SINGAPORE: Progress Singapore Party’s (PSP) Tan Cheng Bock has urged the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) not to “frighten Singaporeans” by saying that the opposition could form a coalition government after the General Election.
Dr Tan, who was speaking to reporters on Friday (Jul 3) after visiting Housing Board flats at Teck Whye Lane, was asked to comment on PAP’s Chan Chun Sing’s remarks on how the three biggest opposition parties could form a coalition government if they win enough seats.
In his reply, Dr Tan said: “Tell them, don’t frighten the Singaporeans. I think you can fool people once but you can’t fool the people all the time.
“They tried this strategy before – telling people that when you wake up tomorrow after Polling Day and you find no PAP governing Singapore. But these things, you need not worry, because first and foremost it is very unlikely to happen and to me it’s a political ploy again,” added Dr Tan.
The Progress Singapore Party’s secretary-general, Dr Tan Cheng Bock, speaking to the media during a Chua Chu Kang GRC walkabout at Block 9 Teck Whye Lane on Jul 3, 2020. (Photo: Hanidah Amin)
Mr Chan, who is also Singapore’s Minister for Trade and Industry, made the remarks on Thursday evening during a dialogue organised by Chinese-language newspaper Lianhe Zaobao.
According to a TODAY report on the event, Mr Chan said in Mandarin: “From our point of view, we do not view them as the opposition. We view them as people who might eventually replace the Government after Jul 10.
“The three biggest opposition parties, coming together, can possibly become a replacement for the Government. This has been the case in some other countries, that the skies may change. So I scrutinise their policies very carefully,” he said.
For this election, the three biggest opposition parties challenging the PAP are PSP, the Workers’ Party (WP) and the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP).
The Progress Singapore Party’s secretary-general, Dr Tan Cheng Bock, with candidates of Chua Chu Kang GRC during a walkabout at Block 9 Teck Whye Lane on Jul 3, 2020. (Photo: Hanidah Amin)
PSP has fielded 24 candidates, WP has fielded 21 candidates while SDP has fielded 11 candidates. There are a total of 93 seats being contested.
Speaking to the media on Friday, Dr Tan also highlighted that Singaporeans need not worry as the country is not only run by political parties, but also the civil service.
“The civil servants will always be there to look after this country. So don’t worry … Any political party taking power will have to work with the civil servants who are very well acquainted with running this country,” said Dr Tan.
“And if we pride ourselves that our civil servants are among the best in the world, and you tell me that we cannot run after the PAP (is no longer the government), then something is wrong,” he added.
NEED TO ENSURE COVID-19 IS UNDER CONTROL: TAN CHENG BOCK
Dr Tan also said he believed the PAP government has shifted its focus away from the health and well-being of citizens in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic, and is focusing too much on how to help Singaporeans with employment.
“The overriding factor is not just jobs, jobs, jobs. It’s our lives, your lives. That’s what we have to manage,” he said.
“And if we ever get into Parliament, we want to make sure that COVID-19 is properly controlled, because if it’s not properly controlled your borders will remain shut. People will not come to Singapore,” said Dr Tan.
“So that is the most important area, if they take their eyes off this COVID-19 management and just focus on politics, the price we will have to pay is going to be heavy,” he said.
The Progress Singapore Party’s candidate for Chua Chu Kang GRC, Francis Yuen, during a walkabout at Block 9 Teck Whye Lane on Jul 3, 2020. (Photo: Hanidah Amin)
Dr Tan, who was the MP for Ayer Rajah for 26 years until 2006, said the financial relief from the Government to tide Singaporeans through the pandemic is merely “treating the symptoms” but not the core problem.
The number of new COVID-19 cases reported in Singapore must be considered in totality, and not just focused on the community cases, he said.
“Let’s not try to divert the true picture. If we are in Parliament, we are going to press for it … the kind of symptomatic relief you are going to produce will really bring Singapore back to our normal state,” he added.
