GE2025: WP winning more constituencies is important for Singapore’s democracy, says Pritam Singh in party political broadcast
“With more WP constituencies comes a higher chance that parliament will continue to have a fully-elected democratic opposition presence for the longer term,” says party chief Pritam Singh in a party political broadcast.
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SINGAPORE: The Workers’ Party (WP) winning more constituencies is important for the future of Singapore’s democracy, said party chief Pritam Singh on Friday (Apr 25).
“One or even two WP GRCs can easily be lost; nothing can be taken for granted,” he said in a party political broadcast, referring to group representation constituencies.
“With more WP constituencies comes a higher chance that parliament will continue to have a fully-elected democratic opposition presence for the longer term.
"This will make our system stable and sustainable for the future.”
In his speech, Mr Singh touched on the three ways in which the WP works for Singapore and Singaporeans.
One way, he said, is how its elected Members of Parliament (MPs) speak out on critical topics, ask "probing” parliamentary questions and propose important motions in parliament. He added that these questions and motions are based on facts and figures that are researched by WP MPs and the party's research team.
“We ask tough questions. More importantly than being tough, our questions are appropriate and necessary because they reflect the concerns of ordinary Singaporeans,” he said during his allocated broadcast time of six minutes.
“You know that PAP MPs do not question the government on all matters you would like them to,” he said, noting that the WP MPs “can ask any question” and do “not need to toe the PAP’s line” when they vote in parliament.
Mr Singh said the WP opposes measures that it believes are not in the national interest, but will support government bills and even constitutional amendments “when it is right to do so”.
The Infocomm Media Development Authority has allocated airtime on free-to-air television and radio for political parties to deliver their campaigning messages during two political party broadcasts – on Apr 25 and May 1.
Each broadcast will be transmitted once on television and once on radio.
Political parties that field at least six candidates under a recognised party symbol are eligible for the party political broadcasts. Independents and political parties fielding fewer than six candidates are not eligible for them.
In this General Election, eight parties are eligible for the political broadcasts.
The duration of airtime allocated for each political party will be based on the number of candidates fielded by it. The allocated airtime will be the same for both party political broadcasts for each political party.
Eligible parties have been allocated between four and 14 minutes of airtime, with the Workers' Party being allocated six minutes.
He cited a Bill tabled by the government to amend the Constitution in March 2023.
“The WP assessed the amendment to be in Singapore’s interest and we made sure that we were present in parliament to debate and vote on it,” he said.
“On that day, however, several PAP MPs were absent from parliament house. If not for the WP MPs, the PAP government would not have had enough votes to get the constitutional amendment passed that day.
“But we were there. We voted for the amendment and it passed,” said Mr Singh.
According to the Hansard, a Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment) Bill was tabled on Mar 21, 2023, which introduced a legislative framework to better combat new psychoactive substances.
This was introduced alongside the Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Bill, which proposed harsher punishments on offenders who possess a large amount of certain Class A controlled drugs, such as cocaine or cannabis.
A check on Hansard showed 67 MPs voted in favour of the amendments, with no objections or abstentions. Seven WP MPs were present and voted at the Mar 21 sitting – Mr Gerald Giam, Ms He Ting Ru, Mr Jamus Lim, Ms Sylvia Lim, Mr Leon Perera, Mr Pritam Singh and Mr Dennis Tan.
Constitutional amendments require a two-thirds majority, which means at least 63 out of the 93 elected MPs in the 14th parliament needed to support the amendment.
Mr Singh also talked about the second way the party works for Singapore and Singaporeans, and that is through the party's ability to run town councils “as well as the PAP does”.
He cited how the Aljunied-Hougang and Sengkang town councils received the green rating on all indicators, which is the highest rating possible in the town council management reports released by the Ministry of National Development last year.
He said that the WP has managed Hougang SMC for 34 years and Aljunied GRC for 14 years, and brought expertise from those constituencies to Sengkang GRC and have added another five years of experience.
“If voters put their trust in us, the WP will leverage our town council experience to serve our current and new constituencies well.”
The third way, he said, was by "building for the future".
Besides WP constituencies, the party visits homes and public areas in other constituencies to engage with residents and listen to their concerns.
"We have done this consistently for years and not only at election time," he said.
In wrapping up his speech, Mr Singh said the WP “will not form the next government”.
“The PAP will certainly do so. But the WP needs your support to strengthen our presence in parliament,” he said.
“Vote for the Workers’ Party to work for you to build a democratic society. We will continue 'Working for Singapore', no matter what the storm ahead, to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for our nation.”
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