Wake Up SG founder, former RDU & PSP members join SDP in contesting Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC

The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) has unveiled its slate for the four-member Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC for the upcoming General Election in 2025.

They are long-time party member Jufri Salim, the founder of alternative news site Wake Up SG, Ariffin Iskandar Sha Ali Akbar, former chief executive of Gulf Oil China Gigene Wong, and theatre director Alec Tok.

The slate was announced by SDP Secretary-General Chee Soon Juan at a media doorstop at Marsiling Lane Market & Food Centre on Apr. 13.

Focusing on bread and butter issues

"[SDP] have been here (Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC) for the last two, three elections already, and very at home here," Chee said.

On contesting against Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and his team in Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, Chee said that SDP will be focusing on bread and butter issues such as the cost of living and migration.

He said that these are issues that SDP have been campaigning for since the last election in 2020.

"Despite telling [the Government] of the difficulties Singaporeans are facing and not to proceed with the increase in GST, the government has seen it fit to increase GST in 2023 and 2024," Chee said.

"[PM Wong] must clearly articulate a plan that will take Singapore and address the people's foremost concern, and that's the huge rising cost of living in Singapore."

"Loyalty to Singapore"

During the walkabout, SDP's four-member slate for the Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC was seen giving out fliers and interacting with hawkers and residents at the market.

When asked if Tok and Wong's candidacy would make residents question their loyalty or commitment as candidates, Chee said: "The only thing I find relevant in this election is the loyalty to Singapore".

Tok was a former candidate for Red Dot United (RDU), while Wong was a former candidate for the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) in the 2020 General Election.

Last year, Ariffin was charged with criminal defamation after he published a fabricated story about KK Women's and Children's Hospital submitted by a follower. He took down the story after learning it was a fabrication but was fined S$8,000.

When asked if the case might be a point of concern for voters, Chee said:

"Going forward into this election, let's not get to the situation [of] character assassination, personal demonisation. That's not keeping with a mature, civilised election."

Top image by Azrizal Abu Che.