This fear must go

GE2025: Global economic uncertainty is no ordinary storm but tidal wave of change, says DPM Gan​

DPM 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
Ng Keng Gene and Harith Mustaffa
Apr 27, 2025


SINGAPORE – The global economic uncertainty triggered by the United States’ move to impose tariffs on its trading partners is no ordinary storm but a tidal wave of change, said Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong.

Speaking at a PAP rally at Yusof Ishak Secondary School on April 26, Mr Gan questioned critics who said the ruling party’s reaction to the American tariffs is overblown.

He added that the uncertainties the nation is facing will have long-term implications for Singapore as a trading hub.

He said: “Some have said the PAP’s reaction to the US tariff announcement is overblown, that we are sending a message of fear, and there is no need to worry because Singapore has weathered bigger storms before.

“But really, are you sure this is just another storm? This is no ordinary storm. This is a tidal wave of change.”

Singaporeans are worried, and businesses are feeling the impact of market uncertainties, with some multinational corporations (MNCs) rethinking their investment plans and their presence in the country, he added.

“Supply chains may be further reconfigured. And with these uncertainties, businesses have paused their investments and have also slowed down their hiring,” said Mr Gan, 66, who is also the Trade and Industry Minister.

Many people are wondering about job security, but there is no need to fear, he added. The Government, he said, rolled out a “comprehensive Budget” earlier this year to help Singaporeans face the uncertainties ahead.

For instance, Singaporeans looking for jobs can tap schemes like the SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support scheme and career conversion programmes.

Mr Gan said: “We may not be able to save every job, but we intend to protect every worker. We will uplift you, we will help you bounce back stronger than before.

“As Prime Minister Lawrence Wong promised, we will do more if necessary. The PAP has your back.”

Although it is election season, the work of governing Singapore continues, and the PAP government is clear on what it needs to do, added Mr Gan, who chairs the Singapore Economic Resilience Taskforce that aims to help navigate the uncertainties caused by US tariffs.

Trade talks with his American counterparts are ongoing, he said, and this is possible because of the longstanding ties the PAP government has with the US administration.

“They know us and they trust us, and this mutual trust is most critical in times of crisis, for us to be able to come together, to talk with one another and to negotiate.”

He added that the Americans are prepared to find a way to get Singapore’s critical exports to the US.

He did not provide further details on trade talks because of the need for confidentiality.

Mr Gan made his foray into politics in 2001 and is an incumbent Chua Chu Kang GRC MP. He was moved to helm the PAP team in Punggol on Nomination Day, in a last-minute surprise move.

He was the last speaker at the rally, rounding off a slate that included Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean and members of the PAP team for Punggol – Ms Yeo Wan Ling, Ms Sun Xueling and Dr Janil Puthucheary.

They are facing off against a WP team made up of four first-time candidates. They are: senior counsel Harpreet Singh, advertising tech firm senior director Alexis Dang, legal counsel Alia Mattar, and Mr Jackson Au, senior manager of corporate affairs and marketing with the London Stock Exchange Group.

Speaking to reporters after submitting his nomination papers on April 23, Mr Gan said that although he is new to Punggol, he is a “fast learner”, and will “learn as fast as I can”.

He said at the rally that in the last three days of campaigning, he had met residents from all walks of life to better understand their aspirations, desires and concerns, and observed three things about Punggol.

First, it has many multi-generational families. Second, residents have a strong sense of ownership and connection to the town. Third, Punggol has been designed creatively, allowing residents to work, live and play in it.

“Punggol is a ‘wow’ town,” he said.

The town has, in under two decades, become a shining model for the heartland, and a neighbourhood that many young families can be proud to call home.

He said: “We are a young and growing new town. There is much we have done together, but yet there is much more that we can work and do together, with you, and for you.”

For instance, residents have asked him for more covered linkways, he said.

“I will talk to my good friend, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who is also Finance Minister, to see if we can get more money to build some of these necessary infrastructure,” he said.

The project will involve significant work with various agencies and the town council, he added.


Asking for residents’ support, Mr Gan said Dr Janil, Ms Sun and Ms Yeo have nearly 30 years of combined experience in running a town council, and he brings another 24 years to the mix.

Dr Janil, 52, who is an incumbent Pasir Ris-Punggol MP, said the team does not believe in making unbelievable promises, but has a humble understanding of the hard work and determination to serve the people.

Ms Sun, 45, who has overseen Punggol West since she entered politics in 2015, said there were no facilities in the estate when she became an MP a decade ago.

As she wanted to make sure children in Punggol had as good a start as the other children in the rest of Singapore, she started a container library.

She said: “In Punggol, we spare no effort in galvanising community resources. We want to create conditions for our children to thrive and to flourish.

“Recently, I updated our Punggol parents that we will have a new primary school, a new secondary school and a junior college in Punggol.”

Ms Yeo, 48, who is seeking a second term in Parliament, said she has spoken up for platform workers, many of whom live in Punggol.

She said: “They deserve fair compensation, injury protection and adequate CPF contributions. And these issues aren’t abstract policy matters to me.

“They are about real people in Punggol whose dignity and livelihoods are at stake – that is the perspective I bring to Parliament.”

KNNBCCB!! YOU FARKERS POSTING DOCTORATE THESIS IS IT??!

GE2025: PSP’s ‘anti-foreigner rhetoric’ will affect jobs and businesses in S’pore, says SM Teo​

Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean speaking to supporters during the PAP's rally at Jurong West Stadium on April 27.ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
Ng Wei Kai and Syarafana Shafeeq
Apr 28, 2025

SINGAPORE – The PSP’s “anti-foreigner rhetoric” will drive away international companies, as well as jobs and businesses for Singaporeans, said Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean.

Singapore’s unity, stable government, and its consistent and rational policies are strong attractions for such companies to operate here, he said at a rally in Pioneer SMC on April 27.

The rally, held at Jurong West Stadium, featured speeches by the party’s candidates for Pioneer SMC and West Coast-Jurong West GRC. In both constituencies, the party faces a challenge from the opposition PSP.

Many companies are now seeking to rebalance their operations and find the best places to locate themselves, he noted.

SM Teo said what the PSP is doing will “make our pie smaller”.

“Instead of spending our energy like the PSP to try to pit one group against another group to snatch more of the pie, let us see how we can work together to make the pie bigger, so that everybody can have a little bit more rather than trying to snatch from each other.”

Singapore needs the politics of unity and not the politics of division, SM Teo said.

He outlined challenges the country faces due to uncertainty over worldwide tariffs introduced by US President Donald Trump.

He said: “The damage to the wider world trading system in the long term can already be seen.”

The World Trade Organisation has forecast that world trade will shrink in 2025, and Singapore’s economists and the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) economists have forecast that Singapore will grow more slowly than earlier predicted, he added.

SM Teo noted that the PSP has called these challenges fearmongering tactics by a PAP trying to retain its power.

“Really, is the PAP really so powerful that it can tell the IMF and the World Trade Organisation how to forecast the world?”

More on this Topic
PAP does not give up any constituency, says SM Teo at walkabout in Aljunied GRCReject racial, religious identity politics, uphold multi-racial unity: SM Lee
To try and brush this away is “just totally irresponsible”, SM Teo said.

PSP leaders had earlier in April stated that the Government’s response to the US tariffs was “overblown”, with party chairman Tan Cheng Bock saying that the Government’s rhetoric might be aimed at swaying voters through fear.

PSP chief Leong Mun Wai later said the party had no intention of downplaying the tariffs. Both Dr Tan and Mr Leong are contesting West Coast-Jurong West GRC under the PSP banner.

SM Teo asked: “Has the PSP any solutions to this? Perhaps because the PSP knows that it has no solutions to offer, it tries to sweep aside these real problems with assertions that it is not a real problem.”

He went on to detail the PAP’s efforts to ensure Singaporeans can have good jobs and salaries, including policies aimed at making sure people have avenues to upskill.

He said: “These are real measures to address the real issues that Singaporean workers face, so that for the long term, our workers can continue to have good jobs and salaries that keep up, not just with inflation, but with the better quality of life that Singaporeans want for themselves and their families.”

SM Teo said the PAP does not take risks with Singapore and Singaporeans, and must prepare for all eventualities.

The PAP Government does not have all the answers or the solutions yet, because it does not know the extent and the nature of the problem yet, he pointed out.

“But we still must prepare,” he said.

To do so, Singapore must strengthen itself as much as possible, not only in its financial reserves but also in its “community reserves of social resilience and unity”, he said.

SM Teo began his speech in Malay, saying that the conflict in Gaza has surfaced many emotions among Singaporeans.

“Rather than letting conflict elsewhere divide our community, Singaporeans, regardless of race and religion, have come together as one to send help to the victims in Gaza,” he said.

The Government’s stand is clear, he said, and it condemns the use of violence against innocent civilians, and has voted in support of a two-state solution.

He urged Singaporeans to give Prime Minister Lawrence Wong a strong mandate so that he has the means to negotiate with the leaders of other countries. This will also give investors confidence to invest in Singapore, and create jobs for Singaporeans, he said.

SM Teo, who announced his retirement after 33 years in politics on Nomination Day on April 23, also touched on why he is not contesting the general election.

While he was on walkabouts in Pasir Ris and Punggol – where he was previously anchor minister – residents had asked him to carry on, he said.

He said he told them he did not want to leave them either, but had to be sure that he could commit himself “fully and energetically for the full five years, not just the 10 days of an election campaign”.

“Otherwise it’s not responsible for me to ask you for your vote.”

He added that he hopes his residents will have peace of mind knowing that they have “good, strong teams to help take care of them for the full five years for the future, and not some group that comes along and campaigns for 10 days and says, ‘I will look after you’”.

SM Teo added that the PSP has said that PM Wong does not need a strong team, as Singapore has overcome crises in the past and will weather this crisis as well. “After all, we also have a very good civil service. This will see us through. Is it so simple? Is this like a driverless car on AI...?”

That is not the way running a country works, SM Teo stressed.

“It requires good leadership, good government and unity of the people... We need a strong government. We need unity.”

GE2025: Good government needed to take Singapore through changed and troubled world, says SM Lee​

PAP Ang Mo Kio GRC candidate SM Lee Hsien Loong speaking at the PAP rally held at Fern Green Primary School on April 27.ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
Chin Soo Fang
Apr 28, 2025

SINGAPORE - For Singapore to have a good government in a troubled world, it is important for the country to have a good team of ministers and MPs, said Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

In an election rally speech on April 27, he set out the crucial role that good government plays in Singapore, and the consequences of not having such a team in place.

“The world has changed... It will be harder to make a living, harder to export, harder for our companies to have stable jobs, harder for people to predict what they can do over the next five, 10, 15 years,” he said.

“The problem is not transient. It’s not going to go away, because the world has changed, and we have to be psychologically prepared.”

SM Lee also said voters should not vote against the PAP to give opposition parties “a little bit more votes”, in the hope of getting two or three more opposition MPs into Parliament.

“You will not get it right and we can mess everything up. Just vote according to your heart,” SM Lee said in his 40-minute speech at Fern Green Primary School. “You think PAP is good – vote for it. You think we are bad – vote against us. Don’t play games. It’s very dangerous.”

During the Covid-19 pandemic, lives were saved because Singapore had a strong team in place, he said. Now, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong is leading Singapore’s response to the American tariff situation. DPM Gan is anchoring the PAP team for Punggol GRC, which will face off against a WP team.

SM Lee pointed out that DPM Gan is in charge of the economy, foreign trade and the Monetary Authority of Singapore. He has also been in talks with the United States Trade Representative, even during the election campaign.

“And he is in charge of our crisis response, to survive whatever tariffs and upheavals and trade wars are to come,” SM Lee said. “You lose him, you can replace him? Somebody cheaper? Are you sure you want to save money like that? It’s very expensive to save money like that,” he added.

“Good government is about good people, good ministers, MPs – a team. And to do that, to have a good team, you must first vote them in, right?” SM Lee said. “We have ministers and MPs and potential office-holders all over Singapore and (in) all the GRCs, including the hotly contested ones.”

He added: “You lose a minister? Well, OK, I make do. I lose two ministers? Harder to make do. I lose three ministers? I’m in some trouble.”

Even opposition MPs know that the PAP has done a good job, he said.

“Because after 60-plus years, they don’t say ‘vote me, change, I will be better’. They say ‘don’t worry, I only got less than one-third of the seats contested, so you are sure to have a strong PAP government after the election’.”

He added: “Everything is correct except the last bit – and that means we have lived up to our responsibilities. We have upheld the trust, we have done the right thing and our conscience is clear by Singaporeans.”

The rally on April 27 was held by the PAP teams for Ang Mo Kio GRC, as well as Jalan Kayu, Kebun Baru and Yio Chu Kang SMCs.

The PAP’s four other Ang Mo Kio GRC team members – new faces Jasmin Lau and Victor Lye, as well as incumbent MPs Darryl David and Nadia Ahmad Samdin – also spoke at the rally.

Other speakers included labour chief Ng Chee Meng, who is the PAP’s candidate for Jalan Kayu SMC, Kebun Baru incumbent MP Henry Kwek, Yio Chu Kang incumbent MP Yip Hon Weng, and Dr Lam Pin Min. Dr Lam, who is helming the PAP’s Sengkang GRC team, started his political career as an MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC.

During his speech, Mr David pushed back against comments that PAP backbenchers are not as effective in Parliament as opposition MPs, as they toe the party line.

The party’s backbenchers are not “yes men and women”, he said. “PAP MPs scrutinise and debate every government policy and Bill. If we feel there is a good reason, we push back, speak up, we challenge.”

Mr Yip also said that over the past five years, he has spoken up more than 500 times and delivered 132 speeches – more than any opposition MP.

“Some may say, ‘Only opposition MPs ask the tough questions. PAP MPs are silent backbenchers’. But let’s be honest – that’s a convenient myth,” he said.

He added: “What they don’t see is that so-called silent backbenchers work even when cameras stop rolling. We speak directly and frankly to ministers. We shape solutions behind the scenes.”

Rounding up his speech, SM Lee urged Singaporeans to focus their attention on the issues that matter in a troubled world.

The PAP has a good team for 60 years now, and is introducing a good mix of experience and fresh young energy this time, bringing a new resolve to take Singapore forward, he said.

Voters need to choose a good government that can take the country through the troubles ahead, SM Lee added.

“One that will bring steady hands and concrete plans to help us all pull through, one that is honest and open with you, that you can trust to fight for you, and fight for your children too,” he added.

“We do not tell lies, and we do not tell lies about not telling lies. We speak the truth to you and to everyone. That is one thing which can keep Singapore special for many years to come.”

GE2025: ‘A ridiculous argument’ that losing ministers will not weaken Govt, says SM Lee in Aljunied GRC​

Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong and the PAP Aljunied GRC team at 630 Bedok Reservoir Road Market and Food Centre on April 29.ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
Isabelle Liew
Apr 29, 2025

SINGAPORE – It is a ridiculous argument to say the PAP can lose ministers without weakening the Government, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on April 29.

This is as every team has a range of members, some more critical and others playing complementary roles, he said at a walkabout at 630 Bedok Reservoir Road Market and Food Centre in Aljunied GRC.

“If it doesn’t matter who is in the team, then there should be no difficulty making a good government with anybody (and) you don’t need to assemble a strong group of people,” he said.

SM Lee was responding to comments by WP chief Pritam Singh that it would be a serious problem if the PAP needed more than two-thirds of parliamentary seats to govern properly.

On April 28, the Leader of the Opposition had said that the Government would still have “enough leeway, enough focus” even if all 26 WP candidates were voted into Parliament this election.

At a rally that evening, Mr Singh also said Singapore would be in trouble if Prime Minister Lawrence Wong had no one else in his Cabinet to negotiate with the US on tariffs besides Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong.

Mr Singh posited that DPM Gan had been ready to retire before GE2025 and, if re-elected, he was likely to stay for just one more term.

SM Lee noted that Mr Singh was trying to make inroads in the new Punggol GRC. DPM Gan is anchoring the PAP team there against a WP team.

“He can’t very well say that Mr Gan Kim Yong is a very valuable minister but nevertheless, ‘Please vote for me’, so he has to say that,” said SM Lee.

On Mr Singh’s argument that amenities such as hospitals and train stations will continue to be built if the opposition is elected, SM Lee said basic facilities and government services are developed across the island.

“But does the MP in a constituency make a difference? The answer is yes,” he said.

The PAP candidates in Aljunied GRC will have their residents’ interests at heart and will be able to work with the Government to help make sure it understands these concerns and needs, he added.

Asked about the WP’s charge that the ruling party had not put out a five-year plan for Aljunied GRC, SM Lee said that was “rich”, as WP chairwoman Sylvia Lim had also said the opposition party has no five-year plans for the new constituencies they are contesting.

Ms Chan Hui Yuh, 48, who is leading the PAP team in Aljunied GRC, said the candidates will rejuvenate the towns and make them more liveable if elected.

SM Lee said: “(For) the PAP, if you want to know what our plans are, look around you. Look at the houses we’ve built, the trains which are running, the services which we enjoy – that is what we have built for Singapore all over.”

He noted that the WP had said it has achieved green ratings for its town councils in the Ministry of National Development’s town council management report.

“But some markers are greener than others,” he added, citing a park in Aljunied “where the swings have no swings for two years.”

“Any number of such things, if I can just start by putting those things right and getting them up to scratch as they ought to be, which I’m sure our PAP team is able to do, that already is significant,” he said.

SM Lee said he was visiting places like Aljunied and Jalan Kayu to show voters that these were important constituencies for the PAP and the ruling party was taking these contests seriously.

“We go where we are most needed, and the fact that we go there sends a signal,” he said. “The signal is this fight is important, please take it very seriously.

“This is about your future, about Singapore coming through a very troubled period in the world safely, with the best team to help you secure your lives and your future.”

This is the second time during the hustings where a heavyweight minister has made an appearance in Aljunied GRC. On April 25, Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, who is not contesting in this election, joined the PAP candidates for a walkabout at Bedok 538 Market and Food Centre.

The PAP is the underdog in Aljunied GRC, which the WP has held since its historic win there in 2011.



SM Teo Chee Hean (seated, centre) and the PAP Aljunied GRC candidates interacting with residents at Bedok 538 Market and Food Centre on April 25.PHOTO: ISABELLE LIEW
Besides Ms Chan, a second-time candidate, the PAP team for Aljunied GRC comprises four new faces – dental surgeon Faisal Abdul Aziz, 37; company director Adrian Ang, 42; urban planning consultancy chief Daniel Liu, 40; and trade unionist Jagathishwaran Rajo, 37.

They are up against the WP team of Mr Singh, 48; Ms Lim, 60; Mr Gerald Giam, 47; new face Kenneth Tiong, 36; and Mr Fadli Fawzi, 44, who contested Marine Parade GRC under the WP banner in 2020.

At GE2020, the WP clinched Aljunied with 59.95 per cent of the votes.

GE2025: WP taking ‘cavalier and irresponsible approach towards livelihood of S’poreans’, says PM Wong​

Ng Keng Gene and Zhaki Abdullah
Apr 29, 2025

SINGAPORE – Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has rebuked the WP’s ‘negative tone’ and ‘negative attacks’ in its criticism of Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong and his team, as well as his deployment in Punggol GRC.

“We may have our differences, but there is no need to go into negative attacks on individuals, especially (towards) someone like Gan Kim Yong, who has done so much for Singapore and he continues to do so. I made him my number two and my deputy because I’ve seen him in action. I know what he’s capable of,” said PM Wong.

He added: “It’s regretful and disappointing that the WP will make such negative attacks on someone who is spending so much time tackling national issues, trying to make things better, who has done so much for Singapore and continues to do so much for Singapore.”

“Let’s reject this kind of negative politics, you should be better than this.”

WP chief Pritam Singh and other WP candidates had taken swipes at the PAP’s team in Punggol at its rally on April 28.

On DPM Gan, Mr Singh said it was “very strange” that the Cabinet minister was not elected into the PAP’s latest central executive committee in 2024, and asked whether it could be because he was ready to retire and did not plan to run in this election.

“If so, can he be so critical to the PM’s plans?” he asked.

He also took a jab at DPM Gan’s comments at an earlier PAP rally in Punggol, where the Deputy Prime Minister said he would “talk to his good friend”, PM Wong, to get funds for infrastructure in the town.

“Do I need to be his friend for taxpayer funding to be allocated to Punggol? No,” Mr Singh said.

PM Wong said that while DPM Gan is a friend, he is also a key member of his team, adding that such senior ministers in the Cabinet bring with them experience and proven capabilities.

“They can think about new solutions that will improve things on the ground, innovative ways to get things done,” PM Wong said.

“They bring these up in our Cabinet meetings, we discuss, we share and we implement them. That’s how we improve things in Singapore. That’s how we have built today Singapore, and that’s how we will continue to make life better for Singaporeans,” he added.

In a surprise move, DPM Gan was confirmed as the anchor minister for the PAP’s team contesting the newly formed four-member constituency on April 23, Nomination Day.

The decision by Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean - the anchor minister for the former Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC - to step down left a gap in Punggol, Mr Wong explained.

Describing SM Teo as a heavyweight, Mr Wong said another heavyweight was needed to replace him, adding that Mr Gan had agreed to the request to head the PAP’s team in Punggol.

He pointed to Mr Gan’s co-chairmanship of the taskforce tackling the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as his current role chairing the Singapore Economic Resilience Taskforce – set up to help affected businesses and workers navigate the uncertainties sparked by US tariffs on Singapore goods.

Mr Wong also noted that as chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, DPM Gan allowed for the Insurance Act to be amended, giving the Government the legislative ability to put a stop to the deal between Income and German insurer Allianz after questions were raised about Income’s ability to continue its social mission after the sale

“Who in the WP team will take over all this work?,” he said, adding that such major national issues could not be treated lightly.

He suggested the WP had dropped its plans to contest Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC and “parachute” into Punggol as it had not anticipated the move to field DPM Gan in the new constituency.

“No doubt the WP would have preferred me to field a new minister here, or maybe even just go with the existing team and a new candidate,” he said. “Let’s be clear - WP didn’t step up, they stepped away from Marine Parade.”

PM Wong asked Singaporeans to “consider carefully” their choices in this election.

“Choose carefully. Vote with your heart. And if you believe that the PAP remains the best party to take Singapore forward, vote for the PAP,” he said.

Responding to a question on what he would like to say to first-time voters, PM Wong said he understands that the connection and the familiarity with the PAP may not be the same as with the older ones, and there may be sympathy for the underdog.

What I would appeal to younger and first-time voters is: Give me and my team a chance to work with you, to empower you, give you space and voice to make Singapore better and to pursue your dreams,” he said.

Mr Wong was speaking to the media on the sidelines of a walkabout at the One Punggol Hawker Centre on April 29.

He was with DPM Gan and the PAP’s candidates for Punggol GRC. Also present was Mr Alex Yam, one of the PAP’s candidates for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, and former Potong Pasir MP Mr Sitoh Yih Pin.

Mr Gan leads a team comprising Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information and Health Janil Puthucheary, Minister of State for Home Affairs and Social and Family Development Sun Xueling and National Trades Union Congress assistant secretary-general Yeo Wan Ling.

They face a WP team made up of senior counsel Harpreet Singh, ad tech firm senior director Alexis Dang, legal counsel Alia Mattar and corporate affairs senior manager Jackson Au.

Oppies must go! Form govt then cum and tok!

GE2025: Universal minimum wage will scare businesses amid economic uncertainty, says Tan See Leng​

Manpower Minister Tan See Leng (second from right), flanked by his fellow Chua Chu Kang GRC candidates (from left) Choo Pei Ling, Jeffrey Siow and Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim, speaking to the media during a walkabout on April 30.ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

Osmond Chia
Apr 30, 2025

SINGAPORE - Now is not the time to introduce a universal minimum wage policy as it will risk driving businesses away amid economic uncertainty in the light of the US tariffs, said Manpower Minister Tan See Leng on April 30.

“Currently, what is most important is to make sure that we are able to ensure that... our workers continue to have gainful, meaningful employment opportunities,” Dr Tan said during a walkabout at Chua Chu Kang GRC, which he is contesting.

“We think there’s a storm that lies ahead, and whatever study that people propose, there is a timing for everything,” added the anchor minister for the PAP team.

Dr Tan was responding to calls for a universal minimum wage policy made by the opposition PSP on the campaign trail.

The PSP, which is running against Dr Tan’s PAP team in the group representation constituency, has suggested setting a minimum monthly wage of $2,250 to help Singaporean workers cope with rising living costs.

One of PSP’s candidates for Chua Chu Kang GRC, Mr Lawrence Pek, had criticised the Government’s current wage policies as outdated and urged a review of the feasibility of implementing a universal minimum wage. Mr Pek was the former secretary-general of the Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF).

“Businesses are finding it very hard pressed, particularly with the uncertain economy, (to move) forward because of the tariff war,” said Dr Tan, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a walkabout at Lot One. “Now, if you impose anything, I think you’re going to really scare a lot of the businesses away.”

He said the Government has assembled the Singapore Economic Resilience Taskforce, led by Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, to look into the impacts that the tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump would have on Singapore.

The priority now is to ensure businesses are supported and that workers continue to have meaningful employment opportunities, said Dr Tan, who is also the Second Minister for Trade and Industry.

Dr Tan said that a one-size-fits-all approach will not work in Singapore. Instead, the Government has a toolbox of wage policies work in tandem to support lower-income workers.

It includes the Progressive Wage Model (PWM), first introduced in 2014, which Dr Tan said is more robust than a minimum wage policy. The PWM is an initiative that aims to sustainably raise lower-wage workers’ incomes by linking wage increases to skills upgrading, productivity improvements and career progression.

Dr Tan said: “As a result, there’s a very proper wage ladder, a career ladder which (businesses) can find is a more sustainable model.”

He added: “Mr Pek, he was formerly in the SMF. I think he may have only understood, in part, but not much depth, as to what our PWM is all about.”

Dr Tan also highlighted the existing Workfare Income Supplement, which complements the PWM. The scheme is designed to encourage Singaporean workers to build their Central Provident Fund savings, earning them cash payments and additional fund contributions.

He said: “We have a whole suite of measures available that we will be able to draw on very quickly.”

The salaries of lower-wage workers here have also risen faster compared to those of the workforce as a whole, said Dr Tan, referring to figures highlighted in Parliament in March to show the results of Singapore’s progressive wage efforts.

PAP’s candidate for Chua Chu Kang GRC Jeffrey Siow, who was formerly the permanent secretary at the trade and industry and manpower ministries, said the universal minimum wage risks raising business costs and could deter firms from hiring Singaporeans.

“I would suggest that it is worthwhile to ask companies themselves what they think of this proposal, perhaps ask the SMF,” said Mr Siow. Mr Siow had earlier referred to PSP’s policy proposal as more of a “political tool” than a practical solution.

With the hustings coming to its final day on May 1, Dr Tan said the PAP team, who are mostly new to the GRC, have focused on visiting markets, the MRT station and residents at their home to introduce themselves to voters.

His team includes incumbent Keat Hong MP Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim and new faces Dr Choo Pei Ling and Mr Siow.

Dr Tan said the team will come up with a 100-day plan to see how concerns raised by residents can be addressed, such as connectivity issues in Tengah, which will be prioritised.

Mr Pek, who was also at Lot One doing a walkabout with the PSP team in the evening of April 30, said he hoped the ongoing debate between parties during the hustings would raise greater awareness of the minimum wage policy.

“I stress, the socioeconomic situation in Singapore has changed dramatically over the last five years and is very different from all the labor policies that we had 10 years ago,” he said, repeating his call for a feasibility review on the universal minimum wage policy.

He was speaking alongside PSP teammates Ms Wendy Low, Mr A’bas Kasmani and Mr S. Nallakaruppan.

The team also pledged to tackle the rising cost of living and shortage of job opportunities — key concerns frequently raised by residents.

Ms Low, a lawyer, said the team plans to set up a studio to support both job seekers and mental well-being, and will tap on their networks of companies and contacts to connect residents with employment opportunities.

GE2025: Think of S’pore’s future, pick the right candidates, says PM Wong in last leg of hustings​

Goh Yan Han
Apr 30, 2025

SINGAPORE – Think about Singapore’s future in a changing world and choose the right candidates this election, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on April 30, the second-last day of the hustings.

He urged voters to consider three things, as the nation heads into the last stretch of campaigning.

“First, this election is about your future – for you, your families, your children, in a very changed world where we are facing serious and growing challenges,” said PM Wong, who was at a Tampines walkabout with PAP’s slates for Tampines GRC and Tampines Changkat SMC.

These challenges will have an impact on issues that matter deeply to Singaporeans, like cost-of-living, incomes, jobs and livelihoods; and or whether Singapore can even make a good living in this new world, he added.

His second point, reiterating his message from the past week of campaigning, was that the election is about choosing candidates who are honest, trustworthy and of good character who can serve in the constituencies and represent residents in Parliament.

Some of these candidates will form the leadership to govern Singapore and help to steer the country through the many storms it is facing and to take the nation to greater heights, said PM Wong.

“Thirdly, this election is about our ideals, what we want Singapore to be, the society that we envisage for ourselves, especially a harmonious, multiracial and multireligious society,” he said.

This was reminded to all in the middle of the campaign, he noted. On April 25, the authorities had moved to block three foreigners on social media for attempting to influence the election.

A day later, PM Wong called on the leaders of all political parties to clarify their stance on two fundamental principles: that identity politics has no place in Singapore, and that religion and politics should not mix.

“I’m glad everyone agrees that we should reject the mixing of race and religion into politics, and so I call on all Singaporeans to uphold these ideals of a multiracial and multireligious society and to uphold our harmony,” he said on April 30.

Such issues are always sensitive, and can get people riled up, said PM Wong.

But Singapore has come a long way in building a strong, multiracial and cohesive society as well as in forging a strong and enduring Singaporean identity, he said.

“I am confident that Singaporeans will understand what the issues are and what’s at stake, but in the end, Singaporeans will decide and we respect the wishes of Singaporeans in the election outcomes.”

The secretary-general of the PAP was making a visit to Tampines a day after he had visited Punggol and Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong had visited Aljunied and Tampines.

When asked by reporters why they were making these visits, PM Wong said the party takes the election seriously.

“We make sure that we present the best possible case to residents, and we go where we are needed, particularly the senior leaders… Wherever we are needed, we will be there to support our teams,” he said.

“It shows that we take the national election seriously but we also take the local, the constituency seriously, and we want to provide the assurance to all residents, including the residents here in Tampines, that they will have a good, strong team with the full capabilities of the PAP behind them to serve them and to make sure we improve their lives.”

PM Wong also spoke on the transformation of Tampines over the decades, with national infrastructure upgrades as well as local initiatives.

“This is what previous PAP teams have done, and I’m confident that this PAP team will continue to do the same, and there is so much more potential to continue making Tampines better,” he said.

“We know there are concerns, we know there are needs. We know there are improvements that can be made. We are doing it at the national level, but I’m sure we can also do more at the local level,” he added.

PM Wong also noted that resources for upgrading programmes are allocated to all constituencies, whether it is PAP or opposition-held.

But local representatives in the constituency can make an additional difference, he said.

Government-allocated resources are the minimum, and depending on the quality of the team, they can go well beyond the minimum with projects taken on with residents, he added.

Speaking to the media after PM Wong, Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli said the team plans to make Tampines a model town together with the inputs of residents.

If elected, he will appoint incumbent MP Baey Yam Keng to chair the Tampines Town Council, said Mr Masagos, who is leading the PAP’s Tampines GRC slate that also includes Senior Minister for Manpower and Sustainability and the Environment Koh Poh Koon and new faces Charlene Chen and David Neo.

They are facing a multi-cornered fight with line-ups from the Workers’ Party, National Solidarity Party and People’s Power Party.

GE2025: If ‘co-driver’ opposition wants a hand in steering, Singapore may crash, says Ong Ye Kung​

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said that when the opposition presence grows, it will become more than a co-driver to the ruling party, which is in the driver’s seat.ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
Zaihan Mohamed Yusof
May 01, 2025

SINGAPORE – Health Minister Ong Ye Kung believes that a strong PAP government with a constructive opposition as a check and balance makes for an effective system of governance.

But this is not the same as wanting a strong opposition, he said at a rally on April 30.

He was responding to an earlier statement by WP vice-chairman Faisal Manap, who is leading the party’s slate in Tampines GRC. Mr Faisal had thanked Mr Ong for supposedly agreeing that Singapore needs a “strong opposition”.

“I am afraid that he is badly mistaken,” said Mr Ong.

Instead, the Health Minister expressed his fear that Parliament could become mired in paralysis.

Using a co-driver analogy cited during the 2011 General Election, Mr Ong said that when the opposition presence grows, it will become more than a co-driver to the ruling party, which is in the driver’s seat.


If the PAP loses another three or four GRCs after the 2025 General Election, it is likely that the co-driver “will have one hand on the steering wheel and say, ‘I also want to drive’,” he said.

“It can become dangerous. We may be at risk of crashing. And if we crash, the co-driver will say, ‘It is not my fault, I am not the main driver’. I fear that this is where we are heading to.”

The desired outcome of any general election is not to have a certain number of opposition MPs, but to produce an effective system of government, he said.

He said: “Singapore is very small and that is a significant disadvantage. But we make it up by being fast and decisive. If we are small and yet slow and uncoordinated, we have the worst of both worlds.

“Then Singapore will be in trouble. So, never go there.”


Mr Ong is the anchor minister for the PAP team contesting Sembawang GRC, which also comprises Ms Mariam Jafaar, Mr Vikram Nair, Mr Ng Shi Xuan and Mr Gabriel Lam.

The team was at a rally held at Evergreen Primary to support Sembawang West SMC’s PAP candidate, Ms Poh Li San.

The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) is contesting in both Sembawang GRC and Sembawang West SMC.

At the rally, Mr Ong also criticised the SDP’s healthcare proposals.

Noting that SDP’s Professor Paul Tambyah, an infectious diseases expert, expressed his desire to be the health minister in a recent podcast, Mr Ong said it was important to understand what Prof Tambyah’s healthcare proposals entail.

Repeating an explanation he made earlier in an interview, Mr Ong said that today, a hospital bill is paid in three parts – namely a government subsidy, a health insurance claim through MediShield Life and then MediSave.

“It is like a stool with three legs, and it is stable.”

But he said that the SDP has proposed a single-payer system, which means “you chop off two legs”, he said.

“From what Prof Paul Tambyah has said over the past couple of days, the one leg they want to keep is national health insurance. And Prof Tambyah said this insurance will be bigger than MediShield Life,” said Mr Ong, adding that it will cover both private and public healthcare.

If the Government were to take SDP’s suggestion, insurance premiums would be “super high”, he said.

He added that there is also a risk that premiums will continue to rise sharply, given the buffet syndrome. “(Since) you paid the restaurant one time, might as well eat as much as you can.”

Another key healthcare proposal from the SDP, he noted, was to merge Singapore’s three current healthcare clusters – National Healthcare Group, Singapore Health Services and National University Health System – into one to save costs.

But this would be very unsettling to the staff involved and if the SDP is thinking of merging to cut costs, this would mean a lot of retrenchments, Mr Ong said.


The SDP also proposed nationalising mental health treatment, but Mr Ong said the help that people with mental health conditions need, such as more sleep, exercise or social engagement, could come from the community, through groups like social organisations or schools.

“You don’t really nationalise these community groups,” he said.

The minister told the crowd that an important part of his job during an election is to scrutinise statements and proposals from the opposition to let voters know why they do not work or may even do more harm than good.

“Actually, I suspect that the opposition knows that our current policies are sound, well thought through and tested.”

He urged voters to hold opposition candidates to certain standards, and said: “If the PAP has no blank cheque this GE, shouldn’t the opposition have no free pass?”

He added that opposition candidates must have good character, honesty and integrity, demonstrate an ability to run a town council as well as be able to come up with alternative policies that are sound and coherent.

GE2025: ‘Plain and simple’ electioneering to state losing ministers won’t weaken Govt, says ESM Goh​

Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and Manpower Minister Tan See Leng greeting supporters before a PAP rally at Keat Hong Plaza on April 26.ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG

Angelica Ang
May 01, 2025


SINGAPORE - The opposition’s assertions that the PAP government will not be weakened if it loses ministers is “plain and simple” electioneering that misleads voters, said Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.

In a Facebook post on April 30, ESM Goh used the analogy of a football team to refer to Singapore’s political office-holders.

“If four seasoned members of a football team’s starting 11 are absent, will the team be weaker? According to the Opposition, the answer is ‘no’. Because you can use the reserves, they say,” he wrote.

“How can that be? Even with capable substitutes, nothing beats having your first team on the field,” he said.

ESM Goh, who was Singapore’s second prime minister, painted the scenario of the WP winning all 26 seats it is contesting at the general election, and the PSP winning five seats in West Coast-Jurong West GRC.

This would result in a “scoreline” of 66 PAP MPs and 31 opposition MPs, ESM Goh noted.


The WP is fielding 26 candidates in three SMCs and five GRCs, including East Coast GRC, Punggol GRC and Tampines GRC.

The PAP losing in these eight constituencies and West Coast-Jurong West would mean the loss of 10 political office-holders, ESM Goh said.

These include four seasoned ministers – Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong who is contesting Punggol GRC, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong in East Coast GRC, Social and Family Development Minister Masagos Zulkifli in Tampines GRC and National Development Minister Desmond Lee in West Coast-Jurong West GRC.

“This will undeniably hamstring PM Wong for the upcoming term of government. He will find it difficult to play against other teams on the global stage,” he said.

“In a world at risk of becoming ‘might is right’, we need the strongest team for our little red dot.”

ESM Goh, in an April 25 Facebook post, made the point that voters have to decide between having more opposition in Parliament and a weaker government, or giving PM Wong and the PAP a strong mandate to govern Singapore.

On April 30, he said: “Singapore deserves the best team to lead us domestically and internationally. It also deserves honest political debate.”

Forum: Seniors should realise a vote is for their future and future generations​

May 01, 2025

The other Sunday, at a foodcourt, I was taken aback when a group of seniors expressed nonchalance about the general election.

Their attitude towards the GE2025 was one of apathy as they had the notion that it is the Government’s responsibility to take care of them during their later years, regardless of which party rules.

They were seemingly more concerned about their well-being and not the well-being of future generations.

As a senior myself, I am worried not only about ageing well, but also my adult children’s job security and family commitments.

To some elderly people, such thoughts may appear distant but don’t they realise the world is uncertain and unstable, and the unexpected has happened?

Seniors should understand that every vote for the right political party is a vote not only for their future but also for future generations.

Jeffrey Law Lee Beng

True Believer said:

The scare tactics adopted by the PAP are used to sway voters one way or another: preying on our fears, biases, insecurities and personal beliefs. Through such tactics, many S'poreans may be driven toward the purpose of the ruling party towards a destructive end for the electorate, but the gain of such a govt.

Click to expand...

Many many big ego saw hei can felt insulted de woh

LITTLEREDDOT said:

GE2025: Global economic uncertainty is no ordinary storm but tidal wave of change, says DPM Gan​

DPM 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
Ng Keng Gene and Harith Mustaffa
Apr 27, 2025


SINGAPORE – The global economic uncertainty triggered by the United States’ move to impose tariffs on its trading partners is no ordinary storm but a tidal wave of change, said Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong.

Speaking at a PAP rally at Yusof Ishak Secondary School on April 26, Mr Gan questioned critics who said the ruling party’s reaction to the American tariffs is overblown.

He added that the uncertainties the nation is facing will have long-term implications for Singapore as a trading hub.

He said: “Some have said the PAP’s reaction to the US tariff announcement is overblown, that we are sending a message of fear, and there is no need to worry because Singapore has weathered bigger storms before.

“But really, are you sure this is just another storm? This is no ordinary storm. This is a tidal wave of change.”

Singaporeans are worried, and businesses are feeling the impact of market uncertainties, with some multinational corporations (MNCs) rethinking their investment plans and their presence in the country, he added.

“Supply chains may be further reconfigured. And with these uncertainties, businesses have paused their investments and have also slowed down their hiring,” said Mr Gan, 66, who is also the Trade and Industry Minister.

Many people are wondering about job security, but there is no need to fear, he added. The Government, he said, rolled out a “comprehensive Budget” earlier this year to help Singaporeans face the uncertainties ahead.

For instance, Singaporeans looking for jobs can tap schemes like the SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support scheme and career conversion programmes.

Mr Gan said: “We may not be able to save every job, but we intend to protect every worker. We will uplift you, we will help you bounce back stronger than before.

“As Prime Minister Lawrence Wong promised, we will do more if necessary. The PAP has your back.”

Although it is election season, the work of governing Singapore continues, and the PAP government is clear on what it needs to do, added Mr Gan, who chairs the Singapore Economic Resilience Taskforce that aims to help navigate the uncertainties caused by US tariffs.

Trade talks with his American counterparts are ongoing, he said, and this is possible because of the longstanding ties the PAP government has with the US administration.

“They know us and they trust us, and this mutual trust is most critical in times of crisis, for us to be able to come together, to talk with one another and to negotiate.”

He added that the Americans are prepared to find a way to get Singapore’s critical exports to the US.

He did not provide further details on trade talks because of the need for confidentiality.

Mr Gan made his foray into politics in 2001 and is an incumbent Chua Chu Kang GRC MP. He was moved to helm the PAP team in Punggol on Nomination Day, in a last-minute surprise move.

He was the last speaker at the rally, rounding off a slate that included Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean and members of the PAP team for Punggol – Ms Yeo Wan Ling, Ms Sun Xueling and Dr Janil Puthucheary.

They are facing off against a WP team made up of four first-time candidates. They are: senior counsel Harpreet Singh, advertising tech firm senior director Alexis Dang, legal counsel Alia Mattar, and Mr Jackson Au, senior manager of corporate affairs and marketing with the London Stock Exchange Group.

Speaking to reporters after submitting his nomination papers on April 23, Mr Gan said that although he is new to Punggol, he is a “fast learner”, and will “learn as fast as I can”.

He said at the rally that in the last three days of campaigning, he had met residents from all walks of life to better understand their aspirations, desires and concerns, and observed three things about Punggol.

First, it has many multi-generational families. Second, residents have a strong sense of ownership and connection to the town. Third, Punggol has been designed creatively, allowing residents to work, live and play in it.

“Punggol is a ‘wow’ town,” he said.

The town has, in under two decades, become a shining model for the heartland, and a neighbourhood that many young families can be proud to call home.

He said: “We are a young and growing new town. There is much we have done together, but yet there is much more that we can work and do together, with you, and for you.”

For instance, residents have asked him for more covered linkways, he said.

“I will talk to my good friend, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who is also Finance Minister, to see if we can get more money to build some of these necessary infrastructure,” he said.

The project will involve significant work with various agencies and the town council, he added.


Asking for residents’ support, Mr Gan said Dr Janil, Ms Sun and Ms Yeo have nearly 30 years of combined experience in running a town council, and he brings another 24 years to the mix.

Dr Janil, 52, who is an incumbent Pasir Ris-Punggol MP, said the team does not believe in making unbelievable promises, but has a humble understanding of the hard work and determination to serve the people.

Ms Sun, 45, who has overseen Punggol West since she entered politics in 2015, said there were no facilities in the estate when she became an MP a decade ago.

As she wanted to make sure children in Punggol had as good a start as the other children in the rest of Singapore, she started a container library.

She said: “In Punggol, we spare no effort in galvanising community resources. We want to create conditions for our children to thrive and to flourish.

“Recently, I updated our Punggol parents that we will have a new primary school, a new secondary school and a junior college in Punggol.”

Ms Yeo, 48, who is seeking a second term in Parliament, said she has spoken up for platform workers, many of whom live in Punggol.

She said: “They deserve fair compensation, injury protection and adequate CPF contributions. And these issues aren’t abstract policy matters to me.

“They are about real people in Punggol whose dignity and livelihoods are at stake – that is the perspective I bring to Parliament.”

Click to expand...

That mean they also have no idea how to deal with it?