SINGAPORE: Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said on Saturday (Apr 26) that there is “nothing wrong” in making political calculations and switching constituencies as long as candidates are upfront about it to voters.
Going forward, he said the focus should be on policy ideas instead, given that it is now the fourth day of campaigning in this General Election.
Said Mr Ong: "Just be upfront with voters, don't say I'm doing it for them. That's all I'm saying."
"But I would say that we are now in day four of the campaign. I think there was a lot of excitement after nomination and different people deployed to different places," said Mr Ong.
"I think that excitement, we probably have to put it behind us."
He was speaking to reporters at the sidelines of his walkabout at Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre in Sembawang GRC, where he is leading the People’s Action Party (PAP) slate against the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) and the National Solidarity party (NSP).
The other candidates in his Sembawang GRC team – Ms Mariam Jaafar, Mr Vikram Nair, Mr Gabriel Lam and Mr Ng Shi Xuan – were also present during the walkabout.
On Saturday, Mr Ong acknowledged that SDP during their political rally speeches on Friday spent some time responding to the message he made during PAP’s maiden rally for this general election on Thursday.
Mr Ong had said in his rally speech that SDP chief Dr Chee Soon Juan needed to give a better explanation on why he “abandoned Bukit Batok to come to Sembawang West".
He was referring to how Dr Chee had moved away from Bukit Batok SMC to contest the newly carved out Sembawang West GRC. Dr Chee had previously stood as a SDP candidate in Bukit Batok SMC, which has since been absorbed into Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC in the latest electoral boundaries report.
A few SDP candidates referred to what Mr Ong said in their rally speeches, stating that the minister previously “abandoned his Aljunied family” and moved to Sembawang GRC in 2015. Mr Ong was part of the PAP team that lost to the Workers' Party in Aljunied GRC at the 2011 polls.
The SDP candidates also questioned PAP’s move to field incumbent MPs in other constituencies for this election.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Mr Ong said that going forward, the focus should be on the different policy ideas put out by the different parties.
“That is probably what residents want to hear, and for many residents, that is the basis on which they will decide who to vote for.”
PAP candidates for Sembawang GRC, Mr Ong Ye Kung and Mr Gabriel Lam interacting with residents at Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre on Apr 26, 2025 (Photo: CNA/Taufiq Zalizan)
PAP candidate for Sembawang GRC Mr Ng Shi Xuan on a walkabout at Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre on Apr 26, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Lauren Chian)
On Saturday, Mr Ong called upon the opposition parties to explain funding gaps in their policy ideas to voters, as these parties want to "cut GST, but spend more in many other areas".
He grouped the policies in four broad themes and addressed them in turn: cost-of-living, foreign workers, housing and healthcare
On cost-of-living, he said one common call from opposition parties is to reduce the Goods and Services Tax (GST) rates.
But he noted that healthcare spending, for instance, are expected to balloon from about S$9 billion in 2015 to about S$30 billion in 2030 due to an ageing population.
“Voters need to know, how do you bridge this gap, we are spending more but collecting less,” he said.
“And I think the question will be, are you thinking of spending the reserves? That must be what they’re thinking of. If so, I think they need to explain.”
On public housing, he said some opposition parties have said that Built-to-Order flats should be sold “without land price, or at cheaper land price” to lower the selling price.
But even if the prices of BTO flats were to be lowered, the resale market prices would not move, he said.
“Which means what you gain from selling HDB prices after MOP (minimum occupation period) will be a lot bigger. It will be really like striking a big lottery,” said Mr Ong, saying that this would only fuel further demand for BTO flats.
“It’s time, I think, for Singaporeans and voters to scrutinise these policies and compare the policies across the political parties.”
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Going forward, he said the focus should be on policy ideas instead, given that it is now the fourth day of campaigning in this General Election.
Said Mr Ong: "Just be upfront with voters, don't say I'm doing it for them. That's all I'm saying."
"But I would say that we are now in day four of the campaign. I think there was a lot of excitement after nomination and different people deployed to different places," said Mr Ong.
"I think that excitement, we probably have to put it behind us."
He was speaking to reporters at the sidelines of his walkabout at Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre in Sembawang GRC, where he is leading the People’s Action Party (PAP) slate against the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) and the National Solidarity party (NSP).
The other candidates in his Sembawang GRC team – Ms Mariam Jaafar, Mr Vikram Nair, Mr Gabriel Lam and Mr Ng Shi Xuan – were also present during the walkabout.
On Saturday, Mr Ong acknowledged that SDP during their political rally speeches on Friday spent some time responding to the message he made during PAP’s maiden rally for this general election on Thursday.
Mr Ong had said in his rally speech that SDP chief Dr Chee Soon Juan needed to give a better explanation on why he “abandoned Bukit Batok to come to Sembawang West".
He was referring to how Dr Chee had moved away from Bukit Batok SMC to contest the newly carved out Sembawang West GRC. Dr Chee had previously stood as a SDP candidate in Bukit Batok SMC, which has since been absorbed into Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC in the latest electoral boundaries report.
A few SDP candidates referred to what Mr Ong said in their rally speeches, stating that the minister previously “abandoned his Aljunied family” and moved to Sembawang GRC in 2015. Mr Ong was part of the PAP team that lost to the Workers' Party in Aljunied GRC at the 2011 polls.
The SDP candidates also questioned PAP’s move to field incumbent MPs in other constituencies for this election.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Mr Ong said that going forward, the focus should be on the different policy ideas put out by the different parties.
“That is probably what residents want to hear, and for many residents, that is the basis on which they will decide who to vote for.”
PAP candidates for Sembawang GRC, Mr Ong Ye Kung and Mr Gabriel Lam interacting with residents at Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre on Apr 26, 2025 (Photo: CNA/Taufiq Zalizan)
PAP candidate for Sembawang GRC Mr Ng Shi Xuan on a walkabout at Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre on Apr 26, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Lauren Chian)
OPPOSITION POLICIES
On Saturday, Mr Ong called upon the opposition parties to explain funding gaps in their policy ideas to voters, as these parties want to "cut GST, but spend more in many other areas".
He grouped the policies in four broad themes and addressed them in turn: cost-of-living, foreign workers, housing and healthcare
On cost-of-living, he said one common call from opposition parties is to reduce the Goods and Services Tax (GST) rates.
But he noted that healthcare spending, for instance, are expected to balloon from about S$9 billion in 2015 to about S$30 billion in 2030 due to an ageing population.
“Voters need to know, how do you bridge this gap, we are spending more but collecting less,” he said.
“And I think the question will be, are you thinking of spending the reserves? That must be what they’re thinking of. If so, I think they need to explain.”
On public housing, he said some opposition parties have said that Built-to-Order flats should be sold “without land price, or at cheaper land price” to lower the selling price.
But even if the prices of BTO flats were to be lowered, the resale market prices would not move, he said.
“Which means what you gain from selling HDB prices after MOP (minimum occupation period) will be a lot bigger. It will be really like striking a big lottery,” said Mr Ong, saying that this would only fuel further demand for BTO flats.
“It’s time, I think, for Singaporeans and voters to scrutinise these policies and compare the policies across the political parties.”
Continue reading...