‘My resolve from the start has not changed', says SDA's Desmond Lim
'My resolve from the start has not changed', says SDA's Desmond Lim
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SINGAPORE - Singapore Democratic Alliance chief Desmond Lim said his resolve to serve residents with a 'people first' mentality has not changed since his party began contesting in the General Elections close to two decades ago.
In his pre-recorded online rally on April 30, Mr Lim told voters that his love and sense of responsibility for the community has only grown stronger.
The SDA said it decided not to hold physical rallies and have only online ones so that voters would not be inconvenienced.
The party - which is up against a PAP team in Pasir Ris-Changi GRC in this year's elections - has not prevailed since it began contesting the area in 2006.
'Time passes, but my resolve from the start has not changed,' Mr Lim said in his Mandarin speech.
'From 2006 until now I have been contesting in Pasir Ris-Punggol,' he added, referring to the constituency that has been split up to form two four-member GRCs, Pasir Ris-Changi and Punggol GRCs.
'I want to work together with you and fight hard to achieve our common dreams and aspirations… this is important to me.'.
Mr Lim, who returned to his post as the party's chairman after announcing his decision to step down after GE2020, intends to continue the legacy of former opposition MP Chiam See Tong, having served for 14 years as Mr Chiam's Town Council adviser at Potong Pasir SMC.
'Singapore is a home for all of us, common Singaporeans. Not just for the rich and… elites, and not just for those who stay in a big bungalow… drive a Bentley or a Ferrari.'
Mr Lim's team, including returning candidates SDA secretary-general Abu Mohamed, 74, Mr Harminder Pal Singh, 53, the party's communications lead, and new face Chia Yun Kai, 32, is up against a PAP team led by Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Indranee Rajah.
SDA's other candidates echoed Mr Lim's sentiments, and promised to work towards addressing cost of living, housing and healthcare woes, as well as providing better job opportunities for Singaporeans amid competition from foreign talent.
Mr Abu spoke about how Singaporeans have been feeling the pinch for 15 years, and that young Singaporeans have said that it is not easy to get a job, despite having a university degree or polytechnic diploma.
'Many of them have applied for hundreds of jobs, but most of those applications received no response,' he said in Malay, noting that some have resorted to doing gig work.
Mr Chia said SDA will offer real solutions to ensure better wages and job security, where middle class families will no longer face 'sleepless nights' worrying about their jobs or to put food on the table.
He said he had entered politics as he could not to stand back and see Singapore's dreams of a better future slipping away.
'I may have been trained by the system but it is because of this I know the feeling. I experienced the pain, and I know Singaporeans deserve better,' he said.
Mr Singh told voters not to waste their vote, and said that voting for the opposition would help build a better and more balanced political system.
'A stronger opposition in Parliament... will force the PAP and the civil service to provide more thorough explanations of their policy... will prevent them form brushing aside valid questions and pushing through policies without proper scrutiny,' he said.
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