From what I read is that they gave an example on the essential goods like rice.
GE2025: NSP plans to meet SDP to avoid three-cornered fight in Sembawang GRC
Singapore Democratic Party chairman Paul Tambyah (far left) and National Solidarity Party secretary-general Spencer Ng (right), seen with their party members and volunteers at Kampung Admiralty on April 6.ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
SINGAPORE - The opposition National Solidarity Party (NSP) intends to meet the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) to avoid a three-cornered fight in Sembawang GRC, said NSP secretary-general Spencer Ng, who also introduced a new candidate on April 6.
The incumbents in Sembawang are a PAP team comprising Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, Dr Lim Wee Kiak , Mr Vikram Nair, Ms Mariam Jaafar and Ms Poh Li San.
Speaking during a resident outreach event at Kampung Admiralty, Mr Ng, 45, said he will be leading NSP’s Sembawang GRC team.
He introduced a new face, swimming coach and private-hire driver Raiyian Chia, 46, to residents, saying he will be part of NSP’s Sembawang slate.
Asked about the rest of NSP’s slate for Sembawang GRC, Mr Ng said the party will announce the candidates in due course.
Mr Chia joined the party two to three years ago, and he has been engaging Sembawang residents at walkabouts since August 2024 or so, NSP’s social media pages show.
Another potential new face, Ms Verina Ong, has also been spotted at walkabouts in Sembawang, although she was not present at the April 6 event.
“NSP has given a chance for… people like us, the everyday Singaporean, to step up to serve. The residents’ concerns are all pretty much (on) the rising cost of living, sustainability and job security,” said Mr Chia, adding that he met Mr Ng at a party outreach event a few years ago.
During the walkabout, NSP party members encountered members of the SDP at the Kampung Admiralty atrium. Members of both parties exchanged greetings, and appeared cordial.
Mr Ng was also seen warmly greeting SDP’s deputy head of ground operations Abdul Salim Harun with a hug.
Both parties had previously indicated their intention to contest Sembawang GRC and the newly carved out Sembawang West SMC. Sembawang West is one of six new single seats in the 2025 General Election.
NSP Sembawang GRC new face Raiyian Chia (right) with NSP secretary-general Spencer Ng at Kampung Admiralty on April 6. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
NSP is planning to meet with SDP on either April 9 or 10 to find out what SDP’s intentions are, said Mr Ng.
“We do respect SDP’s choice on where they want to send their candidates for the election, but for NSP, we believe in meaningful ground-up community work and building trust with residents,” Mr Ng said, adding that NSP has been active in Sembawang since 2011.
“So we would really like to understand why SDP would like to come in, when they have a lot of other GRCs… And to abandon certain SMCs to come into another brand new SMC, I’m not too sure why,” he added.
“We’ll be meeting for talks, for more in depth understanding. NSP is always in for opposition unity. We would like to avoid a three-corner fight or multi-corner fight as much as possible.”
He was referring to SDP chief Chee Soon Juan’s announcement in March that he will be contesting Sembawang West SMC, after the Bukit Batok SMC where Dr Chee had been active in was redrawn into the new Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC.
In the 2020 General Election, the PAP won Sembawang GRC with 67.29 per cent of the vote, beating the NSP, which garnered 32.71 per cent.
Back then, NSP fielded Mr Ng, assistant treasurer Ivan Yeo, executive council members Sebastian Teo and Yadzeth Hairis, as well as Mr Sathin Ravindran.
SDP last contested in the GRC in 2006 and 2011.
NSP’s Ms Kevryn Lim (right) with secretary-general Spencer Ng at Kampung Admiralty on April 6, 2025. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
Among more than 20 NSP members at the Kampung Admiralty walkabout was Ms Kevryn Lim, who last contested in the 2015 elections when she was 26. She was a former model and project director at events management and digital marketing firm EM.DM.
At the 2015 polls, she was part of the team contesting Sembawang. When asked if she will be fielded in the constituency in the coming elections, Ms Lim said: “We are still finalising the team… it’s hard to say.”
Addressing the media, Mr Ng said: “When my central executive council is ready to reveal the candidates, we will update everyone on what Kevryn’s role will be in this GE.”
At the national level, Mr Ng said NSP will be fielding at least three new candidates at GE2025, with 30 to 35 members ready to contest the elections. He added that the rest of the new candidates will be announced later.
Apart from Sembawang, another priority constituency for the party is Tampines GRC and the newly formed Tampines Changkat SMC.
In mid-March, potential NSP candidates for Tampines GRC were spotted at a walkabout. NSP’s president Reno Fong, 54, and vice-president Mohd Ridzwan Mohammad, 63, had confirmed their intentions to run in the GRC during a walkabout at Our Tampines Hub and outside Masjid Darul Ghufran.
The other NSP members touted as potential candidates in Tampines GRC are Mr Lim Rui Xian, 36, an operations manager; Ms Nur Farahiyah Mahfoot, 39, a safety officer; and Mr Thamilselvan Karuppaya, 57, who is self-employed.
Mr Fong had previously also said the party intends to contest Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, Jalan Besar GRC, Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, Tampines Changkat SMC and Sembawang West SMC.
Madam Lim Siew Choo, 70, who lives in a studio apartment at Kampung Admiralty, said in Mandarin: “What’s important is the elected MP does a good job in the end.”
from taxes lol!
sameway we fund useless fonder memorial , mayor n many more
Correct decision. Actually last GE when they fielded 24 candidates, which is more than WP, I thought they over stretching themselves.GE2025: PSP to contest West Coast-Jurong West and Chua Chu Kang, says it will field fewer candidates
https://www.straitstimes.com/singap...d-and-butter-issues-calls-for-return-to-7-gst
The press conference was fronted by PSP chief Leong Mun Wai, the party’s first vice-chairperson Hazel Poa, and chairman Tan Cheng Bock. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
SINGAPORE – The opposition Progress Singapore Party (PSP) on April 6 said it will be contesting West Coast-Jurong West and Chua Chu Kang GRCs, and that it will be fielding fewer candidates this general election.
Party chief Leong Mun Wai did not provide details on how many candidates the party will put forward this election season. The party fielded 24 candidates in GE2020.
Asked about the reason for this, Mr Leong said that contesting a general election was a “very complicated affair”, citing problems like having dedicated manpower to canvass the ground. “Our conclusion from the last election is that we need to focus a bit more,” he added.
He also said that PSP is still working out plans to contest other constituencies.
Mr Leong made this announcement at the launch event for PSP’s manifesto, which focuses on bread-and-butter issues such as cost of living and jobs.
The press conference was fronted by Mr Leong, the party’s first vice chairperson Hazel Poa, and party chairman Tan Cheng Bock.
PSP chairman Dr Tan Cheng Bock presenting the party’s manifesto and campaign slogan at PSP headquarters on April 6.ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
The launch event makes PSP one of the first political parties to launch a manifesto ahead of the 2025 General Election.
The manifesto sets out over 60 policy ideas centred on several themes: the cost of living, housing, jobs and wages, social safety nets, education and governance.
Mr Leong said: “Most of the policies have already been proposed in Parliament. Among the new policies, many are aimed at strengthening protections for workers to secure livelihoods and improve work-life balance for workers.
Mr Leong and Hazel Poa are non-constituency MPs who have raised some of these issues in Parliament, including the need to reduce statutory working hours to 40 hours a week, down from the current 44 hours, and increasing annual leave entitlement from 12 to 14 days.
New policies being proposed in the manifesto include expanding non-academic pathways to university admission, mandating environmental impact assessments before major development works, and having MPs declare their public assets, Mr Leong added.
Ultimately, the most pressing issue the manifesto wanted to address is cost of living issues, Mr Leong said.
He added that the party had collected feedback from the public in formulating these policy suggestions. He also hopes the manifesto will demonstrate to the public that the party is capable of offering constructive alternative solutions to enable every Singaporean to benefit from the country’s progress.
“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,” he said.
The manifesto’s executive summary outlined four areas that the party stands for: building a fair society, living with dignity, more pathways to success in education and strengthening democracy and political institutions.
It then detailed its proposals, organised by theme.
On cost of living, the manifesto said that there has been a “major escalation in the cost of living” in Singapore since the last General Election in 2020.
The increase in GST from seven per cent to nine per cent, as well as rising prices in housing and transport added to the burden of Singaporeans, it said. But wages have “barely kept pace”, it added.
To combat this, the party proposed lowering GST to back to seven per cent and exempting basic essential goods from GST.
The manifesto also tackled housing policy, proposing that Singaporeans aged 28 and above be allowed to purchase 2- and 3-room BTO flats, and resale flats of all types, in all estates. Currently, singles can only purchase resale flats and 2-room Flexi BTO flats at the age of 35.
It also made other recommendations which it said would make housing more affordable, including a reiteration of its Affordable Housing Scheme previously presented as a motion in Parliament in 2023.
This entails exempting Singaporeans from the cost of the land their flats are built on, unless they later sell their flats.
On jobs and wages, the manifesto proposed a minimum living wage of $2,250 per month for all resident Singaporean workers,
PSP also proposed that on social policies, more support be given for mental health services, among others.
The party also proposed a series of policies aimed at the education system, including introducing a 10-year through-train programme where taking PSLE is optional, as well as reduced class sizes.
On governance, the party proposed cutting ministerial salaries, and a review of the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act, Singapore’s fake news law.
This is the party’s second manifesto following its maiden electoral outing in GE2020.
Its 2020 manifesto, which spanned 13 pages, had broadly outlined the party’s ideas for Singapore’s economic, social and political development, and was largely focused on helping the Republic emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic. Its campaign slogan then was ‘You Deserve Better’.
It also focused on the cost-of-living as the top issue for voters, and criticised the government’s response to the pandemic’s economic fallout.
The latest manifesto, which was 78 pages, represents the “voices of the people”, said Mr Leong, adding that it was a work in progress.
“Compared to 2020, we have further enhanced our interaction with residents and we have gathered more feedback from them,” he added.
Currently the possibilities seems as follows for WP:
GE2025: NSP plans to meet SDP to avoid three-cornered fight in Sembawang GRC
Singapore Democratic Party chairman Paul Tambyah (far left) and National Solidarity Party secretary-general Spencer Ng (right), seen with their party members and volunteers at Kampung Admiralty on April 6.ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
SINGAPORE - The opposition National Solidarity Party (NSP) intends to meet the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) to avoid a three-cornered fight in Sembawang GRC, said NSP secretary-general Spencer Ng, who also introduced a new candidate on April 6.
The incumbents in Sembawang are a PAP team comprising Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, Dr Lim Wee Kiak , Mr Vikram Nair, Ms Mariam Jaafar and Ms Poh Li San.
Speaking during a resident outreach event at Kampung Admiralty, Mr Ng, 45, said he will be leading NSP’s Sembawang GRC team.
He introduced a new face, swimming coach and private-hire driver Raiyian Chia, 46, to residents, saying he will be part of NSP’s Sembawang slate.
Asked about the rest of NSP’s slate for Sembawang GRC, Mr Ng said the party will announce the candidates in due course.
Mr Chia joined the party two to three years ago, and he has been engaging Sembawang residents at walkabouts since August 2024 or so, NSP’s social media pages show.
Another potential new face, Ms Verina Ong, has also been spotted at walkabouts in Sembawang, although she was not present at the April 6 event.
“NSP has given a chance for… people like us, the everyday Singaporean, to step up to serve. The residents’ concerns are all pretty much (on) the rising cost of living, sustainability and job security,” said Mr Chia, adding that he met Mr Ng at a party outreach event a few years ago.
During the walkabout, NSP party members encountered members of the SDP at the Kampung Admiralty atrium. Members of both parties exchanged greetings, and appeared cordial.
Mr Ng was also seen warmly greeting SDP’s deputy head of ground operations Abdul Salim Harun with a hug.
Both parties had previously indicated their intention to contest Sembawang GRC and the newly carved out Sembawang West SMC. Sembawang West is one of six new single seats in the 2025 General Election.
NSP Sembawang GRC new face Raiyian Chia (right) with NSP secretary-general Spencer Ng at Kampung Admiralty on April 6. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
NSP is planning to meet with SDP on either April 9 or 10 to find out what SDP’s intentions are, said Mr Ng.
“We do respect SDP’s choice on where they want to send their candidates for the election, but for NSP, we believe in meaningful ground-up community work and building trust with residents,” Mr Ng said, adding that NSP has been active in Sembawang since 2011.
“So we would really like to understand why SDP would like to come in, when they have a lot of other GRCs… And to abandon certain SMCs to come into another brand new SMC, I’m not too sure why,” he added.
“We’ll be meeting for talks, for more in depth understanding. NSP is always in for opposition unity. We would like to avoid a three-corner fight or multi-corner fight as much as possible.”
He was referring to SDP chief Chee Soon Juan’s announcement in March that he will be contesting Sembawang West SMC, after the Bukit Batok SMC where Dr Chee had been active in was redrawn into the new Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC.
In the 2020 General Election, the PAP won Sembawang GRC with 67.29 per cent of the vote, beating the NSP, which garnered 32.71 per cent.
Back then, NSP fielded Mr Ng, assistant treasurer Ivan Yeo, executive council members Sebastian Teo and Yadzeth Hairis, as well as Mr Sathin Ravindran.
SDP last contested in the GRC in 2006 and 2011.
NSP’s Ms Kevryn Lim (right) with secretary-general Spencer Ng at Kampung Admiralty on April 6, 2025. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
Among more than 20 NSP members at the Kampung Admiralty walkabout was Ms Kevryn Lim, who last contested in the 2015 elections when she was 26. She was a former model and project director at events management and digital marketing firm EM.DM.
At the 2015 polls, she was part of the team contesting Sembawang. When asked if she will be fielded in the constituency in the coming elections, Ms Lim said: “We are still finalising the team… it’s hard to say.”
Addressing the media, Mr Ng said: “When my central executive council is ready to reveal the candidates, we will update everyone on what Kevryn’s role will be in this GE.”
At the national level, Mr Ng said NSP will be fielding at least three new candidates at GE2025, with 30 to 35 members ready to contest the elections. He added that the rest of the new candidates will be announced later.
Apart from Sembawang, another priority constituency for the party is Tampines GRC and the newly formed Tampines Changkat SMC.
In mid-March, potential NSP candidates for Tampines GRC were spotted at a walkabout. NSP’s president Reno Fong, 54, and vice-president Mohd Ridzwan Mohammad, 63, had confirmed their intentions to run in the GRC during a walkabout at Our Tampines Hub and outside Masjid Darul Ghufran.
The other NSP members touted as potential candidates in Tampines GRC are Mr Lim Rui Xian, 36, an operations manager; Ms Nur Farahiyah Mahfoot, 39, a safety officer; and Mr Thamilselvan Karuppaya, 57, who is self-employed.
Mr Fong had previously also said the party intends to contest Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, Jalan Besar GRC, Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, Tampines Changkat SMC and Sembawang West SMC.
Madam Lim Siew Choo, 70, who lives in a studio apartment at Kampung Admiralty, said in Mandarin: “What’s important is the elected MP does a good job in the end.”
WP attracts IMH director
They must get a seat and start the ball rolling.
