Workers' Party (WP) secretary-general Pritam Singh shared that if the Prime Minister needs more than two-thirds of Parliament to be occupied by People's Action Party's (PAP) Members of Parliament (MPs), then "we have a serious problem".
Speaking to the media on Apr. 27, Singh was responding to a question on Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's comment that more opposition seats in Parliament would mean a weaker PAP team.
While Singh said he understood why PM Wong would frame the issue this way, he believes that Singapore has "good people in various verticals of government".
"If the Prime Minister is saying that he needs more than two-thirds of Parliament to be full of PAP MPs, then I think we have a serious problem in terms of how robust PAP processes are and how robust our political system is."
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"Even if you have a parliament with one-third of it comprising of opposition MPs, you will have a government that is free to address the problems of the day and problems of tomorrow," Singh explained.
"But if the Prime Minister is saying 'no, with 60 per cent of the vote, we need 90 per cent of the seats, and only then we can govern properly, if not you weaken the PAP'. I think we have a very weak PAP already to begin with."
"So that can't be the case," Singh concluded.
Singh thus emphasised that the WP is a "force for good".
"We intend to represent Singaporeans faithfully in Parliament, and that's what we'll do."
What did PM Wong say?
During the PAP's Chua Chu Kang GRC and Bukit Gombak SMC rally, PM Wong argued that the opposition's claim for more seats in Parliament to "make the PAP work harder for you" would weaken the PAP team.
He cited a few experienced ministers stepping down, including President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Teo Chee Hean, Heng Swee Keat, Ng Eng Hen, and Maliki Osman.
He also stated that some of the new candidates have the potential to "go beyond backbenchers" and be political officeholders.
A different kind of candidate
Speaking at the doorstop, WP's Jalan Kayu SMC candidate Andre Low also shared that he is a very different kind of candidate compared to PAP's candidate Ng Chee Meng.
"I think we represent two very different kinds of candidates. And I think, as far as my opponent is concerned, it's slightly over represented in Parliament.
I feel like it's time for Jalan Kayu residents to make a choice if they want a different kind of parliamentarian, someone fresh, someone energetic, someone with new ideas. And I hope that they could put their trust in me."
Low added that he still believes that he is the underdog in the fight for Jalan Kayu SMC.
"Ng comes with a star-studded CV. He has three stars to his name, I do not have a single one to my name."
However, Low reiterated that he offers "a different proposition".
"Not necessarily a better proposition. I think we are equals in many ways, but I would urge voters to really choose between whether they want someone experienced in the old way of doing things, or someone who offers a fresh perspective"
Top photo via Azrizal/Mothership
