SDP reminded supporters that Ong Ye Kung moved from Aljunied to Sembawang GRC
At a recent rally on 24 April, Health Minister Ong Ye Kungaccused Singapore Democratic Party (SDP)chief Dr Chee Soon Juan of “packing up and leaving” Bukit Batok after the constituency was dissolved and merged into a GRC.
The Minister added that Dr Chee should have stayed and contested in Jurong East–Bukit Batok GRC if he was truly committed.
SDP candidates have since rebuked Mr Ong’s characterisation of Dr Chee’s departure, describing it as “tactics of a playground bully”.
“You simply erase the hard work of Dr Chee … by resorting to tactics of a playground bully”
A number of SDP candidates responded to Mr Ong’s criticism during the party’s rally on Friday (25 April) night.
“You simply erase the hard work of Dr Chee for the last 10 years, winning the hearts and minds of Bukit Batok residents, by resorting to tactics of a playground bully,” said Damanhuri Abas, who is contesting in Sembawang GRC.
Source: The Straits Times on YouTube
Damanhuri also pointed to what he called “an uneven political playing field”, alluding to gerrymandering:
Sadly, we are still dealing with a reality that allows the PAP to maintain an uneven political playing field where they can move the goal post.
Ong left Aljunied but “parachuted” into Sembawang: James Gomez
Fellow SDP candidate James Gomez also criticised Ong’s remarks, referencing the Minister’s move from Aljunied GRC to Sembawang GRC after the 2011 General Election.
“Ong should ask himself why he abandoned his Aljunied family, and why other PAP MPs move around different constituencies. Let’s be reminded — Ong lost in Aljunied in 2011, and he parachuted in 2015 into a Sembawang GRC whose boundary was redrawn,” said Gomez.
Source: CNA on YouTube
He added that SDP’s engagement in Sembawang spanned two decades, dismissing accusations of opportunism.
Foreign population surge hurts mental health & quality of life: Dr Chee
Moving on to policies, Dr Chee focused on what he called an “existential” challenge of Singapore’s population growth.
“We have an existential problem in our country, and if we continue to allow the PAP to bring in more and more foreigners, our problems of mental health, cost of living, overcrowding, environmental degradation, and overall quality of life are all going to worsen,” he said.
Source: @cheesoonjuan on Instagram
Chee also pointed out that Singapore is now the third most densely populated country in the world, and that population growth was “fuelled by the increase in foreigners.”
“If foreigners are here to put the icing on the cake, to help us excel in a certain industry or sector – in other words, supplement our economy – it wouldn’t be so hard to swallow,” said Chee.
“It is the irrational, the irresponsible immigration policy of the PAP that we are questioning.”
Politics is undermining our healthcare: Prof Tambyah
SDP chairperson Prof Paul Tambyahturned the focus to healthcare.
Prof Tambyah is a senior consultant in the division of infectious diseases at the National University Hospital. He is also a professor at the National University of Singapore’s Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine.
“I have said many times — we have some of the world’s best doctors, nurses and allied health professionals. We also have good healthcare administrators. But the problem is the political environment under which they operate,” he said.
Also read: ‘He packed up and left’: Ong Ye Kung slams SDP’s Chee Soon Juan for ‘abandoning’ Bukit Batok SMC
‘He packed up and left’: Ong Ye Kung slams SDP’s Chee Soon Juan for ‘abandoning’ Bukit Batok SMC
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Featured image adapted from CNA on YouTubeand Ong Ye Kung on Facebook.
