GE2025: More opposition voices in Parliament will not weaken the Government, says PSP

Straits Times

01-05-2025

GE2025: More opposition voices in Parliament will not weaken the Government, says PSP
SINGAPORE - The leaders of the opposition PSP spent the last day of campaigning assuring voters that more opposition voices in Parliament will not weaken the Government and that it will instead result in more robust debates that could ensure policies benefit Singaporeans.
Speaking on May 1 on the sidelines of a walkabout at Boon Lay Place Market - part of the West Coast-Jurong West GRC that PSP is contesting - PSP chairman Tan Cheng Bock said the ruling party's claims of a weakened Government was 'very old'.
With more opposition voices in the Parliament, Dr Tan said, there will be more diverse views and ideas.
The PSP's NCMPs – party chief Leong Mun Wai and first vice-chair Hazel Poa – have demonstrated through their term in Parliament that they are able to robustly debate policies, he added, saying the PSP was a credible opposition party.
Singapore goes to the polls on May 3. May 2 is Cooling Off Day, and no campaigning is allowed then.
Saying that opposition parties, if voted in, represent the views of the people, Dr Tan added: 'You don't brush it off (and say) that 'there are too many (opposition) and we'll be weakened'.'
Mr Leong said that the PAP has lost ministers and GRCs before, but it did not seem to have weakened the Government.
'Would a weak Government be able to pass through or bulldoze the GST (increase) in 2022? It must be a strong Government, with all the power to amend constitutions… So the argument that the minister had about losing some minister or GRC will weaken the government is not quite accurate,' Mr Leong said.
Responding to Health Minister Ong Ye Kung's comments that a strong opposition is unnecessary and could lead to gridlock in Parliament, Mr Leong said Mr Ong's comments are 'out of this world'. 'I think most Singaporeans will agree that there's a need for more opposition,' Mr Leong said.
When asked about Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's remarks on how opposition parties have been using personal attacks to bring down the PAP, Mr Leong said that PSP does not adopt such a strategy.
'I don't think there are many comments that are just directed at a person. For one thing, PSP has not adopted such a strategy or said such things,' he said.
He said his comments about Minister for National Development Desmond Lee were 'targeted at the fact that he has not responded concretely to some of the policy debates we are trying to have', adding that they are 'not a personal attack'.
On April 30, Mr Lee hit back against statements by Mr Leong that he had 'been silent on national housing issues throughout the campaign'.
None of the PSP's opponents in the constituencies the party is contesting have taken up the party's challenge to debate policies, said PSP first vice-chair Hazel Poa. The PSP had while on the campaign trail issued invitations to the PAP to engage them in a debate on national policies.
In GE2025, PSP is contesting West Coast-Jurong West and Chua Chu Kang GRCs, as well as Pioneer, Marymount, Bukit Gombak and Kebun Baru SMCs.
'We do wish that there are more debates on policy matters in this election. But unfortunately, it is not just up to us,' she said.
Mr Leong added that the government should commit to implementing 'concrete solutions' over the next five years.
'The government has so far always stuck to its script, made certain statements, but we can see that a lot of the problems remain,' said Mr Leong, citing issues like high prices of public housing and lease decay.
Responding to a question of how there has not been much talk by the incumbent on PSP, Dr Tan said: 'I think the fact that there is not much confrontation between my party and the PAP is testament to the fact that we want to have a fair fight.'
'I think they find that the ground that we have built for the party is strong enough. (When) they take us, we can reply. Our rebuttals are there. We don't have to resort to shouting,' he said.
'But generally, I think it's important people will see PSP as a very responsible party coming to Parliament.'
'We are confident that residents of West Coast - Jurong West GRC will be able to see that PSP is a credible opposition party, and PSP MPs in Parliament will be able to contribute a lot to their lives and livelihood,' said Mr Leong.
Dr Tan, Mr Leong and Ms Poa are part of the five-member team contesting the West Coast-Jurong West GRC in upcoming polls. Joining them are new faces Sani Ismail and Sumarleki Amjah.
The constituency, under its old boundaries, saw the closest contest at the last election, with the PAP winning with 51.68 per cent of the vote against the PSP.
This result sent Mr Leong and Ms Hazel Poa into Parliament as NCMPs as they were the top losers of the polls.
Both teams have returned with renewed slates, setting up a rematch.
The PAP team is anchored by Mr Lee. Mr Ang Wei Neng returns, and the pair is joined by Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Finance and Education Shawn Huang, and new faces Hamid Razak and Cassandra Lee.
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