[GE2025] Sembawang GRC

[carlongerdidu93]

A car? No, we're sailors on a large ship: NSP
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/ge2025-campaigning-day-9-general-election-5085676

With Singapore’s rapid population growth, we are no longer steering a car, but a large ship, says NSP’s party chief Spencer Ng.

He was responding to Health Minister Ong Ye Kung’s comment that if opposition parties are “co-drivers”, they will not take responsibility in the event of a car crash.

That analogy is outdated, Mr Ng said.

“We're now the sailors of the ship, we should be the captain directing them ... if they are not doing correctly, not following the proper policies,” he added.

Mr Ng and his teammates, Mr Raiyian Chia, Ms Verina Ong, Mr Lee Wei and Mr Yadzeth Hairis, were distributing goodie bags at Sun Plaza in Sembawang GRC, where they face the PAP and SDP in a three-cornered fight.



Reflecting on the past eight days of campaigning, Mr Ng said that too much time was spent “bickering”. He agreed with Education Minister Chan Chun Sing that parties should bring their focus back to policies.

Meanwhile, first-time candidate Ms Ong directed concerns about the current education system to Mr Chan.

“If we have a 20, 25 students per class situation, I think no child would actually wonder if cotton comes from sheep,” the Republic Polytechnic lecturer said, in a jab at a 2020 interview Mr Chan gave, where he later clarified he misspoke about cotton coming from sheep.

With the current policies, mental wellness for students is more of a “side dish” that is not “nourishing", she added.

“If we really want to be serious about closing gaps, lifting lives and building a better and stronger Singapore, then education is not the starting point. It's really the game changer,” she said.

NSP is also contesting Tampines GRC, where they are up against the PAP, WP and PPP in a four-cornered fight. The party has contested both GRCs in previous elections. Mr Ng said he was proud that the party is taking on some of the “biggest opposition” parties in Singapore.

“We kept our promises to carry on to serve our residents. This is what a political party should be,” he said. “Not hopping around.”

From left: NSP candidates for Sembawang GRC Yadzeth Hairis, Lee Wei and Verina Ong talking to a passer-by outside Sun Plaza on May 1, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Ooi Boon Keong)

 

[carlongerdidu93]

SDP’s top priority in Sembawang GRC? Town halls
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/ge2025-campaigning-day-9-general-election-5085676

Speaking at rallies every day for the past week did not stop SDP's Dr James Gomez from being back on the ground with his team to meet residents on this May Day morning.

The Sembawang GRC candidate told me that if elected, his first priority would be to organise a town hall.

"This is the first methodology of engagement. It's something new that we will bring in. We have always maintained this position. So the first thing is to get the people's feedback," Dr Gomez said.

"The town hall is more about community building, to hear each other. And this is not unique to Singapore, it's around the world. It's just that we are so late in implementing anything democratic."

The Meet-the-People sessions would still be available for residents who want to raise issues privately, he added.

When asked how the team plans to help lower-income residents in Sembawang, Dr Gomez said that the party will establish a “welfare unit”.

While the first step for this plan would be to ensure residents are informed of "where they can get support", the second would be to push for a "better assessment" of means testing, he said.

"It will be a two-prong approach," he said.

Dr Gomez was joined by his fellow candidates - Mr Alfred Tan, Ms Surayah Akbar, Mr Bryan Lim and Mr Damanhuri Abas.

They face a three-cornered fight against a PAP team led by Health Minister Mr Ong Ye Kung and a National Solidarity Party team led by party chief Spencer Ng

SDP’s Sembawang GRC candidates pose for a photo with a resident at a kopitiam in Vista Point on May 1, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Charmaine Jacob)

 

[qhong61]

who still remembers about no jab no job ...

Lucky no jab no job.
Else more would have died.
Including my elderly dad.
Thanks Ong.

 

[qhong61]

Hahahaha

Sinkies deserve oyk

Please keep oyk in parliament for the next five years

Will do

 

[qhong61]

Generally I find PAP has done some good for the lower income people.. but I think more can be done... the increased costs of living is no joke.

We would appreciate more cdc vouchers for the low income.

 

[qhong61]

i never forget his covid policy in hospital denied me the chance to see my dying brother for the last time

Are u ok??
During that period??
Hope u have treated ur brother well when he was alive.

 

[qhong61]

Loser and useless OYK, got balls go back to Aljunied and contest la

Sembawang need him

 

[NintendoSwitch]

A driver who keeps monitoring while the wall approach nearer and nearer

Is likely to kill everyone in the car also

Driver who keeps forcing more and more talents into the car will olso pichar the car.

 

[munimal]

Are u ok??
During that period??
Hope u have treated ur brother well when he was alive.

hope you treat your dad well also

 

[focus1974]

SINGAPORE: A co-driver with one hand on the steering wheel and one foot on the pedal makes for a dangerous ride, but if the car crashes, it is the main driver who will be made to bear the responsibility, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on Wednesday (Apr 30).

Speaking at a rally for Sembawang SMC, Mr Ong brought up an analogy from the 2011 General Election, when the opposition was seeking to make inroads into parliament.

Back then, the presence of the opposition was labelled as a co-driver sitting next to the main driver - the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) - whose job was to “slap his head” when the main driver falls asleep, explained Mr Ong.

“I must say, by and large, I do not disagree with that analogy and that there is a role for the opposition. That GE, the opposition won Aljunied GRC. But then when the opposition presence grows and expands to another GRC, that co-driver becomes more than a co-driver. He becomes also a backseat driver,” he said.

That person would start instructing the main driver on what to do and what route to take, but ultimately the driver can still make the call. “You are still in charge, but you just take in the ideas and process it,” said Mr Ong.

“But if after this GE, the PAP loses another three, four GRCs, then I think likely the co-driver will have one hand on the steering wheel and say ‘I also want to drive’. If he’s bold enough, he says, ‘My one leg also go over. You step the accelerator, I step the brake. We drive together’,” he said.

“It will then become very dangerous. We may be at risk of crashing.”

And if the car crashes, “the PAP driver” will have to bear the responsibility as the co-driver will claim to be just that – a co-driver.

“I fear and I worry this is the direction that we are heading towards,” said Mr Ong, who is anchoring the ruling party's Sembawang GRC slate.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/ge2025-ong-ye-kung-sembawang-grc-pap-opposition-5099891

In a high speed high urgency and high stake race...

the co-driver is a very important element.
If you think of your co-driver in animosity, you will not win the race.

In World Rally Championship (WRC), the driver and co-driver work as a cohesive unit, with the driver focusing on steering and driving, while the co-driver provides crucial navigational information and support. The co-driver's role is particularly critical in WRC, where stages are driven at high speed through unfamiliar, often challenging terrain, requiring a constant stream of live directions to the driver

In essence, the driver and co-driver in WRC are not two individuals competing independently, but rather a team working together to achieve a common goal – winning the rally. The co-driver's role is as vital as the driver's, providing the information and support necessary for navigating the challenging and high-speed stages of a WRC rally.

The driver is always in command ... but the co-driver is there to highlight any potential pitfalls, danger ahead.
whether the driver wants to take that into consideration is up to the driver. But a successful team always have a good driver and a good co-driver.

 

[rtkgamer]

NCM drive the car ignoring traffic signs or he was sleeping? I believe he is driving like those BBA, crash red lights, overtake on double white lines, road rage when people cut into his lanes. They are never wrong, most PApys are. Even the administration under them work that way now, people serve them and not the other way round. I believe one of another, normal people like us are frustrated with the overall settings for the past year (no S). Deteriorating quality!

PAP always put blame on others, never look into themselves why people ask for more "vehicle commanders". Because the drivers are reckless and drunk, turbo-charge inflation by increase 9% GST.

Complacent driver or did not really think thru before implementing policies, eg. allowing anyone to own PMD, PMA, ridding on pathway, on how to enforce the rules and regulations.

 

[dqwong]

PAP always put blame on others, never look into themselves why people ask for more "vehicle commanders". Because the drivers are reckless and drunk, turbo-charge inflation by increase 9% GST.

Complacent driver or did not really think thru before implementing policies, eg. allowing anyone to own PMD, PMA, ridding on pathway, on how to enforce the rules and regulations.

So given what you have mentioned, can we still believe that policies like ****, Medisave, COE, HDB pricing, Skills future and Child care were well implemented and managed by PAP?

I hope Singaporeans will wake up this GE and understand that their vote will determine the future outcomes for our next generation of Singaporeans, your sons, your daughters, your nieces and nephews and even your grandchildren further on.

 

[rtkgamer]

So given what you have mentioned, can we still believe that policies like ****, Medisave, COE, HDB pricing, Skills future and Child care were well implemented and managed by PAP?

i should be using the word "non-exhaustive" list, there are alot of policies poorly thought thru which i didnt mentioned in the reply.

I hope Singaporeans will wake up this GE and understand that their vote will determine the future outcomes for our next generation of Singaporeans, your sons, your daughters, your nieces and nephews and even your grandchildren further on.

agreed, hope singaporeans will vote wisely for their future generations.

 

[vee4044]

So given what you have mentioned, can we still believe that policies like ****, Medisave, COE, HDB pricing, Skills future and Child care were well implemented and managed by PAP?

I hope Singaporeans will wake up this GE and understand that their vote will determine the future outcomes for our next generation of Singaporeans, your sons, your daughters, your nieces and nephews and even your grandchildren further on.

I think this news need to Spread to all Boomers... They dun surf internet. Any Solutions ?



THey only aiming CDC Vouchers....

 

[qhong61]

hope you treat your dad well also

Of cos

 

[nothopingtogether]

He sounds like a whiny brat. Totally lost all miniscule respect I thought I had for him

 

[dqwong]

I think this news need to Spread to all Boomers... They dun surf internet. Any Solutions ?



THey only aiming CDC Vouchers....

Can’t be helped. Those are already brainwashed part of society.

 

[vee4044]

Can’t be helped. Those are already brainwashed part of society.

That my worry lor.... these few nights cant Sleep.

 

[footi3]

Jinx ong can start his own ministry of doomsaying

 

[sgcarousell]

He got common sense or not? Who will drive liddis? Y not just let d other driver take over d driving?

He should go watch WRC rally competition, the co pilot is there to shout out the danger n other information, ultimately the rally driver make the decision on the fly, if the driver think he is not up to it, he can step aside and change role with the co pilot