People’s Alliance for Reform officially registered to contest in upcoming GE under one banner

SINGAPORE:  The People’s Alliance for Reform, a collaborative effort among four alternative parties—Peoples Voice (PV), Reform Party (RP), People’s Power Party (PPP), and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)—was officially registered on 7 December.

On Thursday (14 Dec), Lim Tean, the Chief of PV, shared this significant milestone on Facebook, expressing his delight upon receiving confirmation from the Registry of Societies (ROS) that afternoon.

According to Lim Tean, who also serves as the Secretary-General for the newly formed political alliance, the gazette notification confirming the registration was published in the Government Gazette’s electronic edition.

He highlighted that the union of the four parties represents a “true coalition, “, emphasizing its distinction from a loose alliance.

They aim to field joint teams of candidates to contest in Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs) during the upcoming General Election, unlike before.

Lim Tean further elaborated that the coalition will adopt a common logo and contest under one banner, and present a common manifesto for the upcoming GE.

“The manifesto is ready and will be unveiled in due course,” he added.

Four opposition parties united to form the alliance

Lim Tean had previously shared the news in November that the four parties had received in-principle approval from the ROS to establish The People’s Alliance for Reform.

The political landscape in the city-state has been witnessing a surge in activity, driven by escalating expectations of an early GE in 2024.

This anticipation has been fueled by PM Lee Hsien Loong’s intention to pass on leadership responsibilities to Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong before the forthcoming General Election, coinciding with the PAP’s 70th anniversary next year.

In June this year, the four parties announced the formation of the coalition, in response to the growing demands from Singaporeans for a united opposition to challenge the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP).

This development comes amidst the backdrop of a similar attempt made in 2020, where then-existing SingFirst, DPP, PPP, and RP intended to register a new alliance for the upcoming GE.

A point of note is that these parties had shown interest in joining the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA), Singapore’s only previously registered political alliance.

However, their intention was indirectly rejected as SDA, led by Mr Desmond Lim and comprising of the Singapore Justice Party (SJP), Singapore National Front (SNF) and Singapore Malay National Organisation (PKMS), put membership applications on hold indefinitely.

The announcement of the proposed alliance notes that many Singaporeans are concerned with the rising cost of living, high property prices, job insecurity, and other societal grievances, signalling a need for change in the political leadership.

Since January 2023, the four parties have been in negotiations to form an alliance, which has now been realized. Previous attempts to establish a united front among opposition parties were unsuccessful.

The alliance has already agreed on the most critical issues affecting Singapore’s prosperity and has prepared a manifesto for the upcoming election.

As per the press release in June, the People’s Alliance is set to contest all the seats that the four respective parties had vied for in the GE 2020, in addition to several other constituencies in the upcoming GE due in 2025.

The constituencies that these parties previously contested include Radin Mas Single Member Constituency (SMC), Mountbatten SMC, MacPherson SMC, Jalan Besar Group Representation Constituency (GRC), Ang Mo Kio GRC, and Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC.

These constituencies account for a total of 17 seats.

Another four alternative parties forged informal coalition

Earlier in October, a non-formal partnership, “The Coalition”, formed by four other opposition parties, was unveiled at a press conference at the Copthorne Kings Hotel, comprising the National Solidarity Party (NSP), Red Dot United (RDU), Singapore People’s Party (SPP), and Singapore United Party (SUP).

These parties have marked their collaboration by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), pledging a unified strategy for the forthcoming elections.

Their combined approach encompasses key strategies: collaborative campaigning, strategic electoral positioning to prevent multi-cornered fights, and unified efforts in developing a manifesto and selecting candidates.

RDU’s secretary-general, Ravi Philemon, highlighted the coalition’s distinctive nature. “This partnership is grounded in mutual respect, allowing each party to maintain its unique identity while finding common ground for cooperation,” he stated.

The Coalition has shared that it remains open to discussions with other opposition entities, affirming a shared goal of stronger, more balanced national governance.

Mr Philemon said, “We are always talking to our friends from the opposition fraternity, including the Workers’ Party, the PSP and SDP, we are not opposed to working together; in fact, we welcome working together with the other opposition parties.”