GE2020: '4G PAP leadership leaves more to be desired. It must be checked by a constructive opposition,' says WP 

Workers' Party (WP) members have pushed back against several points made by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in his Fullerton Rally speech yesterday (July 6). 

It published several Facebook posts last evening, refuting the points that PM Lee had made about the opposition in Singapore, and emphasising the need for an opposition that will check the ruling party in Parliament.

PM Lee had made a point during the People Action Party (PAP) lunchtime rally about the silence of the opposition when it came to the Covid-19 crisis and the type of contributions that the opposition would then make. To that, WP said it had considered the Covid-19 situation within their manifesto. 

The party stated that it had policy proposals which include widespread community Covid-19 testing, compulsory vaccinations once it was available and domestic production of critical items. 

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In response to PM Lee's remark that people should not vote for the opposition if voters ultimately wanted to have a PAP government to look after Singapore, WP stated that it was a certainty that PAP would form the next government. But it added that an elected opposition would be there to “keep the ruling party on its toes and to challenge PAP for the betterment of Singapore”. 

They also reiterated that the WP does not “oppose for the sake of opposing”.

“We disagree only when decisions are being made for reasons other than national interest.”

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Their last post was made with reference to PM Lee’s statement to “look carefully at the choices they offer you and ask if they can deliver” and not “be taken for a ride.”

WP responded that the Covid-19 experience thus far indicated that “the decision-making processes of the fourth-generation or 4G PAP leadership leaves more to be desired.”

It added that there will be a number of long-term national issues that will “require parliamentary scrutiny, and challenge if necessary”.

WP’s Leon Perera had posted a response yesterday, just hours after PM Lee’s speech, saying the PAP was using their super-majority to “entrench itself in power”.

Perera followed up with another response this morning (July 7) on his Facebook page.

“PM Lee said that what matters in Parliament is not the numerical balance of seats between the PAP and Opposition, but whether the system generates good governance. 

“That's like saying that I'm healthy today, so I don't need to adopt a healthy lifestyle or buy health insurance for the future. Balance in Parliament matters.” 

He ended his post writing: “Don't use your vote to make Singapore politics a monopoly. Don't sign a blank cheque to the PAP.” 

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Another WP member, Yee Jenn Jong, also voiced his thoughts on Facebook yesterday, writing: “Singapore did not collapse with the loss of two full ministers and a senior minister of state in 2011 after the loss of Aljunied GRC”.

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Speaking to The Straits Times yesterday, Progress Singapore Party chief, Dr Tan Cheng Bock also addressed the points PM Lee brought up during his speech, saying bread-and-butter issues cannot be pushed aside just because of the pandemic.  

He also stated that there is a need for an alternative pair of eyes to look at the problems given the actions the PAP have taken to manage the Covid-19 outbreak. 

kailun@asiaone.com