NSP urges voters to keep their focus on national issues
NSP Sembawang GRC candidate Spencer Ng at the party’s rally opposite Block 687A, Woodlands Drive 75 yesterday. Mr Ng said voters can defend their own rights by electing the Opposition. Photo: KOH MUI FONG
SINGAPORE — The People’s Action Party (PAP) is trying to make this election about municipal issues, but Singaporeans must not fall into this trap and lose sight of the national issues at hand, said National Solidarity Party (NSP) acting secretary-general Lim Tean at his first rally speech yesterday.
Mr Lim, who was the last of nine speakers at the party’s first rally, which took place on Woodlands Drive 75 in Sembawang Group Representation Constituency (GRC), called on voters to elect candidates who will best represent them on critical issues such as the rising cost of living.
“If we were electing estate managers to run your estate, I will be the first to admit I am not qualified,” said Mr Lim, who is standing in Tampines GRC.
Describing the PAP manifesto as one that dwelt upon “misguided nostalgia” for the past 50 years and fear-mongering, Mr Lim said: “Do not fall into the trap of the PAP, who are trying to persuade you to ignore national issues and to concentrate on local issues.”
He added: “When you forget national issues, when your Members of Parliament do not speak up for you in Parliament on national issues, what do you get? You get an influx of foreign workers, you get overpopulation, you get (the) relentlessly rising cost of living, and you get policies like no withdrawal of CPF (Central Provident Fund) upon hitting 55, which is what all Singaporeans agreed to originally,” said Mr Lim.
In subsequent NSP rallies for the rest of the campaign period, Mr Lim said he would be elaborating on issues such as the CPF and the influx of foreigners and their impact on Singaporeans’ job security.
“We will allow PAP to talk about issues that are not relevant to people’s lives if they want to,” said Mr Lim.
The NSP candidates who spoke yesterday included party president and Tampines GRC candidate Sebastian Teo, who called the Pioneer Generation Package an attempt by the PAP to woo older voters back into supporting them.
NSP candidate for Sembawang GRC Ms Kevryn Lim, who at 26 years old is the party’s youngest candidate, criticised the PAP for failing to listen to the people and for leaning too much on its past achievements.
“I am very young, and I have my own opinions, but that doesn’t mean that I only do what I want to do. I like to listen to the opinions of others, whether it’s from people who support or oppose me, because I know I can learn more, and learn how to solve problems,” said Ms Lim in Mandarin. “But the Government now does not listen to you. That is why you have to vote us into Parliament, so that we can be your voice.”
She added: “The PAP keeps praising itself for what it has achieved these past 50 years and how well it has done. We thank them, and without them we wouldn’t have Singapore as we know it today. But now, it is the year 2015. We should set our sights on the future.”
Mr Spencer Ng, who is also standing in Sembawang GRC, also urged people to vote for the Opposition, adding that Singaporeans should not let the PAP “have the absolute power to do whatever they want, whenever they want, in Parliament”.
“If we keep condoning the PAP’s policies to carry on, then we deserve to be replaced by foreigners ... commonly known as foreign talent, because we are not doing anything to defend our own rights. It is your duty and my duty to make sure this does not happen,” said Mr Ng.
