In the first constituency political broadcast aired on Friday evening, July 3, five members from the Workers’ Party contesting in Aljunied GRC, gave a series of speeches to address voters in the constituency.
The five candidates are WP secretary-general Pritam Singh, chairman Sylvia Lim, vice-chairman Faisal Manap, as well as members Leon Perera and Gerald Giam.
Here are three similarities observed across their speeches:
1. Serving as check and balance on the government
Pritam Singh
"During our time in Parliament, we have asked tough questions on your behalf to hold the PAP government accountable...
Being from the Workers' Party, we take our party's position on issues and do not need to agree on what the government says. If you vote for a PAP team into Aljunied GRC, your new MPs will have to support the agenda of their party, and may even need to watch what they say in order not to fall out of favour with the party leadership. This will not strengthen Parliament as a check on the government.
If you believe that Parliament is an important institution, and we have to make it more transparent, so that elected non-PAP MPs are represented in Parliament. The Workers’ Party MPs take our parliamentary work seriously so as to be your voice and your check and balance."
Faisal Manap
(Translated from Malay) "While in Parliament, we carried out checks and balances to make sure the government fulfilled their responsibilities for the good of Singapore."
Leon Perera
"My friends, Workers’ Party MPs in Parliament have spoken up to hold the government to account, from topics like spending on foreign student scholarships to the Keppel corruption scandal."
2. Serving as the voice for the electorate
Sylvia Lim
(Translated from Chinese) "We will definitely support policies that benefit Singaporeans, and we will never back down from the fight for the interests of Singaporeans.
We will be your spokesperson in the Parliament."
Gerald Giam
"The PAP will feel safe as long as their two-thirds majority is not threatened. But once the opposition gains more seats, they will be forced to consult you, and you will also have a more responsive government."
Leon Perera
"The voices of NCMPs can be ignored as they don’t carry the full mandate of the people. The voices of fully elected Opposition MPs cannot be ignored by the PAP at the risk of losing more fully elected seats."
3. Does not object to policies for the sake of objecting
Pritam Singh
"As Workers’ Party MPs, we have been rational and responsible. We support the government agenda when we think it is on the right track, and oppose it only when we find it not to be in the national interest.
For instance, we opposed the government’s Population White Paper in 2013 because we did not agree that Singapore needed a 6.9 million population to be dynamic. We also refused to apologise for questioning the government on GST."
Faisal Manap
(Translated from Malay) "We will support the government's agenda if we feel that it will be beneficial for the country, and reject those that are not."
Leon Perera
"We support most Bills in Parliament if they are good for Singapore, though we voice our suggestions to improve them. We support the government’s defence and foreign policy.
But if the Bills are wrong for Singapore, we vote no – as we did against the GST hike, the Constitution Amendment to the Presidency and POFMA."
You can watch the Workers' Party's political broadcast here:
Top image via CNA