GE2025: SDP chairman Paul Tambyah hits back at Ong Ye Kung over criticism of its policies

SINGAPORE: Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) chairman Paul Tambyah on Tuesday (Apr 29) struck back at Health Minister Ong Ye Kung’s criticism of the party’s policies, which he said do not have a “snowball’s chance” of contributing to Singapore.

“I’m not sure whether he’s referring to a snowball in hell or a snowball in Greenland. The truth is probably closer to the snowball in Greenland,” Professor Tambyah told the crowd at the party's seventh rally in six days.

He reiterated that some of SDP’s policies have been adopted by the People’s Action Party (PAP), including universal healthcare and the abolition of streaming in schools.

“I think you will find that Mr Ong’s snowball is in Greenland. The SDP snowball is slowly gathering strength, building momentum and will grow into a major force on Saturday,” Prof Tambyah added, in reference to Polling Day.

On Monday, Mr Ong had asked for the SDP to “explain honestly” what it was suggesting and said its proposals show the opposition party does not know how public policies work.

He called the party’s proposals “mere populist calls” aimed at winning seats in parliament, while highlighting two SDP manifesto policies – healthcare and housing – in his rally speech.

Mr Ong is leading a PAP team contesting in Sembawang Group Representation Constituency (GRC), where the SDP has fielded a team.

Prof Tambyah is in a straight fight against PAP’s Liang Eng Hwa in Bukit Panjang Single Member Constituency (SMC), where Beacon Primary School - the location of Tuesday's rally - is located. 

Both men first faced off in the 2020 General Election, with Mr Liang winning 53.73 per cent of the vote, making it the closest contest among all SMCs in that election.

SDP chief Chee Soon Juan, who was not initially scheduled to speak on Tuesday, also took to the stage at about 9.45pm - near the end of the allocated rally time.

He rebutted his PAP rival in Sembawang West SMC, Ms Poh Li San, saying "she is still stuck on chapter one" since 2020 when she was first elected in Sembawang GRC, "and hasn't started on chapter two".

HEALTHCARE

Also speaking at the rally were Sembawang GRC candidate Alfred Tan and Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC candidate Jufri Salim.

Mr Tan took aim at the health minister, who had highlighted the opposition party's healthcare policy in his rally speech on Monday.

SDP said in its manifesto that the creation of healthcare clusters - the National Healthcare Group, the National University Health System, and Singhealth - has resulted in "significant" wastage and duplication, and asked for the system to be "abandoned".

Mr Ong on Monday said the SDP appeared to suggest that merging the three clusters would help cut administrative costs and solve healthcare challenges, and that when such a proposal sounds "so easy and good", it is usually "fake".

The health minister also said that such a merger could result in administrative staff being retrenched.

In response to Mr Ong, Mr Tan asked: “You are the one who got the hospital administration bloated, and now you are afraid to clean up the mess?

“You spend and waste resources so freely and now, when asked to clean up, you don’t know what to do?”

He said there are “many positions in Singapore still unfilled”, and suggested retraining these workers to take up those roles.

Mr Jufri reiterated SDP’s call for a single-payer universal healthcare system, in which the government manages a central healthcare fund.

The party has also proposed removing the “complexities” of MediSave, MediShield and CareShield.

"When someone falls sick in Singapore, their first worry is often not their health, but the cost. That's totally unacceptable," Mr Jufri said.

"So we propose universal health care, a single payer model where no Singaporean has to fear not being able to pay when they need treatment, because we believe that you should be focused on healing, not hospital bills."

Mr Ong said on Monday that currently, a hospital bill is mostly paid in three ways: subsidies from the government, claims from MediShield Life and MediSave.

“This is called the S+2M system, and about eight in 10 hospital bills are paid using S+2M.

"A single-payer system means we get rid of two out of the three alphabets. So, my question to the SDP is – which two are you getting rid of?”

He added that the SDP should explain its proposals “honestly” to residents.

Responding to Mr Ong's comments about the proposals being "mere populist", Mr Jufri said: "What they call populism, we call it putting people first."

PART-TIME VS FULL-TIME MP

Prof Tambyah and Dr Chee raised several municipal issues in the respective constituencies they are contesting. These included the Bukit Panjang Light Rail Transit (LRT) and sidewalks in Sembawang.

Prof Tambyah noted “major concerns” from residents on whether ongoing improvements in their estates will continue if SDP wins parliamentary seats this weekend.

“I can assure you they will. The covered walkways, the upgrades to playgrounds, the fitness corners, the new slip-resistant flooring - as far as I know, no PAP party funds went into the flooring or the walkways,” he said.

“If you don’t believe me, ask the residents of Sengkang, Aljunied and Hougang.”

The Workers' Party won the three constituencies in the last General Election.

Dr Chee said that if he is elected, he would become a "full-time MP" and be in the area "every day to do what I have to do".

Ms Poh said on Monday during a PAP rally that SDP’s suggestions, such as organising town hall meetings to listen to residents’ issues and becoming full-time MPs to manage estate work, demonstrate a lack of understanding of how PAP MPs work.

While she acknowledged Dr Chee is passionate and has walked a long political path, she said he has not served “a community from within”.

“We are ready for the next chapter. We need a clear path forward. We need chapter two of Sembawang West to be bold, compassionate and rooted in experience,” Ms Poh added.

Dr Chee made direct reference to these comments, noting that Ms Poh said she had listened to residents’ feedback during her first term and laid the foundation that was chapter one.

He said: “I've written a few books, so I know a thing or two about chapters. In writing, there's something called ... writer's block, where you get stuck at a point and you don't know how to go on.

"Well, Ms Poh seems to have experienced this writer's block, because for five years since 2020, she's still stuck on chapter one and hasn't started on chapter two.”

Dr Chee said that after five years, an MP should have “finished at least eight or nine” chapters and started on the 10th.

“The reason why Ms Poh is still on chapter one is because she’s doing her MP duties on a part-time basis,” he added.

He promised that if he was elected, he would “finish writing chapter one” by August.

“This is the difference between Ms Poh and me. I will hit the ground running if I am elected, and be in the town every day to do what I have to do,” he told the rally crowd.

Seven people spoke at the rally at Beacon Primary School, including Mr Ariffin Sha, Mr Alec Tok and Mr Damanhuri Abas.  They covered topics from education and housing to cost of living and voter secrecy.