SINGAPORE: Opposition party Red Dot United (RDU) has characterised the policy shifts outlined in Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s maiden National Day Rally speech as a “recalibration” rather than the “major reset” that the PM positioned it as.
Mr Wong said this “major reset” is required to realize Singapore’s new ambitions but RDU says it feels the changes announced are rather “a re-calibration ‘left a bit, right a bit’ and in keeping with the vision of his predecessors.”
The party added that while it is heartened by the changes announced by the Prime Minister, these policy shifts should be attributed to “the people, like a compass, pointed them in that direction by giving the opposition more support.”
In its statement, RDU called for more comprehensive and targeted measures, which the party believes are needed to tackle Singaporeans’ current challenges.
The party also pointed out that the new SkillsFuture scheme aimed at providing lower- and middle-income workers who’ve lost their jobs with temporary financial support up to S$6,000 for as long as six months is closely aligned with what RDU has called for, though the party believes that an extension for the duration and amount of support could be considered on a case-by-case basis.
This would allow further retraining to ensure workers could get jobs matching their previous salaries.
And while RDU also welcomed the 10 additional weeks of shared parental leave Mr Wong announced, it added that this may not be enough to address the issue of the country’s low fertility rate.
It urged the government instead to tackle high living costs and work-life balance, ensure affordable housing, and expand green spaces.
“Only by addressing these broader societal issues can we create an environment where families feel secure and supported, which will naturally lead to a healthier fertility rate,” the party wrote.
RDU Secretary-General Ravi Philemon said, “One important test to determine if a ‘major reset’ is underway is to ask yourself if life has been better in the past four years since the last General Election. And then, ask yourself: do you see life getting better for you in the next five years?”
RDU’s full statement calling for building a “livable, fair, and united Singapore” may be found here. /TISG
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