PUBLISHED ONApril 06, 2025 10:51 AMByDana LeongThe Progress Singapore Party (PSP) announced that it will be fielding fewer candidates at the upcoming General Election.
At a media conference on Sunday (April 6), chairman Dr Tan Cheng Bock confirmed that the party will be contesting the West Coast-Jurong West and Chua Chu Kang GRCs, but gave little away as to where else it will be contesting.
The announcement of contesting the two GRCs came as it launched the manifesto and campaign slogan, "Progress For All", at its headquarters in Bukit Timah. It details over 60 policy proposals with the core value of supporting Singaporeans' livelihood.
Apart from Dr Tan, the media event was attended by vice-chairperson Hazel Poa and secretary-general Leong Mun Wai. New members Sani Ismail and Sumarleki Amjah, who have been spotted at recent walkabouts, were also present.
When asked about the number of candidates PSP will be fielding, Dr Tan did not give a direct answer but said that "there will be fewer candidates".
"Our conclusion from the last election is that we need to focus," added Leong, saying that they have to be mindful of manpower and fundraising constraints.
Leong also emphasised that PSP is "liaising with the other opposition parties", and the main concern is that "every ward will be contested" and three-cornered fights should be avoided.
"We are always against the by-election strategy where we deprive the majority of the Singaporeans from experiencing democracy," said Leong.
In 2020, PSP contested in West Coast GRC where the PAP won by a whisker getting 51.59 per cent of votes, while PSP finished a close second with 48.31 per cent.
Detailing the manifesto, Poa said that the rising cost of living is the "most urgent problem", based on their interactions with residents.
To help Singaporeans, PSP has proposed reducing the Goods and Services Tax (GST) back to seven per cent, in which basic necessities like rice, water and eggs would also be exempted.
Poa also proposed that the Government pay for the MediShield premiums of all Singaporeans, in a bid to make healthcare more accessible.
In response to questions surrounding the financial feasibility of such proposals, she explained that the policies are "revenue-neutral", and that other policies such as introducing an Employment Pass levy will help generate revenue.
PSP also proposed reforms for the education system, housing and governance in its manifesto, which was largely targeted at domestic policies.
"PSP firmly believes that our ideas can help steer Singapore in the right direction and enhance the lives and livelihoods of Singaporeans. We will work hard to earn the trust of Singaporeans at the ballot box, so that we can champion these ideas in the next Parliament," said Leong.
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