GE2025: SDP chief Chee Soon Juan questions quality of PAP’s present ministers, brings up recent controversies and scandals

SINGAPORE: While the first generation of ministers from the People's Action Party (PAP) were “capable and competent”, the quality of present ministers “leaves very much to be desired", Singapore Democratic Party’s chief Dr Chee Soon Juan said on Tuesday (Apr 29). 

During the SDP's lunchtime rally speech at UOB Plaza, Dr Chee said that while he has “no interest in conducting PAP bashing”, he had to list out the “PAP scandals and screw-ups, only because our PAP ministers keep running the propaganda that they are exceptional and they don’t need an opposition to hold them accountable”.

Dr Chee, who is standing in Sembawang West SMC, then spent a large part of his speech retracing past controversies around the PAP.

These included former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's handling of then Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin's affair with a fellow PAP parliamentarian, two ministers' rental of state bungalows at Ridout Road, the government's use of TraceTogether data, and how it handled the disclosure of individuals' full NRIC numbers on a government business portal. 

“My message is not that the PAP, this government, is 100 per cent bad, or that it is 100 per cent good. What I want to get across to you, is that the PAP is most certainly not the exceptional party that it says that it is,” Dr Chee said. 

He added that ministers need to be "humble" and acknowledge that the country needs an opposition, like the SDP, in parliament to make the nation stronger. 

“Most of all, acknowledge and accept the fact that the PAP needs meaningful opposition in parliament to govern Singapore better.” 

On salaries of ministers, a topic that has been largely discussed by opposition parties, Dr Chee said ministers in the country are being paid “such astronomical salaries”.

He said that the reasoning was that if ministers are not paid “what they demand, then they might fall into the seductive hands of corruption”.

"We must educate our ministers that corruption is bad and that if they are caught, there are consequences, period. We don't pay them exorbitant salaries to not be corrupt. We elect our leaders based on their moral rectitude. Anything less, and we are better off without them," he said.

He urged the crowd that gathered on Tuesday afternoon to avoid giving “blind support” to the PAP. 

“Blind faith allows society into thinking that things are fine when they are clearly not, and worse, that there is no alternative to the PAP,” Dr Chee said. 

There were eight speakers at UOB Plaza on Tuesday afternoon, marking the first opposition lunchtime rally this election. It was the SDP's sixth rally in as many days.

The SDP is fielding 11 candidates in four constituencies this General Election – Bukit Panjang SMC, Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, Sembawang GRC and Sembawang West SMC.

REJECT "FEARMONGERING"

SDP candidates who spoke at the rally also called on voters to reject the PAP’s “fearmongering” when they cast their ballot.

"They tell you that if you vote for the opposition, Singapore will collapse. That if you bring in anyone other than the PAP to parliament, Singapore's success story will crumble," said SDP candidate Dr James Gomez.

"When the PAP behaves this way, do not let fear guide your decision. Let your hopes, your needs and your future be the courage that guides your vote."

He took aim at Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong's comments on Sunday that losing key ministers could place Singapore in "quite a lot of trouble".

"Such logic is unbelievable, but I can understand it comes from the PAP’s desperation. After all, losing ministers will be a problem for the PAP but not for us Singaporeans," said Dr Gomez.

He also described as "nonsense" Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's comments on Monday that having more opposition seats would "weaken the PAP team" and make it harder for them to serve Singaporeans effectively.

"Effective government demands accountability, transparency and debate. It requires different voices in parliament, including SDP MPs, to challenge bad policies, policies that hurt Singaporeans," said Dr Gomez.

"If Lawrence Wong says that his team can only function when given unchecked power, then the problem is not with us Singaporeans, but with the PAP – a PAP that fears scrutiny.

"When you vote for a strong opposition, you are not hurting Singapore. You are only threatening the PAP’s desire for total control. It is their plans that will be disrupted, not the prosperity of Singaporeans."

SDP chair Dr Paul Tambyah made a reference to a Straits Times interview of a young voter at an SDP rally, whose father working in a government-linked corporation cautioned her against revealing her name to the newspaper.

Dr Tambyah said it was "disturbing" that young people still felt this fear.

He called on Minister-in-charge of the Public Service Chan Chun Sing to "make a strong statement reassuring Singaporeans they can vote freely without fear of retribution, no matter whether they work in the civil service, the military, the police or any other government organisation".

"No matter whether they work in the civil service, the military, the police or any other government organisation, their loyalty is to the government and people of Singapore, regardless of whoever is in power," said Dr Tambyah.

He also responded to Health Minister Ong Ye Kung's jab the night before that SDP's proposals did not have "a snowball's chance" of contributing to a thriving Singapore.

"The SDP's proposals will be like a snowball in Greenland, gaining momentum and building up for real change in Singapore," said Dr Tambyah.

Dr Chee urged voters to "be bold, be brave, be on the right side of history".

"Let us lead not with fear, but with faith in our people. Let us lead not by clinging on to the past, but by focusing boldly in the future," he said.

“CHART A NEW PATH”

The SDP candidates also talked about countering fear with hope and imagining a different future for Singaporeans, especially the younger generation.

Dr Chee said: “Times have changed, and the people want openness and transparency. They want to be reasoned with, not talked down to. They want and demand a more democratic system, one where the government censors less and listens more.”

The SDP’s youngest candidate, 28-year-old Ariffin Sha, said that the younger generation of Singaporeans no longer saw the same “return on investment” for their hard work. 

“When we were young, we were told: don’t worry, study hard, work hard, keep your head down, you will be okay. But let me tell you, as someone coming from the younger generation, this maxim does not apply to us anymore,” Mr Ariffin said. 

The younger generation no longer dreams of attaining the “5Cs” – cash, car, credit card, condominium and country club membership – because these are “unattainable,” the founder of alternative news outlet Wake Up Singapore said.

He asked the audience to “take a moment now to dream with me” of electoral victories for the SDP on May 3, urging them to “vote without fear, vote for hope, go towards change”.

Mr Damanhuri Abas said: “What is at stake for us today is that if we don't vote an alternative, we will get the same thing for the next five years.”

He said the SDP offered voters “a vision of hope so that we can chart a new path for everyone”.

SDP will also hold a rally on Tuesday night at Beacon Primary School in Bukit Panjang SMC.

The party has held a rally every evening of the campaign period so far.

Dr Tambyah noted that the SDP, a “small party”, was able to pull this off “despite very limited resources and sometimes unbelievable regulations”.

“This is a good sign for those of you who are concerned about town council management by the SDP. We will do a good job, and we’ll do it ourselves,” he said.

Candidates also said that they will speak out in parliament about the issues residents face. 

Mr Ariffin said the party will be “fearless in parliament” and “absolutely relentless in advocacy.” 

“You are not shortchanging yourself by voting for an SDP MP in parliament. The government’s programmes will still go on. Your estate will be fine. Singapore will be fine,” Mr Sha said. 

Over a series of rallies, various SDP candidates have advocated for issues such as lowering Goods and Services Tax rates, tackling mental health problems and making healthcare more affordable, among others.