General Election is upon us now and it’s time to get educated on the different political parties that will be contesting in the upcoming election.
Who are they? What do they stand for? What is their track record?
In this series, we will cover everything you need to know about the party so you can have a better understanding of what they’re about before you cast your votes.
Following our breakdown of the other political parties in Singapore, we are casting the spotlight on the People’s Power Party (PPP) this time round.
A Quick History Of PPP
GE 2020 will be the PPP’s second time contesting in the elections, after its inception in 2015.
The party’s founder and Secretary-General is veteran opposition politician Goh Meng Seng.
Goh had previously served in the incumbent opposition, Workers’ Party (WP) before joining the National Solidarity Party (NSP) as its Secretary General.
In GE 2011, Goh contested as the team leader for Tampines GRC. After the election, he left the NSP and reemerged in 2015, announcing that he would be setting up the PPP.
He cited the death of Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, as one of the key reasons for starting the party.
This election is Goh’s fourth and final contest in a General Election. The managing director of The Whiz Group had announced that this year will be his last time running.
This comes 14 years after he made his political debut in 2006, where he contested with the Workers’ Party in Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC).
What Do They Stand For?
PPP is a democratic socialist party, with the mission to develop a One United Singapore.
The party believes in the separation of five powers — executive, legislative, judiciary, impeachment and selection, in order to achieve long-term stability in Singapore.
Goh released the party’s manifesto in a Facebook post on 27 June 2020, and unveiled the party’s slogan for the election: “Strong United Parliament”.
The party leader also has a vision for the MacPherson Single Member Constituency (SMC), which he will be contesting in.
His plan includes redevelopment and upgrading schemes for housing estates, meeting the needs of the elderly through a free community services, and greater poverty and social welfare services.
In his constituency political broadcast for MacPherson SMC on 5 July 2020, Goh said that the lack of a “strong parliament” in Singapore has led to the existence of “policy flaws”.
During the speech, he mentioned that jobs are the top priority for him, as Singapore’s liberal foreign talent policy has made companies “unwilling to hire and groom Singapore workers”. He also urged for reforms to the Central Provident Fund (CPF) and healthcare policy.
He ended off his speech by asking Singaporeans to vote him into parliament “as part of an effort to build a strong Parliament for our nation”.
What Do S’poreans Think About PPP?
Since its inception in 2015, the party has only contested in one GRC in GE 2015, and might thus be perceived as a new and inexperienced party by its fellow Singaporeans.
Goh looks poised to appeal to the older voters with his promises to represent their interests in Parliament.
His plan for the MacPherson SMC also includes various community and welfare services which largely target the ageing population in the area.
However, he has recently received flak from the public about his Facebook posts insulting other opposition parties.
His comments in 2018 on how the repeal of the Penal Code 377A should be accompanied with laws that deter the promotion of homosexuality also signals a debatable level of support for the LGBTQIA+ community.
Past General Election Results
The relatively young party contested for the Chua Chu Kang GRC, a four-member GRC, in GE 2015.
Party leader Goh was fielded together with candidates Lee Tze Shih, Low Wai Choo, and former NSP member Syafarin Sarif. The team was up against the ruling PAP team led by Health Minister Gan Kim Yong.
The party amassed 23.1 per cent of the vote, or 25,460 votes.
It was defeated by the PAP team which garnered with 76.9 per cent of the vote, or 84,731 votes.
Where Will They Be Contesting?
This year, PPP’s Secretary General Goh Meng Seng is set to be the sole candidate fielded by the party.
He will be contesting in the MacPherson Single Member Constituency (SMC) against PAP’s Tin Pei Ling.
Disclaimer: Vulcan Post does not support or endorse any political parties
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Featured Image Credit: ScoopNest
