Progress Singapore Party (PSP) chief Tan Cheng Bock said on Monday (July 6) that the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) had taken its eye off the Covid-19 situation while campaigning for this general election.
In an interview with The Straits Times, Dr Tan said: “I think we never took our eye off the Covid-19, they took their eye off the Covid-19…by concentrating too much on this general election”. He disagreed with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who in his lunchtime rally criticised the opposition’s lack of proposals to counter the pandemic.
Dr Tan also said that despite the pandemic, pre-existing issues such as CPF, housing matters and other bread-and-butter topics, should not be forgotten.
“We have no reason why we sometimes cannot work together. It is not a PAP problem, it’s not a PSP problem, it is the country’s problem”, Dr Tan said.
The opposition party Chief never had qualms about working in tandem with other parties, as he sent Tanjong Pagar candidate Harish Pillai to help out with the government’s TraceTogether app, and was even seen with Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) president Desmond Lim Bak Chuan during a visit to Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC on Monday (July 6).
Dr Tan met with the SDA Chief before the party started its walkabout in Elias Road.
“I never forget a friend (and Mr Lim) has helped many people,” said Dr Tan, referring to the charity work that Mr Lim’s SDA has done for residents in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, including the distribution of free lunches”.
The Progress Singapore Party is fielding a total of 24 candidates across five Single-Member Constituencies (SMCs) and four Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs).
Their A-team in West Coast (GRC) consists of Secretary-General Dr Tan Cheng Bock, Assistant Secretary-General Leong Mun Wai, Mr Jeffrey Khoo, Ms Hazel Poa and Mr Nadarajah Loganathan.
They stand against the PAP’s Mr S Iswaran, Mr Desmond Lee, Mr Ang Wei Neng, Ms Foo Mee Har and Ms Rachel Ong. /TISG