Chee Soon Juan: Addressing foreign labour as core issue in SDP’s upcoming GE campaign

SINGAPORE: Dr Chee Soon Juan, Secretary-General of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) has announced that tackling of foreign worker concerns will be a key focal point for the party in the upcoming General Election (GE).

SDP believes these issues will profoundly impact Singapore’s productivity, cost of living, inequality, and national identity, he added.

During Saturday’s (11 May) General Election Campaign launch at SDP headquarters, Dr Chee outlined the core campaign message, placing significant emphasis on the issue of foreign workers.

He emphasized that this message was not formulated arbitrarily but was the result of years of listening to the people, conducting research, and analyzing various sources including surveys, newspaper reports, and statements from government officials.

Dr  Chee expressed SDP’s intention to press Prime Minister-to-be Lawrence Wong to uphold the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) commitment to substantially reduce the influx of foreign workers.

He pointed out the failure of the PAP government to effectively address the productivity challenge over the past decade, despite its recognition as a significant policy concern.

Additionally, he stated that SDP would collaborate with economists to develop proposals aimed at diminishing Singapore’s dependence on foreign labour.

Dr Chee highlights impact of importing labours on Singapore’s productivity

Dr Chee referenced Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s 2015 statement highlighting productivity growth as crucial for a better quality of life. He also mentioned the late Lee Kuan Yew’s 2010 observation that Singapore’s growth was largely fueled by importing labour.

Dr Chee suggested that this reliance on imported labour had adverse effects on productivity, echoing economists’ warnings about the negative impact of employing cheap foreign labour.

Citing then-Minister of Trade and Industry Mr Lim Hng Kiang’s 2015 statement, Dr Chee noted Singapore’s failure to meet its targeted labour productivity growth rate of 2 to 3%, despite the government’s focus on productivity enhancement.

He pointed to several studies conducted over the past decade indicating insufficient productivity growth in Singapore, falling short of what is necessary to elevate living standards.

Chee said a continued reliance on foreign labour and foreign workers was a reason for the lower productivity, saying that businesses in Singapore utilised cheap labour rather than looking for real productivity improvements.

Concern regarding impact of foreign workforce influx on Singapore’s cost of living

Dr Chee expressed concerns about the impact of immigration on Singapore’s cost of living, particularly highlighting the soaring prices of HDB resale flats and private properties.

He drew attention to the inequality perpetuated by policies that allow rich foreigners to buy freehold land, contrasting this with the limitations faced by Singaporeans in passing on property to their heirs.

Emphasizing the link between rising property prices and the overall cost of living, Dr Chee underscored how inflated property values drive up rental costs and, subsequently, the prices of goods and services, burdening consumers with higher expenses.

On the issue of national identity, Dr Chee drew attention to the stark disparity between the exorbitant salaries of top executives like DBS CEO Piyush Gupta and the meagre wages earned by thousands of Singaporean workers.

“If we become a nation of food delivery and drivers, this is a big concern. Many Singaporeans even PAP members, have acknowledged that this might be a problem.”

“And what about national services? Who and what are we defending? When you talk about the character of our society? ”

He then cited a remark by then-Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam in the 2012 budget speech, where he noted that a rapid influx of foreign workers could affect the Singaporean character of society.

“So even the government is very concerned about how a society functions,” Dr Che added.

Dr Chee further urged the PAP government to clearly articulate its commitment to substantial reductions in the influx of foreign workers, emphasizing the need for specific targets and timelines.

Expressing a firm stance, Chee emphasized that if the government fails to provide this clarity, the SDP will take proactive steps to propose precise measures.

“We will form a working committee, work with economists, work with organisational specialists, to come up with credible proposals so that we can tell Singaporeans what exactly should be done.”

SDP’s constituency prospects amidst uncertainty

When questioned separately by reporters regarding the potential advantage for the SDP amidst PAP embroiled in political controversies, including ex-Transport Minister S Iswaran facing corruption charges, Dr Chee disagreed.

“My own sense is that people see these issues as water under the bridge. I think people are looking forward to the issues that we’ve raised, and they are concerned about their future,” he said.

However, Dr Chee also highlighted other matters of concern, such as the SimplyGo transition delay, a forest clearing incident, and revelations about TraceTogether data access by the police.

He emphasized the importance of these issues in shaping the perception of the current PAP leadership, stating, “All these things do add up into us wanting to make sure that the people know that the PAP of today is not like the PAP of yesteryears. And these are the issues that Singaporeans are very concerned about.”

Regarding the constituencies the SDP was eyeing, Dr Chee acknowledged the uncertainty, stating, “Everything’s up in the air. ”

“We’re just anxiously holding with bated breath on the announcement of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC).”

“For now, all we can do is just “agak-agak” (estimate)… What blocks go into which constituencies is beyond our control.”