Photo credit: Progress Singapore Party
GE2025: PSP to contest in West Coast and CCK GRCs, calls for reduction of GST in manifesto
SINGAPORE: In the upcoming general election (GE), the Singapore Democratic Party is adopting a ‘Northern Strategy,’ and the Workers’ Party is predominantly known to contest in the eastern region of Singapore. Meanwhile, the latest Progress Singapore Party (PSP) announcement could be termed a ‘strategic political consolidation.’
In a media conference over the weekend, PSP’s secretary-general, Mr Leong Mun Wai, confirmed that they will be fielding fewer candidates compared to the previous election, focusing primarily on West Coast—Jurong West and Chua Chu Kang Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs).
“Our conclusion from the last election is that we need to focus a bit more. To run an election is actually a very complicated affair,” said Mr Leong to the media on Sunday, Apr 6, at PSP’s headquarters at the Bukit Timah Shopping Centre.
“From the amount of money you have to raise, compared to the other problems, that I’m going to say is actually less of a problem than other problems.
For example, manpower: Dedicated manpower to canvass the ground and make sure that the engagement is properly done.”
The Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) further explained that PSP is putting forth fewer candidates in the upcoming election because it has learned from 2020 that the party needs to be more focused.
“When you coordinate a communications strategy for 24 candidates, it’s different from that of coordinating the strategy for like 18 candidates. If you have 44 candidates, then the communication strategy will be even more complicated,” added Mr Leong.
PSP also announced its manifesto for GE2025, featuring 61 policy suggestions that it believes will build a more compassionate and kinder Singapore.
Among their proposal in the manifesto includes a rollback of the Goods and Service Tax (GST) to 7% from the current 9%, an exemption of GST on essential goods, affordable housing, jobs priority for Singaporeans, S$1,250 monthly allowance for caregivers of children under age seven, and for the Medishield Life premiums to be paid for by the government.
PSP also proposed an additional three days of public holidays, an increase to 14 days, with one new holiday each for the three major ethnic groups in Singapore, and an asset declaration for all MPs.
“The new holidays should be determined after consulting with representatives of each ethnic group and the Inter-Religious Organisation. The holidays that we adopt can also be aligned with other Asia-Pacific neighbours. Such holidays could include Chinese New Year’s Eve, the day after Hari Raya Puasa, and Thaipusam,” mentioned PSP in their election manifesto.
In its 78-page manifesto, the party also calls for lowering the voting age to 18 and a nonpartisan speaker of parliament to ensure that the speaker is seen by the public as impartial in the discharge of his or her duties.
“The vast majority of the world’s electoral democracies set the voting age at 18 years. In this respect, Singapore is an outlier by setting our voting age at 21,” explained the PSP in their manifesto
“Furthermore, many male Singaporeans begin serving National Service at the age of 18. It is unacceptable that we entrust 18-year-olds with the defence of Singapore but not the right to vote to choose their government and elected representatives.”
PSP focus on West Coast—Jurong West and Chua Chu Kang GRCs
In the 2020 election, PSP fielded 24 candidates across nine constituencies: West Coast, Chua Chu Kang, Nee Soon, Tanjong Pagar GRCs, and the Single Member Constituency (SMC) of Pioneer, Hong Kah North, Yio Chu Kang, Kebun Baru, and Marymount.
PSP polled 41.26% in the Chua Chu Kang GRC in the last election against the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) team led by Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong and Minister of State Low Yen Ling.
The PSP’s best-performing constituency in 2020 was West Coast GRC, where they marginally lost to PAP. Headed by former PAP MP Dr Tan Cheng Bock, the PSP garnered 48.32% of the votes in the five-member constituency.
The latest Electoral Boundary Review Committee report reveals significant changes to both West Coast and Chua Chu Kang GRCs.
West Coast GRC has also been renamed West Coast—Jurong West GRC. It will absorb 41,404 new voters from the Taman Jurong division from the now-defunct Jurong GRC. It also ceded Dover and Telok Blangah areas to Tanjong Pagar GRC and relinquished areas in Harbourfront and Sentosa to Radin Mas SMC.
Chua Chu Kang GRC welcomed 11,621 and 193 residents from the new Tengah estate and a Holland—Bukit Timah polling district, respectively. It also saw the Bukit Gombak division, helmed by Minister of State Ms Low Yen Ling, carved out into an SMC.
With the changes in the electoral boundaries, PSP has ramped up its community outreach in recent weeks in both West Coast—Jurong West and Chua Chu Kang GRCs. NCMPs Mr Leong, Ms Hazel Poa, and Dr Tan have also started engaging with residents in the Taman Jurong division.
