Dr Foo Ming Jin David, 51, chemist and logistics professional
Dr Foo has worked and taught in research institutes such as A*STAR and Johnson & Johnson. He is co-founder of Think Centre, an independent political research initiative.
"I view politics as a sense of responsibility. I have seen the last ten years with great concern because our economic growth has been achieved mainly through labour and capital," said Dr Foo.
He said he noticed that incomes were stagnating, and that there was an earnings gap between Singaporeans and foreigners, as well as between workers in private and state-linked companies.
"This is not a sustainable solution for any country to be in. If you don't value and respect yourself, no one else will. We need to create an environment that will enable our citizens to build self-esteem based on mutual respect between the Government and the people," he said.
"We need to empower our citizens to develop a strong Singaporean business community based on knowledge creation at the heart of economic growth, driving it."