Progress Singapore Party (PSP) leader Tan Cheng Bock made a surprise appearance at Elias Road, Pasir Ris on July 6 together with Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) chairman Desmond Lim.

"Never forget a friend."

At around 4:00pm, Tan appeared and was greeted by Lim, Harminder Pal Singh and Abu Mohamed, who are part of the SDA team contesting Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC.

Tan explained why he was making an appearance so far from the West Coast GRC he is contesting, "When I was starting my party, he was the one who came first to help me, and I never forget a friend. You see? I never forget him."

Tan also commended Lim's charity efforts, helping to distribute free food to needy people in Pasir Ris, and added.

Tan said Lim helped him to set up the PSP, although he did not specify any details, and added, "So in life, never forget good friends."

Tan said that Lim's advice was useful, as the SDA was a much older political organisation than his own PSP.

When asked about his own chances in West Coast, Tan said, "In politics, we are always very, very positive. You never start anything negative."

Opposition plans

During a doorstop interview, Lim responded the Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's remarks earlier the same day, during the lunchtime online rally, that opposition parties have not come up with plans to deal with the Covid-19 crisis.

Lim expressed doubts about whether the PAP would have accepted ideas from the opposition, had they come forward.

Lim referred to Paul Tambyah of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), an infectious diseases expert, and questioned why he was not invited to join the Covid-19 task force.

However, PM Lee appears to have been referring to proposals for dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic in campaign manifestos, instead of seeking advice from other parties before the election.

SDA's campaign manifesto does mention Covid-19, but in the context of placing an added burden of the high cost of living, to which they proposed reducing the Goods and Services Tax to three per cent for basic items, and raising it for luxury items.

Top image by Lauren Choo.