SINGAPORE: The Reform Party (RP) on Thursday (Jul 9) called on Singaporeans to vote "in a way that visibly records your frustration".
RP secretary-general Kenneth Jeyaretnam said in a party political broadcast that fighting COVID-19 and "the worst economic crisis since independence" are the biggest issues on Singaporeans’ minds right now.
AdvertisementAdvertisementThe party is contesting seats in Ang Mo Kio GRC and Radin Mas SMC this General Election.
"We are all in this together, but we will not all suffer the consequences of the People's Action Party's mishandling equally," said Mr Jeyaretnam, who recorded his speech from the hotel where he is serving a stay-home notice.
[h=3]READ: GE2020: Reform Party launches green manifesto calling for 'as close as possible' net zero emissions by 2050[/h][h=3]READ: GE2020: ‘Substantial’ government spending needed to combat COVID-19 economic fallout, says Reform Party[/h] AdvertisementAdvertisementReferring to the RP’s slogan of “build back better, fairer”, Mr Jeyaretnam said "we will need to build back in a manner that is better for you and fairer for all Singaporeans" after COVID-19.
These include Singaporeans from "the lowest-income" to entrepreneurs and small-business owners hit by the recession, and the middle class "squeezed from both ends".
"The PAP response is minor tweaks, schemes and measures but the package does not differ in any substantial way to existing budgets," said Mr Jeyaretnam.
This will only "defer the hardship to some point in the future" and does not deal with the challenges of slowdown and reversal of globalisation, he said.
He said the party's candidates - himself, Mr Andy Zhu, Ms Noraini Yunus, Mr Darren Soh, Mr Kumar Appavoo and first-time candidate Mr Charles Yeo - love Singapore and "care deeply" for voters.
It has been "an honour" to speak with those on the ground, listen to their frustrations, struggles and "even anger".
"Your estates are mature and you have discovered recently that your flats are not a rising asset as promised but a diminishing one that returns to zero. Meanwhile the elite sit on inherited property wealth that is denied to you," said Mr Jeyaretnam. "No wonder you are angry."
[h=3]READ: GE2020: PAP team led by PM Lee sees challenge from Reform Party in Ang Mo Kio GRC[/h]He said Members of Parliament (MPs) were "missing in action and Ang Mo Kio has been again gerrymandered", and that it is "the largest GRC in Singapore” with one fewer MP to represent it.
"No wonder you are angry," said Mr Jeyaretnam, adding that people have lost their jobs, and that proposed schemes are "difficult to access and not what you require".
"You still cannot access your CPF at age 55. No wonder you are angry," he said.
He added that the RP is "a safer set of hands", noting that the manager of the previous Ang Mo Kio Town Council was jailed for corruption, whereas his party "leads the fight for transparency and accountability from the front".
"It is understandable that you are angry and worried but now you can hold the incumbents to account through your vote in a positive and constructive manner," said Mr Jeyaretnam.
"Because you can be patriotic and vote in a way that visibly records your frustration and marks the PAP scorecard so that they try harder in the future."
He urged electors to vote for his party’s candidates, adding that "every single vote for Reform Party matters if you are not to be completely silenced".
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