Inderjit Singh urges PAP leaders to connect with ground issues

SINGAPORE: In a recent interview, Inderjit Singh, a former Member of Parliament for Ang Mo Kio GRC, emphasized the crucial need for the People's Action Party (PAP) leaders to reconnect with the grassroots and gain a deep understanding of the real issues facing Singaporeans.

The interview, conducted by Mr Viswa Sadasivan, Chief Editor of IQ (Inconvenient Questions), was published by Rice Media, Singapore's alternative media platform, on Sunday (7 April).

When asked about his advise for the ruling party, Mr Singh, who served as PAP MP from 1996 to 2015, stressed the importance of conveying empathy and assurance to Singaporeans.

"I think they (PAP leaders) really need to get in touch and understand the real issues on the ground."

"They're trying their best with all the TikTok funny things that they do, I think that only is going to address a small section."

He remarked, "You really need to have a Singaporean feel that, “I understand your problem, I cannot solve it today, but believe me I can solve it in the future.”"

He further highlighted the critical importance of trust, which he had repeatedly emphasized in post-election analyses.

"Do they trust you? And I think we are losing ground on that portion and we have to regain that trust, "Mr Singh said, who also served as PAP's deputy party whip from 2002 to 2011.

During the interview, Mr Sadasivan, a former Nominated MP, engaged in a discussion with Mr Singh regarding the evolving leadership styles within the PAP under the tenures of the late Lee Kuan Yew, Goh Chok Tong, and Lee Hsien Loong.

They also explored upcoming challenges and predictions faced by the ruling party.

In light of pressing Singaporean concerns, Inderjit Singh highlights voter perception amidst government's 'election budget' offerings

When delving into the timing of the PAP leadership handover, both Mr Singh and Mr Sadasivan suggested that July or August would be the most opportune period.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced at the PAP 2023 awards and convention his plan to pass the leadership baton to Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong before the next General Election, scheduled to occur by November 2025.

Mr Singh predicted GE possibly end of this year, while Mr Sadasivan suggested a timing in October.

Mr Singh highlighted the possibility of the government using the 2024 budget announced in February, which he described as an "election budget" as an opportunity for election-related announcements and incentives.

"Otherwise you wait another budget, National Day rally, you can give a few more good things. Then you can go soon after that."

However, Mr Singh cautioned against a significant risk, noting that pressing concerns among many Singaporeans, such as the cost of living and housing, cannot be fully resolved through this election alone.

"This will take some time. I don't know whether all the handouts that we got, are going to appease the people."

Mr Singh expressed concern that voters may perceive government actions, such as budget allocations, as attempts to win votes rather than genuine solutions to significant problems.

Mr Sadasivan then reflected on past statements made by Mr Singh regarding the need for a better balance between economic growth and social cohesion, as well as the aspiration for every Singaporean to feel their life improving.

"You also said you worry for the middle-aged and middle class. Now these are wicked problems they're not going to go away overnight, " said Mr Sadasivan.

"I don't think any government can just swing the wand and see this miraculously go away. But has the needle, in your view moved enough in the past decade for it to translate into votes for the PAP?"

Inderjit Singh: "Job not well done" for tackling cost of living and housing issues, which all within the control of the government

In response, Mr Singh candidly acknowledged the lack of significant progress on these issues over the past decade.

He attributed this stagnation to factors within the government's control, particularly regarding the management of cost of living and housing issues.

"I think the cost of living issues and the housing problems were all within the control of the government, just job not well done. And so we are seeing the ills of it ."

"If they had done a better job I don't think we needed to face so serious problem."

"They could have done something, " Mr Singh said, "But now to solve this will take very long-term view of things before we see it."

Mr Singh reflected on the failures of the ruling party's assumptions in past elections, particularly regarding voter behaviour during crises and the support of young families.

He acknowledged that these assumptions did not hold true in recent elections, such as the loss in Sengkang GRC despite expectations of support from young families during the COVID-19 crisis.

"My own opinion is that this election I don't think the needle will shift a lot towards the PAP."

While acknowledging the satisfaction of heartlanders and the elderly with the budget, he underscored concerns among the middle group about the future, while the youth prioritize candidates' personalities.

Drawing from his observations on shifting voter behaviour, particularly in favour of the Workers' Party (WP), Mr Singh noted a significant change.

While candidates bearing the PAP logo once secured at least 50% of the vote easily, he observed that in recent elections, the WP logo alone could garner 40% of the vote, indicating the strength of its brand.

He cautioned that with a well-qualified candidate, the WP could pose a formidable challenge to the PAP's electoral prospects.

"This coming election is a very important one for the PAP because it's a handover election and also mandate."

"They have to think about how they're going to at least not be worse than the last one," Mr Singh reminded.