Singapore — Progress Singapore Party (PSP) members visited Tanglin Halt Wet Market and Food Centre under the Tanjong Pagar GRC on Sunday (June 18) for a walkabout. Some of the members present were Secretary-General Tan Cheng Bock and candidates Michael Chua and Abas Kasmani who are part of the five-member group set to be running for the GRC in the upcoming General Elections. TISG had the chance to interview Mr Abas.
Mr Abas Bin Kasmani, 67, has over 40 years of management, coaching, training and advisory experience and is a business consultant and senior trainer.
When asked about what he would like to say to Singaporeans who are afraid to vote for the opposition, he said, “Talk to us ah,… The point is, if you keep that fear, what about the future?” He urged Singaporeans to not “be afraid”.
“We are not the opposition, we want to see evolution, so we propose to make things better.”
Quoting his fellow colleague and candidate Mr Chua he said that, “if we want to go forward, if we have ideas up in the parliament and if incumbents want to copy us, go ahead! Because ultimately it is for the citizens. But we just want to make sure they do it.”
When asked what was unique about PSP in comparison with other parties, he states that “It is about compassion” and that serving the nation should be “from the heart”.
He said that to be an “A-team”, it has to come “from the heart, but it can get clouded.” Mr Abas also mentioned that “if you serve from the heart, it’s all A, we are A team”.
In clarifying his objective and purpose for joining politics, he recalled how in the past when he saw his great-grandfather struggling and going for rallies, he realized that the motive was for future generations to come and he feels that it is now “[his] turn” to do so.
“Make a change for the future for you, for my children and grandchildren”.
It has also been announced that PSP’s manifesto will be released on Monday (29 June). -/TISG