Singapore—Chee Soon Juan, the head of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), said that the party will continue to keep focusing on three issues that are important to the future of Singapore: cost of living, CPF funds for seniors, and jobs.
Speaking to members of the media after a walkabout at the Bukit Timah Market and Food Centre on Sunday (Jan 19), Dr Chee said that these are the very issues that SDP has been repeatedly bringing up since 2019.
The Straits Times (ST) reports Dr Chee as saying, “And lo and behold, whether it’s a coincidence or not, I’ll let people figure out, the PAP (People’s Action Party) has become big on these three issues as well.”
Should SDP win seats in Parliament, Dr Chee added, it will have ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) answer questions about the upcoming raise in goods and services tax (GST) from seven to nine percent, scheduled for implementation between next year and 2025.
This would affect people’s cost of living, he said.
SDP held their annual Chinese New Year walkabout on Sunday at Marsiling, Bukit Panjang and Bukit Batok, which is where the party intends on fielding candidates in the upcoming General Election (GE), which is widely believed to be held this year.
ST also mentions Dr Chee as saying that they’ve found out that one issue significant to today’s youth is climate change, which SDP is formulating policies to address.
In a Facebook post regarding Sunday’s walkabout, Dr Chee said, “Best moments of our walkabout this morning – acknowledging the contribution of our elderly cleaners who struggle daily for their livelihood. They shouldn’t have to do this in their twilight years. The SDP thanks you for all that you do and we will do everything we can so that you can live your lives in dignity and security. 新年快乐! Always a pleasure to be out and about with our fellow Singaporeans. #SDPNOW #TheWayForward“
Dr Chee, who along with party secretary Bryan Lim, has been fighting for the upgrade of the lifts at at blocks 115 and 119 in Marsiling Rise, expressed confusion last week after an announcement had been made on Channel 5 by newscaster Otelli Edwards saying “Residents at two HDB blocks are set for upgrades that will give them lift access on every floor.”
The SDP head wrote on a Facebook post on Sunday morning (Jan 19), “But by lunchtime, I was informed that the above segment where Ms Edwards introduced the story had been clumsily edited out and replaced by cut-away shots of lifts with a voice over quoting PAP MP Ong Teng Koon as saying that ‘it is only a matter of time that the government will take action.’”
SDP commented on the change, saying, “This has confused the public, especially the affected residents of these 2 blocks. The original version raised their hopes that their mobility problems especially the elderly and disabled were finally close to a solution but the revised version seems to dampen that enthusiasm”. -/TISG