SDP respond to PM national day rally points out 'hollowness'

[Relacklabrudder3]

SDP speech transcript:

 

Friends and fellow Singaporeans, We have just celebrated our 48th National Day. We take pride in what we have achieved in past decades which has been no mean feat. Through hard work and sacrifice, we have built up a country worthy of praise. But just as we take stock of how far we've come, we must be mindful that our country has arrived at a stage where without change we face a bleak future and all that we have worked for will be lost. Already we are seeing signs of things going wrong.Our economy has been registering disappointing GDP growth this year.

 

Last year, we managed only 1.3% compared to our neighbours who averaged 6% GDP growth. Our workers have seen their real wages diminish even though they work the most number of hours. Income inequality continues to widen. Among advanced economies, Singapore has the widest gap between the rich and the poor. All this has made us the unhappiest people in the world. A global survey of 148 countries showed that Singapore ranked last in terms of happiness. Last year, we recorded 467 suicides - a 30 percent jump from 2011, the highest number in 20 years. How did all this come about? A major factor is that the Government continues to be more interested in keeping up the image of a Singapore that is doing well than tackling the problems that confront ordinary Singaporeans.

 

In his National Day message, PM Lee said that many countries admire Singapore. That's because the world only sees the glitter of the casinos and the billionaires that we attract from other countries. It doesn't see the negative effects of these policies on our people. Still, the SDP commends the Prime Minister's announcement in changes to policies regarding housing, healthcare and education. We are happy to see that some of these changes are aimed at helping Singaporeans who are in need. It is a step in the right direction.

 

Our concern is that these changes are piecemeal and they don't address the root cause of our problems. For example, Mr Lee conspicuously avoided talking about the Government's white paper of pushing our population to 6.9 million, a policy that Singaporeans vehemently oppose. He said nothing about curtailing the excessively liberal intake of foreigners which is causing our island to be overcrowded and the unfair competition for our jobs. The SDP, on the other hand, has proposed an alternative plan. We want to introduce a points system which will rate the qualifications of foreigners, especially PMETs, who wish to work in Singapore.

 

Singaporean employers will then be able to hire these professionals but only if they demonstrate that they have made every effort to employ a Singaporean first but cannot find a local with the required skills. It this way, we ensure that foreigners do not take away jobs that Singaporeans can do while, at the same, not depriving employers of the foreign workers they need. In addition, we can maintain our population at a manageable level and enhance the quality of life and happiness of our people.

 

In the area of healthcare, we welcome the Government's attempt to make the system universal, an initiative that the SDP announced last year. But we are concerned that the Government will still make Singaporeans pay the bulk of their healthcare expenses, a financial burden for the elderly and those who face chronic and catastrophic illness.

 

In 2012, we drew up our National Healthcare Plan: In it, we proposed that Medisave, Medishield and Medifund be scrapped and the funds in our Medisave accounts be returned to our CPF for our retirement. In its place, we want establish a national health insurance scheme into which working Singaporeans pay an average of $40 per month taken from our CPF. In the event that we are hospitalized, we pay only 10% of the bill. The remaining 90% will be paid by the Government through the insurance scheme. To make this scheme work, the Government must assume more of the responsibility by increasing its healthcare expenditure from 30% to 70%. The SDP's healthcare plan ensures that everyone, rich and poor, can afford quality healthcare in Singapore and, equally important, that Singaporeans will not go into debt as a result of high medical bills. As for housing, the Government has proposed changes which do not address the real problem - which is the unaffordability of HDB flats and whose prices are causing a dangerous housing bubble that, when burst, will wreak havoc on our economy.

 

In the SDP's housing plan, we propose two types of flats: Non-Open-Market, or NOM, flats and Open-Market flats. NOM flats is where the Government sells flats without including the land cost. This will make our flats substantially cheaperabout $150,000 for a 4-room flat compared to more than double the amount presently. However, NOM-flat owners cannot sell their flats in the open market. They have to sell them back to the HDB. For Singaporeans who do want to sell their flats in the open-market, they can still purchase HDB flats at current prices. The advantage of the SDP's housing policy is that Singaporeans have a choice of whether to buy an NOM or OM flat. Opting for an NOM flat would mean that owners won't be saddled by huge loans and will have enough CPF to retire on or to make other investments. In addition to these policies we are currently working on our National Economic Plan to further enhance job security for Singaporeans and to ensure that our workers are paid fair wages.

 

We will also be publishing our paper on the education system. The SDP has been working hard over the years to come up with alternative policies because, as I pointed out, things are not going well for Singapore and we need a better set of polices to make our future more secure and happier, a future that is centred on the people. The Singapore Democratic Party will do our part to make this future happen.

 

We will continue to work to be the competent, constructive and compassionate opposition that you want to see.

 

Thank you and I wish you and your loved ones the very best.

[Jman888]

SD what? [sleeping]

[Adrianlim13]

i dont support PAP But

 

from what I have read from SDP, populist policies la. Won't work.

 

We/(Some) voted WP into parliament. I am sorry , what have they done so far ? What can they do? Their role is just to show presence .That's it.

 

More good years ... looking forward to 100k COE, 1million HDB, 10% GST .. Love it , Absolutely Love it .... NOT.

 

 

[Djim]

rome was not built in a day

[Tjkbeluga]

I stopped reading at their first point. What nonsense to expect our GDP to be close to neighbor. As if opposition can achieve such high GDP if you hey take over. As it is, aren't they are he one who said not to blindly chase GDP?

Edited August 24, 2013 by Tjkbeluga

[Ingenius]

Agree, developed and developing countries tries the growth is different cannot compare.

[Adrianlim13]

talk is easy.

 

Rome wasn't built in one Day... but at least its built by Romans not FTs....

 

 

 

[Djim]

talk is easy.

 

Rome wasn't built in one Day... but at least its built by Romans not FTs....

 

I believe many of the buildings were built by slaves and not Romans; please correct me if I am wrong

[Djim]

I wondered why there are so many anti-SDP; a large number of prominent people in society have joined them in their cause; are they ALL wrong; my take is, the mass media has "brain washed" us and our education system and NS has program us to obey; I believe the younger generation are very astute group and can make up their mind about who they want for their government

[Tjkbeluga]

I wondered why there are so many anti-SDP; a large number of prominent people in society have joined them in their cause; are they ALL wrong; my take is, the mass media has "brain washed" us and our education system and NS has program us to obey; I believe the younger generation are very astute group and can make up their mind about who they want for their government

Nothing personal but I just disagree with what they say. By disagreeing made me anti-SDP?

[Jman888]

[Skchiu]

Nothing personal but I just disagree with what they say. By disagreeing made me anti-SDP?

no, as long as come election day, dun spoil ur vote can liao

 

[Raymondism]

I wondered why there are so many anti-SDP; a large number of prominent people in society have joined them in their cause; are they ALL wrong; my take is, the mass media has "brain washed" us and our education system and NS has program us to obey; I believe the younger generation are very astute group and can make up their mind about who they want for their government

 

Many anti-SDP???

 

i dun think so. Just that most pple dun really give two hoots about SDP

[Ingenius]

I wondered why there are so many anti-SDP; a large number of prominent people in society have joined them in their cause; are they ALL wrong; my take is, the mass media has "brain washed" us and our education system and NS has program us to obey; I believe the younger generation are very astute group and can make up their mind about who they want for their government

the rebuttal are mostly about what they said, and not anti-sdp chants, you cannot even differentiate ? think you are the one who is being biased.

[Djim]

Nothing personal but I just disagree with what they say. By disagreeing made me anti-SDP?

 

I apologise that I did not make myself clear; what I meant was in the general public there are anti-SDP sentiment and not specific to MCF

[Watwheels]

SDP need to do better lah. After reading I still do not have faith in them.

 

Do you know which country has the narrowest income gap? It used to be Communist countries whereby ppl are poor and have equal status. Ppl thought communism is ideal as there's no rich or poor, no status, no ranking system, no class segregation. But dan the biggest problem is the economy suffers badly to the point that ppl are starving. See North korea. Even China cannot tahan and open up to embrace capitalism. Income gap between the rich & poor widens. It's to me a "natural phenomenon". I must say our gahment put in a lot of safety nets to make sure the lower income can cope. Other gahment elsewhere usually do not care about the lower income group.

 

I think MIW made it very clear from the very first day that they do not welcome the idea of social welfare. It's to me....crystal clear coz they like repeated many many times. To suggest healthcare to be mostly settled by gahment is...hey, are you dreaming? And not paying attention? I mean SDP just gave MIW the chance to laugh at them and call them...ok lah I won't say, else ppl think I'm "anti-SDP".

 

The white paper thingy I do not support also. MIW believe it will help sgp remain competitive to keep our economy going. Unless someone has a better idea, we kaopeh also no use. SDP got idea boh?

 

Housing wise.... Boh bian, our land is scarce dan there's the demand and supply thing. Everyone hopes to own a property in land scarce sgp, it's tough to maintain affordability.

 

Ppl say or SDP say sgporeans kenna brainwash by MIW. Is it? I mean think about it. Some ppl what they want they will look to our gahment, "why gahment dun give us this?", "why gahment dun do this for us?", etc etc. In most countries ppl work hard for what they want. They never "stretch out their hands" and make demands like others owe them. You want something? You go think of a solution and work things out. Sgporeans are lucky. If they got problem, can look for MP to help them out. The mentality of some ppl should change, cannot expect the gahment to be your mother.

 

What social welfare other countries have is becoz they have natural resources they could extract and export to make money to support such welfare policies. Natural resources one day will run out too. What's next? "Aiya, sorry we can no longer financially support the welfare system." You will see ppl protesting on the streets. What good will protesting do? Who the gahment turn to to get the money? Maybe SDP got money to borrow. LoL...

 

SDP gotto do better dan criticising. You see a party who only know how to criticise...what for? The voters also know how to do that what.

Edited August 24, 2013 by Watwheels

[Ingenius]

Well said and I couldn't agree more. People should take heed and learn to think.

[Felipe]

i dont support PAP But

 

from what I have read from SDP, populist policies la. Won't work.

 

We/(Some) voted WP into parliament. I am sorry , what have they done so far ? What can they do? Their role is just to show presence .That's it.

 

More good years ... looking forward to 100k COE, 1million HDB, 10% GST .. Love it , Absolutely Love it .... NOT.

U need at least 1/3 of parliament to veto. U expect wp to do something when they have no veto rights? Im sorry. Theres nothing they can do as much as they want to do