Singapore GE: SDP set to campaign on COVID-19 platform

SINGAPORE — With the general election (GE) expected to be held soon, the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) is set to campaign primarily on its proposals to help Singaporeans cope with the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In April, the opposition party unveiled its “Four Yes, One No” election campaign, spelling out its vision to prepare Singapore for the post-COVID-19 future.

The campaign calls for “yes” to suspension of Goods and Services Tax (GST), “yes” to pay retrenchment benefits, “yes” to provide income for retirees, “yes” to put people first and “no” to a 10 million population.

It aims to address the concerns of Singaporeans on two levels - taking care of the immediate needs of Singaporeans during and immediately after COVID-19, and ensuring that the longer-term challenges in the post-pandemic period are properly managed.

“We spell out a vision that will take Singapore into a post-COVID-19 era which will allow the country to adapt and take advantage of changed circumstances and where the average Singaporean will play a central role,” the SDP said in a statement then.

Nonetheless, the party has been urging against holding an election soon, stating that the timing is not right amid the pandemic.

Singapore’s GE has to be held by 14 April 2021 but political observers have speculated that with the 4G leadership in place and the number of daily COVID-19 cases falling recently, the GE might be held as early as July.

A day after the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee report was released on 14 March, SDP secretary-general Chee Soon Juan said the GE should only be held after there are "clear signs that the (COVID-19) situation has abated".

The SDP has accused the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) of disregarding public health and safety in favour of its own political interests by rushing the GE. It reiterated its demands for a more level playing field, just as it had done so in previous GEs.

When the Elections Department (ELD) unveiled safe distancing measures in the event of a GE and rules on internet advertising on 8 June, the SDP said the absence of the campaigning guidelines in the ELD announcement underscored “the PAP's intent to tilt the GE in its favour as much as it can”.

“The fact that it (the ELD) cannot even release the rules for campaigning because they may be ‘overtaken by events’ is clear demonstration that the COVID-19 spread is still very much not under control,” said the SDP in a media release on the same day.

On 18 June, the ELD released the preliminary campaigning guidelines for the GE. Among them, physical rallies will not be allowed and the cap of five persons per group must be observed during walkabouts and door-to-door campaigning. In lieu of rallies, more airtime on national free-to-air TV channels will be given to political parties and candidates while there will be livestreaming venues for e-rallies

The SDP previously said that it wants the minimum period between the issuing of the Writ of Election and Nomination Day to double from five to 10 days, and the official campaigning period to stretch from at least nine days to 21 days. These issues were not addressed in the preliminary campaigning guidelines.

Planning began before 2020

As far back as February 2019, the SDP stepped up its preparations for the GE when it kicked off its pre-election campaign.

Similar to its key target in past GEs, the party said at the campaign that it was aiming to deny the PAP a two-third majority in Parliament in order to thwart its capability to push through constitutional amendments.

“And not just for the sake of depriving (the PAP) of the two-third majority, it’s to make sure we advance our policies,” Dr Chee told Yahoo News Singapore at the event.

Last September, the SDP unveiled its updated manifesto with proposals in the areas of healthcare, education and the economy

While the SDP has been mapping out its election strategies within the party, it is also looking at a bigger picture: an opposition alliance.

In 2018, the SDP organised a meeting attended by members from six other opposition parties – the Democratic Progressive Party, the National Solidarity Party, the People’s Power Party, the Peoples Voice (PV), the Reform Party and the Singaporeans First Party and former PAP Member of Parliament Tan Cheng Bock, who later formed the Progress Singapore Party.

The SDP proposed then that Dr Tan lead an opposition coalition. To date, there has been no confirmed plans for such a coalition.

Several opposition parties are also slated to discuss their GE plans in order to avoid multi-corner fights.

Last August, the SDP confirmed that it would be contesting in the same five constituencies that it contested in GE 2015: Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, and three Single-Member Constituencies - Bukit Batok, Bukit Panjang, Yuhua. These constituencies will again be up for grabs in the next GE, after the new electoral boundaries were revealed in March this year.

At GE 2015, the SDP’s strongest showing was in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC with its team comprising Dr Chee, infectious diseases expert and party chairman Professor Paul Tambyah, healthcare administrator Chong Wai Fung and compliance auditor Md Sidek Mallek. The party gained 33.4 per cent of the vote cast against 66.6 per cent for PAP.

More younger candidates?

A key question is where Dr Chee will contest at the next GE following his loss to PAP’s Murali Pillai in the 2016 Bukit Batok by-election.

One familiar face who will not be contesting at the GE is party’s vice-chairman John Tan. In April 2019, Tan was fined $5,000 after he was found guilty of contempt of court. The conviction disqualifies him from running as an election candidate.

Apart from Dr Chee and Prof Tambyah, the SDP is expected to field many of its election candidates from among the members of its Central Executive Committee (CEC) including Christopher Ang, Damanhuri Abas, Jufri Salim, Khung Wai Yeen, Bryan Lim, Gerald Sng, Matthew Tan, Wong Souk Yee, and Francis Yong.

While the party has yet to firm up its candidates for the GE, it has held events where several new faces have been involved.

Among them are marketing and communications professional Min Cheong, 34 and community associate Fadly Azad, 32, who were seen at the SDP’s first walkabout for the season on 4 August last year. Cheong joined the SDP’s women’s wing last year while Fadly has been volunteering with the party since 2016.

Last October, businessman and entrepreneur Alfred Tan, and former Singapore People's Party candidate and entrepreneur Robin Low spoke at the SDP’s pre-election rally at Hong Lim Park in October 2019.

At the election of the CEC last November, Dr Chee said that the SDP was aiming to run a “first-rate campaign” at the next GE. He also revealed that the party has been attracting more younger members.

He added, “We must provide the opportunity for the younger generation to rise and eventually assume leadership roles within the party and, in time to come, the country.”

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore

Related stories

COVID-19: No physical rallies, cap of 5 per group for walkabouts if general election held

GE candidates must declare more details of their use of internet ads: ELD

Electoral Boundaries Review Committee releases report, election imminent