Latest news with #GohMengSeng
Straits Times
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
GE2025: PPP's Goh Meng Seng says voters need to ‘teach PAP a good lesson'
PPP secretary-general Goh Meng Seng speaking at the rally in Tampines near Tampines Concourse Interchange on May 1. ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR Follow our live coverage here. SINGAPORE - The PAP is holding voters hostage with the group representation constituency system, and the loss of 'more ministers' in this election may nudge the ruling party to revamp this system, Mr Goh Meng Seng said on May 1. 'Do not be gaslit by their formula: 'Oh I lose a few ministers, I cannot work',' he said at his party's rally in Tampines. 'It is their own doing, because they use the GRC system.' Prime Minister Lawrence Wong had said during this election campaign that losing ministers would weaken the Government, urging voters to think about Singapore's future. Mr Goh said: 'When (the GRC system) fails and it threatens their position, they turn around and tell you… 'You cannot vote against me, or else we die, you die'. Is that a responsible Government?' While Mr Goh acknowledged that 'PAP is still good in a certain sense', he said that 'we need to teach the PAP a good lesson in politics', so that the ruling party may adjust the GRC system to 'proportional representation'. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
The Star
27-04-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Singapore GE2025: PPP calls on Singaporeans to vote other opposition parties into Parliament, not just WP
People's Power Party secretary-general Goh Meng Seng (right) and his fellow Tampines GRC candidate Peter Soh on a walkabout in Tampines Street 81 on April 27, 2025. - Photo: ST SINGAPORE: The People's Power Party (PPP) hopes that come May 3, more opposition parties will be voted into Parliament. Speaking to the media on Sunday (April 27) after a walkabout at Block 826A Tampines Street 81, party secretary-general Goh Meng Seng said he hopes both the PSP and Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) are voted in. Mentioning PSP's Leong Mun Wai and SDP's Dr Chee Soon Juan and Professor Paul Tambyah by name, Goh said he and they may not agree on everything, but that their diversity would result in robust debate in Parliament. 'They are all my good friends,' he said. 'They are people of conviction, although we share different views and policy ideals and values.' He added that he hopes Tampines residents will vote for the PPP, so there can be more debates than between just the PAP and WP. The PPP team contesting in Tampines GRC consists of Goh and party chairman Derrick Sim, as well as landscaping executive Vere Nathan, green tech firm founder Peter Soh and entrepreneur Arbaah Haroun. During the walkabout, Goh was overheard using a crass word to make his case to residents on why they should vote for opposition parties that are not the WP. Asked about the word, which alludes to rape and violence, he said it was 'local language' and that what he meant was that he wanted more diversity in Parliament, not just the PAP and WP. Goh had criticised the WP's move to not contest Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC on Nomination Day on April 23. Responding to Goh's comments on April 24, WP secretary-general Pritam Singh said Goh should focus on the campaign in Tampines. Goh said later at the PPP rally the same day: 'Don't ask me about Pritam Singh again. I'm not interested in him, I'm not gay.' His comment drew laughter from spectators. The next day, on April 25, Singh told the media: 'Goh Meng Seng is Goh Meng Seng. Nothing's going to change.' Goh in turn told the media on April 27: 'If Goh Meng Seng is not Goh Meng Seng, I may as well go and hide somewhere. But Pritam Singh will always be Pritam Singh.' Both he and Sim also commented about Sim's Facebook account being suddenly disabled on April 25. Sim said he has reported the issue to Meta, which owns Facebook, and has changed his security settings. Goh chimed in, saying the party intends to report the incident to the police, believing it to be caused by 'black forces' and 'powers that be'. 'This is real interference of a fair contest,' he said. 'This should not be taken lightly. We have to get to the bottom of this.' - The Straits Times/ANN
Straits Times
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
GE2025: PPP calls on S'poreans to vote other opposition parties into Parliament, not just WP
PPP secretary-general Goh Meng Seng (right) and his fellow Tampines GRC candidate Peter Soh on a walkabout in Tampines St 81 on April 27. ST PHOTO: DAVID SUN GE2025: PPP calls on S'poreans to vote other opposition parties into Parliament, not just WP Follow our live coverage here. SINGAPORE - The People's Power Party (PPP) hopes that come May 3, more opposition parties will be voted into Parliament. Speaking to the media after a walkabout at Block 826A Tampines St 81 on April 27, party secretary-general Goh Meng Seng said he hopes both the PSP and Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) are voted in. Mentioning PSP's Leong Mun Wai and SDP's Dr Chee Soon Juan and Dr Paul Tambyah by name, Mr Goh said he and they may not agree on everything, but that their diversity would result in robust debate in Parliament. 'They are all my good friends,' he said. 'They are people of conviction, although we share different views and policy ideals and values.' He added that he hopes Tampines residents will vote for the PPP, so there can be debates between more than just the PAP and WP. The PPP team contesting in Tampines GRC consists of Mr Goh, party chairman Derrick Sim; landscaping executive Vere Nathan; green tech firm founder Peter Soh; and entrepreneur Arbaah Haroun. During the walkabout, Mr Goh was overheard using a crass word to make his case to residents on why they should vote for opposition parties that are not the WP. Asked about the word, which alludes to rape and violence, he said it was 'local language' and that what he meant was that he wanted more diversity in Parliament, not just the PAP and WP. Mr Goh had criticised the WP's move to not contest Marine Parade-Braddell Heights on Nomination Day on April 23. Responding to Mr Goh's comments on April 24, WP's secretary-general Mr Pritam Singh said Mr Goh should focus on the campaign in Tampines. Mr Goh said later at the PPP rally on April 24: 'Don't ask me about Pritam Singh again. I'm not interested in him, I'm not gay.' His comment drew laughter from spectators. The next day on April 25, Mr Singh told the media: 'Mr Goh Meng Seng is Mr Goh Meng Seng. Nothing's going to change.' Mr Goh in turn told the media on April 27: 'If Mr Goh Meng Seng is not Mr Goh Meng Seng, I may as well go and hide somewhere. But Pritam Singh will always be Pritam Singh.' Both he and Mr Sim also commented about Mr Sim's Facebook account being suddenly disabled on April 25. Mr Sim said he has reported the issue to Meta, which owns Facebook, and has changed his security settings. Mr Goh chimed in, saying the party intends to report the incident to the police, believing it to be caused by 'black forces' and 'powers that be'. 'This is real interference of a fair contest,' he said. 'This should not be taken lightly. We have to get to the bottom of this.' Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
AsiaOne
27-04-2025
- Health
- AsiaOne
PPP's Goh Meng Seng on compulsory vaccinations: 'We should not be treated as pigs or chicken', Singapore News
People's Power Party (PPP) secretary-general Goh Meng Seng called for medical freedom and amendments to the Infectious Diseases Act, saying that Singaporeans should not be forced to partake in medical treatments, such as vaccinations, without sufficient research backing them. Goh said this at the sidelines of a walkabout on Sunday (April 27) morning at Block 826 Tampines Street 81. He was with his Tampines GRC team which includes party chairman Derrick Sim, Peter Soh, Vere Nathan and Arbaah Haroun. During their walkabout, Goh and Sim spoke about compulsory vaccination, one of eight key points in their manifesto. "We should not be treated as pigs or chicken, to be jabbed at the master's will," said Goh, emphasising that human beings should have a choice instead of being forced to be vaccinated, a key issue raised during the Covid-19 pandemic where unvaccinated employees were not permitted to return to work. Goh then spoke about how "people are forced to [be] jabbed unwillingly. Because no jab, no job", and that the side effects of vaccinations have not been studied carefully enough. He was unable to provide any data however, when asked if he was aware of any scientific studies that supported his claims. Instead, he spoke about a Japanese study that found a 40 per cent increase in heart problems after vaccination. "The data is supposed to be done by MOH, not by me," Goh said, adding that he would raise funds to set up an office and collect such data if elected into Parliament. "We are not anti-vax, I have to stress that. We are pro-safe vax, and we are pro-informed consent. It means you must tell us what are the list of side effects, and I consider my own body condition whether I can take the risk," emphasising that it is "reckless" for the current Government to impose such requirements without making sure that the vaccination is "300 per cent safe". PPP previously made calls to the Ministry of Health (MOH) to temporarily suspend Singapore's Covid-19 vaccination programme in 2024 due to the adverse effects, though their claims were dismissed by the MOH as "egregious and false". 'Over-taxing' The PPP also proposed GST exemptions on basic necessities in their manifesto, which was criticised by the People's Action Party's (PAP) Desmond Lee on Friday (April 25). "That's utter rubbish," Goh said, in response to Lee's claims of GST being a progressive tax. According to Goh, GST is a regressive tax: "When you exempt essentials, food, for example, the hawkers who did not register for GST, will not pay the GST, and it will not be transferred to the retirees and the commoners." He also said that the Government is "over-taxing" Singaporeans and that there was "no necessity" for the GST hike to 9 per cent. The Government would have had a "balanced budget", and that the hike only created a need for CDC voucher handouts. However, Goh did not provide any details on plans for Tampines GRC if elected into Parliament. 'More diverse representation in Parliament' needed Goh was also questioned about a comment he made during his walkabout on Sunday when he used an inappropriate term — something similar to sexual assault by a group of people — to describe how there needs to be more parties in Parliament to oppose the PAP. Defending the use of such language, he said that it was "local language" meant to convey the need for "more diverse representation in Parliament". "And that will be in the best interest of the nation," he added. The PPP team is locked in a four-way fight for Tampines GRC. They are up against the incumbent PAP team led by Social and Family Development Minister Masagos Zulkifli, the Workers' Party and the National Solidarity Party (NSP). Tampines GRC is a PAP stronghold, with the PAP team securing a victory with 66.41 per cent of the vote against the NSP during GE2020. For our GE2025 microsite, visit here. [[nid:717275]]
AsiaOne
25-04-2025
- Politics
- AsiaOne
'Everyone has the right to express their feelings': WP candidates address four-cornered fight in Tampines GRC, Singapore News
The stage is set for a four-cornered fight in Tampines GRC on May 3, with three opposition parties fielding teams to contest against the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) team. Three of the Workers' Party (WP) candidates for Tampines GRC - Faisal Manap and newcomers Dr Ong Lue Ping and Jimmy Tan - appeared on The Usual Place, a podcast by The Straits Times, on Friday (April 25) where they discussed a range of topics, including WP's decision to contest in that GRC against three others. During a rally speech on April 24, People's Power Party (PPP) chief Goh Meng Seng said that WP contesting in Tampines is not a good strategy. He claimed: "They want to make sure Goh Meng Seng does not go into Parliament." WP candidates respond The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah kicked off the episode by asking her guests about Goh's comments. "Everyone has the right to express their feelings and their sentiments so WP has always taken this stand that we have to agree to disagree. "We have to respect people's views so, to me, Mr Goh Meng Seng has the right to express his sentiments, and we respect that," Faisal said. Ong echoed Faisal's points before adding: "If that's his [Goh's] views, then so be it." During his rally, Goh also said WP chief Pritam Singh did not provide a response to residents regarding PAP's walkover in Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC. WP was expected to field a team in this constituency. Tan disagreed with Goh's statement, stating: "I think it's wrong because Pritam did put up a post explaining why the leadership made the decision. "I think all of us stand by the decision by the leaders." The issue of opposition vote being diluted in Tampines GRC was also brought up to WP candidates during the podcast. Tan noted that the WP team had spoken "at length" with Tampines GRC residents on this matter and his advice is clear. "There are three choices for you. Choose the one that you think can best represent you in Parliament and this will be a mandate that really represents what the people of Tampines want," he said. When pressed on the topic, Faisal noted that as WP candidates, they need to "answer to [their] conscience". "We give the people a choice, it's part and parcel of democratic society." Showdown in Tampines The incumbent Tampines GRC MPs are Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli, Senior Minister of State Dr Koh Poh Koon and Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Transport and Sustainability and the Environment Baey Yam Keng. Newcomers David Neo and Charlene Chen completes the team. In the 2020 General Election, PAP celebrated a win in Tampines GRC with 66.41 per cent of the votes over National Solidarity Party's 33.59 per cent. For this year's general election, the constituency will have 147,904 voters. [[nid:717164]] For our GE2025 microsite, visit here. amierul@
