SDA admits people laugh at them but explains why they won't give up

Others may have laughed at their efforts, but the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) is not giving up the fight.

In a constituency political broadcast on Monday (July 6), the SDA team contesting in Pasir Ris-Punggol told viewers why they're digging their heels in the ward.

When asked why the party didn't give up since they kept losing, Harminder Pal Singh said: "We have walked the ground in Pasir Ris-Punggol for 13 years. We feel the pain of the bad policies."

Some examples he cited include a young university graduate who's working as a supermarket cashier, a father who has lost his job, as well as an elderly woman who collects cardboard for a living.

"These are the people we are fighting for. How can we give up?" Singh said.

His party proposed returning CPF in full to Singaporeans once they hit the retirement age, using an extra one per cent of the GDP to help poor families, tighten controls on immigration and enact fair labour policies, as well as putting a stop on irresponsible spending on government projects.

SDA has contested in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC since 2006 but failed to win seats against the People's Action Party (PAP). 

The constituency is the only GRC that will see a three-cornered fight this general election. SDA will be up against the incumbent PAP team led by Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean and a Peoples Voice (PV) team led by Jireh Lim.

In their address, the candidates from PAP said they will support every Singaporean family, businesses and the self-employed through the Covid-19 crisis.

Meanwhile, the PV team said in their segment that they want to help Singaporeans who are struggling to live in an expensive city.

lamminlee@asiaone.com