Latest news with #AbuMohamed
Straits Times
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
GE2025: PAP wins Pasir Ris-Changi GRC
The team from the Singapore Democratic Alliance comprising Mr Desmond Lim (second from left), Mr Abu Mohamed (third from left), Harminder Pal Singh (first from left), and newcomer Chia Yun Kai. FILE PHOTO: SHIN MIN DAILY NEWS The PAP has won Pasir Ris-Changi GRC, led by Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Indranee Rajah. Her teammates are Mr Desmond Tan, Senior Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (third from left), one-term MP Sharael Taha (first from left), and new face Valerie Lee. ST FILE PHOTO SINGAPORE – The PAP has won Pasir Ris-Changi GRC – led by Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Indranee Rajah – with 67.66 per cent of the vote against the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA), a coalition of two parties and a newcomer. Ms Indranee's teammates are Mr Desmond Tan, 54, Senior Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, one-term MP Sharael Taha, 43, and new face Valerie Lee, 39. They faced a straight fight against a team from SDA comprising the opposition coalition's chairman Desmond Lim, 58, secretary-general Abu Mohamed, 74, communications lead Harminder Pal Singh, 53, and newcomer Chia Yun Kai, 32. Pasir Ris-Changi GRC, which has 100,639 voters, was formed by merging some districts under the former Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC with adjacent areas in East Coast GRC, after electoral boundaries were redrawn. Pulau Ubin was subsumed under the new boundaries of Pasir Ris-Changi GRC. During the nine days of campaigning, Ms Indranee, who is also Second Minister for Finance and National Development, had said that while the PAP has plans to address concerns such as cost of living and jobs at a national level, her team at Pasir Ris-Changi GRC would also explore issues and plans at the local level, including improving infrastructure. Ms Indranee had moved from Tanjong Pagar GRC where she had served for 24 years to anchor the PAP team in Pasir Ris-Changi GRC. This was after Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, the former anchor minister in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, announced his retirement from politics after 33 years. Mr Teo had been an MP in Pasir-Ris Punggol GRC since 1997. The SDA is a coalition currently comprising the Singapore Justice Party, of which Mr Lim is the secretary-general; the Singapore Malay National Organisation (PKMS), of which Mr Abu Mohamed is the president; and Mr Chia, who had initially announced that he had founded his own party Most Valuable Party – to contest East Coast GRC. Mr Chia joined SDA on Nomination Day on April 23. The SDA had aimed to address cost of living, issues of housing and healthcare, as well as providing better job opportunities for Singaporeans amid competition from foreign talent. The alliance has not prevailed since it began contesting Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC in 2006. Pasir Ris-Changi voters whom The Straits Times spoke to earlier on polling day said the voting process was smooth and hassle-free. The day began with heavy downpours in the earlier part of the morning of May 3 before clearing up to clear skies for the rest of the day. Voters said issues such as cost of living were on the top of their mind when it came to casting their votes. 'What's more important for me is to choose the right team to bring the country forward,' said housewife Noor Huda Abdullah, 49. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
CNA
30-04-2025
- Politics
- CNA
GE2025: SDA reaffirms its commitment to Pasir Ris-Changi GRC residents, saying 'we do not give up'
SINGAPORE: Despite boundary changes ahead of the May 3 polls, the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) remains as committed to residents as it has over the past two decades, candidates said on Wednesday (Apr 30). In four videos posted online, they also emphasised that they will address and voice residents' concerns if elected. The party, which will not hold any physical rallies this General Election, have released two video series this week as part of their online rallies, with the first batch released on Tuesday. "From 2006 until now, I have been contesting in Pasir Ris-Punggol. Now it has become Pasir Ris-Changi. I want to work together with you and fight hard to achieve our common dreams and aspirations. Let's work together," said SDA chief Desmond Lim in a speech delivered in Mandarin. "Time passes but my resolve from the start has not changed. Every general election, my love for the community here and my sense of responsibility grows stronger." The party has contested in the area, specifically in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, for almost two decades. The group representation constituency was dissolved last month as part of extensive boundary changes ahead of the polls, with some districts merged with adjacent areas in East Coast GRC to form Pasir Ris-Changi GRC. The SDA is only contesting in Pasir Ris-Changi GRC. The party's slate consists of Mr Lim, Mr Abu Mohamed, Mr Harminder Pal Singh and Mr Chia Yun Kai. They will go up against a People's Action Party (PAP) team helmed by Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Indranee Rajah, Senior Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Desmond Tan, Mr Sharael Taha and new face Ms Valerie Lee. Mr Chia, who joined the SDA earlier this month, said that the party was "proud" to welcome Changi residents from East Coast into the "family". "Together, we will be stronger than before. SDA has been standing with Pasir Ris residents for over 20 years. Twenty years of loyalty, twenty years of courage and twenty years of fighting for what is right," he added. "Our unwavering commitment, strength and resilience prove one thing. We do not give up and we do not walk away. We are here because we care." VOICES OF RESIDENTS MUST BE HEARD In their speeches, candidates also highlighted various causes which the party aims to address. Speaking in Malay, party secretary-general Abu Mohamed brought up how some young Singaporeans who hold polytechnic diplomas or university degrees find it difficult to find good jobs. "I am proud of the achievements, skills, and education of our young generation. They should be given chances, equal opportunities for better jobs," he said. He highlighted the party's proposal in its manifesto for a staggered levy on Employment Pass (EP) holders, where the levy would be higher for positions that require entry-level skillsets and taper down for high-skilled positions This would incentivise companies to hire and groom young Singaporeans to take on high-skilled and managerial positions, as well as level the playing field for middle-aged Singaporeans who face the prospect of being too expensive to hire, the party said previously. Candidates also stressed that they have heard and will continue to listen to residents. "We have been listening. We have been walking the streets, we have been talking to you in the hawker centers, our HDB void decks, our workplaces and we asked you what truly matters," said Mr Singh, adding that residents brought up their concerns about job security, affordable housing and healthcare. "You told us. You told us with a clarity that cuts through the noise." "We stand at a crossroads. We can continue down the path of widening inequality, of broken promises, of a society where the few thrive while many of us struggle," he added. "Or we can choose a different path. A path of compassion, a path of fairness, a path of a Singapore where every heart beats with hopes ... We the SDA offer you that choice."
CNA
29-04-2025
- Politics
- CNA
GE2025: 'Life is difficult for so many of us' and Singaporeans need solutions for the future, say SDA
SINGAPORE: The average Singaporean is struggling with various issues such as being able to find a good job and purchase affordable homes, with solutions needed for the future, said the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA). In four videos posted online on Tuesday (Apr 29), SDA candidates discussed the various issues Singaporeans face and stressed the importance of a Singapore for everyone. The party will not hold any physical rallies this General Election and instead are releasing a series of videos twice this week as part of their online rallies. The SDA is only contesting one Group Representation Constituency (GRC) in the May 3 General Election - the newly formed Pasir Ris-Changi GRC. The party has contested in the area since 2006 - specifically in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, which was dissolved last month as part of extensive boundary changes ahead of the polls. SDA's slate consists of Mr Desmond Lim, Mr Abu Mohamed, Mr Harminder Pal Singh and Mr Chia Yun Kai. They will go up against a People's Action Party (PAP) team helmed by Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Indranee Rajah, Senior Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Desmond Tan, Mr Sharael Taha and new face Ms Valerie Lee. In his speech, SDA chief Desmond Lim said that fellow Pasir Ris residents have talked with him about the various struggles they face. "Life is difficult for so many of us who must manage things like high cost of living, expensive HDB flats, unaffordable healthcare and lack of good job opportunities," he said in a three-and-a-half minute long video. "Fifteen years ago, Singaporeans like you, like me, have been feeling the pain of high cost of living, housing prices, healthcare prices and lack of job opportunities. Fifteen years later, under the PAP government, has anything changed?" added party secretary-general Abu Mohamed in his video. "That's why I say you have an important choice to make ... Your choice will determine the life of our children, our families, for the next 15 years." In his speech, Mr Singh pointed out how various costs have increased for Singaporeans in recent years. And Singaporeans are "struggling under the weight of rising costs and unequal burdens", he added. 'SINGAPORE NOT JUST FOR THE RICH' Mr Lim said that the SDA has a plan for national issues and pointed to the party's manifesto. "We will make the government accountable for how they spend our money, we will make sure that every young family can afford a home," he added. "We will make sure our Singaporean talents come first for good jobs. We will make sure that the sandwiched families have a better quality of life." In the party manifesto released last Wednesday, the party laid out four main areas of focus, which were: reducing high cost of living pressures on common Singaporeans, improving job prospects for Singaporean talents, making public housing affordable and easily obtainable, as well as increasing access to quality and affordable healthcare. "We will champion policies that ensure your voices are heard and policies that pave the way for a more equitable and sustainable future for all Singaporeans like you and me," said Mr Singh in his video. Among other proposals, it suggested a levy on Employment Pass holders, as well as the formation of an independent body similar to the CPIB (Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau) to "proactively" check on government spending. The party estimated that S$2 billion would be collected annually from its proposed levies. This could then be used to fund a S$1,600 base allowance for all full-time national servicemen, it said. Any unused revenue from levies would be put in a "national service fund". The SDA also proposed rent controls on coffee shops and commercial shop spaces in residential neighbourhoods to prevent landlords from raising rent "unfairly and exorbitantly". This will be coupled with property tax rebates to reward landlords for offering "sustainable" rent increases, the party added. "This election, we bring you an action plan. A plan to make your lives better, a plan for Singaporeans. Not slogans, not fairy-tales. Real, long-term sustainable solutions," said Mr Chia, who was the single member of the Most Valuable Party and a last minute addition to the SDA slate. "SDA stands for one thing - long-term, sustainable and real solutions." Mr Lim also stressed that Singapore is not just for the well-off.
