GE2025: PSP leaders call for release of volunteer harassment probe findings before campaigning ends

SINGAPORE: Progress Singapore Party (PSP) chairman Tan Cheng Bock on Wednesday (Apr 30) called for the outcome of police investigations into harassment allegations – made by the People’s Action Party (PAP) and PSP volunteers in January – to be released to the public within the election campaign period. 

“We are a country of very educated people. We must behave ourselves. And they know I’m very strict because I don’t like people to shout and fight each other,” said Dr Tan, speaking on the sidelines of a walkabout at Jurong West Street 91.

He was referring to an incident between PSP and PAP volunteers during their walkabouts in Bukit Gombak SMC in January. 

Dr Tan was joined on Wednesday morning by fellow candidates from PSP’s West Coast-Jurong West slate: party secretary-general Leong Mun Wai, first vice-chairperson Hazel Poa as well as newcomers Sani Ismail and Sumarleki Amjah.

Ms Poa said the allegation that a PSP volunteer had slapped a PAP volunteer is “very serious”, adding: “Since the police have completed the investigation, we urge for the outcome of the investigation to be released to the public so that we can know the truth.”

She said that while the party has brought this up before, they have yet to receive a response from the government. Ms Poa had also touched on the clash in her rally speech last Saturday.

CNA has contacted the Attorney-General’s Chambers for comment.

The PSP candidates also spoke to reporters on other issues, including concerns related to housing and the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Mr Leong said that with the hustings drawing to a close, the PAP's anchor minister for West Coast-Jurong West, National Development Minister Desmond Lee, has yet to respond to several policy questions raised by the PSP.

The PSP chief raised concerns about the rising cost of Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats and questioned what the government was doing to rein in public housing prices, beyond ramping up the supply of flats.

“Under the current system, HDB prices – including BTO (Build-to-Order) prices – are not going to stop rising, and are not going to stop rising at such a rapid pace. So we have to actually talk about some real solutions,” he said. 

He also pointed to the PSP’s Affordable Homes Scheme – a policy proposal put forth in its manifesto, which advocates removing land costs from the price of public housing – as a possible solution to rising HDB prices.

Mr Leong added that the government had repeatedly “avoided” the topic of HDB lease decay. 

The government “has to come up with a solution”, given its Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS) and Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (VERS) “no longer work” for residents, he noted. 

“They cannot be hiding behind … I don’t know what Minister Desmond Lee is doing, maybe he’s still monitoring. But how long do you need to monitor?” Mr Leong asked, adding that Singaporeans who own HDB flats are “suffering”.

He also questioned what the authorities are doing about municipal issues such as lift upgrading.

Mr Leong said: “Minister Desmond Lee likes to talk about local issues all that, but when I start to walk around Jurong Spring, for example, what has the government done on some of the more crucial issues?”

Adding that many of the flats in the estate have “very small” lifts which only allow one wheelchair user and one other person to enter at the same time, he called on the minister to provide a “definitive answer”.

In a statement issued on Wednesday afternoon, Mr Lee said Mr Leong’s claims that he had been silent about national housing issues throughout the campaign are “untrue”.

He said he had addressed these issues on multiple occasions over the course of the campaign, "including at the launch of our GRC manifesto on Apr 23, in a press doorstop on Apr 25, and in my speech at the PAP rally for West Coast-Jurong West on Apr 27".

He added that the topic of public housing has also been covered in the PAP’s national manifesto, and that it had also been extensively debated in parliament even prior to the election campaign.

“We are clear about our commitment to keeping housing affordable and accessible for Singaporeans, through the ramping up of supply and cooling measures where necessary," said Mr Lee. 

“It is indeed a matter of concern when the PSP makes assertions with little regard for facts. I would like to urge the public to consider the facts and concrete plans that each side has presented when making their choice during this General Election.” 

In response, Mr Leong on Wednesday evening said Mr Lee did not provide any new information in the times he claimed to have responded, adding that the government needs to offer a "concrete plan".

“In an election campaign, I think all parties have a responsibility to actually tell the voters, what are we offering?” he told CNA at Ayer Rajah Food Centre prior to a walkabout.

Mr Leong called on Mr Lee to share solutions to address high HDB prices, long waiting times for BTOs and the issue of lease decay.

“I think the prime minister and minister owe Singaporeans answers to these questions during this election campaign, because Singaporeans will be thinking of these questions when they are casting their vote on May 3," he added.

GST HIKES

The GST hikes have also been a hot-button issue throughout the hustings.

During his interview with reporters on Wednesday morning, Mr Leong said: “The GST is a regressive tax. You cannot run away from that right? What the government has done is that they give GST vouchers to the lowest-income Singaporeans. But it doesn’t alter the fact that GST is a regressive tax.”

He also added that while such measures take care of lower-income Singaporeans, the middle class remains “sandwiched” by such tax hikes.

Mr Leong said it was not necessary for the government to draw revenue from the GST, as it had sufficient reserves to tap on and could also reduce spending in other areas – such as public funding for the SPH Media Trust, SkillsFuture, and the People’s Association.

Budget resources amounting to about 80 per cent of the net investment returns contribution (NIRC) is not spent in the same year, maintained Mr Leong, arguing that these were “not used for Singaporeans’ welfare” but are instead “locked up in some funds and … spent over the long term”.

Citing also the S$5 billion top-up to a fund to develop Changi Airport, he questioned: “Why should you be using this money – that is slated for improving the lives and livelihood of Singaporeans – into all these projects? 

“These projects are commercially viable projects. So they should raise their funds separately, instead of using this money – half the investment income from the reserves – which is slated for Singaporeans.”

After speaking to the media in the morning, his team made its way around coffee shops in the vicinity to interact with diners and residents. 

They also chanced upon incumbent PAP MP for the Nanyang ward, Mr Ang Wei Neng, who was similarly canvassing at the NTI Food Court at Jurong West Street 91.

As the two parties crossed paths, supporters from both camps pumped their fists into the air and broke out in loud chants of “PSP!”, “PAP!”, “Tan Cheng Bock!”, and “Ang Wei Neng!”