Quotes of All Topics . Occasions . Authors
Not every opposition party believes the same thing.
The Workers' Party will not be like the Japanese in World War II.
We've lived with the PAP all our lives, and we know how powerful they are.
Every so often, progress on race and religion occur precisely because an issue surfaces.
You have to make your vote count. You can't rely on somebody else to cast the vote for the opposition.
By raising bread-and-butter issues, we remind the Government of the things that it may forget or ignore.
If the wrong people show their true colors only after reaching our highest offices, Singapore is finished.
I have always admired the courage of ordinary individuals to step up and speak out against injustice and tyranny.
The opposition's role is meaningful when voters elect an opposition with an elected mandate to speak for Singaporeans.
You know, when I joined the WP, I didn't join with the notion of being sec-gen or coveting any sort of leadership appointment.
We want to show Singaporeans that if you vote in an opposition party, it doesn't mean your town is going to descend into chaos.
Singaporeans like Mr. Alfian Sa'at do not deserve to be admonished in Parliament on the basis of a selective reading of their works.
An unelected opposition in Parliament cannot change the PAP. GE 2011 and the Government's response to shift to the left proved that.
Indeed, many Singaporeans hope the opposition can unite and coordinate their efforts so as to become a more relevant political force.
Wisdom would dictate that a sense of proportion, empathy and balance should drive how the Workers' Party approaches Singapore politics.
I try my best to squeeze in a simple exercise routine whenever I can - even though this is proving to be more challenging than I expect.
When it comes to Singapore's sovereignty, there can be no doubt where the WP has stood and will continue to stand. We stand with Singapore.
There is a real risk of a parliament dominated completely by elected PAP MPs. Is that a good outcome for Singapore? I would suggest it's not.
We must always strive for greater heights at the town council level to continue building the public's confidence in alternate political leaders.
We know that Singaporeans want to see an opposition in Parliament. I think they want to have a balance in Parliament; some semblance of a balance.
The food delivery business has provided Singaporeans, especially the low-income and those who seek to supplement their income, with on-demand work.
Our nation needs protection against complete dominance of Parliament by one party, which could allow a tiny number of people to control everything.
Our long-term dream is for Singapore to have a healthy democracy where there are two or three parties who could form a competent and honest Government.
At times it felt as if no one in Government was taking ownership of how COVID-19 directives would be perceived, interpreted and understood on the ground.
Referring to the PAP as uncaring so as to persuade some of our fellow Singaporeans to consider casting their vote for the WP will be self-defeating for us.
PAP leaders, including Mr. Shanmugam, routinely ask WP MPs to clarify their positions on the spot, in Parliament. WP MPs routinely do the same to PAP ministers.
Live a full life, an honest life so that on your deathbed, you can tell yourself that you did the best you could, in the circumstances that were presented to you.
Every WP member can bring in a member of any race and religion. I think it's probably healthy we do it that way rather than play up the racial dimension too much.
I think Singaporeans will realize that when you vote elected opposition MPs into Parliament, the Government is more responsive and more sensitive to the concerns of the people.
While I am skeptical about the long term viability of one-party dominant political systems, I have great admiration for Deng Xiaopeng and the reforms he set China on after 1979.
Let me make the Workers' Party's position clear: When we deal with public discourse, I think it's very helpful, in fact it's critical, that we all deal with objective information.
It took 16 years after our independence for the opposition to win even one elected seat. And 23 years after 1988, when the GRC system was introduced, for the opposition to win one GRC.
Addressing racism requires constant attention and an acknowledgement that strengthening the Singapore core is a collective responsibility, with every race an important part of the conversation.
In many cases, the opportunities provided by GrabFood, Foodpanda, etc go a long way to support families where breadwinners find it difficult to secure a job. PMD food delivery is an honest job.
How the PAP chooses to conduct its politics is something for the PAP to decide. The public are equally entitled to respond as they deem fit - within the remit of the law - and at the ballot box.
The public may want an elected opposition in Parliament, but we have to earn our place and work hard both in our Town Councils and in Parliament to retain the confidence and support of our people.
The right numerical balance is not just random number, it is an inherent checking mechanism in our parliamentary democracy against any ruling party that chooses to put its political interests first.
In fact, it is my case that POFMA can easily become a proverbial Damocles sword that would hang over members of the public who do not support the government's narrative or toe the government's line.
A plastic bag charge is far from representing mere climate change symbolism. It is a clarion call to us all to alter social norms equally if not more importantly reduce the amount of waste we generate.
Singaporeans do recognize the multitude of perspectives the Government has to take cognizance of, but it is important to recognize and not forget that citizens criticize and even organize because they can.
There is the perception that the government's handling of the Covid-19 crisis has certainly not included adjectives that are more commonly associated with the Singapore government, such as clarity and decisiveness.
However, should any Singaporean consistently establish that he or she rejects Singapore or our Constitution or runs Singapore down with a political agenda overseas, neither I, nor the WP will stand for such conduct.
We have to put the best team to offer a secure alternative to Singaporeans - let me stress, the best team, not the best individuals... The party must comprise members who work with others and not march to their own drumbeat.
The WP now is not like the WP of the past. Especially after Aljunied, Hougang and Punggol East, I think we are appealing to a very broad section of Singapore society, as any party that is establishing itself at the national level has to do.
Closer to home, the one person who I really admire and take inspiration from is a relatively unknown man in today's day and age. He was the second Prime Minister of India - Lal Bahadur Shastri, a man of impeccable integrity, amongst other traits.
As a result of the expectations created, every time a training fatality occurs, the public pressure on MINDEF and SAF commanders down the leadership chain takes on a very corrosive edge. This damages not just the SAF, but the institution of National Service too.
The political outcome that is desired is one which makes any government sensitive to the pulse of the people and their welfare, allowing any ruling party to govern without gridlock while promoting the political openness that so many of us yearn for in Singapore.
GST may well have to rise, but Singaporeans could be more likely to accept it if the government considers the pros and cons of moving from the established orthodoxy, and consider new approaches that improve social protection thresholds for all, and elderly Singaporeans in particular.
No organization, let alone one that is in the business of war and defending Singapore's sovereignty, can realistically promise zero fatalities or training incidents even as the public must insist on the strictest training safety parameters for the SAF, and MINDEF strives for the same.
An audit of the courses our people are taking up, particularly younger and middle-aged Singaporeans must be reviewed every so often in consultation with input from the Industry Transformation Maps stakeholders so as to even as the best outcomes possible for our workers in the medium term.