S’PORE OPPOSITION PARTY TARGETS HIGH LIVING COST

Workers’ Party calls for minimum wage, unemployment insurance and opposes raising GST

SINGAPORE’S biggest opposition party released an election manifesto that sought to reduce costs of living and widen the safety net for residents.

The Workers’ Party main proposals include opposing the government’s plan to increase the Goods and Services Tax and reiterating calls for a national minimum wage and unemployment insurance, it said on Sunday.

It sought a minimum monthly take home wage of S$1,300 for full-time workers.

“A large number of Singaporean families have difficulty making ends meet, even though their breadwinners are working hard to provide for them,” according to the manifesto.

It also called for “abolishing the retirement age and allowing Singaporeans to work for as long as they are able and willing to” and an insurance programme to “ease financial pressure on workers who have been made redundant”.

Yesterday, the Progress Singapore Party unveiled a manifesto advocating for a stronger social safety net to help Singaporeans through the Covid-19 crisis.

The party, which has attracted Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s estranged brother, Lee Hsien Yang, to join, wants to address home leasing issues at public housing flats and increase the quantum of pension withdrawal at age 55.

They are also running on a platform of reducing the parliamentary stronghold by the People’s Action Party (PAP), expanded presidential oversight and ensuring independence at key institutions.

“We want more transparency,” party leader and former PAP member of parliament Tan Cheng Bock said at a press briefing to introduce the manifesto. “These are very fundamental things.”

Singapore unveiled four stimulus packages in about three months worth a total of S$92.9 billion, laden with cash handouts, tax waivers and wage subsidies to help residents and businesses during the pandemic.

The government still plans to raise the Goods and Services Tax by 2025, but won’t increase it next year, Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat had said in February.

The Workers’ Party manifesto contrasts with the one released by the ruling party on Saturday.

PAP focused its election policy document on tiding the city-state over the crisis stemming from the pandemic and elaborated less on longer-term ideas for the country.

Covid-19 has infected more than 40,000 people across the island of 5.7 million people.

The city-state goes to the polls on July 10. PAP, which has ruled since 1965, is expected to remain in power.