The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) officially announced its manifesto on Apr. 20, where it was presented by SDP's chairman, Paul Tambyah, at Yew Tee Square.
More than 30 members were present at the announcement, including secretary-general Chee Soon Juan, vice-chairman Bryan Lim, long-time party member Jufri Salim, and former chief executive of Gulf Oil China Gigene Wong.
With "Thrive, not just survive" as the SDP's campaign slogan, the manifesto is also presented as six sections spelling out the acronym "THRIVE".
The party calls for the government to lower GST from 9 per cent to 7 per cent, as well as for smaller class sizes and scrapping the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) system.
Lowering GST
The SDP said it has "long called" for the government to do a few things, including reducing the goods and services tax (GST) and eliminating it on essentials like food and medicine.
Speaking to the media, Tambyah suggested that the GST "at the very least" go back down from "nine per cent to seven per cent".
The manifesto called to abolish the CPF minimum sum scheme, saying it is "not only impractical but also immoral" to withhold one's savings.
Universal healthcare
The party proposed that maternal and paediatric services be "largely free" and funded by the government from taxes.
This, according to SDP, will help to reduce the cost of "producing and bringing up children", potentially addressing the problem of falling birth rates.
SDP also proposed a "single-payer universal healthcare system", where the government manages a central healthcare fund.
These funds will be used to finance "compulsory basic health, accident and pregnancy (for women) coverage" for all citizens and PRs who reside in Singapore for more than six months a year.
Reducing damage to green spaces
SDP's climate policy addresses the need to reduce damage to green spaces, so Singapore has the space to "breathe clean and fresh air" while "constitutional rights to freedom of speech and expression are protected".
The party argued that a major cause is due to overpopulation and called for the government to offer greater transparency in the ideal population size for Singapore.
"We are a small island and this relentless overpopulation is going to have a significant impact not just on our wellbeing but also on our environment," the party said.
"Singaporeans first" policy
To ensure that the "well-being of its citizens is prioritised", SDP proposed a "Singaporeans First" policy, including the implementation of a Talent Track Scheme.
The scheme ensures that only foreign professionals whose skills and credentials are "rigorously verified" may work in Singapore.
SDP also called for the Ethnic Integration Policy to be abolished, and for the race identification on NRICs to be removed.
Housing policy that is "fair to buyers and sellers"
SDP promised to provide a sustainable housing solution that will be "fair to buyers and sellers alike," ensuring that young families can buy their own homes while those who have an investment in the property will be able to recover reasonable gains.
They also proposed a non-open market (NOM) scheme, where the prices of public housing would be lower because the cost of an HDB flat would only include the cost of construction and administration.
NOM HDB flats will be built on land specially zoned for public housing and will not contain a land cost component, which is unlike the current HDB practice of including the cost of land in public housing, SDP said.
They suggest that this would result in public housing being offered to Singaporeans at a price of around S$90,000 for a two-room flat, to S$270,000 for a five-room flat.
Education for children and young people to thrive
Noting that its education policy has "many components adopted in part by the PAP over the years," SDP said its policy encourages children to discover themselves rather than turn into "highly stressed test takers who have lost the joy of learning".
Specifically, they called for smaller class sizes and the abolition of the PSLE system.
"To ensure that these proposals are not simply copied but watered down, the SDP needs to have parliamentary representation. We need our children and their teachers taken care of for the future of our country," the party said.
The full campaign can be seen here.
"Thrive, Not Just Survive": SDP's campaign slogan
Just a day prior, SDP revealed its campaign slogan for GE2025, titled “Thrive, not just survive”.
Calling for an alternative vision and change that will ease hardships for Singaporeans, the party will focus on two main objectives in its election campaign: lowering the cost of living, as well as protecting jobs and empowering Singaporeans.
SDP attributed factors such as the raised cost of living and increased job insecurity to PAP policies.
They also urge for a “more compassionate Singapore”.
When asked how the party may differ from other opposition parties competing, Tambyah said, "SDP is not afraid to ask the difficult questions," adding that their party has developed the reputation of being the party with guts.
Top image via Mothership
