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53% of people polled think that Pritam Singh is exceeding expectations as an MP
A student felt that he consistently looks out for Singaporeans and offers practical solutions.
MS Polls: How has Pritam Singh been performing as an MP?
More than half of respondents in a recent Answers.sg survey believe that Pritam Singh is performing better than expected in his role as a Member of Parliament (MP).The poll, which garnered a total of 1,323 votes, asked respondents how well they think Pritam Singh is performing as an MP.
Among those who voted, 53% said the leader of the Workers’ Party (WP) is “exceeding expectations”, making it the most popular response.
Meanwhile, 24% felt that he is “meeting expectations,” and 23% believed his performance is “below expectations”.
The results suggest that a majority of respondents view Mr Singh’s work in parliament positively.
Majority feel Pritam Singh is doing well as an MP
Mr Singh has been one of the most prominent opposition figures in the country in recent years.His role involves scrutinising government policies, debating legislation, and representing residents in his constituency — Aljunied GRC.
Source:: Source: The Workers’ Party on Facebook
Following the WP’s strong showing in the 2020 General Election, Mr Singh had also held the official title of Leader of the Opposition.
However, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has since removed him from that position earlier this year, following Mr Singh’s court conviction in relation to ex-WP MP Raeesah Khan’s lie in Parliament in 2021.
Some respondents also feel that Mr Singh has performed strongly in debates and policy discussions, helping to strengthen the presence of the opposition in Parliament.
Source: MDDI Singapore on YouTube
During the Budget debate in February, he proposed allocating more Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers to larger families, arguing that households with more members tend to face higher living costs and may benefit from additional support.
“I can tell that Mr Singh really cares about Singaporeans, especially when it comes to issues like the CDC vouchers where he proposed an additional S$150 per person for households with more than three members, which offers practical support for larger families,” said Patty Lim (not her real name), 21, a student.
Some feel he is a ‘decent’ MP
While a large majority rated Mr Singh highly, about one in four respondents (24%) felt he is simply meeting expectations.This group may feel that Singh is performing adequately in his role but has not necessarily exceeded what they expected from an opposition MP.
Source: Pritam Singh on Facebook
For some voters, expectations of an MP (be it ruling party or opposition) may include:
- Raising issues in Parliament
- Engaging residents in their constituencies
- Offering alternative policy perspectives
Source: Pritam Singh on Facebook
“He also requested a ‘report card’ of past Budgets, which I think is important for transparency. It would help Singaporeans have a clearer picture of what has been done and what improvements are being made in our country,” Ms Lim said.
“Overall, I think he’s performing quite decently as an MP because he consistently looks out for Singaporeans and offers practical solutions.”
Nearly a quarter of respondents not convinced
However, some respondents found Mr Singh’s performance unconvincing. 23% of voters said he is performing below expectations as an MP.“I’ve listened to what Pritam has to say in Parliament, and while he speaks really well, I’m still not fully convinced he’s the right person to represent Singaporeans,” Belinda Lim (not her real name), 45, said.
Source: Pritam Singh on Facebook
“At this stage in my life, I value stability and practical solutions but I’m not sure I’m seeing enough of that yet,” added Ms Lim, who works in the tourism industry.
Criticism of political figures can stem from a variety of reasons, including disagreement with policy positions, parliamentary conduct, or broader political views.
On 15 Jan, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong declared that he would immediately relieve Workers’ Party leader Pritam Singh of his position as Leader of the Opposition.
Source: Lawrence Wong on Facebook
And even as he continues his parliamentary work, Mr Singh has also faced additional scrutiny outside Parliament.
The Law Society of Singapore has also commenced disciplinary proceedings against him.
Source: Google Maps
For 47-year-old Jonathan Tan (not his real name) who works in the service industry, these developments have not worked in Mr Singh’s favour.
“I don’t really have an opinion of Pritam Singh from an Aljunied GRC perspective, but I feel that his work has been distracted by all the court cases thrown his way,” he said.
“WP has made some mistakes, and cracks have appeared… I think he could have contributed much more if not for these distractions.”
Mixed sentiments but mostly positive
Taken as a whole, the results show that 77% of respondents feel Mr Singh is at least meeting expectations, indicating a positive general sentiment overall.However, the fact that almost a quarter of the respondents selected “below expectations” suggests that opinions about the opposition MP remain divided among the public.
Nevertheless, the results highlight the level of interest Singaporeans have in political leadership and parliamentary performance.
With Mr Singh continuing to play a key role in Singapore’s opposition landscape, his performance as an MP and party leader will likely remain closely watched in the years ahead.
Featured image adapted from Pritam Singh on Facebook & The Workers’ Party on Facebook.
