WP opposing for the sake of opposing: Yeo Guat Kwang

SINGAPORE — People’s Action Party (PAP) Aljunied candidate Yeo Guat Kwang today (Sept 9) hit out at the Workers’ Party’s (WP) posturing, arguing that it is opposing for the sake of doing so.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a visit to Kovan market, Mr Yeo noted that the WP’s Members of Parliament (MPs) have been in the House for some years, and are aware of the Government’s efforts and the limitations to resolve certain issues. 

Among the issues raised by the WP during the hustings are topics that have been debated before in Parliament, Mr Yeo said. For example, the WP has called for larger childcare centres to improve the affordability and accessibility of childcare in its manifesto. Mr Yeo pointed out that the PAP Government has already committed to building more centres. But, the problem is the manpower crunch when it comes to hiring teachers, and the authorities are already tapping sources such as seniors and housewives.

On the WP’s proposal to taper population growth to around 5.8 million by 2030, Mr Yeo stressed that the 6.9 million figure in the Population White Paper was meant as a planning parameter, and the Government intends for the population to grow to around 6.5 million. When the White Paper was debated in Parliament in 2013, the Government had felt that the WP’s proposal was not tenable as it would result in a slowing economy and foreigner inflow to be cut to zero. 

The WP has not addressed the crux of the problem, said Mr Yeo. “Currently, our small and medium enterprises already cannot bear (with the fact) that we are tightening foreign manpower growth. If we stop approving new foreign worker applications altogether ... is this possible?” 

With economic growth moderating, jobs here would be affected if the economy slows further. Mr Yeo said: “The Opposition knows this, but what makes me disheartened is that to achieve their current purpose, they purposely conceal the important issues and try to distort emotions.”