Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong said the uncertainties the nation is facing will have long-term implications for Singapore as a trading hub. -- ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
SINGAPORE (Bernama): Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong made a personal appeal to Singaporeans, urging them to vote for candidates who will prioritise the nation and its people above all else, and to choose the best team capable of leading the country through a period of global uncertainty.
"Above all, choose leaders who are upright, honest, and of good character. Because in the end, more than policies, more than promises, it is character that counts,” said the People’s Action Party (PAP) secretary-general during the party’s first political broadcast (PPB) for the general election (GE2025) on Friday.
Wong said that if the PAP is given the mandate, his foremost responsibility would be to work with his team to unite Singaporeans, protect livelihoods, and secure their future.
This marks the first of two PPBs allocated by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) to political parties fielding at least six candidates in GE2025.
For this election, eight out of 11 contesting political parties are eligible for PPBs, which provide airtime on free-to-air television and radio for parties to deliver their campaign messages.
The duration of the airtime is determined by the number of candidates each party fields.
Meanwhile, Workers’ Party (WP) secretary-general Pritam Singh emphasised the party’s role in Parliament, highlighting its commitment to asking difficult but necessary questions in the public interest.
"Workers’ Party Members of Parliament (MPs) can ask any question, especially the difficult questions which are necessary in the public interest.
"When we vote in Parliament, we do not need to toe the PAP's line. We oppose measures that we believe are not in the national interest, but when it is right to do so, we support government bills and even constitutional amendments,” he said.
The WP is fielding 26 candidates across eight constituencies, with Singh leading the team defending the five-seat Aljunied group representation constituency (GRC), a stronghold of the party.
Progress Singapore Party (PSP) chairman Dr Tan Cheng Bock spoke about the party’s manifesto, which includes more than 60 policy proposals addressing issues such as cost of living, healthcare, employment, wages, and housing.
He said the party believes Singapore's social and economic progress must be inclusive and benefit all citizens and not just the elite.
"If we are elected, we will actively bring up your concerns in Parliament,” he said.
The PSP is fielding 13 candidates in six constituencies, with Dr Tan contesting in the West Coast-Jurong West GRC.
People’s Alliance for Reform (PAR) secretary-general Lim Tean pledged that if elected, the party would advocate for free education, school meals, and healthcare for every Singaporean child.
"This will greatly help lower the cost of living for parents and encourage them to have more children, to reverse our disastrous total fertility rate of 0.97,” he said.
He added that the party would also push for Goods and Services Tax (GST) exemptions on essential items and advocate for free public transport for those aged 65 and above.
PAR is fielding 13 candidates in six constituencies, with Lim contesting the Potong Pasir single-member constituency (SMC).
Other party representatives featured in the PPBs include Red Dot United (RDU) secretary-general Ravi Philemon, National Solidarity Party (NSP) president Fong Chin Leong, People’s Power Party (PPP) candidate Vere Nathan Shen Li, and Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) candidate Alfred Tan. - Bernama
