The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) released its manifesto for Singapore's 2025 General Election under the slogan “Thrive, Not Just Survive,” presenting a comprehensive set of policy proposals to address key national issues.

1. Cost of Living

The SDP highlights Singapore’s rising cost of living, driven by high housing prices, healthcare costs, and regressive taxation like the Goods and Services Tax (GST). The party critiques policies that burden the middle and lower classes while wealth concentrates among the elite.

• Tax Reforms:
  • Abolish GST on essential items (e.g., food, medicine, school supplies) to reduce costs of necessities. No specific list of items or fiscal impact estimate is provided.
  • Increase income tax on the top 1% of earners to fund social programs. No tax rate or revenue target is specified.
  • Reinstate estate duty to address wealth inequality. No thresholds, rates, or expected revenue are detailed.
• Ministerial Salary Reduction:
  • Cut ministerial salaries significantly, redirecting savings to aid lower-income households. No specific reduction amount or savings estimate is provided (current ministerial salaries: ~S$1.1M–S$3.2M annually, 2022 data).
• Minimum Wage:
  • Introduce a minimum wage to ensure a living wage. No specific wage amount (e.g., S$2,000/month) or implementation timeline is stated.
• Economic Transparency:
  • Enhance transparency in managing national reserves to ensure equitable use. No mechanisms (e.g., audits, parliamentary oversight) or reserve figures are specified.

Policy Area	Key Proposal	Intended Impact
Taxation	Abolish GST on essentials, tax top 1%, reinstate estate duty	Reduce regressive tax burden, fund social programs
Salaries	Cut ministerial salaries	Redirect funds to aid the poor
Wages	Introduce minimum wage	Ensure dignified living standards
Reserves	Increase transparency	Promote equitable use of public funds

2. Housing

The SDP criticizes the high cost of Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats, driven by land costs and the 99-year lease decay issue. The party proposes restructuring the housing system to prioritize affordability and sustainability.

• Non-Open Market (NOM) Scheme:
  • Cap HDB flat prices at S$270,000, excluding land costs, with flats sold back to HDB upon resale to maintain affordability. No details on flat types (e.g., 3-room, 4-room) or locations covered are provided (2024 BTO prices: ~S$300,000–S$600,000).
• Voluntary En-bloc Redevelopment Scheme (VERS):
  • Introduce a sustainable VERS to address lease decay, enabling collective redevelopment. No specifics on funding, scale, or eligible estates are mentioned.
• Increase Housing Supply:
  • Build more affordable flats to meet demand, reducing waiting times and prices. No specific figure for annual flat supply (e.g., 20,000 flats/year, as in 2024 HDB data) or demand metrics (e.g., marriage rates) is provided.

Policy Area	Key Proposal	Intended Impact
NOM Scheme	Cap HDB flats at S$270,000, exclude land costs	Make housing affordable, curb speculation
VERS	Sustainable en-bloc redevelopment	Address lease decay, maintain affordability
Supply	Build more flats	Reduce waiting times, stabilize prices

3. Jobs and Wages

The SDP aims to prioritize Singaporeans in employment, reduce reliance on foreign labor, and address wage stagnation, particularly for Professionals, Managers, Executives, and Technicians (PMETs), in a workforce where foreign workers comprise ~39% (2024 data).

• Minimum Wage:
  • Implement a minimum wage to ensure a living wage. No specific amount or benchmark (e.g., S$2,000/month) is provided.
• Talent Track Scheme:
  • Introduce a points-based system for foreign PMETs, prioritizing Singaporeans for hiring and retrenchment protection. No criteria (e.g., skills, experience) or quotas are specified.
• Foreign Labor Reduction:
  • Gradually reduce reliance on foreign workers to create opportunities for Singaporeans. No target percentage (e.g., from 39% to 30%) or timeline is stated.
• CPF Minimum Sum Reform:
  • Eliminate the CPF Minimum Sum Scheme (Full Retirement Sum: ~S$213,000, 2024) to provide retirement flexibility. No alternative savings mechanism is proposed.

Policy Area	Key Proposal	Intended Impact
Wages	Minimum wage	Ensure fair compensation
Employment	Talent Track Scheme, prioritize Singaporeans	Protect local job opportunities
Foreign Labor	Reduce reliance	Increase jobs for Singaporeans
CPF	Scrap Minimum Sum Scheme	Enhance retirement flexibility

4. Social Safety Net

The SDP seeks to strengthen social support, focusing on healthcare, marginalized communities, and gender equality, replacing complex schemes with accessible programs.

• National Health Investment Fund (NHIF):
  • Replace the 3M system (Medisave, Medishield, Medifund) with NHIF, where citizens contribute a fixed monthly amount, and the government funds the rest via taxes. No contribution amount (e.g., S$50/month) or total cost estimate is provided.
  • Make maternal and pediatric care mostly free. No scope (e.g., age limit for pediatric care) or budget is specified.
• Malay Community Upliftment:
  • Implement a 10-point plan to address economic inequality, education access, and discrimination. No specific actions (e.g., scholarship funding, employment quotas) or metrics are detailed.
• Gender Equality:
  • Promote women’s rights via the SDP Women’s Wing, focusing on healthcare, work-life balance, and anti-discrimination. No specific programs (e.g., subsidies, leave policies) or funding is outlined.

Policy Area	Key Proposal	Intended Impact
Healthcare	NHIF, free maternal/pediatric care	Reduce medical costs, support families
Malay Community	10-point upliftment plan	Address inequality, promote inclusion
Gender Equality	Women’s Wing initiatives	Enhance women’s rights, work-life balance

5. Education

The SDP critiques Singapore’s exam-driven education system for fostering stress and inequality, proposing reforms to prioritize holistic development.

• Abolish PSLE:
  • Eliminate the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) to reduce student stress. No replacement assessment (e.g., portfolios) or transition plan is detailed.
• Smaller Class Sizes:
  • Reduce class sizes to improve learning. No target size (e.g., from 33.6 to 25 for primary, 2023 data) or funding estimate is provided.
• Holistic Curriculum:
  • Emphasize critical thinking, creativity, and socio-emotional skills. No specific curriculum changes or teacher training plans are outlined.
• Equal Opportunities:
  • Address socio-economic disparities in education. No interventions (e.g., subsidies) or disparity metrics (e.g., low-income student percentage) are specified.

Policy Area	Key Proposal	Intended Impact
PSLE	Abolish PSLE	Reduce exam stress, promote holistic growth
Class Sizes	Smaller classes	Enhance personalized learning
Curriculum	Focus on critical thinking, creativity	Prepare students for diverse futures
Equity	Address disparities	Ensure equal educational opportunities

6. Governance

The SDP addresses concerns over the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) dominance and restrictions on freedom of expression, seeking to enhance transparency and civil liberties.

• Ministerial Salaries:
  • Reduce ministerial salaries to align with public service ethos. No specific reduction amount is provided.
• Freedom of Speech:
  • Reform laws like the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) to protect constitutional rights. No specific mechanisms (e.g., judicial oversight) are detailed.
• Constitutional Reforms:
  • Strengthen civil liberties through constitutional amendments. No specific articles or amendments are specified.
• Government-Linked Companies (GLCs):
  • Divest inefficient GLCs to foster competition. No list of targeted GLCs or economic impact estimates is provided.
• Regional Democratic Partnerships:
  • Foster partnerships with democratic neighbors (e.g., Malaysia, Indonesia). No specific agreements or initiatives are outlined.

Policy Area	Key Proposal	Intended Impact
Salaries	Reduce ministerial salaries	Promote public service ethos
Free Speech	Reform POFMA, protect rights	Enhance democratic expression
Constitution	Strengthen civil liberties	Foster open society
GLCs	Divest inefficient GLCs	Promote market competition
Regional Ties	Democratic partnerships	Strengthen regional democratic values

7. Environment

The SDP emphasizes environmental sustainability, addressing climate change and resource management in a densely populated nation.

• Climate Commitments:
  • Strengthen adherence to the Paris Agreement through emissions targets and renewable energy. No specific targets (e.g., 50% emissions cut by 2030) are provided.
• Electric Vehicles (EVs):
  • Provide incentives for EV adoption to reduce emissions. No details on subsidies (e.g., amount per vehicle) or infrastructure (e.g., charging stations) are included.
• Population Control:
  • Oppose population growth to 10 million, rejecting long-term planning scenarios (e.g., 2013 White Paper). No alternative population cap (e.g., 6M) is proposed.
• Haze Pollution:
  • Enforce the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act. No specific actions (e.g., fines, regional agreements) are detailed.
• Waste Reduction:
  • Reduce single-use packaging. No targets (e.g., 50% reduction by 2030) or mechanisms (e.g., bans) are specified.

Policy Area	Key Proposal	Intended Impact
Climate	Strengthen Paris Agreement commitments	Reduce carbon footprint
EVs	Incentivize EV adoption	Lower transportation emissions
Population	Oppose 10 million target	Ensure sustainable growth
Haze	Enforce Transboundary Haze Act	Address regional pollution
Waste	Reduce single-use packaging	Minimize environmental impact

Conclusion

Launched ahead of the May 3, 2025, General Election, the SDP’s manifesto reflects its social liberal democratic vision, emphasizing affordability, equity, and sustainability.

Key proposals, such as the S$270,000 HDB price cap and opposition to a 10 million population, include specific figures, but most policies (e.g., building more flats, minimum wage, class size reductions) lack quantitative details, such as numerical targets or cost estimates.

Implementation challenges include fiscal costs (e.g., NHIF, GST exemptions), political resistance to bold reforms (e.g., PSLE abolition, GLC divestment), and the SDP’s limited electoral success (no seats since 1997).

Disclaimer: This analysis is a speculative exploration based on geopolitical trends, historical patterns, and open-source intelligence.

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Foreign interference isn’t a conspiracy theory; it’s a global reality, from Russia’s 2016 U.S. election hacks to China’s whispered influence in Australia.

Singapore, a tiny island with outsized influence, is a high-value target. Its role as a global financial hub, with approximately S$5.4 trillion in assets under management makes its electoral outcome a matter of international consequence.

China

China, Singapore’s largest trading partner with S$150 billion in bilateral trade in 2022, has strong incentives to influence GE2025.

As ASEAN’s diplomatic anchor, Singapore influences regional policies critical to China’s Belt and Road Initiative and South China Sea claims.

A government aligned with Beijing would enhance its dominance in Southeast Asia, where Singapore’s neutrality is a linchpin.

Moreover, Singapore’s military training partnerships with Taiwan make it a target for China’s efforts to suppress Taiwanese independence narratives.

Past disinformation campaigns

China has a well-documented history of disinformation:

• Taiwan: Beijing has used deepfakes and propaganda to discredit Taiwanese leaders and deter voters from supporting independence, targeting Chinese-speaking communities to sow division, as reported by regional security experts.

• Philippines: China has promoted narratives portraying itself as a constructive regional actor while casting doubt on U.S. reliability, aiming to weaken U.S.-Philippine ties, per the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

• Singapore (2017): A notable incident involved Huang Jing, a U.S. citizen and academic at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, who was expelled in August 2017 for acting as an agent of influence for a foreign country, widely understood to be China. Huang used his position to share privileged information with foreign intelligence operatives and attempted to influence Singapore’s foreign policy, per MHA.

Potential impact in Singapore

Singapore’s 74% ethnic Chinese population and economic ties with China create vulnerabilities to disinformation.

AI-generated deepfakes on platforms like Meta and Tiktok could depict candidates disparaging Chinese culture, alienating voters.

Cyber operations might target journalists of alternative and mainstream media outlets, while covert funding through Chinese business networks or clan associations could support pro-China candidates.

The October 2024 deepfake video targeting former President Halimah Yacob, falsely showing her criticizing the government, underscores this threat.

The 2020 case of Dickson Yeo, a Singaporean sentenced in the U.S. for spying for Chinese intelligence, further highlights Beijing’s use of local operatives, though Yeo claimed no disloyalty to Singapore.

Why Singapore?

Singapore’s diplomatic leadership in ASEAN and military ties with Taiwan make it a strategic target.

China’s ambition to dominate ASEAN relies on influencing key players like Singapore, whose neutral stance could shift regional dynamics if manipulated.

Disinformation could erode public trust or promote candidates aligned with Beijing’s goals.

Israel

Israel, a key defense partner supplying Singapore with technologies like the Iron Dome, seeks to maintain a government supportive of bilateral ties.

As one of Singapore’s few ASEAN allies alongside Thailand, and with neighbors like Malaysia and Indonesia holding anti-Israel stances, Singapore’s pro-Israel policies are crucial.

A change in government could disrupt defense cooperation or weaken Israel’s Southeast Asian foothold, where Singapore is a diplomatic and technological hub.

Past disinformation campaigns

Israel’s disinformation efforts, particularly since the Gaza war, have aimed to shape global narratives:

• U.S. Lawmakers (2024): Israel funded a $2 million campaign through Stoic, a Tel Aviv-based firm, using 600 fake social media accounts to target 128 U.S. Congresspeople with pro-Israel messaging. Active as of June 2024, it employed AI tools like ChatGPT and fake news sites to attack UNRWA and influence policy (The New York Times, June 2024).

• Gaza War propaganda: AI-driven bot farms spread false narratives to dehumanize Palestinians and pressure policymakers, as reported by The Intercept in February 2024 (Gaza: Israel, Netanyahu, propaganda, lies, Palestinians).

• Meta censorship: Israel secured the removal of 38.8 million pro-Palestinian posts on Meta platforms by April 2025, aligning with efforts to suppress criticism (Dropsite News).

• Specific falsehoods: Misleading claims, such as audio evidence in the Gaza Baptist Hospital massacre, highlight tactical disinformation (Euronews, February 2024).

Potential impact on Singapore

Israel’s cyber capabilities, exemplified by tools like Pegasus and Graphite used in Singapore pose a threat.

While the 2024 Graphite spyware from Paragon Solutions was reportedly halted, Israel’s history with Pegasus—sold to various governments—suggests that comparable tools remain active.

Disinformation campaigns might target Singapore’s Malay-Muslim community (15% of the population) to counter anti-Israel sentiments, using bots on platforms like Meta.

Covert lobbying through defense or tech partnerships could subtly influence policy.

Why Singapore?

Singapore’s status as a rare ASEAN ally makes it a linchpin for Israel’s regional strategy.

A pro-Israel government ensures sustained defense cooperation and counters regional hostility.

Disinformation could protect these ties by shaping elite perceptions or neutralizing anti-Israel narratives.

Singapore's defense capabilities

Singapore has fortified its electoral process against disinformation:

• Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act 2021 (FICA): Enables authorities to remove false content and scrutinize foreign funding, countering China’s deepfakes and Israel’s bot campaigns Countering Foreign Interference.

• Cybersecurity: The Cyber Security Agency (CSA) secures electoral systems, with 2023 advisories promoting robust digital protections Advisory to Presidential Election Candidates.

• Public resilience: Media literacy campaigns and high public trust (84% in government, 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer) equip citizens to identify disinformation Commentary: What Singapore can do more against rising threat of foreign interference.

The FICA law was in the news recently when four members of one of Singapore's richest families were designated as "politically significant persons" for their membership to a China political advisory body. MHA had emphasised that the four individuals had not engaged in any “egregious activity”. As such, their designation can be seen as a pre-emptive move to guard against any potential vulnerabilities to foreign interference.

Also last year, FICA was invoked to block 95 social media accounts linked to self-exiled Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui, the first time that the account restrictions directions under FICA were being deployed.

Foreign disinformation poses a significant threat to GE2025.

China aims to dominate ASEAN by leveraging Singapore’s diplomatic influence and cultural ties, while Israel seeks to preserve its strategic alliance.

Singapore’s FICA, cybersecurity, and public resilience provide a strong defense, but sustained vigilance is critical.

Enhanced cyber audits, monitoring of foreign networks, and public education will ensure Singapore’s vote remains untainted.

As GE2025 approaches, the nation’s commitment to sovereignty will determine its success in countering these threats.

The Progress Singapore Party (PSP) released its manifesto for Singapore's 2025 General Election, titled “Progress for All,” outlining over 60 policy proposals to address key national issues.

The manifesto focuses on building a fair society, ensuring dignified living standards, providing diverse educational pathways, and strengthening democratic institutions.

Below is a detailed, reorganized summary of the manifesto’s key points, structured for clarity and coherence, based on the provided document.

1. Cost of Living

The PSP addresses Singapore’s escalating cost of living, driven by a 18% rise in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) from July 2020 to February 2025, with specific increases in hawker food (20%), public transport (20%), and water prices (18%). The GST hike from 7% to 9% in 2024 and soaring HDB resale prices (50% increase from Q2 2020 to Q4 2024) exacerbate the burden, while median wages have only risen 21% from $4,534 to $5,500.

• GST Reduction and Exemptions:
  • Reduce GST to 7%, arguing it’s regressive and Singapore’s $1.2 trillion reserves (12 years of government expenditure) allow fiscal flexibility.
  • Exempt basic essentials (e.g., water, rice, eggs, cooking oil, formula milk) from GST, with price thresholds (e.g., rice under $2/kg) to target lower-income households.
• Land Cost Reforms:
  • Defer land cost for HDB Build-To-Order (BTO) flats, recording it at sale and recovering it with interest upon resale, treating public housing as essential infrastructure like schools.
  • Treat land sales proceeds as revenue over the lease period (e.g., 99 years), allowing 5% annual draw for budget use, providing a cumulative revenue stream without depleting reserves.
• Commercial Rent Control:
  • Have the Fair Tenancy Industry Committee (FTIC) issue guidelines on annual rent increases for commercial properties, aligning with economic growth to moderate business costs.
• Hawker Centre Reforms:
  • Set hawker stall rents at $500/month or 3% of gross turnover (whichever is higher), replacing the tender system to lower costs (current median: $1,625/month).
  • Phase out Socially-conscious Enterprise Hawker Centres (SEHCs) and centralize management under a new agency, “Hawker Singapore,” to reduce costs and promote hawker culture.
• Food Affordability:
  • Provide government-funded food discounts for Pioneer Generation, Merdeka Generation, and CHAS cardholders at hawker centres, funded by respective funds.
  • Increase CDC Vouchers for lower-income households to offset food costs, relieving hawkers from funding budget meals.
• Healthcare Affordability:
  • Nationalize MediShield Life and CareShield Life, with government-funded premiums for all Singaporeans, costing $2-3 billion annually to ease premium burdens.
  • Centralize drug procurement for public and private healthcare facilities to reduce costs through bulk bargaining.
  • Offer a $3,000 “HealthierMother” cash gift per child to defray confinement costs post-childbirth.

Policy Area	Key Proposal	Intended Impact
GST	Reduce to 7%, exempt essentials	Ease regressive tax burden
Land Costs	Defer HDB land costs, spread land sales revenue	Lower housing and business costs
Hawker Reforms	Fixed/low rents, phase out SEHCs	Keep food prices affordable
Healthcare	Nationalize insurance, centralize drug procurement	Reduce medical expenses

2. Housing

The PSP critiques the BTO system’s long waiting times and rising resale prices (50% increase from Q2 2020 to Q4 2024), driven by land costs (60% of BTO costs) and lease decay concerns. The government’s subsidies to keep BTO prices affordable increase fiscal burdens, necessitating a rethink of housing policies.

• Affordable Homes Scheme (AHS):
  • Replace BTO with AHS, selling flats at construction cost plus a location-based premium, excluding land cost unless sold on the resale market.
  • Ensure affordability without depleting CPF savings, severing the link between housing and retirement, with minimal impact on resale market due to limited supply (20,000 flats/year).
• Singles Housing Access:
  • Allow singles aged 28+ to buy 2- and 3-room BTO flats and all resale flats in any estate, compared to the current age 35 limit for 2-room Flexi BTOs.
• Increase Flat Supply:
  • Build more flats based on forecasted demand (e.g., marriage and birth rates), using unused state properties (e.g., former schools) to reduce waiting times.
• Millennial Apartments Scheme:
  • Offer affordable, high-quality rental apartments in the CBD and mature estates for young couples/singles on 2-5 year leases, providing flexibility and reducing pressure to buy early.

Policy Area	Key Proposal	Intended Impact
AHS	Exclude land cost for owner-occupied flats	Affordable housing, protect retirement savings
Singles	Lower age to 28 for BTO/resale flats	Meet young Singaporeans’ housing needs
Supply	Build ahead of demand, repurpose properties	Reduce waiting times
Rentals	Millennial Apartments Scheme	Flexible housing for youth

3. Jobs and Wages

With foreign workers comprising 39% of the workforce, the PSP aims to prioritize Singaporeans while ensuring fair competition and better work-life balance, addressing overwork (90% work beyond official hours) and wage stagnation.

• Minimum Living Wage:
  • Set a $2,250/month minimum wage ($1,800 take-home after CPF), based on 2019 Minimum Income Standard, to ensure dignity and reduce reliance on subsidies.
• Foreign Worker Policies:
  • Strengthen the Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) by extending job ad periods, requiring more ads, and proving no suitable Singaporean candidate.
  • Introduce per-company EP quotas, with higher quotas for SMEs, to balance global talent access and local priority.
  • Impose a $1,200/month EP levy to offset employers’ CPF savings on foreign workers.
  • Raise EP minimum qualifying salary to $10,000/month (from $5,600-$10,700).
  • Limit single-nationality work pass holders per company to prevent workplace enclaves.
• Worker Protections:
  • Exempt retrenched employees from non-compete clauses to ease job transitions.
  • Mandate statutory retrenchment benefits (2 weeks’ salary per year of service for 2+ years’ service), exempting small or bankrupt firms.
• Parental Leave:
  • Equalize parental leave at 15 weeks per parent (4 weeks maternity/paternity, 22 weeks shared equally), promoting shared parenting responsibilities.
• Family-Friendly Employers:
  • Offer incentives like higher foreign worker quotas to employers supporting parental leave.

Policy Area	Key Proposal	Intended Impact
Wages	$2,250/month minimum wage	Ensure dignified living
Foreign Workers	EP quotas, levy, higher salary threshold	Prioritize Singaporeans
Protections	No non-compete for retrenched, statutory benefits	Enhance job security
Leave	Equal 15-week parental leave	Promote gender equity

4. Social Safety Net

The PSP seeks to simplify and strengthen social support, reducing reliance on complex schemes and supporting caregivers, seniors, and healthcare needs.

• Redundancy Insurance:
  • Introduce a scheme paying 75% of the last-drawn salary for 6 months (capped at $3,750/month), funded by 0.5% monthly contributions from employers/employees.
• Caregiver Support:
  • Provide a $1,250/month allowance (including CPF) for full-time caregivers of children under 7, costing up to $2.5 billion annually, replacing childcare subsidies.
• Silver Support Scheme:
  • Double payouts to $430-$2,160/quarter ($144-$720/month), based on flat type and income, for seniors with low retirement savings.
• Pioneer and Merdeka Funds:
  • Publish projected investment income and ensure full utilization of funds ($5.52 billion for PG, $5.55 billion for MG as of March 2024).
• CPF Lifetime Retirement Investment Scheme (LRIS):
  • Implement LRIS, allowing investment in low-fee, diversified funds (6-10% annual returns over 5 years, per US 401(k) data), boosting retirement savings.
• MediSave Expansion:
  • Increase MediSave500/700 withdrawal limits ($500/$700 annually for outpatient care) and cover preventive dental treatments, maternity fees, and egg freezing.
• Fertility Support:
  • Offer 75% co-funding for unlimited ART cycles for women under 40 (until 2 children), and 3 fresh/3 frozen cycles for ages 40-45.
• Mental Health:
  • Increase MediSave withdrawal limits for mental health treatments (e.g., schizophrenia, depression), regulate counsellors, and reduce public hospital waiting times (47 days for psychiatrists, 36 for psychologists in 2023).

Policy Area	Key Proposal	Intended Impact
Redundancy	75% salary for 6 months	Financial security for unemployed
Caregivers	$1,250/month for child caregivers	Support unpaid contributions
Seniors	Double Silver Support payouts	Dignified retirement
Healthcare	Expand MediSave, fund ART	Reduce out-of-pocket costs

5. Education

Despite Singapore’s top PISA 2022 rankings, the PSP critiques over-reliance on tuition ($104.80/month household expenditure in 2023) and high-stakes exams, which foster fear of failure (2018 PISA). The system should offer diverse pathways and equal opportunities.

• Through-Train Programme:
  • Pilot a 10-year programme (Primary 1 to Secondary 4) with optional PSLE, emphasizing holistic curricula (arts, humanities, sports) and flexible assessments.
• School Size Diversity:
  • Maintain a range of school sizes, avoiding mergers to preserve heritage and support diverse needs (e.g., neurodivergent students).
• Assessment Reform:
  • Reduce reliance on summative exams, using portfolios and projects to foster critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity.
• Smaller Class Sizes:
  • Lower class sizes (from 33.6 primary, 32.6 secondary in 2023) by re-employing older teachers as Flexi-Adjuncts and using technology to reduce administrative burdens.
• Mental Health Support:
  • Conduct annual mental health assessments for students, increase school counsellors to 2 per school (from 1 in two-thirds of schools), and monitor teacher burnout.
• International Students:
  • Limit scholarships/tuition grants for international students (10% of AU undergrads, $238 million in 2019), prioritizing full-fee payers to subsidize locals.
• University Access:
  • Review AU places for Singaporeans, especially in Medicine, and expand vocational pathways (e.g., WSQ qualifications) for university admission.

Policy Area	Key Proposal	Intended Impact
Curriculum	Optional PSLE, holistic focus	Reduce exam stress, broaden skills
Schools	Diverse sizes, smaller classes	Meet varied student needs
Mental Health	Annual assessments, more counsellors	Support student/teacher well-being
Access	Limit foreign grants, expand vocational paths	Prioritize Singaporeans, diversify entry

6. Governance

The PSP addresses concerns over the PAP’s parliamentary dominance, lack of checks and balances, and recent policy missteps (e.g., Covid-19 dormitory outbreaks, SimplyGo reversal). It seeks to enhance transparency and accountability.

• Ministerial Salaries:
  • Benchmark salaries to median Singaporean income (not top 1,000 earners) to reflect public service ethos.
• Asset Declarations:
  • Require MPs to publicly declare assets post-election in a Register of Interests, following Commonwealth practices (e.g., UK, Australia).
• Sovereign Wealth Funds:
  • Hold closed-door parliamentary hearings for Temasek and GIC, publish senior management salary ranges, and compare performance to global benchmarks.
• Freedom of Information:
  • Enact a Freedom of Information Act, requiring government disclosure unless exemptions (e.g., national security) are justified in court.
  • Automatically declassify documents after 25 years, unless restricted for security.
• Media Reform:
  • Liberalize the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act, removing ministerial approval for management shares, and reduce online news content provider bonds ($50,000 to $20,000).
  • Establish an independent press standards committee to handle complaints and enforce journalistic integrity, funded by Parliament.
  • Fund local digital media start-ups to foster diversity, redirecting $900 million SPH Media Trust and $310 million MediaCorp grants.
• POFMA Reform:
  • Vest POFMA powers in the judiciary, limiting use to deliberate falsehood campaigns to reduce chilling effects on free speech.
• Electoral Reforms:
  • Abolish GRCs, replacing with minority NCMP schemes or a hybrid FPTP/proportional representation system with multi-racial candidate mandates.
  • Reform electoral boundary reviews with transparent processes, fixed voter counts (30,000 ±10%), and bipartisan approval for major boundary changes.
• People’s Association (PA):
  • Depoliticize PA by appointing neutral public servants as Grassroots Advisors, excluding MPs and political figures.
• Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs):
  • Mandate public EIAs for major developments, with 2-month feedback periods, evaluating biodiversity, ecosystems, and emissions.
• Voting Age:
  • Lower voting age to 18, aligning with global norms and National Service obligations.
• Parliamentary Support:
  • Create a Parliament Research Service (PRS) with seconded experts to support MPs’ policy research.
  • Form bipartisan standing committees to scrutinize legislation over 2 months, with powers to subpoena witnesses and access PRS.

Policy Area	Key Proposal	Intended Impact
Transparency	FOIA, declassify documents, asset declarations	Enhance public access, trust
Electoral System	Abolish GRCs, reform boundaries	Ensure fairer elections
Media	Liberalize laws, independent committee	Foster diverse, quality journalism
Governance	Depoliticize PA, non-partisan Speaker	Strengthen impartial institutions

Conclusion

Launched ahead of the May 3, 2025, election, the PSP’s manifesto builds on parliamentary proposals since 2020, reflecting resident feedback and critiques of PAP policies.

The party emphasizes its role in holding the government accountable, citing past PAP responses (e.g., Pioneer Generation Package) to opposition gains.

Implementation challenges include fiscal costs (e.g., GST reduction, caregiver allowances) and political resistance to reforms like GRC abolition.

The PSP’s focus on affordability, housing, and governance aligns with public concerns, but success depends on electing at least 33 opposition MPs to block constitutional amendments.

During the PSP's manifesto launch early this month (Apr 6), Dr Tan Cheng Bock, the party's chairman, criticized the government's response to the US tariffs as "overblown".

He suggested that the government's strong warnings, such as Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's (PM Wong) statement on about the "likelihood of a full-blown global trade war," might be an attempt to "instil fear" in voters to make them choose the incumbent as a "safe bet" ahead of the General Election.

In a YouTube video, PM Wong urged Singaporeans to brace themselves because the risks are real and the stakes high.

Dr Tan called for economists to study the real impact of the tariffs. "Don't just make statements of this kind and scare everybody," he said.

To worry or not to worry?

On Saturday (Apr 19), Dr Tan reiterated his party’s stance on the trade war, calling it “a very difficult problem, but a very serious problem” that “we are not taking lightly”.

He said: "Trump is so unpredictable. I cannot give you the answer also. But i don't think that we are just lying low and say oh, nothing to worry. of course, we worry differently. We are looking for answers. This is a very difficult, serious problem. And we are not taking it lightly."

PSP's position on the US tariffs reflects a critical view of the government's initial response as potentially exaggerated for political gain but later recognized the trade war's significant economic implications that should not be taken lightly.

The Workers' Party (WP) released its manifesto for Singapore's 2025 General Election last Thursday (Apr 17) titled “Working for Singapore.”

The 122-page document, launched at the WP headquarters, outlines 125 policy proposals across five key areas: affordability and cost of living, economic growth and opportunities, inclusion and equality, accountability and democracy, and security and geopolitics.

Below is a detailed, reorganized summary of the manifesto’s key points, structured for clarity and coherence.

1. Affordability and Cost of Living

The WP proposes a range of measures to address Singapore’s high cost of living, focusing on transparency, alternative revenue sources, financial safety nets, and affordability of essential services and goods.

• Transparency in Cost Management: Establish a Standing Parliamentary Committee on Cost of Living to monitor and ensure transparency in addressing living expenses.

• Alternative Revenue Sources: Reduce reliance on Goods and Services Tax (GST) by:

  • Recognizing revenue from land sales over the first 9 years immediately.

  • Increasing the Net Investment Returns Contribution (NIRC) from 50% to 60%.

  • Introducing taxes on alcohol, carbon, and tobacco.

  • Implementing a net wealth tax of 0.5-2% on the top 1% of wealth holders.

  • Setting a minimum corporate tax rate of 15%.

• GST Exemptions: Exempt essential items, such as basic food, from GST to lower costs for households.

• Redundancy Insurance Scheme: Introduce a scheme providing 40% of the last drawn salary for 6 months, capped at 40% of median income, funded by a 0.1% monthly premium shared between employers and employees.

• Retrenchment Benefits: Mandate retrenchment benefits for private sector employers with 25 or more employees.

• National Minimum Wage: Set a minimum wage of $1,600 for full-time workers, pro-rated for part-time workers.

• Tiered Utility Pricing: Implement tiered pricing for electricity and water with a graduated Water Conservation Tax ranging from 30-60%.

• Healthcare Affordability:

  • Lift the MediSave cap for individuals over 60 to increase access to savings for medical expenses.

  • Introduce the Silver Living Development Scheme for affordable assisted living facilities.

  • Include persons with disabilities (PwDs) in Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) subsidies.

  • Establish a National Cancer Care Appeals Board to handle complex cancer cases.

• Housing Affordability:

  • Ensure the Housing Price Index (HPI) ratio is ≤3.0 for first-time Build-To-Order (BTO) buyers.

  • Offer 70-year BTO leases at lower prices with an option to extend to 99 years.

  • Implement a universal buy-back scheme for ageing HDB flats.

• Support for Local Businesses:

  • Have the National Environment Agency (NEA) manage hawker centres to keep costs low.

  • Have the Housing Development Board (HDB) reacquire coffee shops to control rental prices.

  • Have JTC Corporation expand low-rent industrial spaces for small businesses.

  • Cap rental growth to the rate of inflation.

• Education Subsidies:

  • Extend preschool fee assistance to all preschools in HDB estates.

  • Equalize Special Education (SPED) school fees to $13 per month.

• Transport Affordability:

  • Reduce Certificate of Entitlement (COE) volatility by redistributing quotas, categorizing motorcycle COEs by value, requiring private hire cars to be in the Open category, and ensuring equitable Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) 2.0 with discounts.

  • Establish a National Transport Corporation (NTC) to operate public transport on a non-profit basis.

  • Provide free off-peak public transport for seniors and PwDs.

  • Increase subsidies for school buses for students with disabilities.

Policy Area	Key Proposal	Intended Impact
Revenue Alternatives	Wealth tax, increased NIRC, new taxes	Reduce GST reliance, fund social programs
Financial Safety Nets	Redundancy insurance, minimum wage	Protect workers from economic shocks
Housing	Affordable BTO leases, buy-back scheme	Make homeownership accessible
Transport	Non-profit NTC, free off-peak transport	Lower commuting costs for vulnerable groups

2. Economic Growth and Opportunities

The WP aims to foster economic growth by prioritizing local talent, supporting small businesses, and preparing for an ageing population through innovative industries and financial reforms.

• Local Talent Development:

  • Tie Employment Pass (EP) renewals to skills transfer programs to benefit local workers.

  • Introduce fixed-term passes for industries with fewer local shortages.

  • Track and report Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for foreign worker employment.

  • Expand intakes at Institutes of Technical Education (ITE), polytechnics, and universities for Shortage Occupation List (SOL) roles.

  • Lower the SkillsFuture mid-career qualifying age to 35.

  • Offer interest-free SkillsFuture education loans for Continuing Education and Training (CET).

  • Allow SkillsFuture Credit to be used for AI subscriptions.

  • Align curriculum with labor market needs through feedback loops.

  • Subsidize tradespersons licensing courses for those under 40 and enforce licensing.

  • Track skills-related underemployment to address workforce mismatches.

• Support for SMEs:

  • Train managers in leadership skills to improve business efficiency.

  • Benchmark salaries by sector to ensure competitiveness.

  • Streamline grants for green transitions, such as the Energy Efficient Grant.

  • Establish an Export-Import Bank (Exim Bank) to support exports, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), digitalization, and sustainability.

• Retirement Age Reform: Abolish the statutory retirement age, complementing the Workplace Fairness Act 2025, without affecting the CPF Payout Age.

• Silver Industries: Develop telemedicine, healthtech, mobility tech, elderly nutrition, and assisted living solutions to cater to nearly 1 million elderly by 2030.

• CPF Enhancements:

  • Offer an option to co-invest with the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC) for higher returns.

  • Provide special dividends from GIC returns.

  • Review the CPF Ordinary Account (OA) interest rate formula.

  • De-link the HDB loan rate from the CPF OA rate, pegging it to 0.1% above the 3-month fixed deposit rate, with a floor of 2.6%.

Policy Area	Key Proposal	Intended Impact
Local Talent	Skills transfer, education expansion	Increase employability of Singaporeans
SMEs	Leadership training, green grants	Boost small business competitiveness
Silver Industries	Telemedicine, healthtech development	Address needs of ageing population
CPF	Co-investment with GIC, revised interest rates	Enhance retirement savings

3. Inclusion and Equality

The WP seeks to promote social equity by addressing poverty, supporting vulnerable groups, and ensuring fair access to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities.

• Social Outcome Tracking: Publish a developmental dashboard covering GDP, inequality, participation, health, and climate goals; adopt the ILO Social Protection Framework; issue annual reports.

• Poverty Line: Set an official poverty line through a committee with government, civil society, and academia; peg assistance thresholds to this line.

• Support for Parents and Caregivers:

  • Extend childcare leave per child up to age 12.

  • Establish Family Care Leave of up to 6 days per year, with the first 3 days employer-paid.

  • Provide additional leave for multiple care recipients.

  • Compensate caregivers with tiered payments and CPF contributions.

  • Expand the Home Caregiving Grant to $600 per month for Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs).

  • Create a single support point for parents of disabled children.

  • Expand the Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children (EIPIC).

  • Expand respite care with subsidies for lower-income families.

  • Offer tax relief for employers with re-entry programs.

• Gender Health Gap: Include peri/menopausal check-ups and physiotherapy subsidies in Healthier SG, and provide support for mothers.

• Dental Care: Expand subsidies and allow MediSave use for dental care from age 60 by mid-2026.

• Polyclinic Access: Increase walk-in slots at polyclinics for seniors and PwDs.

• Education Reforms:

  • Reduce class sizes to 23 (from 29-33, compared to OECD’s 21-24).

  • Implement later school start times: primary at 8:00 am, secondary at 8:30 am, post-secondary at 9:00 am.

  • Offer an optional 10-year through-train programme from Primary 1 to Secondary 4, eliminating the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE).

  • Introduce a Teach for Singapore scheme for dual-trained teachers.

  • Centralize tuition for low-income students on school premises with Edusave incentives.

• SkillsFuture for PwDs: Enhance SkillsFuture programs to better support persons with disabilities.

• Housing for Singles: Lower the minimum age for buying BTO flats for singles to 28.

• Ethnic Integration Policy: Abolish block quotas while retaining neighborhood quotas.

• Foreign Spouses: Implement a points-based residency system with transparent rejection reasons.

• Workplace Fairness:

  • Require employers with 10 or more employees to report gender pay gaps.

  • Ban non-compete clauses for mid- and low-level employees.

  • Enhance the Workplace Fairness Act to better protect PwDs.

  • Revert the Working Mother’s Child Relief (WMCR) to a percentage-based system with a $1,000 tax credit for mothers earning less than $25,000.

• National Holidays: Reinstate Thaipusam as a national holiday, bringing the total to 12 holidays.

Policy Area	Key Proposal	Intended Impact
Poverty Reduction	Official poverty line, social outcome tracking	Target aid to those in need
Caregiver Support	Extended leave, financial aid	Ease burden on families
Education Access	Smaller classes, no PSLE option	Improve learning outcomes
Workplace Equity	Gender pay gap reporting, no non-compete clauses	Promote fair employment practices

4. Accountability and Democracy

The WP proposes reforms to strengthen democratic institutions, enhance transparency, and ensure fair elections and governance.

• Accountability Mechanisms:

  • Establish an Office of Ombudsman to investigate complaints and publish annual reports.

  • Set up Select Committees for each ministry to oversee operations.

  • Form a non-partisan Parliamentary Budget Office to evaluate policy proposals.

  • Reform the Presidential Council for Minority Rights (PCMR) to be non-political with fixed terms.

  • Enhance the Ministerial Code with independent assessments by the Auditor-General and judges.

  • Regulate lobbying with a public register.

• Voice and Agency:

  • Lower the voting age to 18 to increase youth participation.

  • Safeguard the independence of institutions like the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), Elections Department (ELD), and Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) under multi-partisan oversight.

  • Prohibit close relatives or political appointees from holding key positions in these institutions.

• Anti-Corruption and Elections:

  • Reconstitute the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) as the NACC, led by an independent Commissioner, Deputy Commissioners, and CEO, overseen by a multi-partisan Parliamentary Committee.

  • Ensure ELD and EBRC operate independently from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

• Electoral Reforms:

  • Abolish Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs), Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP), and Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) schemes.

  • Revert all GRCs to Single Member Constituencies (SMCs).

  • Require parties to field multiracial slates.

  • Amend Article 49 to hold by-elections within 3 months for vacant SMCs.

• Presidency Reforms:

  • Revert to a ceremonial President appointed by Parliament.

  • Establish a separate Senate for discretionary powers.

  • Allow Parliament to overturn Senate veto with a three-quarters majority.

• Local Governance: Abolish the Office of the Mayor and devolve its roles to other structures.

• Advertising Transparency:

  • Require public sector and political advertising to declare sponsored content, disclose spending, measure effectiveness, and apply ROI tests.

  • Mandate political parties and candidates to disclose payments to digital content creators.

• Labor Rights:

  • Allow independent trade unions.

  • Review the tripartite system.

  • Permit workers to form non-NTUC associations.

• Information Access:

  • Institute a Freedom of Information Act for citizen requests.

  • Declassify National Archives after 25 years, with “Secret” material subject to requests.

  • Release Cabinet papers after 40 years.

  • Publish government population projections for 2040 and 2050.

Policy Area	Key Proposal	Intended Impact
Governance	Ombudsman, independent oversight	Increase accountability
Electoral System	Abolish GRCs, revert to SMCs	Ensure fairer elections
Transparency	Freedom of Information Act, lobbying register	Enhance public trust
Labor Rights	Independent unions, non-NTUC associations	Empower workers

5. Security and Geopolitics

The WP proposes reforms to strengthen judicial independence, enhance public safety, promote environmental sustainability, and bolster national defense and diplomacy.

• Judicial Reforms:

  • Enhance judicial oversight of ministerial decisions under acts like the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act (FICA) and Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA), with court appeals and in-camera proceedings for national security.

  • Protect judicial independence by removing fixed-term Judicial Commissioners.

  • Amend the Administration of Justice Act to remove government immunity.

  • Restore the “real risk” threshold for scandalizing the judiciary.

  • Separate the Attorney-General’s roles into Public Prosecutor and Government Legal Advisor.

  • Raise judges’ retirement age from 65 to 70.

  • Have capital cases decided by a tribunal of two judges with unanimous decision.

  • Remove the mandatory death penalty.

• Policing and Scams:

  • Enhance scam protections with an insurance scheme, a $500 consumer liability cap, and a Scam Victim Restitution Fund.

  • Have the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) enforce standards.

  • Safeguard arrested persons’ rights with legal information, early lawyer access, and video-recorded interviews.

  • Establish an Independent Police Complaints Commission.

• Community Organizations:

  • Depoliticize taxpayer-funded organizations.

  • Abolish the Grassroots Advisor (GRA) position in the People’s Association (PA), led by neutral civil servants.

  • Foster ground-up National Sports Associations (NSAs).

  • Create an independent arts body for licensing and grants.

• Environmental Sustainability:

  • Balance urban development with stronger environmental laws.

  • Monitor land use and designate secondary forests as reserves.

  • Conduct public Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs).

  • Increase renewables to 30% by 2030, 40% by 2035, and 50% by 2040.

  • Track natural capital in national income.

  • Preserve forests and mangroves.

  • Address greenwashing.

  • Make public EIAs and Environmental Management and Monitoring Plans (EMMPs).

• Anti-Discrimination:

  • Legislate against discrimination.

  • Survey workplace harassment.

  • Criminalize uncovered behaviors.

• National Defense:

  • Strengthen countermeasures against grey zone tactics.

  • Increase surveillance.

  • Enhance defense agreements.

  • Promote media literacy in schools and National Service (NS).

  • Protect subsea interests.

  • Enhance repair capabilities.

  • Implement psychological fitness assessments like the US Army General Assessment Tool (GAT).

  • Provide resilience training.

  • Defend digital space with Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS) integration.

  • Establish a vulnerability equities process.

• Security Budgets:

  • Raise National Servicemen Full-time (NSFs)’ salaries to the median $1,600 per month, renamed “NS salary” with CPF contributions.

  • Ensure equal opportunities in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).

  • Provide fair representation.

  • Increase transparency in the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) budget, currently $23.44 billion for FY2025, with $22.0 billion for military expenditure, broken down into equipment, maintenance, allowances, and salaries.

  • Grant Public Accounts Committee access.

• Internal Resilience:

  • Maintain domestic manufacturing for essentials.

  • Grant legislative powers for emergencies.

  • Increase local farm uptake to 30% of nutritional needs by 2030.

  • Establish long-term contracts with institutional buyers.

  • Repeal the Internal Security Act (ISA).

  • Replace ISA with an anti-terrorism law with limited detention and court trials.

• Diplomacy and Trade:

  • Strengthen ASEAN with majority voting, enforcement, collaboration, and people-to-people exchanges.

  • Support Myanmar stability via the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus.

  • Enforce arms export bans.

  • Support maritime peace in East Asia.

  • Encourage adherence to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

  • Finalize the South China Sea (SCS) Code of Conduct.

  • Recognize the State of Palestine and support a two-state solution.

  • Establish a Singapore Agency for International Development for Official Development Assistance (ODA), focusing on Southeast Asia.

Policy Area	Key Proposal	Intended Impact
Judicial Independence	Separate AG roles, remove mandatory death penalty	Strengthen rule of law
Public Safety	Scam protections, police complaints commission	Enhance consumer and citizen protections
Environment	Increase renewables, preserve forests	Promote sustainability
Diplomacy	Strengthen ASEAN, recognize Palestine	Foster regional and global stability

Conclusion

The WP’s manifesto builds on its 2020 manifesto, retaining unimplemented proposals and introducing new ones based on resident feedback.

The party emphasizes that its policies are developed independently of the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP), focusing on gaps in existing systems.

While the WP’s proposals are ambitious, their feasibility depends on parliamentary support and economic conditions.

For instance, the wealth tax and GST exemptions may face resistance due to fiscal implications, while electoral reforms like abolishing GRCs could spark debate over representation.

The WP’s focus on affordability and equality resonates with public concerns, but implementation would require careful prioritization and collaboration.