Singapore – Three opposition party members from the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), Progress Singapore Party (PSP) and People’s Voice (PV) met for lunch to congratulate the crowdfunding efforts of blogger Leong Sze Hian in his defamation suit and to discuss Singapore reserves and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) hike.
On Saturday (Apr 10), PV leader Lim Tean took to Facebook to announce “an alliance of issues.” PSP’s Leong Mun Wai, also a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP), hosted a lunch with Mr Lim, Leong Sze Hian, SDP chairman Paul Tambyah and PV’s shadow cabinet minister for health, Kok Ming Cheang.
The group met at F&B entrepreneur Jun Low’s restaurant at Vivo City to congratulate Mr Leong on the recent success of his crowdfunding campaign for the S$133,000 in damages for defamation against Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
The campaign has brought about the most significant political transformation in our nation in recent times, said Mr Lim.
He noted that the transformation was now gathering pace for Singaporean activist and blogger Roy Ngerng who also faces a defamation suit from Mr Lee. Over S$45,000 were collected in two days, noted Mr Lim.
“It shows the incredible spirit of Singaporeans to protect the right of their fellow men.”
Mr Lim also took the time to highlight a “kindred spirit” in Leong Mun Wai. “I am very appreciative of Mun Wai’s work as an NCMP,” said Mr Lim.
“In Parliament, he has spoken out fearlessly to protect the rights of Singaporean workers, protect our national identity and on a host of other issues.”
“I rate him as one of the most effective Parliamentarians,” said Mr Lim.
Leong Mun Wai recently mentioned through a Facebook post on Apr 6 that Second Minister for National Development Indranee Rajah’s statement in Parliament regarding the government’s fiscal position was “confusing to Singaporeans and inaccurate from a financial point of view.”
He noted that “a cash position is always a more accurate reflection of a company’s financial health than a profit and loss statement, period.” Singapore’s fiscal position is “much better” than what was stated by Ms Indranee, added Leong Mun Wai.
With Singapore reserves standing around S$1.48 trillion according to Mr Lim, citing Leong Sze Hian’s computation, “it is, therefore, absurd to suggest that we would sink without hiking GST by 2 per cent,” said Mr Lim.
“With that amount of money, the government can easily provide for universal healthcare and education and still have a lot of spare change.”
He called it “immoral” to increase taxes and tariffs at a time when the population is badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Those of us at lunch yesterday were agreed that the opposition must do their utmost to oppose the proposed GST hike,” said Mr Lim.
He hopes that going forward, the opposition could work more closely on an “alliance of issues” as “Singaporeans expect no less.” /TISG
Read related: PSP’s Leong Mun Wai asks why PA’s budget is so ‘huge’
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