GE2025: PAP manifesto 'loaded with motherhood statements', Pritam Singh says at WP rally

The People's Action Party's (PAP) manifesto for this year's General Election is "loaded with motherhood statements", Workers' Party (WP) secretary-general Pritam Singh argued at his party's rally on Saturday (April 26).

Singh attended the event alongside party chair Sylvia Lim, as well as Tampines GRC candidates Faisal Manap, Jimmy Tan, Eileen Chong, Dr Ong Lue Ping and Michael Thng at Temasek Junior College.

Also present were Tampines Changkat SMC candidate Kenneth Foo and Gerald Giam, Fadli Fawzi, Kenneth Tiong, Jasper Kuan, Paris V Parameswari, Yee Jenn Jong, Sufyan Mikhail Putra and Nathaniel Koh.

Singh prefaced his statement by pointing out that many voters have made comparisons between the two parties' manifestos.

However, "the result is clear," said Singh. "The PAP manifesto is short on substance and specifics."

He said the Singapore population has increased from under two million in 1965 to over six million today, that "Singapore is a far more complex society, and it will always need fresh thinking".

"Yet we have a PAP manifesto without specific policy ideas," he argued, highlighting that the PAP manifesto chapter on housing affordability only promises to keep HDB flats affordable with scant details on how that might happen.

"I believe it is because the PAP wants Singaporeans to sign a blank check."

He said that the PAP government implemented the Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (Vers) but did not provide sufficient details in Parliament, and families buying resale flats while planning for the future or for retirement lose out.

"What does the PAP manifesto say about this concern? Nothing at all."

Lim also went after the document while delivering her rally speech.

"In the PAP manifesto, there is one sentence about caregivers.

"It reads: 'Strengthen support for caregivers, the unsung heroes in our families'. There are no details stated about how this will be done."

Comparatively, WP's manifesto has a "concrete proposal" to provide aid to caregivers in the form of family care leave, Lim said.

With WP, caregivers would be able to take paid time off, with costs covered equally by employers and the government, she stated.

"This will send a signal that society values our seniors being cared for at home by loved ones."

She also reiterated WP's stance towards the elderly, stating that the goal of the party is "to enable our seniors to live their golden years with security, dignity and purpose".

"Remind the government that it was seniors who built this country, send a strong signal that more needs to be done for seniors to live with security, dignity and purpose... let's create our own kind of silver tsunami," she concluded.

At the end of the rally, Singh also took the chance to repeat WP's stance on the topic of foreign interference that Prime Minister Lawrence Wong addressed earlier in the day.

"My colleagues and I categorically reject the involvement of any foreign element whatsoever in our domestic politics. Singapore is our business, nobody else's," he said.

The PAP manifesto was launched by PM Wong on April 17 before a crowd of over 400 PAP activists.

He introduced it as a promise to Singaporeans, saying that it reflects "hopes, concerns and aspirations".

"It reflects our commitment: to keep Singapore strong, stable and united."

The section on housing states that the government's building programme was set back by the Covid-19 pandemic. However, they are on track to launch 100,000 new flats between 2021 and 2025.

They also promise to build more than 50,000 new flats over the next three years, decrease waiting time for flats, explore more public housing options and plan for rejuvenation of HDB towns, including through Vers.

WP seats 'important for Singapore's democracy'

Singh had previously stressed in his party political broadcast that it is "important for Singapore's democracy" that WP wins more seats.

"With more WP constituencies comes a higher chance that Parliament will continue to have a fully-elected democratic opposition presence for the longer term," he had stated.

"This will make our system stable and sustainable for the future."

He added: "The WP will not form the next government. The PAP will certainly do so. But the WP needs your support to strengthen our presence in Parliament."

Singh had also mentioned in the party's first rally on Thursday that his team has been "stress-tested" amid crisis in Singapore and has proven to be a "force of good". 

He elaborated that the party has proven itself loyal to Singapore, emphasising that they will continue being loyal as Singapore navigates the changing world.

khooyihang@asiaone.com

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