SDP gears up for GE with pre-election rally at Hong Lim Park
The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) is planning a pre-election rally at Hong Lim Park and have identified three issues it will tackle in the upcoming general election.
Last Saturday, at a media briefing to announce the launch of its revamped website, which will go live today, SDP shared some details on its election strategy.
The briefing was hosted by SDP's vice-chairman John Tan and Mr Benjamin Pwee at their Ang Mo Kio office.
Mr Tan said the rally on Oct 19 will feature speeches by some party members. And the speakers will focus on three main topics - "no to 9 per cent goods and services tax (GST)", "no to 10 million resident population" and "no to the retention of Central Provident Fund (CPF) savings".
Associate Professor Alan Chong from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies told The New Paper that the topics were relevant and important to Singaporeans.
He said: "The middle class in Singapore is under extreme economic pressures, and the SDP agenda looks to be promising.
"The GST is something Singaporeans are looking to save up on; and the population pressure is an issue that never goes away."
Prof Chong added that the three issues would hit a nerve with the middle-class young people, which includes fresh graduates, or those who were about to graduate, who might have trouble finding jobs.
Associate Professor Tan Ern Ser, department of sociology, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, agreed that the topics about GST and CPF savings might gain some traction.
But he pointed out the PAP Government had been conscientiously responding to these issues.
He added while it was not too early for SDP to gear up its efforts, particularly with the elections on the horizon, the momentum must be sustained.
"And if its message is constantly reinforced or elaborated on from now till election time, it may establish a foothold in the minds of voters. This will serve as a lens by which they assess the messages coming from other parties," he aid.
On Sept 28, the SDP will also be launching its manifesto, The Way Forward, in the form of a coffee-table book with a print run of 3,000 copies.
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