Singaporeans have nothing to lose if they elect Progress Singapore Party (PSP) into Parliament, said member Kala Manickam.

"At most, it's one term, right? Nothing to lose what, anyway, you've lasted 55 years [living] with all the pain and struggles."

In a two-hour-long e-rally on Saturday night (July 4), the Nee Soon GRC candidate was candid when asked whether PSP is ready to manage a town council.

"Yes, we have a very competent team," she replied.

Manickam shared that party leader Dr Tan Cheng Bock has past experience as chairman of Jurong East town council and explained how her fellow party members' diverse range of knowledge and skills will help keep operations running smoothly.

"We'll do a better job and we have fantastic plans for Nee Soon GRC," the 52-year-old added.

However, voters would have to give PSP a chance before they can compare their performance with the ruling party's, she said.

Besides canvassing for support for her party, Manickam, who's been an educator for the past 15 years, also offered suggestions for changes to be made to Singapore's education system.

"Education has lost its way when you rob a child of the joy of learning by creating high levels of stress for both parents and kids," she said.

Some of the changes PSP wants to implement include lifting the administrative burden from teachers so they can focus on teaching, as well as introducing a well-rounded education in school so that children would not need extra-curricular classes such as tuition.

Manickam also highlighted the mental wellbeing of schoolchildren, sharing an exchange she had with a psychologist who works with students who are as young as eight years old. 

Brad Bowyer on hiring locals instead of foreigners

In the same e-rally, Manickam's teammate Brad Bowyer turned his attention to jobs for Singaporeans.

"We've found out the hard way during the Covid-19 crisis that we need all kinds of jobs to have a stable and balanced society," he said.

Bowyer referred to Singapore's early days where the nation was built with locals' blood and sweat. They built the HDB blocks, the roads, the ships among others.

But Singaporeans have been conditioned over the years to view some jobs as lowly because they don't get respect or a decent wage for their work, he explained.

He also mentioned that one Singaporean could be as efficient as three foreign workers, which was a scenario painted by Trade and Ministry Minister Chan Chun Sing in May.

The 52-year-old then did the math and concluded that it wouldn't cost companies more to hire a local instead of three foreign workers.

"One million foreign workers [here], that's one million jobs Singaporeans should have."

Besides investing in raising productivity, Bowyer said: "We need to give jobs to everyone. We need to focus on the value, meaning [of the jobs], which gives them respect."

He stressed the importance of paying locals a living wage, which in turn helps them to take care of their families, improve their self-esteem, and reduce the need for social assistance.

"If we give jobs to the people within Nee Soon to look after Nee Soon, they have a vested interest. It's their own home," Bowyer explained.

Kayla Low raises questions about public spending

Meanwhile, PSP's candidate for Yio Chu Kang SMC Kayla Low raised questions about public spending.

"Besides job security, what about Singaporeans' welfare in times of crisis such as the current Covid-19 pandemic?" she asked.


Citing the $1.7 billion spent on building Jewel Changi Airport, the chartered accountant questioned if it was the best way to allocate Singapore's resources.

There are many homeless Singaporeans, she observed. Some of the elderly are also collecting cans, cardboard or working as cleaners to make ends meet.

"Why are we not using our taxpayers' money to benefit Singaporeans? Why can't we build retirement homes for the elderly and the homeless?" 

PSP advocates providing financial assistance for locals in need, Low said, and also emphasised that public spending should be prudent.

lamminlee@asiaone.com

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