something is repeated or the number of clicks on a website can influence results, with no regard to its truth value. The war against elitism may have come at the expense of standards and good sense. Reclaiming elite This impulse to drag discourse to the same level – usually downwards – has the right intentions, timely given that, for so long, highly selective elitist standards have been imposed as objective metrics. To right the ship so discourse is levelled upwards though, perhaps elite can be thought of as separate from elitism, rehabilitated without the corresponding concentration of resources and power. This should be expanded so that who is elite becomes not just about education but also because of other qualities – role models people can aspire to in different contexts. What constitutes an elite has always been reliant on man-made barometers, negotiated by the community. There should be no shame in aspiring to be elite. Anti-elitism should not mean an absence of the elite, but that all who put their heart and minds to it should have a fair shot at claiming its pedigree, or getting closer to it. It is a lifelong dusting off of mediocrity, and it begins with first recognising what is good. Hear Me Out is a new series where young journalists (over)share on topics ranging from navigating friendships to self-loathing, and the occasional intrusive thought. Check out the Headstart chatbot for answers to your questions on careers and work trends.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store